How to score 100+ in your TOEFL through self-study?

This information is about How to score 100+ in your TOEFL through self-study?

TOEFL, or the Test of English as a Foreign Language, is an English proficiency test. Several universities worldwide accept the TOEFL scores.

Generally, preparing for TOEFL is not a particularly difficult task. However, several students fail to score well in this exam. This happens because TOEFL aspirants are generally not aware of the exam and its requirements.

We have prepared an in-depth guide to assist candidates in scoring 100+ in TOEFL through self-study after in-depth analyzing and understanding the most frequent difficulties that candidates face during their preparation phase. Read along to find how.

Is TOEFL a tough nut to crack?

TOEFL is not as complicated as it is portrayed. It is designed to analyse the English language proficiency of non-native speakers who wants to pursue educational programs or jobs in US-based industries.

The exam determines this by testing the candidate’s English reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

Read Also: Easy steps to get a high TOEFL score in 2021

For non-native speakers, at first, the test may seem terrifying and overwhelming. However, this is normal. With some practice and preparation, you can ace it with a 100+ score. It will also help you in exams like GMAT, GRE, and other competitive examination.

Is it possible to score 100+ in TOEFL through self-study?

TOEFL focuses on candidate’s English-speaking skills in real-life situations. It doesn’t require candidates to learn grammatical structures or build difficult vocabulary. Thus, proving itself to be a wonderful opportunity for building your confidence for using English in real life.

By following the underwritten proven strategies, you can self-study and successfully strategize and prepare for the TOEFL exam.

Read Also: Easy Steps to Get A High IELTS Score in 2021

1.     Understanding the Exam

Before preparing for TOEFL, you must get familiar with TOEFL’s format. The best way to understand TOEFL’s main exam format is to visit its official website. ETS primarily conducts TOEFL worldwide.

Some TOEFL experts believe that one must master the TOEFL’s syllabus at least two days before preparation.

As it is a time-based exam, one should focus more on completing each section before the given time limit. Your knowledge of the language is one thing. However, if you cannot answer the questions within the given time, then only acquiring knowledge won’t provide you with the target results in the examination.

All these factors make understanding TOEFL’s format mandatory for a candidate’s success.

2.     Retrospect as to why you want to prepare for TOEFL

As per the latest information available from the trusted sources, 9000+ institutions, agencies, and universities accept TOEFL’s scores across 130+ countries.

Moreover, knowing why you want to prepare for the exam would also help plan your preparation schedule.

For example, if you want to pursue a university program, it would be best to practice consistently and score well in reading and writing skills.

3.     Decide a minimum score

Aiming for a particular score motivates you to reach your goal. There are multiple ways available online that help in deciding the minimum score needed in the respective exam. One of the best techniques is to look out for the scores needed for a particular program with the help of official websites.

For example, if the university you are targeting accepts students with a minimum TOEFL score of 500, you should aim to score at least 530 or 540.

4.     Start preparation

TOEFL requires a candidate to be exemplary in all of its sections. The exam preparation cannot be completed within just a few days. Like other competitive exams, one needs to invest themselves in scoring 100+ in the exam.

One can follow these steps to follow the exam:

• Start preparing for TOEFL once you have decided to study at an American University. Moreover, preparing as early as possible also helps you to revise the syllabus.
• Depending upon your level, it takes about two or more months of preparation as per your proficiency level. If you are taking the test for the first time, you may face several difficulties. Further, it may take some extra time for you to complete your preparation. Therefore, consider all factors before you start preparing for the same.
• Candidates who are good at the English language may take less time for completing their preparation.
• Prepare a realistic study schedule for better preparation. Setting unrealistic goals can hamper your studies.
• Analyse your proficiency level accordingly and strategise a study schedule. Study for at least two sections every day.
• Attempt regular practice tests. It will help you recognise your shortcomings and correct them.

5.     Prepare section-wise

Section-wise preparation allows you to have clarity during the exam. The exam itself is divided into multiple sections, each of which has its significance. The candidate must complete every section within a limited time duration.

