Top 5 Tools to Enhance Your TOEFL Preparation
June 13. 2024 0 Comments
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- Exams
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If you've ever thought about studying or working abroad, then you've probably heard about that exam. Some people take it just to confirm their knowledge of the language or verify the stage of learning they are currently on, and some use its results to change their lives once and for all. Nevertheless, this exam is the most popular English proficiency test and it is recognized by all major global companies and educational institutions around the world.
TOEFL exists in two versions: TOEFL ITP and TOEFL IBT. TOEFL IBT is the most famous version in academic circles. It consists of a part of understanding and a part of expression. Each institution requesting TOEFL IBT sets its own requirements for the minimum rate to be scored. Therefore, the only judge of your success will be your ability to score the minimum required by the desired institution.
How to successfully pass TOEFL
If your goal is to pass this exam in the best possible way, then you should devote not only a lot of time to preparation but also a lot of your attention, because there are a lot of nuances in the English language and in the very structure of the exam.
Learn the language online
Nowadays, we spend a lot of hours online. Everything that we see on the Internet adds up our current knowledge about the world bit by bit. The good news is that you can customize your feed so that it helps us learn English.
And it's not just about such obvious tips as watching movies and TV series in the original. It is about to saturate the content that you consume with a large number of topics. This way you will see more and more new words in an unusual context. This will help you not only memorize them, but you will also be able to build your own reflections based on them later, which can greatly help you in the exam.
Also, do not hesitate to get help from a tutor, because independent study, including studying yourself on the Internet, can have many controversial points. For example, new phrases or slang may be grammatically incorrect and you need someone to explain it, or this can ruin your final exam result. Therefore, it is better not to neglect the TOEFL tutoring, since in this way you will be able to discuss the new information you have found and make sure that it is correct. Also, when you discuss information about the English language with someone out loud, it is better remembered.
Familiarize yourself with the structure of the test
TOEFL is not the most standard exam that you might have encountered before and it has its own characteristics. Knowing these features often means that you will conduct effective training. On the contrary, there are such moments in its structure that will help you to pass, for example, the fact that TOEFL is a standardized test, which means that it always uses the same structures, the same sequences, and the same types of questions. This allows you to prepare in such a way as to accurately pass the exam well because you will not be lost from a large number of new tasks and will be able to focus on deeper language learning. A good knowledge of the exam, in turn, will help you avoid unpleasant surprises. Moreover, you will be able to better control your time.
Practice as much as possible
To develop your exam answers to automatism, you should know the TOEFL structure well. The key point is to perform the typical exercises of each part and conduct self-assessment every time. This way you can make a list of strengths that you should benefit from and weaknesses that you should work on.
There is a huge amount of materials freely available so that you can solve various options for trial tests. Many people who have already passed this exam say that you better immediately practice the exercises of each part, without postponing it for later.
Thus, you will be able to bring this to full automatism and solve tests with good speed without losing your attention to details. So on the day of the exam, you will be grateful to yourself for devoting additional time to preparation. And even more, the remaining time after solving the exam you will be able to recheck the answers.
Set goals!
After you have completed your self-assessment and listed your strengths and weaknesses, you will need to set goals to organize your training accordingly and motivate yourself.
In most cases, candidates take the TOEFL in order to score the minimum set by the desired institution. In this case, the final goal has already been set. However, you can place your training with intermediate goals that will allow you to monitor your progress and motivate you. These goals should be specific (points for the exercise/exam scores/number of points that can be obtained for the exercise/number of points that can be obtained on the exam, etc.).
Set a schedule with measurable goals
The schedule you define should be ambitious but realistic. First of all, it allows you to make a plan of action once and for all, including the best materials for improvements that you just need to follow. Then you choose a method: books, courses, or online solutions. Whatever you prefer. It's about setting yourself up and following a reasonably defined method!
We recommend that you prepare for TOEFL at least 1 year in advance (or at least 2 or 3 months if your English level is average or you have not practiced for a long time).
Among all the existing solutions for learning online, TOEFL preparation is often the most practical and the most preferable, since it has many advantages. The search for suitable materials for training is crucial. There are many of them (private lessons, books with tips and exercises, online training), but they are of different quality. Each has its advantages (e.g. intensity) and disadvantages (cost). However, online learning platforms are often the most effective solution because they are the most flexible. But you should not take all the responsibility solely on yourself or only on the teacher, because in order to successfully pass the exam you need to work hard and work comprehensively.