How to Actually Prepare for the TOEFL Speaking Exam If You Want a High Score
Psst, I’ve got a secret.
But it’s only for those of you who are preparing for the TOEFL exam.
That’s you, right?
Okay, I’m going to share with you the best ways to prepare for the speaking part of the exam.
Taking a speaking exam can be challenging even in your native language, so these pointers will really help you feel confident and be well prepared.
Here are seven inside tips to maximize your score on the speaking part of the TOEFL test.
7 Inside Tips on How to Prepare for the TOEFL Speaking Test
7 Inside Tips on How to Prepare for the TOEFL Speaking Test
1. Understand the Structure of the Speaking Test
First, take a look at the structure of the test so that you know what you’ll have to do on the day of the exam. But more than that, by looking at the structure of the speaking test you can start thinking about the best way to prepare for it.
Tasks 1 and 2: Independent tasks
In tasks one and two, you have to give a 45-second speech and you’ll have 15 seconds to prepare.
In these tasks you need to demonstrate your ability to speak clearly and logically about familiar topics. The ideas you use should come from your own personal experience, not from academic material presented to you (like in the following tasks). Each independent task has two parts: whatyou should discuss and how you should organize your ideas.
Examples:
What are the characteristics of a good colleague? Use reasons and details to support your response.
In this task, you have to speak about the characteristics of a good colleague (coworker). The second sentence tells you how to organize your response—using reasons (why you think a certain characteristic is important) and details (describe your idea of a good colleague). If you only give reasons and forget about the details, you’ll lose points.
If you could live anywhere in the world, what place would you choose? Use reasons and examples to support your response.
In this task, the topic is the best place to live in the world. Don’t forget to say why (the reasons) it is the best place for you, and to give examples of what you mean.
Tasks 3 and 4: Integrated tasks (reading, listening and speaking)
In these parts you are going to read a passage of 100-120 words on a campus-related topic. Then you are going to listen to a passage from a campus situation (in task 3) and an academic passage (in task 4). You get 30 seconds to prepare and one minute to speak about how the reading and the listening passage are related.
While you read and listen, you should take notes on the main points so that you can later speak about how the two parts are related.
If you know what to expect in the exam, you’ll feel more confident. Be ready to read fast and take quick notes, and then listen to check how the two parts are connected. The more you practice by doing exam-like tasks, the better you’ll get.
Tasks 5 and 6: Integrated tasks (listening and speaking)
In task 5 you are going to listen to a conversation of around 2-3 minutes on a campus-related topic. In task 6 you’ll hear part of an academic lecture of the same length. You have 20 seconds to prepare and then one minute to speak about the main points of the listening passage.
This time you don’t get a reading passage, but the listening section is longer. You’ll have to take notes while you listen so you don’t forget the main points. You only get the task after you finish listening, but you can’t go wrong if you take notes on the main ideas.
2. Get Familiar with the Speaking Scoring Criteria
Make sure you know the relevant criteria that are used to evaluate your performance, so that you can improve the speaking skills that matter in this test. Here are the criteria:
Answer to question: This criterion refers to your ability to understand the task and speak about the topic in a way that is relevant. For example, if you are asked to give reasons and examples, you should do just that. If you forget about giving examples or give details instead, you’ll lose points.
Comprehensibility: This one refers to how well you can be understood. If someone can follow you easily, then you’ll probably score high in this criterion.
Organization: If your answer is clearly organized and developed, you can score high in this criterion. Read on for further tips on how to organize your speech.
Fluency: If you can speak without hesitations and your speech flows naturally, you’ll score high in fluency.
Pronunciation: If you can pronounce individual sounds correctly, get word stress right and have good intonation, you’ll do just fine in this criterion. Remember, pronunciation is not about accent. Almost all non-native speakers have an accent and this will not make you lose points.
Grammar: This refers to your ability to use advanced grammatical structures and a high level of accuracy.
Vocabulary: This one is about proving you have a wide range of vocabulary which you can use accurately to say what you mean.
3. Don’t Panic If You Only Have a Short Time to Prepare
If you only have a little time left before the big day, don’t worry! You can still work on some of the criteria that are used to evaluate speaking skills. These are the criteria which are easier to improve in a shorter time:
Answer to question: Even if you don’t have a lot of time left, you must make sure that every time you read a speaking topic, you notice the key parts at first sight. Make sure you give reasons if they ask you for reasons, and details if they want details.
Comprehensibility: The best way to ensure you are comprehensible is to have someone listen to you speak. Did you know you can find native speakers online to help you with that? Verbling is the place to start looking for a native English speaker who can be your own personal tutor—and you can even find someone who specializes in teaching English for the TOEFL exam.
If they can understand you, you’re on the right track. If nobody is available to listen to you or you feel nervous about it, record yourself and listen to your own speech.Whether you choose to speak to a real person to practice or to just record yourself, remember to have the structure of the TOEFL speaking test in mind. It may be more practical to practice improving your comprehensibility with tasks 1 and 2, as you only need a topic for each task. You can find a list of topics here, and then try to simulate (copy) exam conditions. Give yourself 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to speak. Repeat until confident.
Organization: Organization can help with comprehensibility too, so here’s a structure you can follow in any speech you give: topic statement + support. Here’s an example task and the outline of a response, so you can see how it’s organized:
Example task: What are the characteristics of a good parent? Use reasons and details to support your response.
Topic statement: The two most important characteristics of a good parent are friendliness and ability to set limits.
Support (can be reasons, details, examples depending on what’s required):
Reason: Friendliness — If parents are friendly, kids will feel like they can always trust their parents and then the children will be friendly as well.
Detail: Kids tend to imitate their parents’ behaviors, so if a parent is friendly they will set the right example.
Reason: Ability to set limits — If parents can set limits, they’ll guide their children through what’s good and bad.
Detail: Kids need limits within which they can feel safe. Even if children tend to test these limits a lot, they still need their parents’ guidance.
If you have a bit more time until the exam, you can also improve the other criteria, which involve language skills that take longer to develop.
4. Manage Hesitations with Natural Phrases
Fluent speech—speech which flows naturally—is something you develop over a long period of time. Fluent speakers can find their words faster, even when they’re not quite sure what to say. This is also directly linked to vocabulary (see below), as hesitations usually happen when you can’t find your words.
Here are a few phrases you can use to improve your fluency during hesitations. Use these phrases whenever you feel you can’t find your words:
What I was trying to say is…
In other words…
To put it differently…
5. Learn Some More Phrases to Help with Specific Test Situations
In any speaking exam, you are given a limited time to speak. Learning a few phrases that can be used frequently will help you with fluency.
Here are a few phrases you can use in the speaking test to help you make a good impression:
Phrases for giving details
as a matter of fact
not only…but also…
moreover
likewise
Phrases for giving reasons
one cause for that is…
since…
because of…
given that…
Phrases for introducing new points
moreover
furthermore
in addition to…
You can find more transition phrases to help you throughout the speaking test here.
6. Make It Sound Right: Pronunciation
It’s very important not to worry about your first language accent; pronunciation is different from accent. You can improve your pronunciation by paying attention to the sounds that don’t exist in your native language, as these tend to be mispronounced.
For instance, do you have problems saying “the” or “thin”? That’s probably because you don’t have the “th” sound in your native language.
You can improve your pronunciation by reading out loud, or listening to native speakers and then trying to imitate them. Try recording yourself as you speak on your own and check out how close you are to the right pronunciation.
You can do this by reading out transcripts of podcasts and then listening to the podcasts to check your pronunciation. This series of English podcasts will give you clear, high-quality audio with transcripts and learning materials. This is perfect for practicing your pronunciation!
Also, every time you learn a new word, make sure you learn the correct pronunciation with it. Most online dictionaries have a little speaker sign next to the word’s definition. Click on it to check the pronunciation of words that you look up.
But remember that the most important part is to make yourself understood, not to try to sound exactly like a native speaker.
7. Create Your Own Note-taking System
Taking notes is key when reading and listening in the integrated tasks, and when preparing. Time is limited, so you can’t write down entire sentences.
Instead, learn to focus on the key words as you read and listen. The key words are very important, as they will sum up the main ideas of the reading and listening passages so you can use them in your speech. Practice taking notes while listening to podcasts and TED talks, and while reading academic articles.
One tool you can use as you take notes are symbols. You can develop your own symbols, as long as you understand them. Here are some examples to give you ideas:
Cause and effect: →
Similarity: =
Contrast: ≠
Reason: R
Detail: D
Make sure you practice using your symbols until you’re comfortable with them. If you don’t practice with them, symbols may confuse you or slow you down during the exam—which we obviously want to prevent. Knowing your symbols well can definitely make your note taking faster and more useful.
By following these seven tips, you can become very well prepared for the speaking test. Remember, a test is simply there to check what you know. Your examiners test students like you every day, and want you to succeed.
It may be intimidating to have to speak for a limited time, but it’s the only way candidates can be given a fair chance to be evaluated.
Use these tips to practice every day, and you’ll be able to give your best on exam day!
Great news: You can definitely prepare for this part of the TOEFL.
Here are some ways you can do it:
Set a goal of doing one or two practice essays each week. You will notice your essays improve. You can test your skills with Integrated practice test questions online, or even make your own practice test by using passages from books and free lectures online.
Practice your listening skills daily. You can do this by listening to podcasts, and the best English podcast to start with is EnglishClass101 by Innovative Language. It is designed for English students at all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, and it can help you improve your listening in an easy, friendly way.
Get real-world English experience with FluentU. You’ll get to hear English as it’s spoken by native speakers!
Read current events about major topics in Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Physical Science and Humanities. There are sites on these subjects that are made for English language learners, like Discovery Earth. Sites like this are great resources for learning about common TOEFL topics. Of course, you can never guess exactly what topic you will get on the day of the TOEFL, but at least you will get plenty of reading practice!
Take a full, scored practice exam. Don’t just take a practice exam at home, alone. Take a full practice exam that gives you a real score and feedback from TOEFL-certified educators instead.
Find a TOEFL tutor. If you would prefer to meet with a tutor online in your free time, then start looking for TOEFL tutors on Verbling. If you would prefer to meet your TOEFL tutor in person, then look on Wyzant—there are even tutors on Wyzant who have a specialization in teaching English writing, so look for these tutors if you need essay help more than anything else.
Finally, after all your preparation…it’s test day!
Writing the TOEFL Integrated Essay Without Fear: A 7-step Plan
Writing the TOEFL Integrated Essay Without Fear: A 7-step Plan
1. Find the Topic
Start by finding the shared topic of the reading and listening passages. The topic is the general idea that is found throughout the passages, and will be just a few words. To find it, look (or listen) for repeated words and ideas throughout the passages.
Let’s Practice!
What do you think the topic of this passage is?
Lemon, strawberry, chocolate…no matter what the flavor, birthday cake has been a tradition for thousands of years. Often decorated with flowers or candles, birthday cake is an important part of any birthday celebration.
Answer? Birthday cake. These repeated words are the most general idea throughout the paragraph!
2. Find the Claim
Ask yourself, “What is the author or speaker saying about the topic?” The answer to this question is your claim. Often, you will hear the claim after a brief introduction to the topic.
Let’s Practice!
Can you find the claim in this example? Remember, it’s the author’s main point about the topic (birthday cake).
Often decorated with flowers or candles, birthday cake is an important part of a birthday celebration for a few reasons. First, it helps the birthday person feel special. It also provides a fun activity for the party and a way for each guest to be included in the celebration.
Answer? It’s in the first sentence: “Birthday cake is an important part of a birthday celebration.” That’s the author’s main point: their claim that they are proving. If you need some extra practice identifying topics and details, check out this free interactive lesson.
3. Find the Reasons
Next, listen or read for reasons that explain or prove the claim in both the reading and listening passages. These may be examples, facts or other details. If you are starting to feel lost, don’t panic! Listen for addition transitions like “next,” “also” and “furthermore.” These transitions give you a clue that important details are coming!
Let’s Practice!
Let’s look at our example again. This time, let’s find the reasons that the author believes birthday cake is so important. Don’t forget, those transition words give you clues to find the reasons!
Often decorated with flowers or candles, birthday cake is an important part of a birthday celebration for a few reasons. First, it helps the birthday person feel special. It also provides a fun activity for the party and a way for each guest to be included in the celebration.
Answer? There are three reasons:
Birthday cake makes the birthday person feel special.
It provides a fun activity for the party.
It provides a way for each guest to be included.
Tip: Some students find it helpful to note the topic, claim and reasons (using their own numbering system or symbols) as they are reading or listening. This way, they are able to easily organize their essay later. But don’t try to write down every word you hear! Just note the topic, claim and reasons as best as you can. You will want to write your essay in your own words, anyway.
4. Find the Connection Between the Reading and Listening
The goal of the TOEFL Integrated essay is to consider how the reading and listening passages connect to each other. Take a look at the claims that you identified in the reading and listening passages. Do they agree or disagree?
Let’s Practice!
Take a look at these two claims. Do you think they agree or disagree?
Claim #1: Birthday cake is a positive tradition because it helps people celebrate with family and friends.
Claim #2: Birthday cake is a negative tradition because people should be able to celebrate their birthdays with whatever dessert they like, not just birthday cakes.
Answer? These two claims disagree.
5. Organize Your Essay!
There are two options to organize your essay: block style or point by point.
Block Style
For a block style essay, you start with an introduction that explains the connection between the reading and listening lecture.
Then, you combine all of the points from the reading in one paragraph, and combine all of the points from the listening in another paragraph.
This is an especially good option if you had a hard time understanding some of the details in the reading or listening passages (or both).
Let’s Practice!
How could you organize these ideas in a block style?
Reading Claim: Birthday cake is a positive tradition because it helps people celebrate with family and friends.
Listening Claim: Birthday cake is a negative tradition because people should be able to celebrate their birthdays with whatever dessert they like, not just birthday cakes.
Answer? For block style, just make two paragraphs! Put all of the ideas from the reading in the first paragraph, and all of the ideas from the listening in the second one. In this case, the first paragraph would talk about birthday cake being a positive tradition, and the second would talk about it being negative.
Point by Point
This type of organization starts out similar to block style, with an introduction explaining the relationship between the claims.
But instead of separating the reading and listening in blocks, each paragraph is organized around a single point. The reading and listening are connected through the detail that they share. This type of organization shows a deeper understanding of the reading and listening lecture.
Let’s Practice!
How could you organize these ideas in a point by point style?
Reading’s Claim: Birthday cake is a positive tradition because it helps people celebrate with family and friends.
Listening’s Claim: Birthday cake is a negative tradition because people should be able to celebrate their birthdays with whatever dessert they like, not just birthday cakes.
Answer? For a point by point essay, you would have a paragraph focused on “Celebrations.” Here, you would explain the detail in both the reading passage (people should celebrate by having birthday cake with family and friends) and the listening passage (people should celebrate in whatever way they choose).
6. Use Transition Words
Okay, so you have identified the topic, claim and details. You have decided which type of organization to use. Now, how do you write the essay?
First, use your transition words. A transition shows the reader how your sentences are related to each other. These words are often at the beginnings of sentences.
If the reading and listening passages have opposite viewpoints, you will want to show that you understand that by using contrast transitions like “however,” “but” and “although.”
If the viewpoints are similar, use comparison transitions—like “similarly,” “also” and “equally.” You can also use number transitions at the beginnings of paragraphs. For example: “first,” “next” or “lastly.”
7. Paraphrase
Paraphrasing (or restating the ideas in your own words) is key for high scores!
