In this article, I will share tips on TOEFL test preparation and thoughts about the test overall. I took TOEFL in mid-August, scoring a total of 106 points out of 120, with a section score of 27/28/27/24, corresponding to reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
PREPARING FOR TOEFL
In my case, I spent 3 months preparing for the test and I think it was just right, not too much and not too less. However, this may be different in everyone's case since this was my first time taking the test and it may take a shorter time for someone who had testing experiences.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE: Toefl Test Ready
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/5)
TOEFL Test Ready is the official test preparation website for the TOEFL iBT test, it contains an every day free practice question and one free sample full-length test with scoring and feedback. Furthermore, the tests can all be taken over and over again, which you can try until you get a satisfactory score.
This is definitely the BEST resource I would recommend to all test takers, not only is it free for use, it also encourages you to practice every day. I can even say that this is the resource that helped me the most. Moreover, there will also be academic discussion writing questions for you to try, so you can get familiar with the newer testing question types before the exam.
PREP BOOKS
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
The first one is the Official TOEFL iBT test booklet, it contains four full-length practice tests online and is perfect for simulating the actual testing environment. I think this book is a must for everyone, even though I didn't actually use the physical book but rather just took the online tests haha.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
The next few books were bought in a series, where there are three books in total. The series includes reading and listening, Speaking, and Writing. I also practiced a lot of questions using these while learning testing techniques and sample templates for answering questions.
I would recommend purchasing this one alongside the official test. This way you would be able to improve through practicing questions in sections while also having the opportunity to try completing one full test in just one sitting.
Just a little flaw about this series of books, this series was published in 2014 which is quite a long time ago, but I personally think that it is still high at worth even now. Just be aware of the newest update on TOEFL testing question types and skip the older parts. For example, I still did the listening and reading section normally, but I didn't practice for the independent writing section since it has now changed to academic discussion. Additionally, I also chose only the four question types tested now out of all six provided in the speaking booklet to practice.
The Princeton Review Toefl iBT prep book 2022
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
I also practiced questions using the prep book published by The Princeton Review. However, that was a book that I got in 2022 so it's actually a bit outdated. I think that it works well for me as it also has a lot of practice questions. I haven't tried the newest version, but I believe that I will also benefit your preparation journey.
Comparing the difficulty of the questions, the series above definitely has a higher difficulty, while The Princeton Review prep book is easier for me. Even though you might feel defeated when doing practice questions in the series book, just like me, it certainly matches the difficulty of the actual test better.
Other than the above recommendations, there were also other prep books that I bought but just never got the chance to use, so I wouldn't be listing them here since there would be no customer review to write about.
HOW I STUDIED
Next, I will be introducing how I studied and planned for the test. Basically, I try to maintain a habit of practicing TOEFL for at least 1 hour a day or doing at least one part of a section every day. Just by improving my English every day, there will already be a lot of improvement.
I remember when I first did a mock exam, I only got a 92. By continuously practicing and improving, I improved my score by a lot, I even got a 109 on a mock exam once!! Just before the exam, I completed all the full-length practice tests online and finished around 90% of the questions in the series prep book.
TIPS FOR THE TEST
There are several tips I would like to talk about for studying and testing, mostly what I figured out during test preparation and some things that I wish I had known sooner.
TIP 1: Come up with your own template
The first tip is to come up with your own template in the speaking and writing sections. It is important that you think of yourself and not copy others, this is because you need to reflect on your own English speaking or writing style and the template also needs to suit your skills. Directly using other templates that use difficult wordings might result in insufficient time for answering and it would only do worse.
For example, when I was preparing for the first question in the speaking section, I saw a lot of templates using two examples and reasonings in their response. However, when I really tried that, I figured out that I was not able to speak fast enough to fit both examples and it would be hard for me to always come up with two reasonings. That is why the template I created myself contains only one main reason and example, while I explain in detail about that one experience.
TIP 2: Think and speak in English
The next tip would be to practice thinking and speaking in English every day. However, I don't mean speaking English with your friends and family when they might only understand your mother tongue, what I mean is when you speak to yourselves. For instance, when thinking about what to eat for dinner, try talking to yourself in English, "Should I get noodles or tacos for tonight" or "I think that's a better option" would all be good practices.
TIP 3: Create your own speaking questions to practice
This tip might only be suitable for the first question in the speaking section, about whether you prefer or agree with one or another. For instance, when you are taking a shower, you may think of a situation that often has a controversial opinion, and then create a question with it. This can include questions like "Many people prefer taking a shower while others prefer taking a bath, which do you prefer?". Continuing to create and answer questions of your own can help you practice a variety of topics and be familiar with the process of coming up with a response.
TIP 4: Practice doing tests in a noisy environment
The test day might be full of noise when everyone was doing their speaking section, but I only realized that about 4 days before the exam. I would recommend you practice doing your listening, speaking, and writing sections while playing human-speaking voices in the background as there will definitely be someone going onto the speaking section before and after you.
This is very important as when I first tried constructing my speaking response with noise in the background, I found it super disturbing and couldn't even focus properly. I am glad that I wasn't affected by other's responses that much during the test and I still managed to finish my response with only minor hesitations.
TIP5: Know your weaknesses
It is especially helpful to know which section and question types you have the most trouble with, it can help you locate where you need most practice. For example, I am especially weak in the vocabulary and the "choose three main ideas" question types in the reading section, so I focused a lot on memorizing the vocabulary that I had gotten wrong from previous tests, and I also spent more time understanding the full passage.
Another example is that I know I struggle the most with the speaking and writing section while preparing, so I spent most time grinding on those two and spent less time on practicing the listening subject which I know I wouldn't have much trouble on.
TIP 6: PRACTICE EVERY DAY!!!
This is the last and the most vital tip!!! Practicing every day is super important. You don't have to do a full test every day, but just completing one question would be enough. Personally, I usually pick two sections to do some part of each, for example, a reading passage and a full speaking test. Even though you might feel stressed about doing bad in the practices at first, which I experienced a lot of self-doubt in my speaking section, continuously practicing can really help improve your confidence and skill.
That is all I can recommend for you! I hope these tips can really help you prepare for the TOEFL test.
