TOEFL IBT Tips and Tricks

From 2011 Bangkok Students

Tarn and Joy - Bangkok TOEFL students with very big plans to study in America!

TOEFL IBT Tips

1. Build your vocabulary base.
2. Read everyday at least 45 minutes everyday nonstop.
3. Do not read TOEFL type topics. Read a 300 page book every week.
4. Learn reading strategies.
5. Take a look at the actual title.
6. ID the thesis . Last line of the 1^st paragraph on the essay is a normal place to find this.
7. Skim for a word that is being repeated over and over.
8. TOEFL score of 560 on the paper test is about the same score as 81 on the Internet test.
9. A typical American university student has a command of about 20,000 English words when entering university.

TOEFL Writing Tips – most common mistakes

1. ‘singular/plural’ – He had been here for six months.
2. ‘word form’ – I saw a beauty picture.
3. ‘word choice’ – She got on the taxi.
4. ‘verb tense’ – He is here since June. – He has been here since June.
5. Try to avoid run-on sentences. Keep it down to 2-3 dependent clauses.
6. Word order. ‘I work late never’. Place the adverb between the subject and the verb.
7. Incomplete sentences. ‘I went to university’. ‘Because I want to get my degree’.
   Do not put a comma before because when connecting the clauses. That is a major no-no.
   You can however use a comma when 'because' starts a sentence.

TOEFL Essay Tips - There are 5 essay topics.

1. ‘agree/disagree’- Parents are the best teachers. Only people who earn a lot of money are successful.
2. ‘preference’ –
   Some people prefer to study alone while others prefer to study in groups. What do you prefer?
   Some people prefer to spend time indoors, while other prefer to spend time outdoors. What do you prefer?
3. ‘if/imaginary’
   If you could visit any country in the world, which one would you prefer?
   If you could meet any person in the world, who would you prefer to meet?
4. ‘description/explanation’
   What are the characteristics of a good neighbor?
5. ‘Comparison and contrast’ – A specific essay pattern with 5 paragraphs including the introduction and conclusion. An example might be what the advantages or disadvantages of living on or off campus are. Reason 1 might be on campus. Reason 2 off. Reason 3 your analysis.
   Paragraph bodies:
   2^st paragraph – Reason 1
   3^nd paragraph – Reason 2
   4^rd paragraph – Reason 3