Check out the official TOEFL Writing Rubrics to see how important paraphrasing is. Try to avoid using the exact same words, phrasing or idioms as the reading or listening passage.
Here are some things you can do to make it easier to paraphrase while writing your essay:
Learn lots of synonyms (words that have the same meaning).
Build your English vocabulary.
Learn lots of sentence structures and verb forms.
Remember, you will get a chance to share your own opinion in the TOEFL Independent essay. For the Integrated essay, you want to stick to the points that you have heard or read. Don’t add any of your own opinions, even in the conclusion paragraph.
This essay is all about understanding the connection between the reading and the listening passages, and restating it in your own words as much as you can.
So when it’s time to take out your pencil and start the TOEFL Integrated essay, write with confidence.
4 TOEFL Study Guides to Help You Map the Road Ahead
When you travel to an unfamiliar place, usually you take a companion with you.
Be it a friend, a guide book or a travel advice column in your favorite magazine, we all need companions.
Ultimately, your companion on your TOEFL adventure should be your study guide.
A study guide is a plan that clearly states your goals and sets the tasks to accomplish these goals. An ideal study guide addresses your test preparation needs within a specific timeline, so that you are fully ready by your test date.
A TOEFL study guide is essential to have, whether you decide to study by yourself or bring in extra help.
When to begin studying for the TOEFL depends on your level of English and your knowledge of the test format. Earlier does not necessarily mean better, unless you know that you need a really high score and your language level is not sufficient for it.
Your approach to studying for the TOEFL has to depend directly on how much time you have to prepare for the test. Study guides are very useful tools to keep you on track, so read on for the option that is best for you.
4 TOEFL Study Guides to Get You Totally Prepared for the Big Test
4 TOEFL Study Guides to Get You Totally Prepared for the Big Test
1 Year Before TOEFL
Are you starting to prepare yourself this early, one whole year before taking the TOEFL?
Great! You have all the time in the world.
Don’t let yourself relax too much though—you really need to prepare for the long haul and learn how to pace yourself.
Pacing yourself means that you will do this work in small, frequent chunks of time for the long term. Every day you should challenge yourself to get a lot of studying done, but not so much studying that you get exhausted and stop early on.
Studying one or two times a week for at least one hour is ideal. To be more thorough, you can try this daily, 35-minute English study routine. Approach this year as an opportunity to improve your general level of English and work on all aspects of language skills that are tested on TOEFL.
It might be tempting, but do not favor one area of knowledge over another. Your listening skills may be weaker than your writing skills, but you have time to improve everything! Devote equal effort to all four TOEFL sections and use TOEFL-specific exercises and themes in your studying.
Months 1, 2 and 3
Before you begin, on the very first day of studying, take a TOEFL practice exam. The results will give you a good idea of your language level and highlight your understanding of the test format.
Go over the fundamentals of English verb tenses (Present Simple, Present Continuous, Present Perfect, Past Simple, Past Continuous, Past Perfect).
Every study session you have, choose one text or article to read, preferably from an academic publication or a technical field. Read for comprehension, work with unfamiliar words and practice putting learned words in context. Keep a notebook where you can write down anything you don’t understand, and practice using this language in full sentences.
Months 4, 5 and 6
Study irregular verbs and practice their conjugations. Refresh your knowledge of Type 1, 2 and 3 Conditional. Do grammar exercises at your level.
After completing your reading exercises each session, write summaries of the texts you read. Summarizing in writing will not only help with grasping the general themes and ideas expressed in the text (vital for TOEFL), but it will also highlight weaknesses in your writing skills.
Listening to academic talks or online lectures is a great way to study for TOEFL, as your comprehension will be tested to its limits and will quickly improve. While doing listening exercises, you should also start perfecting your note-taking.
Months 7, 8 and 9
Challenge yourself with grammar exercises at a more advanced level. Start writing stand-alone essays to polish your written English skills. Every other study session, write a short three to four paragraph essay on the topic that interests you. There are plenty of TOEFL resources available, and you can also come up with your own topics.
Continue doing reading practice and introduce speaking exercises to your study routine. At least one session a week should be dedicated to speaking and listening exclusively.
Months 10, 11 and 12
Make sure you are familiar with the format and rules of the test.
Dedicate the last three months leading up to the test to doing all your exercises in the correct order (reading, listening, speaking, then writing). Make up your own practice exams and get ready for battle!
6 Months Before TOEFL
You already have a good idea of what kind of TOEFL score you need. In preparation, start by assessing your language skills in relation to each test section—Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing.
Keeping in mind your target score for the test, make the skills that require the most attention your priorities. Which sections are making your overall score lower? You still need to study for all four sections, of course, but focus on your weaker skills first and feel free to rearrange the section order in the study guide below.
Month 1
Use the first month to brush up on your knowledge of grammar, English sentence structure, the basics of essay-style writing and to get comfortable with different English accents.
This basically means spending your first month studying English without regard to TOEFL, ensuring that your skills are up to the challenge. During this time, also get to know the TOEFL format. This will give you a solid understanding of what you will have to work with for months to come.
Month 2
Spend it reading. Yes, it is the first section on the test, but it also lays the foundation for your success with other sections.
Reading comprehension is essential for a better understanding of spoken English for the Listening section. Reading teaches you additional vocabulary and demonstrates good writing practices for the Writing section as well. It may also prepare you well for Speaking, if you answer reading questions out loud.
Focus on reading, analyzing and writing summaries of at least two different texts every study session. Ask yourself questions about the texts. Have a good dictionary handy.
You should focus on academic and scientific texts as these are the most common on TOEFL, but feel free to mix some more fun sources into your study sessions, like online news and articles.
Month 3
Integrated Writing and Independent Writing tasks are challenging, so if you have trouble writing essays, it is best to address this weakness early, by practicing it before listening and speaking.
Each study session this month should be dedicated to writing, writing and more writing.
There are plenty of essay topics available online, but you can also invent your own—all that matters is that you get better at writing clear, argumentative essays that will earn you a high score on the test. The only way to excel at writing is doing it over and over again.
Month 4
Listen up! Often the most difficult for language learners to master, good listening skills are essential for your success on TOEFL.
This month, you will be all ears: your goal is to get comfortable understanding dialogues, lecture excerpts and academic talks in English. Not only that, but you also need to learn to summarize and draw conclusions from what you hear.
Use these great resources to get the most out of your Listening practice. In addition, seek out other entertaining ways to get listening—watch movies with subtitles.
Month 5
The date of your TOEFL is approaching fast, so now you need to tackle the last thing on the list—speaking!
There are several things you can do to ensure success with TOEFL Speaking, but since you have one full month dedicated to the task, you should make the most of your time.
Practicing speaking by yourself may be difficult, so if you feel like finding a study buddy, now is the time. Not only will you be able to engage in dialogues and improvise, which is hugely helpful for TOEFL, but you will also take turns speaking and receive feedback from each other.
Use your study materials from Month 2 to get topics for discussion for Integrated Speaking. On the other hand, Independent Speaking is all about giving your opinion on a variety of subjects, so you may discuss anything you like.
Remember to time your responses. Recording some may be helpful too, especially if you are studying by yourself.
Month 6
In the past five months, you have worked hard to understand the structure of the test, revise what you currently know and refresh your grasp on grammar. You also went through each section of the test month by month, developing the necessary skills to get a high score on each.
The focus of your last month before TOEFL is pooling all of these skills together and making every study session into a mini-test.
Practice a little bit of speaking, listening, reading and writing every lesson. The easiest way to do it is to center every session around a piece of academic or technical writing, like in Month 2. Discuss the themes expressed in the text (orally and in writing), ask yourself questions, work on summarizing the texts.
1 Month Before TOEFL
One month is a really short time for a test as complex as the TOEFL, so you should be in “express” mode and try to study at least four times a week to be well-prepared.
Taking a crash course in TOEFL or hiring an experienced tutor may be valuable to save you the trouble of navigating the test structure’s complexities by yourself.
Despite the short amount of time you have, be wary of cramming, but do try to squeeze in as much practice for every section of TOEFL as you can.
Your focus should be on language review and vocabulary expansion, since you will not have time to significantly improve your current English skills. The trick is to optimize time spent on tasks and practice several things at once.
Weeks 1 to 2
Start with preparing for the Reading and Writing sections.
As we have seen from the 6-month study guide above, these two sections go really well together.
Read for speed, read for comprehension and read for vocabulary. Take the time to learn common words you will encounter on the TOEFL. Write essays based on your practice texts from the Reading section. Teach yourself to create effective essay outlines that will help maximize the actual writing time during the test. Pay attention to grammar, as it is essential for the test as a whole.
Weeks 3 to 4
Listening and Speaking judge your ability to communicate effectively, either by understanding or relaying (telling) important information.
At this point, you do not need to worry about your pronunciation too much (no time!). Make the full use of your grammar and vocabulary skills instead.
Listen to online lectures or talks, make notes and then tell an imaginary friend what you just heard out loud. Rephrase and summarize; note and repeat keywords stressed by the speaker. Make the most out of the resources available to you and, again, get a speaking/listening tutor if you can afford it.
1 Week Before TOEFL
Well, you’d better be very confident in your English skills if you begin studying just one week before the test!
However, things happen. Life happens.
If you have only one week to prepare, buy the official TOEFL online prep course, get ready to cram and just do your best. You can also opt to study with wiki-study.com, which is specially designed to prepare you for the TOEFL, and it offers many more modern and interactive learning materials.
The approach is similar to the 6-month study guide, except you will have one day to cover one month’s worth of studying. It goes without saying that you have to study every day!
Day 1 is for quick review of the test format, a grammar overview and a practice exam.
Day 2 needs lots and lots of reading exercises from the TOEFL prep course.
Day 3 is all about listening practice with the materials supplied by the prep course.
Day 4 should be spent talking and recording your answers to various questions (topics are available in the prep course and online).
Days 5 and 6 are for writing. It gets two full days of your attention, because each essay requires more time than any other test task. You need to ensure your grammar and vocabulary skills are up for it. Write as much as you can. Ask someone to review and comment on your work.
Day 7 is for a full review of your study notes and a final practice exam.
A study guide is your friend, and you definitely need a friend to get ready for TOEFL.
No matter what your learning style is like, take into account how much time you have before the test. Do your best to study at a comfortable yet productive pace. The study guides above should do the trick!
6 Incredible Practice Tips to Score High on Your TOEFL Reading Section
“It’s not what you do, but how you do it.”
This inspirational quote can actually help you get a high score on the reading section of the TOEFL test.
To practice, you might think you just need to read, read, read. (That’s our “what” from the quote.)
But in fact, to improve the most, you need to read in a certain way and practice other skills too. (That’s our “how” you do it.)
It’s kind of like how a runner practicing for a competition wouldn’t just run a lot. They would follow a schedule and do drills, sprints, lift weights, stretch, record their times, eat healthy foods, etc.
So to help you pass the reading section of the TOEFL test, we have six important tips that show you how to practice reading.
Before the tips, we’ll quickly look at basic information about the reading section of the test:
No matter which format you take, the TOEFL tests your skills in non-technical English reading materials. This means that you don’t need special knowledge in any field to understand the readings. The goal of the exam is to assess your English comprehension and your vocabulary.
Now that we know what we’re studying for, let’s check out these practice tips!
6 Ways to Make Your TOEFL Reading Practice More Effective
6 Incredible Practice Tips to Score High on Your TOEFL Reading Section
1. Actively Read a Variety of Materials for 20 Minutes a Day
The only way to improve your reading practice for the TOEFL test is by actively reading. Try to read at least 20 minutes every single day during your preparation time using articles, books and stories. A variety (mix) of different materials is best, so here are some types of materials to try.
News articles
At least three times a week, read news articles in English. This might mean one or two articles per study session, depending on the length of the article, the level of difficulty and your reading speed.
Breaking News English has some excellent articles for English learners. You can select articles according to your level. After each reading, you will find a variety of questions to check your understanding. Answer these questions by referring to the text you’ve just read and then check your answers.
To understand your mistakes, read the text again to find the correct answer. For more news articles, visit Literacy Net for their CNN stories modified for English learners like you. On their website, you will find an outline for each news article. Read these outlines first to help you to understand the article better.
Short stories
Besides reading news articles, read some short stories too. The Eserver’s Collection – Fiction website has a nice selection of short stories written in easy English to help learners.
Read at least one short story a week. Summarize each story either in writing or verbally after reading. A few weeks later, reread a short story and you will notice your progress.
Easy books
It’s a good idea to find a great book in English which you can understand.
Goodreads also has a long list of recommendations for ESL learners to choose from. Read the short summary of each book or story first to see if it’s interesting. If it’s not interesting to you, find something else. If you are interested in what you are reading, it’s much easier to focus.
When you are reading a book like this, try to read a chapter or two per week. Split up the reading to a few pages every day. Stop after each page and summarize what you’ve read.
Circle the words that you don’t understand, and look them up in the dictionary when you get to a good stopping place—like the end of a chapter. After each chapter, summarize the chapter in writing or by speaking out loud. Remember, if you don’t have anyone to talk to, you can still summarize it out loud speaking to a mirror. You could even record yourself.
2. Fill Your Free Time with Passive Reading
Fun magazines, comics, Facebook posts or blogs are great for passive reading. Passive reading is when you read something in English without a learning objective (goal) in mind.
GoComics is a fun website full of popular up-to-date comics, including Garfield, Snoopy, Dilbert, Get Fuzzy and Pickles. Garfield Minus Garfield is one of my favorite websites using Garfield comics without Garfield.
I suggest you subscribe to your favorite magazines, authors, bloggers, athletes and actors via Facebook to read their updates in English. You should also add these sites to your “favorites” or “bookmarks” bar so that they’re easy to access.
And remember to read all this for fun. Don’t worry about summarizing or using your dictionary. The purpose of passive reading is to allow your brain to get used to thinking in English.
There is no minimum or maximum timeframe to practice passive reading; just fill your free time with English materials.
3. Build Up Your Vocabulary
Building up your vocabulary is very important to understand more of what you read. Here are a collection of tips and ways to strengthen your vocabulary while studying for the TOEFL test.
Context clues
When you find a new word, first try to guess what it means. Look at the context in which the word is used—the sentences around it. Try to figure out the meaning of the word based on what’s happening in the text. Once you have your guess, then check your dictionary.
Study your vocabulary with a TOEFL course, that specializes in teaching English students how to prepare for this exam. This course is meant to help you study independently and learn more about what’s on the TOEFL exam as you improve your English vocabulary and grammar.
Synonyms and antonyms
Synonyms are words that have the same (or similar) meaning. For example, “large,” “huge” and “jumbo” are all synonyms of “big.” An antonym is an opposite of the word. For example, “tiny” and “little” are antonyms of “big.”
You can use a thesaurus to find the synonyms and antonyms of each word. This will help you grow your vocabulary faster. Instead of learning just one new word, you can easily learn five: three synonyms and two antonyms, for example.
To remember your synonyms and antonyms, first use your original word in a sentence. Then make the same (or similar) sentence with several synonyms. Finally, change the sentence to make sense with an antonym.
Here’s an example with the adjective “dynamic,” which means to have lots of energy or to be active.
Original sentence:
My dynamic choir teacher was jumping around while flailing his arms in class today.
With synonyms:
My energetic choir teacher was jumping around while flailing his arms in class today.
My lively choir teacher was jumping around while flailing his arms in class today.
With antonyms:
My lifeless choir teacher would never jump around in class.
My inactive choir teacher slept with his head on the desk in class today.