Therefore, the best way is to prepare each section separately. To understand section-wise preparation strategy, kindly read along.

6.     Buy an official study guide

Study guides are made available to assist students with their self-preparation. You can use these books by getting yourself familiar with the TOEFL’s multiple sections.

Here are a few tips which become useful while preparing for TOEFL using official guides.

1. Reading section – Underline important points and scribble notes on the side of your book. While practising exercises, write down answers separately. It’s recommended to check all answers once you have completed an exercise.

Keep a dictionary to help if you are unable to understand any word during your practice.

• Listening section – Try to listen to CDs or DVDs that come along with these study guides. While listening, prepare shorthand notes to remember details. Later you can compare these notes with the audio to find your mistakes and correct them accordingly.

• Writing section – To go about this section, you need to brainstorm some ideas. Write down the ideas, and start writing an article based on your research.

Before writing an article, create an outline, write an introduction and include main points and conclude the article. Read the article again to correct your writing mistakes.

• Speaking section – The trick behind acing your speaking skills is to be specific with your answer and keep it to the point. Don’t stray from the question. Follow the ideology of KISS – Keep It Simple Silly for best results.

Practice speaking in a relaxed tone is another thing you should focus on. Relaxed speaking showcases your confidence in English speaking skills.

7.     Improve your reading skills

Contrary to popular belief, your reading skills cannot be improved merely by reading practice books.

Vocabulary building is another essential part of improving your English language proficiency. For enhancing your vocabulary, you should target literary reading articles such as newspapers and journals. Reading fictions and blogs can also be one method to improve your vocabulary.

One can also find multiple applications and vocabulary building exercises to improve your vocabulary in this digital world. If you are not used to reading, then you should first try reading easy to decipher articles. Then you can slowly move forward by increasing the difficulty level.

8.     Prepare good notes

Effective note-taking skills are very important for all TOEFL sections. The best way to go on about it is to summarize and prepare notes. Summarization can be done by noting down all important points instead of making detailed notes.

You can later enhance your notes based on the summary you have prepared.

One needs to have good listening and well as comprehension skills to prepare a summary of their notes. It will enhance not only your writing skills but also your listening skills.

9.     Enhance your pronunciation

Pronunciation plays an important role during your speaking test. At times students’ fake accent to impress examiners. However, faking an accent is a big NO. It can cost you to lose your score points.

Your pronunciation should be clear and understandable. Keep practising, build a habit of speaking with your friends, mentors to analyze your progress.

10.                        Practice on QWERTY Keypad

During TOEFL’s writing section, a candidate should type words quickly and correctly on the QWERTY keypad. Down below, here some of the few benefits of practising speed typing on a QWERTY Keypad.

• Typing fast give you time to focus on all questions.
• It will allow you to cross-check for any errors.
• Learning touch typing will also be helpful in case you will have to use a touchscreen keyboard at the exam centre.

Read Also: Easy Steps to get a High GRE score in 2021

Endnote

Language learning is not as trivial as it seems. At times, candidates believe that they have mastered the English language. However, they find themselves in trouble while facing areas such as the listening section.

For example, the audio played in TOEFL’s listening section is played in fast American English, candidates do not comprehend the audio’s content.

The situation is true for not only the listening section but also for the test’s other sections. To avoid this situation, you should self-study and prepare well for your exam. We are confident that you will easily score 100+ in your TOEFL exam if you follow the steps mentioned earlier.

AUTHOR BIO

Author Bio:

Abhyank Srinet, the founder of MiM-Essay, holds a Masters in Management degree from ESCP Europe. He is an entrepreneur who is passionate about digital entrepreneurship. Following his passion, he started his first company while he was a student at the ESCP. He managed to scale it up by 400% in just 2 years. 

Being a B-School Alumni, he recognized the need for a one-stop solution for B-School admission process. This encouraged him to create MiM-Essay, a one-of-a-kind portal with cutting edge profile evaluation and school selection algorithms, along with several avenues to stay informed about the latest B-School Updates.