Obtaining at least 110 on the Testing of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is not an impossible task. You simply need to start preparing early by first putting together an effective study plan that will help you pass the exam on your first try. But what exactly is the most effective way to prepare for the TOEFL? Read on for 4 easy tricks to get a good score on your TOEFL exam.
1) Choose the best TOEFL self-help guides for you
If you are new to the TOEFL, it is important that you begin to familiarize yourself with the questions and structure of the test. The best way to achieve this is simply by practicing. Although this step may sound easy, you may initially feel overwhelmed by the plethora of TOEFL self-help guides available these days. You can choose to get self-help books, CD-ROMs, and even tapes. Don’t be easily swayed by advertising or pretty covers. Take some time to think about which method will best help you absorb the information. For example, if you get dizzy easily reading books on the bus or train, you might consider buying tapes so you can listen to them when you travel from one place to another.
2) Consider enrolling in a preparation course
Taking a TOEFL preparation course will definitely cost a lot more than just getting some self-help guides. However, the help provided during your preparation course is generally more effective and valuable. This is because you will have the opportunity to personally raise any concerns or questions you have regarding a particular question. However, before you immediately enroll in the cheapest preparation course in town, make sure your teacher is familiar with the TOEFL test and can explain the answers to difficult questions in a way you can understand. Consider asking the school for permission to observe the class before you sign up.
3) Learn some strategies to save time
You’ll see similar answer choices often in TOEFL:
a) destroy
B) destruction
C) destroyed
D) was destroyed
When you see a question like this, keep in mind that 90% of the time, the answer is B or C. Since TOEFL generally tests on the active voice (-ing form) and passive voice (-ed form), when you see both: form ed and form -ing in a set of answer choices, it is very likely that the answer will be one of the two.
That’s just one of many strategies you can discover in your prep course or in intense practices.
4) Ask yourself if it sounds good
We all have the ability to think in real language without using our voice. That means we can have a conversation in our mind as if the words had real sound. Our mind reacts to this virtual sound, not to grammatical rules. In other words, we can tell if a certain sentence sounds good just by thinking it out loud.
Knowing this fact will come in handy when you are stumped by a question. Consider taking turns substituting the options given in the prize and see if it sounds good. If it sounds good, more often than not, you have found the right answer.
While employing these four simple tricks will help you get over 110 on your TOEFL exam, keep in mind that regular practice will always be the key to passing any exam.