HOW TO GET HIGH SCORE ON TOEFL TEST?

HOW TO GET HIGH SCORE ON TOEFL TEST

The TOEFL is one of the most difficult tests you will ever take in your life! You need to study hard to get a high score on the TOEFL. Here is a list of ten things that will help you get the highest score possible on the TOEFL iBT, and fulfill your dream of studying at an English-speaking university. So here is The Ten Best Tips to Get a High Score on the TOEFL iBT!

1. Make sure you understand the TOEFL!

The TOEFL is the Test of English as a Foreign Language. It is an English proficiency test produced by an American company called ETS. It measures your English reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills, and your ability to succeed at an English-speaking university.

Each section has a score out of 30, for a total overall score of 120. You don’t pass or fail the TOEFL. Each university requires a specific score. Sometimes universities require a specific score for each section of the test, for example 24 out of 30 in the speaking section. Before you begin studying for the TOEFL, research the universities you want to attend and find out what score you need.

2. Be prepared!

You should give yourself 6 months to 1 year to be fully prepared for the test, especially if you have never taken the test before.

When you sit down at the computer to take the test, nothing should be a surprise. You should know every reading question, every listening question, every speaking task, and every writing task on the test. You should know exactly what you have to do to answer every question properly.

You should also know the exact score you need to achieve for each university you want to apply to. Some schools require just an overall TOEFL score, but some schools require specific scores in each section. You should know exactly what you need to do get the required score.

Do not try to prepare for the test alone. Buy a textbook (see my recommended books in the Resources section below.) Work with a teacher, either in a course or in private lessons. You need someone to help you with your pronunciation, and to assess how you’re doing in the speaking and writing sections. Talk to friends who have taken the TOEFL. Who did they study with? What score did they get? What would they have done differently? Check at a university or college near you. Do they offer a TOEFL course? There are also several TOEFL instructors online. Do you know anyone who has studied with them?

3. Read Everything. Listen to Everything.

On the TOEFL you will read passages or listen to lectures on everything from astronomy and American history to psychology and biology!

When you are studying for the TOEFL, it is not good enough to just listen to and read things that you enjoy and are interested in. You need to build your vocabulary, so you need to read about a variety of topics.

Four excellent resources on the Internet are BBC News, NPR, Ted Talks, and VOANews. Many of the articles on the VOA and NPR websites also have .mp3 files, so you can listen at the same time. 

4. Learn how to take good notes.

This is an essential skill you will need for the listening, speaking, and writing sections of the test, AND it is a skill you will need later on at an English-speaking university.

In each section where listening is required, you can only listen to the clip ONCE! You cannot go back and listen to it again and again. You will then have to answer questions on what you heard (listening section), speak about what you heard (speaking section), or write an essay based on what you heard (writing section). Therefore you will need to take good notes! People who take good notes get higher scores on the TOEFL.

This is a skill that takes a lot of practice.

·                      Don’t try to write down anything and everything you hear. Don’t just write down words that you understand. Write down the essential information that you will need to understand the lecture later

·                      Use symbols and shorthand. Everybody develops their own system for this. Here is a system that you can start with.

·                      Practice, practice, practice! Practice taking notes while listening to BBC, TED Talks, NPR, or VOA. Practice while watching TV. When you have finished listening, you can go back and compare your notes to the transcript.

·                      If NPR, VOA and TED Talks are too long for you, practice note-taking with the shorter clips from Listen a Minute.

When you sit down to take the test, you will get 3 sheets of paper. Every time you put up your hand, the proctors are supposed to give you 3 more sheets of paper, but that doesn’t always happen. It may take a while for a proctor to see your hand, if they are paying attention at all. Use your 3 sheets of paper wisely! Don’t use all 3 pages on a single lecture or conversation.

5. Make sure your pronunciation is clear.

For the TOEFL speaking section, it’s OK to speak English with an accent. Your pronunciation doesn’t have to be perfect, but you need to speak clearly and be understood.

The speaking section measures three things:

·                      how well you answer the question and complete the task

·                      the grammar and vocabulary you use

·                      how well the person scoring the test can understand you

This is one area where it is important to work with a teacher or instructor. You need someone to tell you what you’re doing right and what you can do better.

When you are practicing the speaking task on your own, record yourself. Most laptops and computers come with recording software. Recording yourself is important for two reasons:

·                      you can hear yourself speak and evaluate your response

·                      you can get used to speaking to a computer

It can feel weird talking to a computer if you have never done it before!

6. Get Used to a QWERTY Keyboard

The final section on the TOEFL is the writing section. You will need to use a QWERTY keyboard to type your responses into the computer. This is the standard keyboard for all North American keyboards. (It’s called a QWERTY keyboard because the top row of letters starts from the left with the letters QWERTY.)

