To complete the TOEFL exam you should practice two this in particular: completeness and context. What do I mean by completeness and context? It’s really simple; while reading a text you should get everything as a whole in opposite of focusing details. Of course details have meaning through the TOEFL examination; many questions might come from small details. But you will quickly lose the completeness of the text, of everything is holding together. Thus focusing on few details might harm more than it helps. By focusing one detail you lose other details or the main objective of the text. So please prepare to focus on the whole text. You can do this by reading texts online etc, and it’s really not so difficult. Now, why is context important? To answer any grammar related questions you have to know the context of using the grammar. It doesn’t help much to memorize a lot of grammar if you can’t practice. There is less and less of pure grammar exercises in the exam, thus using grammar in context will be what finally determines your score on the TOEFL exam.
Another important focus you should keep in mind while practicing for the TOEFL exam is to build up your academically vocabulary. To have a good academically vocabulary will pay itself to help you get the completeness; the whole text. It will make the listening and reading parts far easier for you as a student. The best way to build an academically vocabulary for the TOEFL exam is of course to read academically written texts. Also practicing to write new sentences with the newly learned words will quickly enhance your vocabulary.
Another important clue for practicing for the TOEFL exam is to make notes, make notes while reading, makes notes while writing. Practice writing keywords that might help you remember parts of the text or what you just listened. You might not have the time to re-read the text; and you might not have a chance to listen to the tape over again. Hence; keywords helps a lot. You don’t have time to write everything down, and if you tried you would quickly lose a couple of sentences as its hard focus both writing and reading at the same time. Of course you can practice this as a new ability; but I don’t doubt you will have time to master writing everything while reading or listening perfectly before your exam come. I have heard of experiments of people practicing to master this ability; but its few who actually can.
A final tips before having the actual TOEFL exam; focus your mind on the test; keep focus on the TOEFL exam at hand. Do not let your mind go away or taking it to easy.
I hope this was some beneficial advices on how to practice for the TOEFL exam.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
How to study and practice for the TOEFL exam – part 1
I assume that you of some reason have to take the TOEFL exam, and need some advice on how to practice for it in order to pass it successfully. I also assume the reason have to take the exam is either for student or work related reasons. Don’t worry; we will examine the exam and get prepared for it together.
The TOEFL test is valid in English-spoken countries, but also at some non-English spoken countries where most of higher education classes are performed in English. This does not apply to countries where higher education is performed in the native language of the country. I think you have already made preparation and know the requirements for studies already since you have decided to take this exam.
After they released the internet based version of the exam in 2005, it has more and more replaced the old computer based and paper based exams. They do adept to make the exams equally difficult independent of how you choose to complete your exams, but some feel the internet based version is a bit more difficult than the other forms of examination.
The exam is, as some other English language skill tests divided to four parts. In the first part of this series we will look how the test is constructed.
In the Internet based version of the TOEFL exam we find these units:
Reading - 39 question to answer in 60 minutes
Listening - 34 questions to answer in 50 minutes
Writing - 2 questions to answer in 55 minutes
Speaking - 6 questions to answer in 20 minutes
In the Paper based version the TOEFL exam we find these units:
Listening - 30-40 minutes, with three listening units and answering 30 questions
Structure / written – 25 minutes to answer 25 exercises on language syntax
Reading – 55 minutes to answer about 50 questions
Writing – 30 minutes to write an essay with 250-300 words
There are some differences to having a paper based or internet based exams. I think the most important factors to evaluate prior choosing the method will be 1) where you live vs. where the exams can be completed, 2) if you got internet, 3) your personal skills within writing, talking and reading. And as I mentioned above; many find the very nature of the paper based version much easier for them. While those taking internet based solution find it a bit harder. This is of course individual from person to person. I advise you to make the decision suiting you best. We will later in this series look at how to complete the TOEFL exam successfully and entering the exam with confident.
The TOEFL test is valid in English-spoken countries, but also at some non-English spoken countries where most of higher education classes are performed in English. This does not apply to countries where higher education is performed in the native language of the country. I think you have already made preparation and know the requirements for studies already since you have decided to take this exam.
After they released the internet based version of the exam in 2005, it has more and more replaced the old computer based and paper based exams. They do adept to make the exams equally difficult independent of how you choose to complete your exams, but some feel the internet based version is a bit more difficult than the other forms of examination.
The exam is, as some other English language skill tests divided to four parts. In the first part of this series we will look how the test is constructed.
In the Internet based version of the TOEFL exam we find these units:
Reading - 39 question to answer in 60 minutes
Listening - 34 questions to answer in 50 minutes
Writing - 2 questions to answer in 55 minutes
Speaking - 6 questions to answer in 20 minutes
In the Paper based version the TOEFL exam we find these units:
Listening - 30-40 minutes, with three listening units and answering 30 questions
Structure / written – 25 minutes to answer 25 exercises on language syntax
Reading – 55 minutes to answer about 50 questions
Writing – 30 minutes to write an essay with 250-300 words
There are some differences to having a paper based or internet based exams. I think the most important factors to evaluate prior choosing the method will be 1) where you live vs. where the exams can be completed, 2) if you got internet, 3) your personal skills within writing, talking and reading. And as I mentioned above; many find the very nature of the paper based version much easier for them. While those taking internet based solution find it a bit harder. This is of course individual from person to person. I advise you to make the decision suiting you best. We will later in this series look at how to complete the TOEFL exam successfully and entering the exam with confident.
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