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20 TOEFL Tips
20 TOEFL Tips
20 TOEFL Tips
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TOEFL is used for a different purpose than other ESL tests The
TOEFL measures your ability to succeed in an American
university or college Other English-speaking countries also
require TOEFL scores as a prerequisite for admission You
don't have to know about the business world as you do in the
TOEIC test Instead, you should concentrate on studying
language that you would hear and see on campus and in the
classroom In other words, you should read textbooks,
encyclopaedias, journals and research articles rather than
advertisements and resumes You won't need to know any
background information about certain subjects, but it will help
you to become familiar with the presentation and language
used in academic material You should also watch modern
television and movies If you have a friend who goes to an
English university, go to class with him as often as you can
Borrow his books and hang out with his friends
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The best way to prepare for the TOEFL is to practise doing the
tests If you are taking a TOEFL class, your teacher will
provide you with plenty of material If you are studying for the
TOEFL on your own, you will have to purchase a few key
resources Find a textbook that has exercises, vocabulary,
practice tests, CDs, and explanatory answers You might not
want to work through a book from front to back Work on the
sections that you find most challenging Don't just rely on one
book You might have a book that is much easier than the
official TOEFL Look for free samples on the Internet to
supplement your textbook Make sure the question types are
up to date
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The TOEFL test takes a long time to write If you are taking
the paper based test it will take you about 2 5 hours The iBT
is much longer You can expect to be at the computer for 4
hours Many students have an attention span of about two
hours This is the maximum length of most classes After this
amount of time performance starts to weaken If you keep
your study sessions to one or two hours, your brain will not be
prepared to work for four Start off with short study sessions,
and work up to longer ones It is absolutely necessary that you
get a good night's sleep before this test You cannot afford to
be tired
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If you arrive at the test centre with all of the things you need,
you will feel calm and ready When you are nervous, your
memory does not work as well Make sure you know exactly
how to get to the test centre and where you can park Bring
the correct amount of money for parking If you are writing
the paper based test, you should have a number of pencils, a
pencil sharpener and a few erasers that don't smudge It is
also important that your identification looks valid If you have
had problems with your ID before, make sure to bring a
backup photo Don't forget any paper work that ETS sends you
to prove that you have registered
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You will have to fill out your answers on the computer and
type your essay If you rely on a few fingers to type, consider
improving your typing skills before taking the TOEFL Make
sure that you are confident typing on a QWERTY keyboard If
you aren't, search for typing practice drills online Even if your
typing skills are strong, try doing practice tests on other
computers Some students get so used to their own computer
that they get nervous when they have to type on a new
keyboard or use a different mouse on test day
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You will be able to take notes in each section as you take the
TOEFL iBT Note taking is allowed because it is an important
skill you need for taking university or college courses As you
study, practise taking notes on the main idea of what you read
and hear as well as on the main details Do this throughout
your day as you listen to news reports, read websites, and
watch TV Create your own shorthand for frequently used
words and phrases
When you are practising for the listening sections, don't play
the tape or CD more than once On the real test you will only
hear everything once You have to train your ears to listen
fully the first time During the real exam, don't look back at a
listening question after you have decided on an answer You
cannot change it The clock will not start running until you
start the answers Learn to listen for main ideas, presentation
(compare/contrast etc ), and key details Share your own
secrets for TOEFL listening section here
Don't forget that you will have to make connections in the first
part of the Writing section Memorize phrases from practice
tests that show you how to do this The most important thing
is to keep your writing simple and clear You will not have
access to a spell check function Don't use vocabulary and
punctuation that you are unsure of Spend some time planning
your essay before you write it Your outline will save you time
in the long run When you practise for the essay, find a format
that you are comfortable with Use this format every time For
example, your thesis might always be in the third sentence of
your introduction You might always end your conclusion with
a question Make sure to use lots of examples to support your
essay Transitional words and phrases will make your writing
easier to read Memorize a list of these and practise typing
them Always leave time to review what you have written
Read your essay silently in your head as you check it Share
your own secrets for the TOEFL Writing section here
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Some people make the mistake of taking the test too soon
Perhaps your reading, listening, and writing skills are ready,
but your speaking skills still need work If you do very poorly
on one section of the test, you will have to retake the entire
test You can't redo one section Make sure that you are ready
to take the whole test when you register
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After you take the exam, reward yourself for all of the time
and effort you put into learning a second language! Treat
yourself to a gift or a night out No matter how well you did on
the exam, you deserve a reward Write down what your
reward will be before you take the exam It is always helpful to
have something to look forward to