You should practice as much as possible with a QWERTY keyboard. You need to know where all the letters are, how to make a capital letter, and where all the punctuation symbols are.

Learn Touch Typing
Most people type by using the “hunt and peck” method: you hunt (look) for the letter you need on the keyboard, and then peck (hit it) with one finger. When you learn touch typing, you will learn how to use all your fingers to to type WITHOUT looking at the keyboard! It’s a much faster method of typing, but it takes a lot of practice. Touch typing is not essential for the TOEFL, but it definitely helps you type faster.

7. Learn how to write an English Essay

As I mentioned in tip #6, the last section of the TOEFL is the writing section. There are two writing tasks. The last task, and the very last thing you will do on the TOEFL, is type a 300-word essay within 30 minutes.

Practice this essay as much as possible!

An English essay has a very specific format, and this format may be different than the format that you are used to in your language. Essays in English follow this format:

·                      Introduction: The first paragraph introduces your essay, and tells the reader your opinion and what you are going to talk about in your essay.

·                      Body: The middle of the essay on the TOEFL is 2-3 paragraphs that support your opinion.

·                      Conclusion: The last paragraph summarizes your essay.

One paragraph is one thought. The first sentence of each paragraph explains what the paragraph is about, and the rest of the paragraph uses clear, specific examples to illustrate your opinion.

Understanding the traditional English style of writing an essay will help you in almost every section of the TOEFL. If you know that one paragraph = one thought, you can understand the structure of the reading passages better. You will also need to state an opinion and support your opinion with clear, specific examples in the speaking section.

8. Practice, practice, practice.

This is the best tip I can give you. Students are always looking for a trick or a secret they can learn to help them do better on the TOEFL. This is it! Once you know the TOEFL inside and out, the only thing that can help you get better at it is to keep practicing it!

9. Learn how to relax!

Don’t laugh, but this is very important! Let’s be honest: this is not an easy test! It is a very stressful test! It is important to remain calm and relaxed throughout the test.

Before the test:

·                      If possible, visit the testing centre ahead of time. Make sure you know where you’re going and how long it’s going to take you to get there. The last thing you want to do is get lost or stuck in a traffic jam on the way to the test!

·                      Don’t try to cram the day before the test. Just relax and rest.

·                      Get a good night’s sleep.

The day of the test:

·                      Eat a good breakfast!

·                      Before you leave your house and on your way to the test, make sure you warm up your brain! Read something in English for 30 minutes, preferably something you have read before. (You don’t want to stress yourself out before the test!) Listen to English. Make sure your brain is thinking in English before you start the test!

During the test:

·                      Take deep breaths throughout the test. Make sure your breathing is normal.

·                      There is a 10-minute break between the listening and speaking sections. Use this time to go to the bathroom if you need to, eat a snack, and do some stretching to relieve the tension in your back and shoulders!

·                      If you miss a question or you feel like you didn’t do well in a section, don’t worry about it. Just go onto the next section like it’s a new test. This is where being prepared for the test helps. For example, if you know how many questions you need to answer correctly to get your required score in the reading section, missing one question is not a problem.

Remember, you can always take the test again!

10. Take the test at least twice, if not more.

No one will ever know your TOEFL score unless you tell them. The university you want to attend won’t know if you’ve taken the test once or 10 times. They will only know the score you tell them. Don’t worry if you get a low score the first time – no one will ever know but you! You can keep taking the test as many times as you need to.

The wonderful thing about this score is that, it is not about passing or failing. This also implies that no TOEFL score can really be said to be bad. I will be explaining the reason for this shortly. What really determines the usefulness of your TOEFL performance is the institution you intend to apply for admissions. This implies that what is considered a good score for one school can be a bad score for another.

How to Get a High Score on TOEFL is dependent on many factors. Different schools have come up with their minimum performance in the TOEFL test in order to be considered for a particular program. For instance, say you are applying to Columbia University and require a TOEFL score of 80 for admittance to study your chosen course. Any performance less that 80 would be consider by the university is a bad score and therefore your admission rejected. However, this particular score may be a “go” for another university – say University of Central Oklahoma . Also note that this exam is a mandatory requirement in others schools.

As you’ve seen, a good TOEFL score depends on many things: your university, your major, your country, and more. Still, generally, the following is true about TOEFL scores at most schools:

Less than 80:

This is generally not a good TOEFL iBT score. If you below on 80 on the TOEFL, it will be hard to get into an English language university, unless you go for conditional acceptance. However, some small public universities in the US will accept TOEFL scores below 80. And English degree programs in non-English speaking countries also sometimes may accept scores in this not-so-good range.

