If your first language is something other than the English language, then chances are the TOEFL exam is in your near future if you plan on attending a U.S. university or college. The TOEFL exam is a four-hour test that will gauge your proficiency in the English language. It can be the determining factor in admission to or rejection from the school of your dreams. While this sounds scary, the proper TOEFL preparation can help you provide you with the knowledge necessary to pass the test.
TOEFL Preparation Courses
These courses will increase your ability to understand the English language and better prepare you for success in the four parts of the TOEFL exam. Currently, the exam consists of these parts:
- Reading: You will have to answer 39 questions on three separate long passages to measure your English language reading ability.
- Writing: The writing section consists of two questions and two different tasks which you must answer within sixty minutes.
- Speaking: The speaking section consists of six questions and six separate tasks which you will have sixty minutes to answer.
- Listening: You will listen to six passages, then have sixty minutes to answer a total of 34 questions.
Enrolling in TOEFL preparation courses will help provide you with the necessary knowledge to improve your ability to listen, read, speak and write in the English language.
Tips to Remember When Preparing for the TOEFL Exam
It’s important to remember to not stress out ahead of time. This will only add to the nervousness when it is time to take the exam. The best way to learn a foreign language is to speak it. Make an effort to use the English language at least once every day leading up to your test. Remember, practice makes perfect. Here are a few other tips that will help better prepare you when it comes to exam time:
- Don’t Cram: A foreign language takes time and dedication to fully learn. It is not something that can be self-taught overnight.
- Learning Is Participating: Practice the listening skills you’ve been learning in a TOEFL preparation course by watching movies or television shows without using the subtitles. Practicing your writing skills by arguing your side of a disagreement in writing. This will allow you to present your ideas in an introduction, list valid points throughout, and also include a conclusion.
- Be Sure to Rest: It’s important to ensure you get enough sleep the night before your exam. It is a long exam, and if you are suffering from fatigue during the exam, this will only add even more stress.
When you are able to prepare ahead of time, this will allow you to stay calm and content throughout the course of the exam, knowing you are ready to be successful.
