45 Things You Wish You Knew About a High Score for TOEFL iBT®

By Winn Trivette II, MA

Don't fear the TOEFL iBT test!

Get the latest TOEFL tips direct from a veteran Englis instructor, including the new Academic Discussion Question (Writing Task 2).

Now you have these 45 top recommendations that will improve both your TOEFL and English skills before the exam.

Take the test once and get the score you need!

Learn how to answer the 4 Speaking Questions, 2 Writing Questions, and more!

Study the same advice Professor Winn gives his own students.

Use this convenient eText to study for the high score on the exam that you seek – and deserve!

Plus, sign up for Teacher Winn's TOEFL email blog for more practice to extend your learning so you are better prepared for success on exam day!

Get your copy of 45 Things You Wish You Knew About a High Score for TOEFL iBT® today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Winn Trivette II, MA
• Release date: Aug 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798201828813

Winn Trivette II, MA

Winn Trivette II, MA, is a CELTA-certified veteran English as Second Language professor, who currently teaches IELTS and TOEFL preparation to international candidates at a medical recruiting firm.

Book preview

Chapter 1: Assess your level of English fluency.

How strong are your English skills?

You need a very high level of English fluency and TOEFL skills to nab an optimal score on the exam!

The first step you should take to prepare for the TOEFL iBT exam is to know your beginning level of English.

Why? Your English level now determines how long it will take you to be ready to present the exam.

If your English is not at a sufficient level to even contemplate success on the test, it is better to first strengthen your language skills first and prepare for the TOEFL second.

English fluency for the exam just does not center on your gift for speaking the language without hesitation.

Fluency for the TOEFL means you can also write well (under pressure) and read academic texts and understand college-level audio.

Plus, you need a strong vocabulary and good grammar to achieve the highest score possible.

The TOEFL is an expensive test.

Save your cash and get your English Skills and Fluency rating.

Only sign up for the TOEFL test when you are ready. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself.

Chapter 2: Prepare 3 months ahead of the test date

The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.

― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

You’ve decided to take the TOEFL exam. Great!

Register today and establish the goal of TOEFL and English proficiency before that test date.

Then, take the next three months to prepare for success on exam day.

From my own experience – over a decade – of preparing students for the exam, three months (classes of 3 hours a week – at least) is sufficient to take both your English and TOEFL skills up a notch.

Take your time to build up both your English and TOEFL test-taking skills.

In three months, focusing on the test allows you the time to build both your English and TOEFL skills.

I always tell my students: TOEFL success is ½ TOEFL skills and ½ English skills.

Depending on your self-assessment (or with a veteran English instructor), you need time to strengthen your test specific skills and your overall language skills before attempting the exam.

Plan your study prep time wisely to efficiently maximize your readiness on exam day.

You learn about a proposed study plan in the next chapter.

Chapter 3: Personalize your study plan.

You have one, right?

By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail. - Benjamin Franklin.

Do you have a study plan to get the highest score possible on the TOEFL iBT® exam?

How much time do you have free every day?

Yes, every day.

Remember, preparing for the exam is like training for a marathon.

Take every opportunity to study for the exam. Don’t wait.

If that means getting up early on a weekend, make sure you take advantage of opportunities to squeeze in extra time!

In August 2019, ETS released a new TOEFL test for candidates.

In a nutshell, the test is shorter, notably the Speaking Section (6 to 4 questions).

However, the Writing Section is the same.

TOEFL Study Plan – Listening Section

First, learn about the Listening Section of the exam: the directions, the types of listening exercises, and the time limits.

Do an assessment of how your current skills match up with the test requirements.

Remember, each section of the exam is scored from 0 to 30.

Second, know how to listen and write notes at the same time like you would in a typical classroom.

Listen to TED lectures on YouTube and practice taking notes. Are you able to capture the main ideas? What conclusion (inferences) can you draw? Are they valid?

You will listen to lectures and conversations – only once.

Thus, you will need to forever record the main ideas and opinions expressed to be able to effectively answer test questions.

No prior knowledge is needed about the academic topics that are discussed on the exam.

Above all, be familiar with the setup of the Listening Section.

Know the directions for the section ahead of time to save time!

TOEFL Study Plan – Reading Section

First, how fast do you read in English?

Fast reading helps you get the answer even faster and a better score.

Second, make sure you read every day. Read widely, too.

A good newspaper, a veritable one-stop shop, is usatoday.com.

You can read a variety of news article from business to travel in one location.

While the English writing is not a high register like The New York Times or The Washington Post, expansive reading on will help you read faster and build vocabulary.

The three reading passages are on academic topics.

So, ETS, the creator of the TOEFL exam, suggest the nytimes.com and sciencetimes.com. Make reading these sites a priority as well.

If you unaware of any terms during your reading, list the new words in your vocabulary notebook.

Then, look them up in a dictionary.

You can create free electronic flashcards on the quizlet.com website and download the app.

Study your new vocabulary words and remember them for the exam.

Indeed, a stronger vocabulary will help you read better and faster.

Finally, be able to understand the way an article is structured. Use clues (headlines, sub sections, pictures, etc.) that help you quickly learn the meaning of the passages.

TOEFL Study Plan – Speaking Section

First, know the speaking criteria. Just how will you be graded?

Like in the writing section criteria, answering the question is the number one requirement. That’s logical, isn’t it?

Second, time management is crucial. Can you say what it is needed within the time constraints of the exam?

60 seconds passes quickly when you are fumbling to communicate your thoughts and ideas!

Questions 1 allows you only 15 seconds to prepare your response and 45 seconds to deliver it.

Third, be aware of how to answer each TOEFL Speaking Question.

In my preparation classes with students, each of the four (4) questions is reviewed in-depth with practice.

You must be fully prepared to use the scratch sheet paper available from test proctors to help you tackle the TOEFL Speaking Section.

For each speaking task, you need to take notes and in Questions 3-6, your notetaking needs to be in a special style to effectively answer the questions.

Fourth, when you practice answering the speaking questions at home (preferably with a friend!), make sure to use your smartphone or tablet to record yourself.

Many students are nervous about speaking English – for a grade!

However, you can overcome that fear by recording your voice during your text prep!

TOEFL Study Plan – Writing Section

The two skills where my own students admit their shortcoming are speaking and writing.

Difficulty in speaking often arises from the lack of confidence and organization of ideas.

Problems with writing stem from the poor practice received in too many ESL classes around the world.

Well, that stops today!

While I do suggest working with a college-educated native English speaker to review your writing practice, there are some steps