80-90:

This score range is treated as moderately good. Once you get your TOEFL iBT score to 80 or higher, many more universities will accept you. Interestingly, in this moderate range, it’s easier to get accepted into grad schools. (Graduate programs require English ability, but are more interested in your research skills and academic expertise.)

90-100:

TOEFL scores in this range are perfectly good. At this level, your TOEFL score is good enough for most universities. With these TOEFL scores, you also have a shot at getting a position as an RA, TA, or GA on campus.

100-110:

These are very good TOEFL scores. Once you start scoring this high on a TOEFL iBT, you can be accepted into Ivy League schools and other top universities.

110-120:

These are the best TOEFL scores by any standard. If you score this well, you should get in. Unless you fail to meet section subscore requirements.

Example:

A school may require a TOEFL of 100, but also require that you get at least 27 in Speaking. If your TOEFL iBT score is Reading 29, Listening 28, Speaking 26, and Writing 27, you’ll be at 110, but you’ll still need to retake the test.

WHAT IS A GOOD TOEFL IBT SCORE, ACCORDING TO ETS ?

ETS, the company that makes the TOEFL, also sets official levels for how good your TOEFL iBT score is. When you get your TOEFL scores, they will be accompanied by a document called “performance feedback.” This document will contain a summary of your general level in each section/skill of the TOEFL. There will be separate descriptions of your performance for TOEFL Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.

PERFORMANCE LEVELS FOR TOEFL READING, LISTENING, SPEAKING AND WRITING

For TOEFL Reading and TOEFL Listening, ETS’s performance feedback breaks the score into 3 TOEFL score range levels: high, intermediate, and low. You can use this information to figure out how good your score is in a very general sense.

1.      Performance Reading and Listening:

●     HIGH: At the high level, you have a chance to get into the best schools that accept the exam. And the very top high scores give you a chance the very top schools, schools that are Ivy League or similarly good.

●     INTERMEDIATE: ETS’s intermediate TOEFL scores will meet the requirements of most schools. Intermediate scores are good enough to get into the schools I mentioned earlier in this article: the ones that only need you to meet their minimum score.

●     LOW: As you probably guessed, low TOEFL scores are not-so-good. At the upper end of ETS’s “low” score range, you can probably get into conditional acceptance programs. However, if your score is low by ETS standards, you should consider a retake. Very few universities accept TOEFL scores in this bottom range.

2.      Performance Levels for TOEFL Speaking

TOEFL performance feedback reports give four different levels for TOEFL Speaking: Good, Fair, Limited, and Weak. Here are short descriptions of these four levels:

●     GOOD: “Good” TOEFL Speaking performance will get you into upper-mid-ranked schools and top schools. Obviously, the closer you are to the maximum score of 30, the better. Perfect or near-perfect scores give test-takers a great shot at the Ivies.

●     FAIR: If your TOEFL Speaking performance is rated as “Fair,” you will be able to get into most mid-ranked universities. Believe it or not, fair TOEFL spekaing scores can sometimes also get students into top graduate programs. Certain graduate programs, especially ones in the STEM fields, are willing to accept talented applicants at this lower level of TOEFL Speaking.

●     LIMITED: At this level, test-takers may be offered conditional acceptance into some schools. Full acceptance into a degree program is very unlikely at this level.

●     WEAK: The name of this Speaking performance level says it all. If your TOEFL performance feedback indicates that you’re weak in Speaking, you may be eligible for conditional acceptance at some schools. However, full acceptance into a university degree program is very unlikely at this performance level.

3.      Performance Levels for TOEFL Writing

Like TOEFL Reading and Speaking, TOEFL Writing is divided into three levels in ETS’s feedback performance document. However, these TOEFL Writing performance levels don’t have the same names as the levels for Reading and Listening. Instead, the three TOEFL Writing performance levels are Good, Fair, and Limited. Here is what a score each performance levels means:

●     GOOD: Good TOEFL Writing performance means good chances at getting into a good school. Exactly how good of a school? Like the other top performance levels, that depends on how close your score is to the perfect 30 score. Expect acceptance into upper-mid-ranked schools at the very least, with the possibility of top school acceptance in some cases.

●     FAIR: If your TOEFL Writing performance is fair, you still have a good shot at mid-ranked schools. You may also be able to get into top schools, particularly for STEM graduate programs. Conditional acceptance at upper mid-level and top-ranked schools is also a distinct possibility.

●   LIMITED: Limited TOEFL Writing abilities equal limited chances of acceptance into school. If your TOEFL score indicates limited Writing ability, consider conditional acceptance programs. You may also have a chance of full acceptance at mid and low-ranked schools, provided the rest of your TOEFL sections have higher performance levels.

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TOEFL? WHAT IS THAT MEAN?

Toefl? What is that mean?