(Notice how the sentence had to change for the antonyms in order for it to make sense.)
Instead of “regular” flashcards with a word’s definition on the back side, write the word’s synonyms and antonyms on the card.
Sticky notes
For constant practice, write new TOEFL vocab words on sticky notes and post them around your house: on your mirror, your door, your fridge, etc. You will see a vocab word anywhere you go.
If you still need to practice basic, everyday English vocabulary, you can use Vocabulary Stickers to get you started with over 130 English words.
Whenever you see a sticky note, read the word aloud, check its meaning and then use the word in a sentence.
Writing
Be sure to make sentences of your vocab words both in writing and speaking. Challenge yourself to write five different sentences for each word. Even better, write a short story or speech every week on a topic you are passionate about using that week’s new words.
The TOEFL is a timed test. You have about five minutes for each passage and one minute for each question. This means that it’s important to improve your reading speed.
Your current speed
To read faster, first you will need to see where you are at. Read a passage (a paragraph or a page) and time yourself. Write down how long it takes you to read an average passage, with today’s date.
Another way to record your current speed is to set a timer for five minutes and start reading. See how much you are able to read in five minutes, and write down this information.
Reading often and following the other tips in this post will increase your reading speed. Time your reading speed each week using the same book or source. Stop when the time is up and write down your results. Over time you will be able to see your reading speed get faster.
Timed practice tests
You can also do the reading section of a practice TOEFL test and time yourself. How long does it take you to finish the reading section?
Depending on how many months you have to study, do the reading section of a practice TOEFL test every two weeks or every month and record how long it takes you. Use this information to plan your TOEFL study time.
You should also take a full practice test with a TOEFL preparation resource like ScoreNexus. ScoreNexus lets you take a full exam, with all the same rules and time limits as the actual TOEFL exam, and then has your work reviewed by a professional English teacher. This professional will give you a real score and give you advice about how to improve your score.
Being calm
Finally, you can read faster if you learn to stay calm. If you are nervous, it may take you longer to read a paragraph or your understanding level may be lower.
But if you are calm, it will be easier to relax. So stretch, relax your body and take a few deep breaths before each reading practice.
5. Read for the Main Ideas
You may believe that you have to understand every single word in every passage you read. The good news is that you don’t. The most important is that you understand the main ideas and most important points within each paragraph.
At least three times a week, read for the main idea—not the details. Scan the text for meaning, and look for keywords, action verbs, names, connective words and any other words that stand out. This is what you will have to do on the test.
Highlight or circle words and ideas that stand out. Make side notes of the main points, characters and vocabulary.
During this type of practice (and on the test), if you don’t understand something, just move on. As you continue reading you will gain more clarity and will understand the main idea of the text.
Some of your readings, like the articles from Breaking News English for example, may include some questions at the end. If you don’t know the answer to a question, take your best guess. Eliminate the answers which are certainly wrong, and choose from the remaining options.
Listen to your intuition (feeling, instinct) and circle what seems to be the best answer. Move on quickly to the next questions without worrying about your answer. Once you review your answer, you can reread the text and check with your dictionary for more clarity. This will really help you prepare for the TOEFL, when you won’t have much time to think about your answers.
6. Work with a Teacher or Study Buddy
Working with a teacher or a study partner will make your study time less lonely. They can help clarify your questions, keep you motivated and quiz you.
Here are a few more ideas about how to use teacher or study friend.
Book club
One way to use a study partner is to have a book club. Meet biweekly or monthly to discuss the story together as you read. If you can’t find an existing book club, make your own. Post an ad on a bulletin board in your town, local schools or at work, or on the sites mentioned above.
Select the same reading material as your study partner or teacher. Sit down and read it together, or agree on a due date when you need to finish reading it by.
Ask each other questions, such as:
Can you describe the main characters?
What was the main idea of the reading/third paragraph/etc.?
What do you think about the ending? / How would you end the story differently?
Who was your favorite character and why?
If you could get a coffee with one character from the book, who would you pick? Why? What would you ask him/her?
Can you relate to the story, and if so, how?
Quiz each other
Test each other by creating small quizzes for one another, each based on a short reading. You can use multiple choice, fill in the blanks, true or false, and finish the sentence questions.
Create the short quiz on your own, and then swap with your partner when you meet. You will also need to give them a copy of the article or passage your quiz is based on.
After you each read your partner’s article and take their quiz, correct each other’s mistakes—but always remain positive. Don’t just point out what’s incorrect. Also remind each other what you are doing right and what you have improved on since the last study session.
Most importantly, don’t forget to motivate and encourage each other as well.
If you use these tips to practice reading effectively (and often!), there is no doubt that you will become a better and faster reader. Keep working hard, and I know you will pass the reading section of the TOEFL test!
You want to get a high score on the TOEFL exam, right?
You can practice by doing exam-like tests, improving your vocabulary and working on your grammar.
Wait a minute, grammar? Really?
Yes! Grammar is an important part of your preparation for the TOEFL exam—more important than you might realize.
And that’s because it will help you in all four parts of the exam: speaking, writing, listening and reading.
Even more, practicing grammar makes you better at connecting words, which in turn helps you become more fluent.
Let me show you what I mean:
The first two exam sections–speaking and writing–are called productive skills because you actually produce your own sentences. Knowing grammar will help you build correct sentences so that you can accurately express your own ideas.
The last two sections–listening and reading–are called receptive skills because you need to understand the ideas other people are trying to express. If your knowledge of grammar is good, then you can understand these ideas faster and with less effort in the exam. This means you will make better use of your exam time, and achieve a higher score!
So even if grammar is not tested directly in any part of the TOEFL exam, understanding grammar rules will help you a lot in all of the four parts.
Now you may be wondering: Where do I start? Read on for some awesome tips for how to improve your grammar.
6 Bright Tips to Practice Grammar Effectively for the TOEFL Exam
6 Bright Tips to Practice Grammar Effectively for the TOEFL Exam
1. Begin by Learning the Rules
Grammar rules are so important because they categorize (group) a lot of language situations and give you information you can then apply to many contexts (situations).
To know which rules to study, take a grammar diagnostic test to learn which topics are your weakest. This one offered by Oxford University Press is in British English, and has three versions: basic, intermediate and advanced. I recommend you start with the basic test and see how you do. The test could take up to 30 minutes to complete, as there are 100 questions.
It is worth the time, though, because at the end of the test it tells you the percentage of correct answers for each grammar category. This way, you can look for the lowest percent (i.e. 40% — modal verbs) and begin with those rules. You can also see all of the original questions, which ones you got wrong and the correct answers.
When you have picked a rule to start with, study the rule carefully and then read as many examples as you can.
Here is where you can study the rules:
GrammarBook.com —This site gives a detailed presentation of each grammar rule and it also has a section on punctuation rules. The examples given are simple sentences which are easy to understand, even for beginners and lower intermediate students.
British Council’s English Grammar site — This website is also very handy, as it gives you exercises right after the presentation of each rule. The explanations are quite thorough (complete), with multiple example sentences for each concept so you really understand them.
Edufind.com’s English Grammar Guide— This site is another very well structured and detailed resource you can use. It has eight categories: nouns, adjectives, adverbs, determiners, verbs & verb tenses, speech, punctuation and relative clauses. Additionally, it has a free grammar test which tests the rules in context.
“The Oxford Guide to English Grammar” — If you prefer working with books, you can use this guide, which is extremely detailed and free to download in PDF format. It is better for upper intermediate to advanced learners because it is more complex than the online resources.
All of these resources can be used by learners starting at the lower intermediate level, as the rules are clearly explained in simple language. It is a good idea to use different grammar websites when you want to review the rules.
After you have read a rule and its examples, the next step (and most important part) is to come up with your own examples, which we’ll show you how to do next.
2. Practice Each Rule One at a Time
To practice each grammar rule well, you will want to (a) create your own examples and (b) complete grammar exercises.
(a) Creating your own example sentences with each rule helps you really understand the rules before moving on to exercises. Look at the examples provided after the rules and then try to come up with your own sentences. Just to be sure you used the rules correctly in your own sentences, ask a teacher or native speaker to check them for you.
Then, include the grammar structure in your own writing tasks. When you write, you have time to think and plan, so this will be easier to do. The final part of creating your own examples is to use the grammar rule while speaking. This is a little bit more difficult, because you have almost no thinking time at all.
This half of your grammar practice will also help you in the speaking and writing portions of the exam, where you need to prove you can use complex grammar structures to accurately express your ideas.
(b) You should also do exercises with each rule after working with your own examples. You can use one or all of the resources below to do this:
British Council’s English Grammar site —This website tests your understanding of each rule right after you finish reading about it. It is convenient because you can always return to the rule if you are not sure about your answers.
English Grammar — This site has a separate practice section, so the exercises are not right next to the rules. However, it is very useful when you want to recap by practicing several rules at a time once you have finished reading about them. The more you practice, the faster you will be able to make best use of the rules on your own.
“Practice Makes Perfect English Grammar for ESL Learners” — They say that practice makes perfect, and that’s true when it comes to grammar. This book offers theory and practice in one place. It is very easy to use because each rule is introduced step by step. At the end of each section there is a review where all the rules are tested. You may feel that it is easier to return to the rules when using books, especially if you have your own highlighting system.
When you are done practicing a rule, don’t move on to a new rule until you feel you have really mastered the one you are working on. Remember the safest route: (1) understand the rule, (2) read examples, (3) create your own examples and (4) practice the rule by doing exercises. Then you can start over with a new rule.
3. When in Doubt, Always Return to the Rules
Practicing grammar is not always a smooth process. Expect to make mistakes, and to feel like you are right when an exercise says your answer is wrong. In this case, you need to go back to the rule and relearn it. You may want to read your own examples again and create some more examples.
If the rule or the exercise still doesn’t make sense, ask a teacher to explain it to you. If you don’t have access to a teacher, you can try contacting one online. If you have friends who are native English speakers, you may try asking them to help. However, if your friend didn’t study English grammar formally, they may not be able to help you.
Many native English speakers can’t explain grammatical concepts. Even more, some native English speakers use incorrect grammar in casual speech without realizing it is improper grammar. So just make sure your resources are reliable when returning to the grammar rules.
4. Learn from Your Favorite Mistakes
Do you feel disappointed when you make mistakes? Mistakes are actually a very important part of learning. Every time you make a mistake, you can see it as an opportunity to learn or relearn something.
So when you practice grammar rules, be sure to check your results on your own using the answer key. If you mark a question wrong, make sure you understand why it is wrong, and then practice that concept a bit more.
When you speak or write in English, on the other hand, you are usually not aware of your own mistakes. So you need to have someone listen to you speak and proofread your writing. You can ask a teacher or tutor to help with this.
After you have discovered your mistakes, don’t forget to record them so you can learn from them. Keep all of your mistakes together in one spot and read them regularly. This will prevent you from making the same mistakes over and over again. Every mistake gives you the opportunity to improve your grammar knowledge.
Many students have a mistake which they keep making again and again because at one point they learned a rule incorrectly or incompletely. So when you identify a mistake, that’s why you need to go back to step one and study the rules again.
5. Give Yourself Time
Learning grammar is a long-term objective, and generally the more rules you learn and practice, the better you get. The trick is to decide how much time you can spend each day on grammar. Be consistent and persistent.
If you only have a short time to prepare for your TOEFL exam, cover the basic areas first: the verbal tenses, nouns, articles, adjectives and adverbs. A good resource to start is this quick grammar section. You can then continue with more complex issues like relative clauses, conditional clauses, the subjunctive and the passive voice.
The most effective way to use your time until the exam is to make sure you follow up each rule by practice. Trying to cover a lot of theory without understanding how the rules work won’t help, because the TOEFL exam is very practical. It assesses your ability to use correct grammar in speaking and in writing—not your knowledge of the rules themselves.
I recommend studying rules in groups of five. You still learn just one rule at a time (learn rule, read examples, create sentences, do exercises), but after you have done this process for five rules, review by doing exercises with all the five rules. If you notice mistakes in a certain area, return to the rule and study it again from different sources.
The amount of time you spend on grammar every day depends on your initial level, the amount you plan to cover and, of course, your schedule. The best way to make sure you are on the right track is to check if you are making progress. Ask yourself these questions:
Am I making fewer mistakes?
Do I feel more confident when I speak and write?
Am I hesitating less when I speak?
Do I write faster?
Does my writing include more complex grammar structures?
6. Make Grammar Practice Fun
Finally, studying grammar can be more fun than books and exercises. You can use videos to help you understand the rules, and then practice in groups of friends. If you are part of an exam preparation class, you can ask people to study with you in pairs or in groups after classes. If you don’t know anyone else who’s studying for the TOEFL exam, you can look for other students online.
Whenever you study in groups, decide on some rules to follow. For example, you must only use English to communicate, nobody gets offended if they make mistakes or feel free to correct people if you notice a mistake.
One fun activity to do as a group is for everyone to suggest a grammar rule they want to practice. Then everyone has to create a grammar exercise to practice the rule they suggested, writing it on a piece of paper. Put all the sheets of paper into a box and let each person choose one (hopefully not their own). After doing the exercise, each student asks the person who created it to help check their answer.
Another fun grammar game you can play with more than one person involves adjectives and adverbs. Each person has to present another person in the group by using adjectives and adverbs. The others have to guess who they are talking about. For example: “She is self-contained (adjective) and reticent (adjective), but she can speak confidently (adverb) about politics.”
If you want to have fun on your own as you study grammar, you can also take a look at this English Interactive Grammar website that can help you test your knowledge of grammar in a fun and creative way.
The best part of studying grammar is that everything you learn stays with you—even after you take the TOEFL exam. Yes, grammar will help you a lot in the exam. But the exam is really just a way to evaluate your knowledge of English, and that knowledge is the most valuable thing. The trick is to practice, practice again and then practice some more.
Wondering why the TOEFL is so difficult, even for advanced English students?
Wondering why there are guides for every individual section of the TOEFL?
Every TOEFL section has very, very specific types of questions and tasks.
You need to know exactly what these questions are asking for in order to get the highest score possible on the test.
The Reading section is no exception. In fact, it has 10 different question types!
Each of these question types tests your ability to understand a written passage and express your understanding. You will need to effectively work with the information presented within the text.
Even if you understand everything you read, you might not be prepared for the types of questions and the answers they require!
To do well on the TOEFL, you need to work with exercises that match the test format as closely as possible. The Reading section tasks can be split into three general groups. Keep reading to learn all about them in this post!
All of the sample exercises below are based on an excerpt from pages 20-22 of “International Finance: Theory and Policy” by Steve Suranovic, accessible freely from The Saylor Foundation.
The 10 Types of TOEFL Reading Exercises You Must Master
10 Types of TOEFL Reading Exercises You Must Master
Basic Information Questions
These tasks are based on the factual information present in the passage.
The correct answer will be stated in the text, often in just one or two sentences.
Are you able to locate the key information in a passage? If so, you should do well with the basic information tasks! They may be factual, negative factual or vocabulary-based.
1. Factual Information (3-6 questions per passage)
These questions target statements or facts explicitly present in the passage.
Passage:
Please go to page 20 of “International Finance,” linked above, and read the first paragraph. This paragraph begins with the phrase “Countries interact…”
Example:
According to the author in the paragraph, what does exchange rate measure?
1. The difference between import and export
2. The way to convert one currency into another currency
3. The speed of exchange of goods between countries
4. The rate of change in international trade
The correct answer is 2. Why? The paragraph states that the exchange rate measures the number of units of one currency that exchanges for one unit of another currency.