TOEFL is an English language examination which is often taken by foreign students who want to study at universities in English-speaking countries. TOEFL is an abbreviation of 'Test of English as a Foreign Language'. TOEFL is accepted as proof of English proficiency in 9,000 colleges, universities and organizations and other TOEFL participating institutes across 130 countries in the World.  TOEFL is conducted more than 50 times a year by Educational Testing Service (ETS) – a US-based non-profit organisation. The TOEFL is a standardized test that measures a test-taker’s mastery of the English language. TOEFL scores are primarily used by universities as part of the admissions process for non-native English speakers.

What Are Other Common TOEFL Abbreviations?

Now you know what TOEFL stands for, but there are many other acronyms to know in the TOEFL world! Below are some of the other common TOEFL abbreviations you should be aware of.

• ETS: The Educational Testing Service (ETS) is the organization that designs, administers, and scores the TOEFL. They also oversee other standardized exams such as the GRE and TOIEC.

• TOEFL CBT: This acronym stands for computer-based TOEFL. The TOEFL CBT was the first version of the TOEFL to be taken on the computer. It began to be replaced in 2005 by the TOEFL iBT and is now no longer used.

• TOEFL iBT: What does iBT stand for in TOEFL? iBT is an abbreviation for “internet-based test.” The internet-based TOEFL, or TOEFL iBT, is by far the most popular version of the TOEFL; 97% of people who take the TOEFL take this version. It’s taken on the computer and measures four skill sets: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

• TOEFL PBT: The paper-based TOEFL, or TOEFL PBT, was taken by people in areas where the TOEFL iBT wasn’t available. It has now been replaced by the revised TOEFL Paper-delivered Test which is taken with paper and pencil and tests three skill areas: reading, listening, and writing.

• TOEFL ITP: What does TOEFL ITP mean? Its full name is the TOEFL Institutional Testing Program Assessment Series, and it is a series of paper-based tests teachers can use to measure their students’ English skills. TOEFL ITP scores won’t be accepted by universities as a replacement for the TOEFL, but they can be used as English-placement tests in schools or for scholarship programs, among other uses.

• IELTS: The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the other main exam that tests for English language proficiency, in addition to the TOEFL.  The IELTS is less popular than the TOEFL, and it is used more often by people immigrating to the UK, Australia, or Canada than it is by those applying to universities.

• TOIEC: What does TOIEC stand for? The TOIEC (which formerly stood for Test of English for International Communication) is another standardized test produced by ETS to measure English skills. However, unlike the TOEFL, which is used mostly by people hoping to attend university or graduate school, the TOEIC is primarily used by employers to test the language skills of potential employees.

• TEFL: This acronym is very close to TOEFL, but it stands for something entirely different! TEFL stands for “Teaching English as a Foreign Language” and it refers to English language instruction for non-native English speakers. It’s also possible to be TEFL-certified, which means you’ve taken a class and possibly an examination that show you have the skills needed to teach English.

WHY TAKE TOEFL TEST ?

Educational institutions and governmental agencies in over 130 countries accept TOEFL scores when considering applications for certain positions or courses. As an admission requirement, you may find that some courses require a minimum TOEFL score which will allow you to proceed onto the course alongside the regular course requirements. Minimum score requirements can range between 61 and 100 depending on the institution and course.

The result you receive in your TOEFL test will only be valid for two years, after those two years they are no longer recorded, so if you’re looking to apply to study abroad after this time, you will have to sit the test again. It is important to ensure you take the test in time for your application if the result is part of the requirements; if you are only studying a course which lasts a year the same TOEFL results could be used to improve your opportunities for work in a foreign country also.

TWO DIFFERENT OF TEST TOEFL

TOEFL has essentially two versions: TOEFL iBT (Internet-based test) and TOEFL PBT (paper-based test). Both the versions of TOEFL have four sections- Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing. The test takes about 4 hours to complete. Candidates can retake the TOEFL test as many times as they wish. Here are the different elements of each test:

IBT ( Internet Based Test)

-          A reading section of between 60-100 minutes which involves reading 3-5 passages, containing 12-14 question in each.

-          A listening section of between 60-90 minutes which involves 6-9 passages, containing 5-6 questions in each.

-          A speaking section which lasts 20 minutes and involves 6 spoken tasks.

-          A writing section which last 50 minutes and involves 2 tasks which need completion.

PBT (Paper Based Test)

-          A listening section of between 30-40 minutes consisting of 3 parts.

-          A structure and written expression section lasting 25 minutes which includes 15 exercises of sentence completion and 25 examples for error identification.

-          A reading section which lasts 50 minutes and includes answering 50 questions about passages.

-          A writing section which lasts 30 minutes, which involves one written essay containing around 250-300 words

The main difference between the two formats is the spoken section of the test which is replaced by structure and written expressions section in the paper-based test.

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