2. Negative Factual Information (0-2 questions per passage)
These questions ask you to identify what is not true about the passage you have just read.
Passage:
Please refer to page 22 of “International Finance,” specifically to paragraphs 2, 3 and 4.
Example:
According to the text, which country relies on a single foreign currency to maintain its exchange value?
1. USA
2. Russia
3. China
4. Germany
The correct answer is 3. China pegs its currency to the U.S. dollar, whereas Russia uses a currency basket.
USA and Germany are not mentioned in the paragraphs of the text that were indicated.
3. Vocabulary Information (3-5 questions per passage)
Everyone’s favorite, these tasks are all about how well you understand certain vocabulary in the context of the paragraph you are working with.
Example:
In paragraph 3, page 20, the word “backed” is closest in meaning to:
1. Bought
2. Sold
3. Returned
4. Supported
The correct answer is 4. “Backed” in this context means “supported by” or “influenced by.”
Inference Questions
The inference questions require that you work with the general meaning of the given paragraph in the passage. You must be able to inferinformation from the one explicitly stated.
Correct answers to these types of tasks will not be present in the text, but should be obvious if you comprehend the passage well.
4. Inference (1-3 questions per passage)
To answer an Inference question correctly, you should be able to understand an idea or an argument that is strongly implied, but not stated in the text.
Analyzing information in the paragraph(s) and thinking logically about it are key!
Example:
Which of the following can be inferred from the first paragraph on page 21?
1. The IMF regulates exchange rates throughout the world.
2. Independently floating currencies are uncommon in capitalist markets.
3. Central banks have full power to set the currency systems in their respective countries.
4. Exchange rate values remain largely stable over time.
The correct answer is 3. Every other choice contradicts the information in the paragraph.
5. Rhetorical Purpose (1-2 questions per passage)
While the factual information questions may ask you about the “what” or “how,” the Rhetorical Purpose section is all about the “why.”
If you understand the reasoning behind the author’s way of presenting information, you are good to go for the Rhetorical Purpose tasks.
Example:
Refer once again to page 22, paragraphs 2 and 4. Why does the author mention China and Russia there?
1. To demonstrate different types of fixed currency systems
2. To compare their economic performance
3. To illustrate the power their currencies play in the international market
4. To explain the benefits of free-flowing currency
The correct answer is 1, as both countries are simply listed as examples of different currency systems.
6. Reference (0-2 questions per passage)
Reference questions play the role similar to Vocabulary questions. They assess your ability to correctly identify the relationships between sentences, thus aiding the overall comprehension of the text. Usually, you will see a pronoun highlighted in the paragraph; your task will be to decide what it refers to.
Example:
The word “this” in Paragraph 3, page 20 (“…and this makes monetary policy contentious…”) refers to:
1. turbulent economic times
2. central banks’ abilities
3. gold-backed currencies
4. government’s decisions on policy
The correct answer is 2. The sentence discusses the implications of a central bank’s ability to achieve certain goals.
7. Sentence Simplification (0-1 question per passage)
Work hard at your ability to summarize and generalize the information you are given, because this is what Sentence Simplification measures. You will be presented with a sentence from the passage; the goal is to choose the answer sentence that summarizes it best.
Example:
Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the last sentence on page 20 (“Throughout history…”)?
1. The gold standard ensured that exchange rates remained fixed up until World War II.
2. The gold standard coupled with the fixed exchange rate agreement ensured the exchange rates remained stable in most countries.
3. The Bretton Woods system played a major role in guaranteeing that the gold standard remained in place.
4. After World War II, fixed exchange rates were adopted by most countries.
The correct answer is 2. The 1, 3 and 4 are either incorrect or only partially correct.
8. Insert Text (1 question per passage)
Frequently a challenging task, Insert Text tests your reading comprehension to the maximum limit! Understanding the text flow and mastering grammatical connections between sentences is essential for success here.
In this task, you will be given a new sentence and asked where in an existing paragraph it would fit best. Remember that there is only one correct answer.
Passage:
Paragraphs 2 and 3 on page 20.
Example:
Locate paragraphs 2 and 3 on page 20. They discuss currency conversion using a gold standard. On the test, four squares (■) would be inserted into the paragraphs to indicate where a new sentence could be added to the passage.
The correct answer will be the only paragraph out of four provided that makes sense grammatically and flows logically with the new sentence in it.
Reading to Learn Questions
The most difficult ones in the Reading section, Reading to Learn questions require that you work with the wholepassage to find the right answers. Your ability to assess the information, recognize its purpose and distinguish major points from minor points in the passage are crucial. Often, you will also need a good grasp on cause-effect and compare-contrast rhetorical functions.
There are only two types of questions in this group. Both of them are worth two points each!
For the examples below, please refer to pages 20 to 22 of International Financein their entirety. You can expect to see the following two types of Reading to Learn questions for them:
9. Prose Summary (1 per passage)
Somewhat similar to Sentence Simplification, Prose Summary will ask you to identify the major arguments of the whole passage. For this task, learn to recognize minor details and pay attention to the whole idea and argument of the passage instead.
You will be given six answer choices, out of which you need to pick three that best represent the major ideas of the text.
Passage:
Pages 20 to 22 of “International Finance.”
Example:
The passage describes the basics of exchange rates and how they are used throughout the world. What are the main points of the passage?
1. Countries rely on the exchange of currency to conduct trade and financial transactions across borders. Trade and investment are impossible without established currency exchange systems.
2. The European Union maintains a fixed exchange rate in between its member states, but a free-floating one in relation to every other country.
3. The gold standard was a traditional way of pegging currency to a commodity (gold) and basing the exchange rates on that.
4. The Bretton Woods system allowed countries to maintain fixed currency rates, and is still the norm today.
5. Several types of currency systems are in use today, including free floating, fixed and composite currency fixed, among others.
6. The IMF helps monitor currencies across the world, and every state’s central bank has to comply with its policies and Special Drawing Rights.
The correct answer choices are 1, 2 and 5. Number 3 is true, but is a minor point. The 4 and 6 are incorrect.
10. Fill In a Table (1 per passage)
This task measures your ability to structure and organize the information given to you in the passage. It will present you with an incomplete table that you need to fill in by dragging and dropping correct answer choices into their correct locations on the table.
You will be given more answer choices than there are spots on the table, so some will obviously be incorrect. Each answer can be used only once!
Passage:
Pages 20 to 22 of “International Finance.”
Example:
Countries with a fixed currency system:
1.
2.
Countries with a floating currency system:
1.
2.
3.
Answer choices:
USA
China
Russia
Japan
France
South Africa
Estonia
The complete table should be filled in as follows:
Countries with a fixed currency system:
Russia
Estonia
Countries with a floating currency system:
USA
Japan
South Africa
China’s currency is allowed to appreciate and hence is not fixed. France is not mentioned in the passage, but it is part of the European Union, whose currency system is unique (discussed at the end of the passage).
Doing TOEFL exercises should form the central part of your test preparation.
As you have just learned, the types of tasks found in the Reading section can be very complex.
You need to become very comfortable with all ten tasks to be able to focus on answering them correctly on the test.
Once you mastered all the Reading exercises available to you, you are all set for TOEFL success!
The TOEFL test is designed to measure the English skills of non-English speaking people by testing their writing, reading, listening and speaking abilities.
This may sound terrifying at first, but that’s okay. It’s natural to feel a bit nervous or overwhelmed (feel like you have too much to do). But I have even more good news for you: It’s a really useful test.
As a language teacher, I love that the TOEFL test is all about using real English in a real-life setting. It’s not about complex grammar and difficult vocabulary that you would never use in real life.
So when you study for the TOEFL test, you’re also preparing yourself for using English in real life—like at a university or job.
Okay, okay. But you still need to pass the test with a good score to reach your dreams. I know.
With the following proven strategies, you’ll be able to successfully prepare for your TOEFL test, take it with confidence and pass it like a professional.
How to Prepare for the TOEFL Test: 12 Proven Tips for Success
12 Proven Tips for Success
1. Get to Know the Format of the TOEFL Test
If you want to take the TOEFL, it is very important to first get familiar with the TOEFL format.
Understand the TOEFL content. No matter which format you take, the TOEFL always has three parts: reading, listening and writing. The Internet-based TOEFL also includes a speaking section.
Decide which format you want to take. Note that nowadays the test is usually taken via the Internet. The paper-based test is becoming less and less popular.
Take a look at some examples of some TOEFL test questions. This will help you gain further understanding of the types of questions to expect. Read the questions carefully. Try to answer them and then check the answers.
2. Know Why You Are Taking the TOEFL Test
More than 9,000 colleges, universities, agencies and institutions accept and require the TOEFL TEST in over 130 countries. To be well prepared, it’s important to know your reasons for taking the test.
For example, you might be taking the test:
To find out your level of English with an official exam
To apply to a university
For a course or job
For your immigration requirement
Make sure you know why you’re taking the TOEFL. Then, you can use this information to help you better focus your study time. For example, if you’re taking the test for a job where you’ll be talking on the phone a lot, it will be important to do well on the speaking and listening parts.
3. Have a Minimum Score in Mind
Different goals require different minimum scores. First, be sure you know the minimum score you’ll need to reach your goal. Then, choose what score you’d like to get. This is your ideal(preferred) score. For example, if I want to get into Arizona State University, the minimum score is 500. My ideal score might be higher, though: 530.
Write down your minimum and your ideal scores on a piece of paper or a Post-it note, and put it somewhere you see every day. You might put it on your bathroom mirror, on the fridge or on the wall behind your desk. Every time you look at the piece of paper, you’ll be reminded to study to reach your goal.
Make sure your ideal score is realistic. This means to choose a score you could likely receive, not a score that’s too high. To make sure you could receive your ideal score, take a practice test and check where you are now. How many more points do you need to reach your minimum and ideal scores? How many months do you have to prepare before the exam? How much time can you spend each week studying? Your answers to these questions will help you choose a realistic ideal score.
4. Create Three Ideal Study Spaces
A good study environment is important to achieve the score you want. Use these tips to create your own study space:
Find your top three ideal study locations. It may be your room, the library, a cafe, your office, your living room or anywhere else. But it’s important that you feel comfortable in the spaces. Why three? If you feel unmotivated in your room one day, then you can always more to the library or your favorite coffee place, for example.
Create a quiet zone. When choosing your study locations, create a space without distractions. Let your family and friends know that you are studying so they won’t disturb you. Turn off your phone and log off social media.
Keep your study space clean and organized. Clear off your desk and organize your files. Use a system that works for you. Make sure that your pencils are sharpened and your pens are working. Maybe you could get a new, clean notebook just for the TOEFL test.
Schedule your breaks, snack and mealtimes. By scheduling your breaks, you will be able to focus better during study time. Scheduling when to eat will ensure you don’t forget! And eating healthy food will help you concentrate better. Keep a bottle of water near you when you study so that you drink enough water.
Clear your mind. Exercise and do some meditationor relaxation exercises for a positive mindset. The apps Calm and Headspace are excellent for meditation. Taking three slow, deep breaths can also be very beneficial.
You can try the 4-7-8 relaxing breathing exercise as well. Count to 4 while breathing in slowing. Then hold your breath for 7 counts. Then exhale slowly counting to 8. Repeat this 3 or 4 times. If you feel frustrated or unable to concentrate during a section, take a few breaths again to calm down. Relax. Get focused.
5. Get a Study Guide
Here’s an official study guide that can be helpful. Read the explanation of the test and study tips carefully. Get familiar with each section before starting with any exercise or practice test. When starting, you can take a practice test just to give you an idea of your current abilities.
To get feedback on your performance—from a professional TOEFL grader—you can use a resource like ScoreNexus. With ScoreNexus, you can take a full TOEFL exam and receive a grade, feedback and advice for improving your score from a real teacher. This is a great way for you to see where your strengths and weaknesses are.
When doing the exercises in a TOEFL study guide like this, here are some tips for the various sections:
Reading. Underline the main ideas and take notes on the side of the book or on a piece of paper. Check your answers afterwards and review your errors. If you need to, you can use your dictionary during practice exercises.
Listening. Write down notes while you’re listening to help you remember details. Don’t write down full sentences, just write down the most important ideas.
Writing. Think about the topic first and then write down your ideas. Create an outline, including an introduction, your main points and a conclusion. Start writing once you have an outline. When finished, read it again and correct your mistakes.
Speaking. Answer the exact question that was asked; don’t talk about something else. Keep it simple. Practice speaking in a relaxed tone.
6. Get Support from a Teacher or Peer
You don’t have to do this alone. You can get support from peers (other students) and teachers.
Hire a teacher or a tutor
The benefit of having a teacher or a tutor is the qualified and professional advice and support you will receive. These people are experienced in explaining the grammar rules, and can give you specific and personalized exercises and help.
Here are some places to help you find a tutor:
Local university job boards.
Local English schools.
Verbling — Choose from hundreds of online English teachers based on their availability, price range, experience and certifications. You’ll probably be able to find someone here who specializes in teaching English for the TOEFL.
Wyzant — Find an ESL teacher in your local area, who will tutor you in person!
italki — Find an online teacher for video lessons.
Craigslist — You can post an ad for an English tutor, or see if anyone is already offering the service.
Buddy School — You can search for English language tutors and schedule Skype lessons with them.
Find other English learners and native speakers in your area
On Meetup you can look for language exchange events near you. Through Couchsurfing you can find events, travelers and English speakers in your area. Send them a message and meet up for a coffee. There is nothing better than face-to-face communication.
Native speakers will be happy to practice English with you, if you teach them your native language in exchange. Language exchanges are fun and benefit both. You may even develop life-long friendships as an added bonus. To find native speakers online that will correct your writing for free, use Lang-8.
Other language learners will be excited to exchange strategies, to study together and to motivate each other. To study together, pick the same listening or reading material. Ask each other questions and discuss what you’ve listened to or read. Summarize the information and fill in the details together.
Find support within online communities
On Facebook, type in “TOEFL” into the search bar, for example. Scroll down and click “see all results.” On the top right click “more” then click “groups.” You will then see all TOEFL-related groups on Facebook.
You can also search for “language exchange,” “English learning,” “EFL,” “ESL learners” and many other keywords. Online communities are great, especially if you live in a small or remote area without in-person opportunities.
Communicating online will help your writing abilities. Exchanging ideas within a forum or a chat box gives all parties time to think about their answers and give proper advice. You can set up Skype calls with your online contacts to practice speaking as well.
7. Practice Reading Non-technical English
The TOEFL test’s reading section, you will read some passages and answer questions related to them. The topics are all in non-technical English that everyone can understand. Here are some ways to prepare:
Read for 30 minutes every day
Start reading for 30 minutes each day with clear focus and attention. There are some excellent websites with interesting things to read, including:
Breaking News — This is one of my favorites, which uses the news to create a variety of readings and exercises.
Story Archives — This has many news stories from CNN for ESL learners.
The English Server — You can find many easy short stories and fiction here.
Ask yourself questions
Stop after every few paragraphs and ask yourself some questions. For example, What did you read about?, What was the main idea?, What was the conflict?, Who are the main characters?, etc. Read the story again to check back for answers. In the end of your reading, summarize what you’ve read about. You can do your summary in writing or by speaking to practice for the writing or speaking sections at the same time.
Improve your vocabulary
When doing this reading practice, be sure to underline new words. Look up their meanings in a dictionary and write them down in a notebook or on flashcards. Use these new words in sentences throughout the day, and during your speaking and writing practice.
8. Practice Listening to English with Your Learning Goal in Mind
In the listening section, you’ll hear different people speaking, both in monologues (one person speaking alone) and dialogues (two or more people conversing). You’ll then answer questions based on what you’ve heard. Use these tips to prepare:
Always listen with a learning goal in mind
Before you begin listening, decide what your focus will be. Here are some topics you can listen for:
The main ideas. What is the main topic?
The purpose. Why is the speaker talking? To educate? To give an opinion? To complain? Etc.
Transitions. How does the speaker change from one idea to the next?
Stress and intonation. Where does the speaker place stresses within sentences? When does the pitch of their voice get higher and lower?
To practice this listening, you’ll want to listen to audio with native speakers. Here are sources of listening materials:
Real people. Use the sources from #6 to find native English speakers. If you don’t understand something, ask them to repeat it. Join in the conversation and ask follow-up questions. Remember, you can set up a Skype call if you don’t have an English-speaking community in your area.
Audio for English learners. Listen to academic lectures onUIC, a variety of audio clips on Many Things or ESL-friendly podcasts on A4ESL, for example. Select the level that’s appropriate for you. Then to push yourself a little more, choose a level that is a bit more challenging and one step higher than your current level.
It is recommended that you start with the EnglishClass101 podcast series by Innovative Language. The podcasts here come with transcripts and tools to practice your English. Since these podcasts are made for English students in particular, they will be clear and it will be much easier to take notes. Plus, there are podcasts for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, so you can practice basic English skills or choose to challenge yourself.
Audio for native speakers. There is so much content out there, so here are just some ideas to get you started. Watch YouTube clips, FluentU videos, TED Talks, TV shows and movies in English. Listen to the radio, music and the news. Take online courses.
Stop your clip or audio every 2-5 minutes and ask yourself some question.What’s the topic? What was the main idea? Who are the characters? What’s your opinion about the topic? etc.
Listen again to check your answers. Rewind if you didn’t understand something. Write down any new vocabulary you find, and look up its meaning. Listen to the same audio 2 or 3 times to find new details.
At the end of your listening, summarize what you’ve heard. You can summarize it by writing or speaking out loud, to practice for the writing or speaking sections. Use your new words in your summary.
9. Practice Timed Writing Before the Test
To prepare for the writing section, practice timed writing.
During the real exam you will have 50 minutes for two essays. This gives you 25 minutes for each topic, including review. When practicing writing about a specific topic, time yourself.
First, choose a topic (here are many options), and then set a timer for 20 or 25 minutes. Write for about 15-20 minutes, then leave 5 minutes for review and corrections.
Here are a few more tips that will help you improve your timed writing practice:
Review your grammar. Here are some online review exercises from Purdue OWL. Review your irregular verbs and practice using a variety of verb tenses. Make sure you understand modal verbs and conditionals. Review the difference between gerunds and infinitives. Have a good understanding of prepositions and articles. Finally, practice phrasal verbs in sentences. Ask the help of a teacher or a native speaker to clarify your doubts.
Write in English every day. Write a journal, emails, shopping lists, to-do lists, letters and even Facebook posts in English. To get used to writing in English for a period of time set your timer for 15-25 minutes when journaling, writing letters or blog posts. Pay attention to your grammar even if you aren’t working on a specific exam topic.
Check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Don’t forget to pay attention to your punctuation. Use Grammarly to check your spelling and grammar. (It’s much better than regular spellcheck.) If possible, ask a friend or a tutor to correct your writing.
10. Practice Speaking English Alone and with Others
The speaking section of the TOEFL is broken down into small tasks. It may feel strange to speak to a computer, but don’t worry about it. To prepare, you’ll want to speak both alone and with others.
Practice speaking even if you are alone
When taking a practice test or doing specific TOEFL exercises, say your answer out loud, instead of mumbling under your nose or saying it ‘in your head’ without words. Be loud and clear. Here are some more ideas when you’re alone:
Talk to your pets or even house plants in English.
Speak in front of a mirror.
If you have trouble with a particular word, practice it until you get it right. Repeat the same word or phrase in English over and over again until you get comfortable.
Check the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for pronunciation guidance. Don’t forget that most online English dictionaries will have a button that says the word aloud, too.
Record yourself speaking. Then, listen to the recording for errors.
Practice speaking with teachers, other students or friends
With your friend or tutor, listen to recordings of yourself speaking. Ask them for feedback on your pronunciation, clarity and grammar. Take notes on your common mistakes so you can keep practicing when you’re alone.
Set up Skype calls to get used to speaking via a headphone. Bring in specific topics to discuss. I recommend using recent reading or listening materials as your topic.
You can even speak to non-English speakers in English. They won’t be able to correct you, but you will still be able to practice speaking out loud.
11. Use Active and Passive Learning Strategies
There are two different types of learning: active and passive. Make sure you’re using both strategies in your study plan.
Active learning
Active learning happens when you are making an effort and studying with a goal in mind.
For example, when you are taking practice tests, working with a teacher, memorizing your vocabulary, listening closely to a podcast—pausing often or doing grammar exercises, you are actively learning. Tips 7-10 in this post are active learning strategies.
Passive learning
Passive learning happens naturally without effort. To learn this way, use English in your free time and for fun even when you are not actively studying. For example:
Watch movies or TV shows without the pressure of using your dictionary. Pick your favorite film and watch it again.
Choose a book that will capture your interest, and again, don’t read with a dictionary. I usually suggest reading novels by Agatha Christie for my ESL students. They are relatively short and easy, but not too easy reads. Since they’re interesting detective stories, you’ll want to finish reading to find out who the murderer is.
Speak or correspond online in English without a learning goal in mind. There are so many Facebook groups out there. Choose one that’s about your hobbies—not about ESL. For example, as a runner I would choose a group that is about running or endurance sports.
12. Take Practice Tests
If you are preparing for a test, it is only natural to practice taking the test.
Measure your progress. Take the practice tests from your study guide to measure your progress. Go over your mistakes and practice the areas you’re struggling with. After a few weeks, take the same test again. Compare your scores and check for improvements.
Create an exam environment. When you take practice tests, pretend you’re in a real exam environment. You’ll want a quiet space and to time your practice test properly.
At the exam center, you can’t take your personal belongings with you. So lock your phone, notebooks and other distracting items away. No aids, like notebooks, dictionaries, calculators and so on can be used; put everything away.
At the exam center you also won’t be able to eat or drink during the test, so make sure that you drink water and eat something before your practice test. Schedule your bathroom break before taking the practice test as well.
There is no minimum or maximum number of practice tests to take. Be determined until you get your minimum score (or even your ideal score) consistently. Don’t give up.
Once you’ve done the preparation, go and take that test! Remember your hard work. Relax. Be confident.
With consistency and hard work, there is no doubt that you will pass your TOEFL. I believe in you. You should believe in yourself too. Good luck!
Even if English composition isn’t your forte, you can still earn a high score on the TOEFL Writing section by following a template. But what exactly is a TOEFL Writing template? Simply put, TOEFL essay templates teach you how to organize your thoughts, select strong pieces of evidence, and get the Writing score you want.
In this article, we’re providing you with two high-quality TOEFL essay templates for the Integrated and Independent Writing tasks. Before that, we’ll go over the differences between the two TOEFL Writing tasks and then discuss how our TOEFL essay templates can benefit you. After, we’ll teach you how to customize and use our templates.
What Essays Will You Write on the TOEFL?
The Writing section is the final section you’ll face on the TOEFL, and it consists of two separate tasks: an Integrated Writing task and an Independent Writing task. The Integrated task requires you to write a response comparing a lecture and an article, whereas the Independent task requires you to write an opinionated essay in which you agree or disagree with an idea.
Below, we examine the two TOEFL Writing tasks in detail.
The Best TOEFL Writing Templates for Any Prompt
Integrated Writing Task
For the Integrated task, you must read a passage on an academic topic for three minutes and then listen to a short lecture on the same topic. This lecture will either support or challenge what’s written in the passage. Your response must summarize the main points discussed in the lecture and explain how these points relate to the reading.
You’ll have a total of 20 minutes to write your response. Your response should be around 150-225 words. During this time, you may reread the passage; however, you may not listen to the lecture again.
The score you receive for this task will be on a scale of 0-5. According to the official rubric, a level-5 essay (i.e., a perfect essay) selects the most crucial information from the lecture and presents it in a coherent, accurate, and well-organized manner. A level-3 essay is satisfactory but overall vague, with fewer key points and several grammatical errors. Finally, a level-1 essay offers minimal coherency and fails to address any of the main points in the lecture. ETS (the creators of the TOEFL) offers several samples of scored Integrated essays online.
Below is an example of an Integrated Writing task borrowed from ETS:
Reading Passage
Critics say that current voting systems used in the United States are inefficient and often lead to the inaccurate counting of votes. Miscounts can be especially damaging if an election is closely contested. Those critics would like the traditional systems to be replaced with far more efficient and trustworthy computerized voting systems.
In traditional voting, one major source of inaccuracy is that people accidentally vote for the wrong candidate. Voters usually have to find the name of their candidate on a large sheet of paper containing many names—the ballot—and make a small mark next to that name. People with poor eyesight can easily mark the wrong name. The computerized voting machines have an easy-to-use touch-screen technology: to cast a vote, a voter needs only to touch the candidate’s name on the screen to record a vote for that candidate; voters can even have the computer magnify the name for easier viewing.
Another major problem with old voting systems is that they rely heavily on people to count the votes. Officials must often count up the votes one by one, going through every ballot and recording the vote. Since they have to deal with thousands of ballots, it is almost inevitable that they will make mistakes. If an error is detected, a long and expensive recount has to take place. In contrast, computerized systems remove the possibility of human error, since all the vote counting is done quickly and automatically by the computers.
Finally some people say it is too risky to implement complicated voting technology nationwide. But without giving it a thought, governments and individuals alike trust other complex computer technology every day to be perfectly accurate in banking transactions as well as in the communication of highly sensitive information.
Lecture Transcript
(Narrator) Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
(Female professor) While traditional voting systems have some problems, it’s doubtful that computerized voting will make the situation any better. Computerized voting may seem easy for people who are used to computers. But what about people who aren’t? People who can’t afford computers, people who don’t use them on a regular basis—these people will have trouble using computerized voting machines. These voters can easily cast the wrong vote or be discouraged from voting altogether because of fear of technology. Furthermore, it’s true that humans make mistakes when they count up ballots by hand. But are we sure that computers will do a better job? After all, computers are programmed by humans, so “human error” can show up in mistakes in their programs. And the errors caused by these defective programs may be far more serious. The worst a human official can do is miss a few ballots. But an error in a computer program can result in thousands of votes being miscounted or even permanently removed from the record. And in many voting systems, there is no physical record of the votes, so a computer recount in the case of a suspected error is impossible! As for our trust of computer technology for banking and communications, remember one thing: these systems are used daily and they are used heavily. They didn’t work flawlessly when they were first introduced. They had to be improved on and improved on until they got as reliable as they are today. But voting happens only once every two years nationally in the United States and not much more than twice a year in many local areas. This is hardly sufficient for us to develop confidence that computerized voting can be fully trusted.
Question: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage.
Independent Writing Task
For the Independent task, you will write about your opinion on a certain topic. You must provide clear reasons and specific examples for why you agree or disagree with the issue or statement. (This doesn’t have to be your real opinion, though!) You’ll have 30 minutes to write your response. A typical high-scoring essay is at least 300 words.
You’ll receive a score on a scale of 0-5. According to the official rubric, a level-5 essay effectively addresses the topic, provides clear and ample details, and contains at most only minor issues with grammar and word choice. A level-3 essay offers a generally coherent response with occasional slips in clarity. Finally, a level-1 essay offers little to no detail and contains multiple technical errors. You can look at samples of Independent essays on the ETS website.
Here is an example of an Independent Writing task taken from ETS:
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Always telling the truth is the most important consideration in any relationship.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Integrated Task vs. Independent Task
So far we’ve covered all of the basic components of the TOEFL Writing tasks. To briefly recap, here is an overview of the Integrated and Independent Writing tasks:
Integrated Writing Task
Independent Writing Task
Time
3 minutes to read a passage, 20 minutes to write a response
30 minutes to write a response
Length
150-225 words
At least 300 words
Score
0-5
0-5
Purpose
To summarize the main points of a lecture and compare the lecture to a passage
To explain whether you agree or disagree with an issue or statement
Additional Details
You must read a passage and listen to a lecture before you begin writing. You may look at the passage as you write your response.
You do not have to write about your real opinion! You may pretend to agree or disagree.
What Is a TOEFL Writing Template?
The purpose of a TOEFL Writing template is to help you compose a detailed and eloquent essay — and of course get you a high Writing score! But what exactly is a template?
It’s easiest to think of an essay template as a skeleton. While a skeleton is the framework for a body, a template is the framework for an essay. Thus, a TOEFL Writing template highlights basic structural patterns and phrases you can integrate into your own writing. What a template doesn’t do is write your essay for you. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how you’ll add the skin and muscles (i.e., the details and supporting evidence) to your “skeleton.”
Furthermore, writing templates are typically created to suit different types of essays. For example, a template for a compare/contrast essay will differ from a template for an editorial piece. This is why it’s so important you use a writing template specifically geared toward the TOEFL!
What Are the Benefits of a TOEFL Writing Template?
There are three major benefits to using a TOEFL Writing template.
It Organizes Your Thoughts
Using a TOEFL Writing template ensures you’ll have a focused and well-organized response. A high-quality template teaches you how to structure your response so that your introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs are all clearly defined. This way, even if your grammar and spelling aren’t perfect, your response will still have an overall strong framework that’s easy to follow.
TOEFL essay templates also show you what kinds of transitions you can use and where. Transitions are a key component of essays that allow you to connect your thoughts and progress to new ideas smoothly. Truth be told, you probably won’t score super highly on the TOEFL Writing section if you don’t use any transitions!
It Saves You Time
Another big benefit of using a TOEFL Writing template is that it saves you time on the Writing section. Since you’ll already have a sense of how you’re going to structure your essay, you’ll spend less time planning it out andcoming up with transitions, openings, and closings. As a result, you’ll get more time to actually write out your response!
It Gives You Confidence
Lastly, a TOEFL Writing template allows you to feel more prepared on test day. Many test takers find it difficult to write out responses to English-language prompts in only 20 or 30 minutes. But TOEFL essay templates equip you with the skills you’ll need to feel more confident in your writing skills — and confidence is the first step toward getting a great TOEFL score!
2 TOEFL Essay Templates for You to Use
In this section, we offer youa TOEFL Integrated Writing template and an Independent Writing TOEFL template. We also provide you with a handy list of key transitional words and phrases you can incorporate into your essays.
Please note that you do not need to follow these templates directly. In fact, we strongly encourage you to replace our sample words and phrases with your own. We will talk more about how to customize our TOEFL essay templates in the following section. But for now, let’s take a look at the templates!
Template 1: Integrated Writing Task
Integrated Writing Task
Before we dive into our TOEFL Integrated Writing template, let’s get a quick reminder of what the Integrated task entails.
For this task, you’ll read a passage and then listen to a lecture. Your task is to summarize the lecture and explain whether the lecture challenges or supports what’s written in the passage. You’ll have 20 minutes to compose a response of around 150-225 words.
We’ll divide our template into four paragraphs: an introduction and three body paragraphs. You shouldn’t need a separate concluding paragraph for this task, as you can still score a 5 without one (plus, you likely won’t have enough time to write one!). But if you want to write a conclusion, just be sure you keep it short — two to three sentences at most.
Now, on to the TOEFL Integrated Writing template!
Paragraph 1 (Introduction)
Your first paragraph will introduce the lecture and how it relates to the reading. This paragraph doesn’t need to be long; a simple two or three sentences should suffice.
1. Begin with a topic sentence that summarizes the main point of the lecture.
Examples:
According to the lecture, …
Based on the lecture, …
The lecturer states/believes that …
The lecturer talks about …
The lecturer discusses …
2. Next, explain whether the passage refutes or supports the main point of the lecture.
Examples (Contrast):
By contrast, the author of the passage explains/states/posits that …
The author of the passage, however, disagrees with this idea/belief. Instead, he/she believes that …
The author of the passage, however, doubts this idea/belief and thinks that …
The author challenges this point, however, by explaining/suggesting/positing that …
Examples (Agreement):
This line of thinking agrees with that of the author, who states that …
The author of the passage agrees with this notion/idea/belief, stating that …
Likewise, the author of the passage explains/states/posits that …
The author of the passage supports this idea/belief, explaining that …
Paragraph 2 (Body)
In this paragraph, you’ll want to focus on one of the key points in the lecture and explain whether the passage refutes or supports this idea.
1. Introduce the main point you’ll be discussing.
Examples:
First, the lecturer asserts/claims/suggests that …
For one, the lecturer thinks/believes that …
The first point the lecturer makes is that …
2. Next, describe this particular point in more detail and then discuss how the passage either refutes or supports it. I suggest using one to two sentences here.
Examples:
On the other hand, the author asserts/claims/suggests that …
Likewise, the author thinks/believes that …
This concept is refuted/supported by the passage, which asserts/claims/suggests that …
3. Finally, conclude your paragraph by explaining what this difference or similarity means.
Examples:
This difference/similarity ultimately means/indicates that …
Basically, the lecturer/author is saying that …
The lecturer and author are essentially in agreement with each other. Both think/believe that …
Clearly, the lecturer and author maintain different views on …
Paragraph 3 (Body)
In this paragraph, you’ll focus on another key point in the lecture and again discuss how the passage either agrees or disagrees with this idea. The structure here is essentially identical to that of paragraph 2, so make sure you are using new transitions and varying your word choice.
1. Start by introducing the second point in the lecture you’ll be discussing. Because this is your second body paragraph, do not use transitions such as “first” or “first of all.”
Examples:
Second, the lecturer argues/contends/asserts that …
Next, the lecturer suggests/proposes that …
Another key point the lecturer makes is that …
2. Next, explain this key point in more detail and elaborate on how it is either refuted or supported by the passage. As with paragraph 2, I recommend using one to two sentences here.
Examples:
In other words, the lecturer is suggesting/proposing that …
The author, however, agrees/disagrees with this idea/belief, suggesting/proposing that …
Similarly, the author argues/contends/asserts that …
3. Finally, explain what this difference or similarity means.
Examples:
What this difference/similarity means is that …
This difference/similarity in thinking tells us that …
Evidently, the lecturer thinks/believes that … , whereas the author thinks/believes that …
Paragraph 4 (Body + Conclusion)
This final body paragraph will offer your last key point in addition to a brief conclusion. Once again, try to vary your transitions and words here so that your body paragraphs do not sound redundant.
1. Introduce and summarize the third point in the lecture. This is your third and final body paragraph, so do not use transitions such as “first” or “next.” Instead, use transitions such as “third,” “finally,” “last,” and “lastly.”
Examples:
Third, the lecturer explains/states that …
Finally, the lecturer introduces the idea that …
Lastly, the lecturer goes on to say that …
2. Then, explain this point in more detail and discuss whether the passage matches or challenges it. Use one or two sentences here.
Examples:
This point is also made in the passage, which argues/contends/asserts that …
The passage supports this idea, suggesting/proposing that …
On the contrary, the author writes that …
3. Finally, conclude your paragraph by explaining the significance of this similarity or difference. You should also look at this sentence as the conclusion to your entire response. Remember, you do not need to write a separate concluding paragraph for this task; it’s perfectly OK to combine it with your last body paragraph!
Examples:
In conclusion, the lecturer and author appear to be in agreement/disagreement about …
All in all, the lecturer argues/contends/asserts that … , whereas the author argues/contends/asserts that …
Template 2: Independent Writing Task
Independent Writing Task
For this task, you will read a short prompt and then write a response explaining whether you agree or disagree with the issue or idea. Unlike the Integrated task, here you’ll be writing an opinionated response (though you do not have to write about your actual opinion).
You’ll have 30 minutes to write an essay of at least 300 words. Because this essay should be longer than the Integrated task, it’s best to use the basic five-paragraph structure, with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Note that many of the example sentences below are based on the sample Independent Writing prompt used above. This means that these sentences will not apply exactly to other prompts! So don’t simply copy the sentences onto your test; instead, use them as a general guide to help you develop a better sense of style and flow in your writing.
Now, let’s take a look at our Independent Writing TOEFL template.
Paragraph 1 (Introduction)
In this paragraph, you’ll introduce the main issue or idea and rephrase the prompt in your own words. Then, you’ll state whether you agree or disagree with the statement and why.
1. For your first sentence, you’ll want to come up with a hook that introduces the topic of your essay in a unique and creative way. Most people start broad and then get specific. This sentence is also a great opportunity to insert a hypothetical question.
Examples:
There is great debate about …
It is said that … But is this always true?
Many people wonder whether telling the truth at all times is necessary in order to maintain a healthy relationship with someone.
2. Next, introduce your opinion on the topic. You may list your specific reasons for your opinion here or in the following sentence(s). Remember, this doesn’t need to be your real opinion!
Examples:
In my opinion, …
I believe that … is important because …
I agree/disagree with this idea/suggestion because …
For me, although telling the truthis important, there are many cases in which it’s OK to lie.
3. Here, state how many points (three is ideal) you’ll be discussing in your essay and then briefly summarize what these reasons for agreeing or disagreeing are. Your reasons may come from facts, predictions, personal beliefs, experiences, etc.
Examples:
In this essay, I will address three potential problems with lying in relationships.
Lying is never a smart idea because it undermines trust in relationships, causes feelings of betrayal, and often leads to more lying.
Paragraph 2 (Body)
In this paragraph, you’ll introduce your first key point about the issue and offer specific examples illustrating why you agree or disagree.
1. For the first sentence, introduce the key point you want to talk about.
Example:
First of all, lying can make it difficult to trust someone in a relationship.
2. Next, provide an example to explain why you believe this is the case. I suggest using a hypothetical situation somewhere in your essay to help illustrate one of your points.
Example:
For example, if a father lied to his daughter by telling her she was good at drawing, the daughter might begin to wonder whether her father has lied to her about other things, too.
3. Continue your paragraph by elaborating on your example. Explain any effect or consequence of the example and discuss how this outcome supports your viewpoint.
Example:
The next time the father praises his daughter for something, she might believe he is lying, even if he isn’t. In other words, the daughter might find it difficult to trust her father, thereby damaging their relationship.
Paragraph 3 (Body)
This paragraph will follow a similar structure to that of paragraph 2, only this time you’ll discussyoursecond key point. To prevent this paragraph from sounding too similar to the one before it, vary your word choice and choose a different type of example on which to focus.
1. In the first sentence, introduce your second key point. Because this is your second body paragraph (and second point), make sure you employ appropriate transitions, such as “second,” “secondly,” and “next.”
Example:
Second, lying can cause feelings of betrayal in relationships.
2. As you did in paragraph 2, use these next few sentences to elaborate on your point and offer specific examples. Always clarify how your examples support your stance (agree or disagree) and how they relate back to the issue stated in the prompt.
Example:
When I was young, I lied to my best friend about being able to attend her birthday party. She later told me I’d betrayed her and that we couldn’t be friends anymore. Essentially, because I’d lied to her, I destroyed our relationship.
Paragraph 4 (Body)
This is the last body paragraph in which you will introduce and explain your third and final key point.
1. First, introduce your third point. As this is your final body paragraph, make sure you’re using appropriate transitions, such as “finally,” “last,” “lastly,” and “third,” to introduce your point.
Example:
Lastly, lying often begets more lying. This means that once you tell a lie, you will become more likely to tell other lies.
2. As you did in paragraphs 2 and 3, elaborate on this point by providing new evidence, details, and/or examples. Explain why this point is important and how it supports your stance on the issue.
Example:
If you lie but nobody knows you’ve lied, you might begin to believe it’s OK to lie. As a result, you start to lie more and more. However, once people realize how often you lie, they’ll likely lose all trust in you and might even decide to end their relationships with you.
Paragraph 5 (Conclusion)
Like the Integrated Writing task, a separate concluding paragraph isn’t always necessary here. That said, if you have time, I recommend quickly wrapping up your points in a concise yet effective conclusion. One to three sentences should suffice.
1. In the first sentence or two, summarize your stance and explain why you feel this way. You may re-introduce your three main points here. You may also paraphrase the prompt and explain once more whether you agree or disagree with the issue and why.
Examples:
In the end, I believe telling the truth is the most important consideration in a relationship.
Ultimately, lying can easily destroy relationships because it weakens trust, results in feelings of betrayal, and often causes more lying.
2. Finally, if you have time, bring together your concluding paragraph with a single general statement about your viewpoint.
Examples:
This is why it is imperative we always refrain from lying.
Thus, the only way to ensure your relationships with others are healthy is to always tell the truth.
54 Key Transitions & Phrases
In addition to TOEFL essay templates, we offer you an assortment of common transitions and phrases you can use in your TOEFL responses. These words will allow your writing to flow more smoothly and connect your thoughts in a clearer, more logical manner.
To add information to a point, or to introduce a new (related) point:
In addition, …
Additionally, …
Furthermore, …
Moreover, …
Besides, …
Also, …
To introduce an example:
For example, …
For instance, …
To introduce an opinion:
In my opinion, …
I believe that …
I think that …
To start a new body paragraph:
First, …
First off, …
First of all, …
To begin/start, …
Second, …
Secondly, …
Next, …
Third, …
Finally, …
Last, …
Lastly, …
To add similar or related information:
Likewise, …
Similarly, …
On a related note, …
To restate information in a shorter or clearer way:
In other words, …
In short, …
Simply put, …
Essentially, …
In essence, …
Basically, …
To contrast information:
However, …
That (being) said, …
Nevertheless, …
Nonetheless, …
By/in contrast, …
On the contrary, …
On the other hand, …
To show cause and effect:
As a result, …
Because of this, …
As such, …
Consequently, …
Therefore, …
Thus, …
Hence, …
To emphasize information:
Indeed, …
Evidently, …
Clearly, …
Certainly, …
To conclude information, a paragraph, or your overall response:
In conclusion, …
All in all, …
As you can see, …
In the end, …
Ultimately, …
How to Customize a TOEFL Writing Template
How to Customize a TOEFL Writing Template
Below, we offer you a few pieces of advice to help you customize your TOEFL Writing template.
Integrated Writing Template
Here are two ways to customize our TOEFL Integrated Writing template.
#1: Tweak Sample Sentences & Openers
The sample sentence and openers we’ve provided above don’t contain any specific information, so you are welcome to incorporate these examples into your own Integrated Writing response however you like.
That said, you don’t need to use these examples exactly as they are. If you’d like to tweak them, try replacing the verbs and transitions with other (synonymous) words. I also suggest adding adverbs to emphasize certain words. So for example, instead of writing, “The author, however, disagrees with this belief,” you could write, “The author, on the other hand, strongly challenges this concept.”
Just be sure that the examples you’re using in your essay fit with the type of lecture-passage relationship you’re given. Remember, this relationship can be either supportive (in which the lecture agrees with the passage) or contrastive (in which the lecture disagrees with the passage).
#2: Use Different Words to Emphasize Contrast
Most Integrated Writing tasks will give you a lecture that challenges what’s written in the passage. In these cases, it’s important you use a variety of transitions, conjunctions, and prepositions to emphasize this important contrast throughout your essay.
There is one caveat, though: do not use a single transition more than once in your response. For instance, if you were to consistently start your supporting sentences with “however,” your essay would lack balance and begin to sound redundant. So be sure to vary your word choice!
Here is a list of strong contrastive words you can use in your Integrated Writing response:
However, …
That (being) said, …
Nevertheless, …
Nonetheless …
By/in contrast, …
On the contrary, …
On the other hand, …
Although
Though
Even though
Even if
Despite
In spite of
While
Whereas
But
Yet
Independent Writing Template
Here are three ways you can customize our Independent Writing TOEFL template.
#1: Choose the Side That’s Easier to Support
Although the Independent Writing task asks specifically whether you agree or disagree with an idea, you do not need to write about your real opinion. What you should really do is choose the side that’s easier to argue — regardless of whether you actually agree or disagree with it!
In other words, it’s perfectly OK to make things up for this response and pretend you support something you don’t actually believe. Remember, you are not being judged on which stance you choose but on how effectively you support your stance.
#2: Do Not Copy Sample Sentences Word for Word
For this task’s examples, I’ve primarily supplied you with whole sentences, all of which were based on the sample Independent Writing prompt used above. Because our examples refer to a specific prompt, you cannot copy these sample sentences word for word and use them in your own essay. Failing to change these sentences means your essay won’t make a whole lot of sense, if any at all!
Therefore, what you should actually be doing is using these example sentences to learn what types of details to include in your Independent Writing response. You may also use our examples to get a feel for how you can change up your sentences and word choice.
#3: Vary Your Supporting Details
For your response, you must come up with specific details and examples to support your viewpoint. These examples can range from facts and statistics to experiences and hypothetical situations.
In order to produce a truly compelling response (and get a high essay score), you must incorporate a variety of effective examples into your essay. This means you’ll want to avoid using the same types of examples for each point you make. So if you were to discuss a personal experience for your first body paragraph, focus on a different type of detail, such as a universally accepted fact or a hypothetical scenario, for your second body paragraph.
How to Use a TOEFL Writing Template: 4 Tips
Finally, here are four general tips for using a TOEFL Writing template effectively.
How to Use a TOEFL Writing Template: 4 Tips
#1: Employ a Variety of Transitions
The sample sentences and openers we’ve given you for each template above contain different transitions to help link ideas together; thus, we encourage you to use a variety of transitions in your own essays. For ideas, refer to our transition list above. This list can help you swap out some of our sample transitions for other ones you believe fit better with your writing.
Ultimately, varying your word choice is critical to ensuring your essay is well written. This means that a high-scoring TOEFL essay will not simply use transitions but use them well. So if you’ve already inserted “therefore” in one area, try using “as a result” or “thus” in another area. You’ll still get the same meaning but with a stronger, more versatile effect.
#2: Add Details Without Rambling
Don’t feel limited by the number of sentences we’ve included in each body paragraph in our templates. If you need to use two or three sentences to explain a point, that’s OK! You should always give a lot of detail for your points — so long as you are staying concise and focused.
For example, if you spend a paragraph discussing a hypothetical scenario but fail to offer any analysis, you probably won’t receive a high TOEFL score. Likewise, if you write a verbose introduction or conclusion, your score may end up being lower than you wanted it to be.
Basically, you must find the perfect balance between detail and analysis. A good way to monitor this balance is to always try to hit the word minimum for each task. Doing this means you’ll likely have an essay that’s sufficiently detailed. Just try not to exceed the maximum or you’ll risk rambling!
#3: 2 Strong Points Is Better Than 3 Weak Ones
Each of our TOEFL essay templates above has three body paragraphs and three main points. Although three points is a solid number of points, if you can only think of two points, just stick with those and try tosupport them as clearly and effectively as possible.
As you can see in the sample TOEFL essays here, many essays with scores of 2 and 3 actually address three points — but their points are altogether weak, with few supporting details and insufficient analysis. What this means is that just having three points in your essay isn’t enough to guarantee you a high essay score. Thus, it’s far better to write an essay with two strong points than three weak ones.
#4: Do Not Copy Entire Sentences From the Prompt
If you struggle with English, you might be tempted to borrow some sentences and phrases from the prompt. While it’s OK to paraphrase sentences, you should never copy exact sentences from your prompt.
Copying the prompt shows evaluators that you lack the English level necessary for writing creatively and analytically. On top of this, copying is also a form of plagiarism, which means you are essentially “stealing” another’s work.
Recap: How Can a TOEFL Writing Template Help You?
TOEFL essay templates are an especially useful component of TOEFL prep because they raise your chance of achieving a high TOEFL Writing score.
With TOEFL essay templates, you can organize your thoughts more clearly, spend less time outlining your responses, and prepare for the TOEFL with increased confidence. Our templates are also flexible, allowing you to customize certain elements to your liking and cater the templates to many different prompts.
When using a TOEFL template, always remember the following four tips:
Employ a variety of transitions throughout your essay
Add details but try not to ramble
Two strong point are better than three weak ones
Do not copy exact sentences from the prompt
Now that you’re equipped with our TOEFL essay templates and the knowledge of how to use them, you should have no trouble getting a great TOEFL Writing score!
You’ve studied hard for the TOEFL, using every resource you could find.
You’ve had a good night’s sleep and a good breakfast.
Then, the test begins.
You read the first question and…you aren’t sure of the answer.
Panic!
Is it possible to still answer the question correctly?
Believe it or not, you can!
I’m not talking about a lucky guess or a glance at your neighbor’s test.
All you need is a strong understanding of the three main question types on the TOEFL Reading section.
If you have this understanding, you’ll have the confidence to get through the test with success and ease.
Breaking Apart the TOEFL Reading Section: The 3 Question Types You Need to Know
How to Attack These 3 Question Types with Confidence
So, what should you do if you aren’t sure of an answer?
1. Take a deep breath, and see if you can identify the question type.
2. Use simple strategies to help you make the best guess.
In total, there are ten specific types of questions on the TOEFL Reading section, which you can see examples of here. But if you’re able to identify and understand how to answer just the main three types, your confidence will increase along with your test scores.
Of course, the first thing to do is to read the passage. Plan to spend about 20 minutes on each of the three passages. Don’t forget to use reading strategies for comprehension and speed.
Then, it’s question and answer time! Let’s learn how to recognize the three major question types on the Reading section of the TOEFL.
1. Factual Questions
The best thing about factual questions is that the answer is right in the passage.
Here, the TOEFL is testing your ability to answer a question that the author of the passage has already answered for you. Kind of awesome, right? Of course, it’s not quite as easy as it seems!
Factual questions are, at least, easy to identify. They will ask you to look back at a specific part of the reading passage.
For example, the question will read:
“According to the passage, what is X?”
Or:
“In paragraph 2, what does the author say about Y?”
First, read the question carefully. Highlight or underline any key (important) words contained in the question. Try your best to understand what the question is asking.
Most likely, it will be a “W/H” question, asking one of the following:
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?
Quickly skim (search through) your passage for the key words in the question. Identify where the answer is written in the passage.
Now that you found the correct place in the passage, all that’s left is to select the right answer!
You’d think this would be easy. But those tricky TOEFL writers will do their best to trip you up.
Things to keep in mind:
Read each answer choice carefully. Often, one or more of the answer choices will change the relationship between the key words. You’ll be able to eliminate it quickly.
Be on the lookout for at least one answer choice that isn’t in the passage at all! That makes it easy on you: Eliminate that answer choice, too.
Hopefully, you’ll be left with an answer that answers your question. On to the next question!
2. Inference Questions
Next, it’s time to learn about inference questions. When you make an inference, you take the facts from the passage and use your own thoughts to come to a reasonable conclusion.
It’s like deciding not to drink spoiled (bad) milk. You catch a smell that makes your nose wrinkle. That smell is the fact. Using your previous knowledge, you make an educated guess that the milk has gone sour. That guess is the inference!
The author will imply (strongly hint at something in the text), which helps the reader make the inference (reasonable conclusion). The TOEFL writers consider how the implication (hint) should lead to the inference when they ask questions. This means that you’re already on your way to the right answer!
However, the answers to inference questions will not be found directly in the text. For these questions, you are asked to use a detail within the passage to come to a conclusion. Sound challenging? Never fear! Your knowledge of question types will help you select the correct answer.
You can recognize inference questions when you see words like “imply,”“infer” or “suggest” in the question.
Or, the question might ask about a “cause and effect.”
For example, the question will read:
“Which of the following can be inferred about X?”
Or:
“What is the author trying to imply about Y?”
First, read the question and the answer choices carefully. As you are reading, underline key words in both the question and the answer choices.
Next, check out the words that you underlined. You’ll see some synonyms(or different words with the same meaning) in the question and the answer choices.
For example, you might see the word “dangerous” in the question, and the word “unsafe” in an answer choice. Test writers use synonyms to ensure that you understand the concepts being discussed, or relationships between the words.
Be careful if you see the exact same words used in both the question and the answer. For example, if “dangerous” was used in both the question and the answer choice. Check the relationship between the words to see if the meaning has been changed.
Next, it’s time to make your inference.
Things to keep in mind:
The TOEFL writers aren’t going to ask you to make a giant conclusion or inference. They know that you aren’t a scientist conducting an experiment! So, make sure that the answer choice you select is very closely related to what the question is asking.
Be on the lookout for answer choices that change the meaning of details within the passage. Usually, you can eliminate at least one answer choice that contradicts (goes against) the passage.
After you eliminate some of these wrong answers, hopefully you’ll be able to select the right answer!
The correct answer will be one that makes a small, logical conclusion (often using synonyms) from the detail in the question.
Are you feeling like a TOEFL pro yet? There’s one more main question type.
3. Summary Questions
The last main question type to learn about is summary questions. These questions are special, because they ask you to recognize the most important ideas within the passage. Don’t worry: You’ve got this!
These questions may take a few different forms. They may ask you to:
Summarize the passage.
Add in a detail in the correct part of the passage.
Group main ideas and details into a table.
Here, the TOEFL is testing your ability to look at a passage and select the most important information.
For example, the question may read:
“Which of the following summarizes the essential information from the text?”
Or:
“Where would this sentence best fit within the passage?”
Your first mission (task) is to understand the most important idea (or ideas) in the passage. If you can do this, you’re well on your way to answering the question correctly!
After reading, take a second look at the beginning and the end of the passage. Do you see any ideas or concepts repeated? Authors usually start and finish with the most important idea in their passage.
Next, identify the supporting details. Supporting details are details that will help you to understand or believe the main idea. Some supporting details will be more important than others.
Now that you’ve outlined (identified the main parts of) the passage, it’s time to answer the questions.
Things to keep in mind:
Beware of answer choices that leave out important information from the passage.
Again, you might see some answer choices that include information that isn’t in the passage at all! Make it easy on yourself and cross those answer choices out right away.
The correct answer will contain the most information that is in the passage, with supporting details organized according to how important they are.
Here’s the real trick behind learning the question types: It gives you confidence, even when you see vocabulary that you don’t recognize.
Remember, you aren’t going to understand each and every word that you encounter (come across) in the TOEFL Reading section. Don’t let that trip you up! Stay cool, calm and collected.
Instead of giving in to panic that will affect your ability to answer the questions that you do know, attack unknown questions with confidence.
Think about the question types and the strategies you’ve learned.
The TOEFL Integrated Writing Task does not have to be scary.
However, if you are not prepared, it might seem like the most complex writing task in any test of the English language.
You may not be familiar with writing in English, and this TOEFL task gives you only 20 minutes to create your written response.
Unlike the TOEFL Independent Writing Task, you have to do more than write. You need to read and listen before you get started writing. Plus, you still need to do some good writing to score high in this part of the test.
Fortunately, if you follow these steps, you will be totally prepared to write on test day.
Achieve a High Score on the TOEFL Integrated Writing Task in 7 Steps
1. Understand the Task
If you are taking the TOEFL test, you are probably preparing for university abroad. That is why you have to prove you can understand the main ideas of lectures and texts. Being able to understand spoken and written English is also important for anyone who wants to travel abroad, work abroad or work with English-speaking people in their home country.
In this part of the test, you have to read a passage that is 250 to 300 words long and listen to a lecture that is 1 to 2 minutes long. Both the written passage and the lecture are about the same academic topic. They present two perspectives on the same issue.
You should take notes while reading and listening so you can remember the important things you want to write about. After you read and listen, you need to be able to write a 150-225 word response about how the reading and the listening passages are related.
2. Use Directions to Your Advantage
The directions for the Integrated Writing Task will be the same on all tests.
Prepare by doing as many practice tests as you possible can before the exam. This way, you will know all the directions before the exam so you don’t need to waste time and energy reading them carefully during the actual test.
The more you know about the directions, the more prepared you will be. You will know exactly what to do! That sounds less terrifying already, right?
3. Take Excellent Notes
You are supposed to take notes while reading and listening in order to be able write about the main ideas in the two passages and show how they are related. Good notes are going to help you remember information. But how do you write good notes?
Use Key Words
Do not try to write in full sentences. Especially while listening, it can be very hard to concentrate on both understanding English and writing down sentences word-for-word.
You will have access to the reading passage while you do the writing task, so you can always look at it one more time while you are writing. However, this takes time! You want to maximize your writing time so you have extra minutes to work on creating your response. You do not want to look at the passage more than once if possible.
Try not to read passage again and again. Take brief notes while you are reading the passage the first or second time.
Taking notes also means that you will be writing down your ideas and opinions about the reading, and you will be writing using your own words. You do not want to copy any of the language from the passage when you are writing your response. You want to use original language and prove that you have a wide range of vocabulary.
Use Symbols
You can save time while taking notes by replacing words with symbols. One symbol can replace an entire sentence! It saves you time to make only a couple of quick marks, rather than writing out an entire sentence.
For example, you could use <—> to show contrast between two ideas.
Use —>to show cause and effect.
You can come up with your own list of symbols while preparing for the exam. Create ones that make sense to you. If you use them repeatedly, you will be able to be very effective while taking notes on the test.
Practice Makes Perfect
Keep a notebook nearby whenever you are reading or listening to something in English. You can practice taking notes while doing reading in your spare time or while listening to science-related TED talks.
It’s best to practice with academic passages because these tend to be more structured, like the ones you get in the test.
Use a Table to Take Notes in a Structured Way
It is very quick and easy to draw a table while taking your test, and it will help you a lot. Draw a table before you start reading or listening.
This will help you focus on the main ideas in the two passages and how they are related. You will be able to see the main ideas and the connections between them at a glance. This will save a lot of planning time before writing.
You can use this model:
Main Idea
Reading
Listening
1.
2.
3.
Stay Calm While Listening
You only get to listen to the spoken passage once, so you can feel a lot of pressure to understand everything, take great notes and get all the information you need to get the written response right.
There is no way to press “rewind” or play the passage again. When it is over, it is over.
That might sound really scary, but it is not that bad when you know how the test works.
Remember that you are only supposed to understand the main ideas andconnect these to the main ideas of the reading passage. So, don’t worry if you don’t understand every single word! This is not a vocabulary test. You do not have to answer 30 specific questions after listening. You just have to understand the main points.
Try not to worry if you do not remember very specific information. When you do the writing task, you are the one who decides what to include. For this, you are going to need the main ideas and connections between them. If you can only take notes on just a few supporting ideas from the listening passage, remember you can access the reading passage for more details while writing.
4. Organize Your Writing
Plan
You should spend only 1-2 minutes to plan your written response, but do not panic while planning! Remember the table you made while you read and listened? Use it now and you can save time.
Divide Your Response into Paragraphs
You should attempt to write 4 paragraphs.
Try to target both the reading and listening passage in each paragraph. Do not write one paragraph about the text and then one about the lecture. It is better to discuss both.
You can follow the structure of the example paragraphs below:
Introduction: State the main topic of the two passages and the main connection between the passages.
Example: Both the reading and the listening passage discuss__________. The author of the reading passage argues that__________, while the lecturer challenges the points made by the article. He/She claims that__________.
1st Paragraph: State the first main idea of the text and relate it to a main idea in the listening passage.
Example:First of all, the author of the reading passage states that__________. He/She claims that__________. However, the lecturer in the spoken passage implies that__________. Moreover, he/she believes that__________.
2nd and 3rd Paragraph: State more main ideas of the text and connect these ideas to main ideas from the lecture. You can use the 1st paragraph example above to structure these paragraphs.
Conclusion: Write a short concluding paragraph about how the topic is seen differently by the two authors. If you don’t have time for a conclusion, don’t panic. You can turn the paragraph dealing with the last main idea into a conclusion like this:
Last but not least, the reading passage mentions__________. The author seems to believe that__________. In contrast, the lecturer argues that__________. He/She discusses__________. The two perspectives differ in their approach to__________.
Use connectors to make your writing more structured and logical.
To sequence ideas: firstly, secondly, last but not least
To contrast ideas: however, although, nevertheless, in contrast, on the one hand/ on the other hand
To show cause and effect: as a result, consequently, therefore
5. Remember: This Is a Language Test
Do not worry if you know nothing about the topic, you are not supposed to know about the topic! You may even lose points for focusing on your personal opinion.
The Independent Writing Task will ask you about your point of view. However, the Integrated Writing Task is about reading well, listening well, understanding and discussing the ideas that were given to you.
The raters (the people who read your test and decide your score) are interested in how well you can synthesize information from the two sources and, of course, they are interested in your level of English writing.
This means you have to prove your level of English is really good. How do you do that? By using complex grammar structures and a wide range of vocabulary.
You should try to use your most advanced knowledge of English here, but do not use words or phrases you are not sure about. You have a very important strategic advantage when you do writing: You have time to think!
When you are speaking you cannot stop and think about the words you are going to use, but when you are writing you can choose to use the vocabulary you are confident about.
Do some writing tasks and have a teacher or native speaker edit them for you. To find a native English speaker who’s trained to teach you about the TOEFL, visit Wyzant. This website will help you find a local TOEFL tutor anywhere in the United States, and you can even choose one who has specialized in English writing or English grammar.
If you’d prefer to meet with an English tutor online, search on Verbling. This huge website has thousands of professional tutors who you can choose from, and many offer very low, affordable prices for tutoring. And there are specialized TOEFL tutors here too!
While working with your TOEFL tutor, keep a “favorite mistakes” diary in which you record language mistakes so you avoid making them again.
6. Edit
Leave 1-2 minutes to proofread your work. Remember, you don’t have time for big changes. The raters know this is a first draft. What you can do, however, is correct spelling and punctuation mistakes.
7. Time Is of the Essence
Time is very important!
Exams are about using your time well so you can score as high as possible.
Time yourself as you do practice tests and do not waste any exam time on things that are not worth it. Do not waste valuable minutes to think about a word that you simply cannot remember. Use a synonym that you know very well instead!
Give yourself 1-2 minutes to do planning and editing work. All the rest of your time should be left for writing.
Use as much time as you can before the exam to do exam-like tasks, because practice makes perfect!
Before you take the real TOEFL exam, you should take at least one full practice TOEFL exam. An ideal place to do this is BestMyTest. When you take your practice TOEFL exam on this website, you will receive feedback from real, TOEFL-certified English teachers. They’ll read your writing and give you suggestions to help you improve your exam score.
Remember that, even after you have passed the TOEFL test, the skills you developed while preparing for the Integrated Writing Task will stay with you. These skills will be your valuable resources when you study or work abroad.
The time you spend studying now can greatly improve your overall level of English.
This isn’t the only reason to practice TOEFL writing though. If you’re taking the TOEFL, it’s probably because you want to go to a university in another country.
The TOEFL is based on a lot of the things that foreign learners struggle with. Studying for the TOEFL will prepare you for university abroad. If you can get a high score on the TOEFL, it likely means you’re more prepared for the university environment where teachers will ask you to discuss or write about unfamiliar topics all the time.
Top Mistakes English Students Make on the TOEFL (and Why I Know)
As a former TOEFL rater, I read hundreds of essays per week.
I saw the same mistakes over and over again.
Mistakes do matter, so I’m going to share the most frequent ones with you before we get started.
The first one is to apologize to your rater for your English skills. We know you’re not a native speaker, so do not apologize to us. You’ll lower our expectations of the rest of your writing, which can only make things worse.
Another is to freeze up and write down almost nothing. Some ideas are better than no ideas. Don’t try to be perfect when the clock is ticking.
One more thing: remember that there’s also an Integrated Writing Section of the TOEFL which is completely different. In that section, your opinions and ideas should not be included, so make sure to study for that section separately.
10 Simple Strategies to Pass the TOEFL Independent Writing Section
There are some ways you can improve your score by using some basic strategies. Today, I’ll share them with you, along with ways that you can practice them. Some of these things will probably surprise you because they might be different from what your English teacher taught you in school — but just stay with me! I know what I’m talking about here, and I won’t guide you down the wrong path.
10 Simple Strategies to Pass the TOEFL Independent Writing Section
1. Practice timed writing before the day of the test.
Preparing an essay for English class and writing on the day of the TOEFL are completely different experiences. With an essay for class, you have tons of time to formulate your ideas and write them down carefully.
When a timer is involved, things change. You need to think fast, write fast and correct writing fast. You must practice this, especially if you aren’t good at typing on a computer keyboard. Choose a topic and set a timer for thirty minutes. Try to spend the entire 30 minutes writing, without stopping.
When the timer is finished, read your writing carefully to see how you did. How was your grammar? How many sentences could you write?
Do this several times per week. Lots of practice can really help you improve on the TOEFL. With practice, you’ll be able to think about ideas faster and type your responses out more quickly.
Eventually, you’ll want to take a complete TOEFL practice exam—it’s the only way to be fully prepared for the TOEFL. When you’re ready, take a TOEFL practice exam on BestMyTest. You’ll get a real score and a full review of your writing from a TOEFL certified teacher.
2. Think quality, not quantity.
Shorter, well-written responses are fine. Many of the responses that receive scores of 4 or 5 are only one paragraph long. On the other hand, many longer responses receive only a 2 or a 3. If you use transitions and clear language, you can fit all of your reasons and details into one smooth paragraph. That will really impress your rater.
If the response is too long, you’ll be in a rush and you won’t be able to check your grammar and vocabulary. You also might repeat yourself or include irrelevant specifics. Of course, don’t make your response so short that you can’t show off your ability to make a good argument.
3. Learn some basic sentence patterns that you can use comfortably.
TOEFL raters look at your ability to make different types of sentences. Create your own toolbox of different types of English connectors, such as “but,” “however,” and “although.” Practice writing sentences and use them in your TOEFL response. If you only use simple short sentences, your response won’t receive a high score. You don’t need to be a grammar expert, but you do need to show sentence variety.
4. Learn the common types of TOEFL prompts.
You won’t have a choice of your topic on the day of the TOEFL exam.
The topic will be a complete surprise.
However, Educational Testing Services (the makers of the TOEFL) publish sample topics on their website. If you study these, you can be more prepared.
Look for keywords that are repeated over and over in the prompts, like “prefer” or “oppose,” and make sure you understand their meanings and how to respond to the questions they’re asking.
Ask yourself: “Should I make a choice? Agree or disagree?”
Once you notice these patterns, they’re be easier to identify and respond to correctly on the day of the exam.
5. Have (or Fake) an Opinion.
Don’t say that you don’t have an opinion.
This is an argumentative essay. In many cultures, people don’t express their opinions directly — but you’ve got to do it on the TOEFL Independent Essay.
If it’s new for you to have an opinion and express it strongly, practice. When you read something or listen to something, think: “Do I agree or disagree? Do I support or oppose this decision?”
Have coffee with another ESL student and practice discussing current events. Talking about your opinions will make it easier to write about them. On the day of the TOEFL, choose the side you can argue best, even if it’s not your true opinion. If you don’t have an opinion on the TOEFL topic, invent one!
6. Brainstorm before you start your response.
It’s good to make a little plan before you start writing your TOEFL response. Don’t immediately start writing.
Instead, take 1-3 minutes to decide what you’ll write about and think about some reasons and examples. Again, usually you’ll have to choose between two opposite arguments. That means it’s useful to quickly brainstorm both sides and see which one you have the most reasons and details for, even if you truly think differently.
7. Write a basic thesis statement.
This is the first thing your rater will see, so you should make a clear and grammatically-correct sentence that states the main idea of your response. You don’t need an introductory paragraph, but you should definitely write a thesis statement. This can be borrowed mostly from the prompt itself.
For example, if your prompt says, “In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do you think this is a good idea?” I can write “I think it’s a good idea for teenagers to have jobs while they are still students” or “I don’t think it’s a good idea for teenagers to have jobs while they are still students.” Simply take the words from the original prompt and create a strong opinion sentence. The rest of your essay will be built around this sentence which strongly and clearly states your opinion on the topic.
As you’re looking at sample TOEFL prompts, practice writing a thesis statement like this for each one.
On the day of the exam, your topic will probably be different from any sample topics you’ve looked at. Even so, the topics will probably be very similar overall. You don’t need to have much specific knowledge on any topic to succeed. It should be easy to write the thesis statement if you’ve already studied and practiced how to write.
8. Give specific reasons and details.
Every TOEFL prompt asks for specific reasons and details.
One reason a response receives a higher or lower score is because of the number of reasons and examples they can give.
To get the highest scores, you’ll need three different, well-written reasons along with specific details. When you do your timed practices at home, be sure to practice doing this.
Many students have trouble thinking of specific examples, but it’s an important part of good writing. You can also practice brainstorming or planning reasons even if you don’t write a complete response. You shouldn’t use statistics because you won’t be able to research during the exam. Instead, practice using experiences or facts from your general knowledge to support your thesis statements.
9. Stay on topic.
Unfortunately, you can’t choose or change your topic. Write only about the topic that’s given to you by the exam.
Keep in mind: TOEFL raters are always looking for pre-made essays. Some students will memorize essays before the TOEFL exam and use them instead of writing on their own. Therefore, one of the lowest scores students can receive is for missing the topic. Writing about a different topic is an easy way to get a low score. I don’t recommend trying to memorize an essay.
Honest, dedicated practice is much more useful and effective.
If there are unfamiliar words in the prompt, use context to guess their meanings. Try your best to write about the exact topic given to you. Don’t include sentences that don’t connect to your thesis statement — these irrelevant sentences will lower your score.
10. Edit your response if you have time.
Even native speakers make small mistakes in their writing, but if we read our essays again we can find our mistakes. Try to save the last 1-3 minutes for fixing your errors. Of course, the more grammar you learn the better you’ll become at fixing and avoiding errors as you write, but anyone can identify small mistakes in typing (typos) that would bring the score down.
That’s all we’ve got for now. Just keep practicing until next time, and good luck!
You Can Do It! Get a Fantastic TOEFL Score with These 8 Tips
Do you start feeling anxious when you think about your TOEFL exam?
You and everyone else.
Yes, the good news here is that everyone else taking the exam is probably feeling exactly the same way. You can make a great difference in your score by maximizing your potential before and during the actual exam.
Maximizing your potential means that you’ll be totally prepared and ready to do your absolute best work.
Sounds pretty great, right?
Here’s how you can make this happen!
You Can Do It! Get a Fantastic TOEFL Score with These 8 Tips
8 Tips to Get a Fantastic TOEFL Score
1. Practice, Practice and Then Practice Some More
There’s no way around it, the more you practice, the higher you will score! But do you know how to make the best use of your time, money, energy and other resources as you prepare?
Don’t take the test too soon. If you can afford to postpone the test for a few more months, you will gain more time to prepare. Do not sign up until you feel 99% ready. This means you will probably score higher. But be careful: You must make a commitment to yourself to use the extra time to study intensively or you may forget what you learned.
Make a study plan and stick to it. See how many practice tests and resources you can get access to and make a plan. You should regularly take practice tests. Try to take one every week or every two weeks. Remember the questions that you most often get wrong, and practice those areas of English. Spend the rest of your time improving your general level of English. If you don’t have access to as many practice tests as you’d like, you can create your own.
Pretend you are taking the exam. Save seven practice tests for the week before the exam. Wake up every day like you would on the day of the actual exam and pretend it’s the real thing. Take a full test every day, in exam conditions, and try to imagine you are at the exam. No dictionary, no phone, no help. Time yourself and stop when the time has ended. You will probably feel quite nervous, but that is a good thing! Overcoming nerves is something you need to do. Once you learn how to control your own level of stress, chances are good that the actual exam will seem just like another practice session. You will feel more familiar with the situation, and you will probably feel more confident and prepared.
Have a teacher or friend help with speaking and writing. You’ll probably be able to do reading and listening practice by yourself, but you are going to need someone to read your writing samples and listen to your speaking. You need some feedback. Ideally, this person should be a teacher or native speaker of English, but anyone who can speak really good English can help you.
2. Know All the Directions
All tests are created equal in terms of difficulty and what you have to do. You are going to read the same directions on every TOEFL test you take. These directions tell you what task you have to do (reading, writing, answering questions) and how much time you have to do that task.
If you do a lot of practice tests, you will not need to read the directions anymore. This means you can read them very quickly, click the CONTINUE button as soon as it appears and use this extra time on the questions. Extra time to read, think and answer questions is always good!
When you take practice tests, read the directions carefully. Try to remember the directions for each section. When you take the real test, read the directions of every section again quickly to make sure that you know what to do.
Make sure you follow directions and prove that you understand them. In the speaking test, whenever you are told to “use reasons and examples to support your response,” make sure you include specific reasons and examples! For every main point you make, you should present at least one reason and one example to support it.
Also, don’t forget that this is a language test, so you cannot just use the same words from the task directions. You must show that you know a variety of English words. Do not use the words “reasons” and “examples” repetitively in your writing, as this can sound annoying to the listener. Try to prove you have a wide range of vocabulary by using lots of synonyms. For example:
“My first point is__________. One of the arguments for this is __________. To illustrate this idea, let me __________.”
“Another point that I’d like to make is__________and here’s why: __________. In other words, __________.”
“Last but not least, __________. It is for this reason that I think__________. For instance, __________”
3. Time Is Not the Enemy
Time is not the enemy…if you know how to use it. Keep one eye on the title and directions on your computer screen, but focus on the questions. Don’t waste time on minor issues, like one specific word you don’t know or can’t remember. If this is just one question, it is better to guess the answer than waste 5 valuable minutes thinking about it.
Just think about how many correct answers you can get in 5 minutes. You can go more quickly through easier questions, gaining you more points.
If you are taking the test online, work on your typing skills. Start doing this well in advance of the test so you can maximize your writing time. If you do a lot of practice tests while timing yourself, you will see that the time you are given is just about the right amount of time.
4. Focus on Grammar and Vocabulary
Don’t forget that this is a test of how much English you know. All languages are, in the end, about words (vocabulary) and how you connect those words (grammar). You need to prove your knowledge of English is at the right level for you to pass the test. How do you that?
Learn a few new words and expressions every day. Make your own sentences with them. If you just try to memorize them without using them in context, your memorization won’t work. You have to practice new words so they become a part of your active vocabulary. Your active vocabulary are all the words you can remember and use easily. This means you’ll be able to use them in speaking and writing without thinking too much. Here are some really good resources to help you improve your vocabulary and grammar.
Prove you learned those words. Try to include them in your speaking and writing practice.
Only use the words you know. On the exam, avoid using words and structures you are not sure about.
5. Take Good Notes
Practice note-taking when reading and listening in your spare time. You can do this while relaxing with an article in your favorite magazine or a documentary. You can also work with more exam-like texts and academic lectures. Write down information using key words (the most important words) and symbols to save time.
You don’t need to write down everything word-for-word. You won’t be able to do that because there is not enough time. Writing full sentences will take you a very long time.
Try to develop your own note-taking style to help you save time. For example, listen to the following passage:
The study is the latest to suggest that snakes evolved from land lizards that lost their limbs while adapting to a slithery, subterranean lifestyle. Another theory posits that today’s snakes descended from marine reptiles—with a svelte body and lack of legs serving as adaptations to move through a watery home.
You may choose to take the following notes, by keeping only the key words and using arrows as helpful symbols. You may also use numbers to show the number of main ideas:
snakes <— lizards, no limbs
snakes <— reptiles, svelte body, no legs
6. Reading and Listening
Practice by reading academic texts and listening to lectures and by doing exam-like practice tests. Look for the main ideas. They are usually signposted (marked) with discourse markers. Click that link to learn more about discourse markers. Basically, they are common phrases that introduce information.
After you learn what they look like, you will see them everywhere.
For example, look for phrases like,“another point that I’d like to make…” and “this takes us to… ” or rhetorical questions like, “why is this so important?” You will find important information near these kinds of phrases.
7. Speaking and Writing
To practice speaking and writing you are going to need a partner to work with, ideally a teacher or a friend with good English skills.
But you don’t need a partner to be there for you all the time. You can practice speaking by recording yourself and then listening to yourself. You can read writing samples to see how your writing compares.
With both speaking and writing, make sure your message is very clear. You can achieve clear writing by following these steps:
Decide on your main ideas. Do not change the focus of your writing after you start writing.
Make sure you understand the connection between your ideas. Are the ideas different from one another? Are they cause and effect? Are they part of a numerical list or series of steps?
Use discourse markers to signpost the main ideas and the connections between them. For example, you can use the following phrases:
To show contrast or difference: however, nevertheless, on the other hand
To show cause and effect: as a result, consequently, therefore
To show a numerical list or series of steps: firstly, secondly, finally
8. Work on Your Attitude
Everybody has exam nerves. Some level of stress is good because it can help you focus on your goals and motivate you.
But if you worry too much, you will not be able to prove your real English skill level in the exam. You will answer questions wrong or make mistakes because you are too nervous and not paying attention to the exam.
Remain calm and confident, and do not let that happen!
The good news is that if you simulate exam conditions by taking a lot of practice tests, you will be more relaxed in the exam.
Go to the real exam with confidence. Feel strong. Feel intelligent. Think about all the time you spent studying.
Don’t worry about the unfamiliar topics you may come across on the exam. This is not a general knowledge quiz, so you do not have to know about every topic or theme. This is a language test. You are not supposed to focus on your knowledge, opinions or ideas. You are supposed to focus on communicating clearly.
With these tips in mind, get started on your study plan. Write it down and post it somewhere so you can see it every day. Remember that language skills don’t improve overnight, but you can certainly make every day count!
