TOEFL Study Instructions
This page contains many links. Please clink on the links (in blue text) to go to the websites.
WHAT IS THE IBT?
iBT stands for 'Internet-Based TOEFL' and TOEFL stands for 'Test of English as a Foreign Language.' The iBT exam consists of four sections that test listening, reading, speaking, and writing.
The iBT exam takes about 4 1/2 hours to complete and there is a 10 minute break in the middle. You can learn more about the exam here. All sections are taken on a computer in a testing center. There are testing centers in Lanzhou, Beijing, Chengdu, and other cities across China.
For information about taking the iBT in China click here.
For information about registering for an exam in China click here.
If you have more questions about the iBT TOEFL click here.
For information about TOEFL scoring click here and here. For an excellent collection of practice TOEFL exercises, click here.
GENERAL TIPS AND STUDY MATERIALS
HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE TEST DAY?
HOW CAN I STUDY THE LISTENING SECTION?
Here are some sites for general listening practice:
HOW CAN I STUDY THE READING SECTION?
IMPORTANT: The reading section is said to be the most difficult! Many people run out of time in this section, so reading quickly is a necessary skill.
Other materials for the reading section:
HOW CAN I STUDY THE SPEAKING SECTION?
Important: See below to download speaking section templates!
Speaking Question One
Speaking Question Two
Speaking Questions Three to Six
What can I do to study the WRITING SECTION?
Important: See below for downloadable writing section templates!
Independent Writing
- Use the template below to help you structure your response.
- Write an independent topic essay every day. Send your essays to friends, colleagues, anyone, and ask for their suggestions.
- Here are some sample topics.
- Do practice tests using these materials (LINK TO LOCKED PAGE)
- Look at the strategies for the independent writing exercise here (locked page)
- Here some examples of high-scoring responses.
- http://www.jamesabela.co.uk/exams/argumentative.htm Information about writing argumentative essays
https://www.notefull.com/content.php?pgID=296 excellent list of topics for the independent writing task (30 minute essay)
Integrated Writing
- Use the template below to help you structure your response.
- Write an integrated writing essay every day. Send your essays to friends, colleagues, anyone, and ask for their suggestions.
- Do practice tests using these materials (LINK TO LOCKED PAGE)
- Look at strategies for the integrated writing exercise here (locked page)
- Here are some examples of high-scoring responses (LINKS AND DOCUMENTS)
WHAT IS THE IBT?
iBT stands for 'Internet-Based TOEFL' and TOEFL stands for 'Test of English as a Foreign Language.' The iBT exam consists of four sections that test listening, reading, speaking, and writing.
The iBT exam takes about 4 1/2 hours to complete and there is a 10 minute break in the middle. You can learn more about the exam here. All sections are taken on a computer in a testing center. There are testing centers in Lanzhou, Beijing, Chengdu, and other cities across China.
For information about taking the iBT in China click here.
For information about registering for an exam in China click here.
If you have more questions about the iBT TOEFL click here.
For information about TOEFL scoring click here and here. For an excellent collection of practice TOEFL exercises, click here.
GENERAL TIPS AND STUDY MATERIALS
- Do online quizzes. Use this online quiz website to study iBT vocabulary and grammar. Lots of quizzes have been made already.
- Do some online practice TOEFL exercises. Click here, here, here, and here. Some of the same questions are available as a practice computer test here. More exercises can be found in 'volumes three and four' on this page.
- An excellent resource for practicing all sections of the test is here.
- This is a very helpful website for many aspects of the exam, including how to deal with stress.
- Here is a large collection of iBT test taking tips from the English Testing Service (ETS).
- This site presents a good slideshow introducing the exam with some helpful study tips.
- This site has information about places where you can find iBT self-study materials.
HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE TEST DAY?
- What should I bring on the test day? Look at this site.
- What should I expect on the test day? Look at this site.
HOW CAN I STUDY THE LISTENING SECTION?
- Every time you listen to a
lecture/conversation/story, take notes. Review your notes.
- Every time you listen to a lecture/conversation/story,
write a short summary of what you've heard. Or alternatively, prepare for 20
seconds then say a summary. Use the
template for Speaking Question 6 (below) when you say the summary.
- Learn listening strategies from resources like these.
Here are some sites for general listening practice:
- Academic Earth: free online lectures from top universities about a range of topics
- BBC for English Learners
- BBC listening documentaries, and factual radio news articles
- Advanced listening materials - mp3 and pdf files
HOW CAN I STUDY THE READING SECTION?
IMPORTANT: The reading section is said to be the most difficult! Many people run out of time in this section, so reading quickly is a necessary skill.
- Read every day. Read a variety of materials on content such as biology, the environment, American universities, climate change, economics, business, art history, design, anthropology, and so on.
- For everything you read, you can: a) take notes b) write a summary c) say a summary d) practice answering Question 6 on the speaking section about the article.
- Study academic vocabulary. Here is a site with a list of academic vocabulary. Use academic vocabulary such as the words on this list
- Here are more resources about academic vocabulary. You can also use Quizlet to study vocabulary here.
- Make vocabulary cards. English word on one side; English definition and example sentence on the other side. Use the cards in the following ways: a) look at the word, say the definition b) look at the definition, say the word c) look at the word, make a sentence.
- Practice timed readings. Here you will find a useful resource. Instructions for Timed Readings and a Timed Readings Sheet are here.
- This site has timed reading exercises and questions. Keep in mind that the English language level is lower than the English in the iBT exam.
- Learn and practice using transition words here.
- Learn about reading strategies in your TOEFL resources such as these.
- Here are some reading tips.
Other materials for the reading section:
- http://www.examenglish.com/TOEFL/TOEFL_iBt.html (has listening as well as reading)
HOW CAN I STUDY THE SPEAKING SECTION?
Important: See below to download speaking section templates!
- Tips for the speaking section are here.
- Sample speaking answers here.
- Tips for the speaking section are here http://www.goodlucktoefl.com/TOEFL-speaking-tips.html
- Sample speaking answers here. http://www.goodlucktoefl.com/free-TOEFL-speaking-samples.html
Speaking Question One
- http://www.ets.org/s/toefl/audio/friends_from_another_country.mp3
- For a list of topics for
question one, click here. http://jasonrenshaw.typepad.com/ibt_speaking_writing/2008/05/40-new-practice.html
- http://jasonrenshaw.typepad.com/ibt_speaking_writing/2008/05/40-new-practice.html topic list for speaking task 1
- http://iteslj.org/questions/ You can use some of these questions (especially those that end with 'why') to practice the first type of speaking task
- http://www.jamesabela.co.uk/exams/TOEFLspqu12.pdf Speaking parts one and two
- https://www.notefull.com/content.php?pgID=296 Excellent list of topics for questions one or two
Speaking Question Two
- Here is a sample speaking question for Speaking Task Two.
- Sample question and answer here. http://jasonrenshaw.typepad.com/ibt_speaking_writing/2010/06/toefl-speaking-question-2-new-sample-question-and-response-with-script-on-toefl-ibtv.html
- http://www.jamesabela.co.uk/exams/TOEFLspqu12.pdf Speaking parts one and two
- https://www.notefull.com/content.php?pgID=296 Excellent list of topics for questions one or two
Speaking Questions Three to Six
- See list of speaking templates below
- Everytime you listen to a lecture, TED talk,
news radio show, and so on – do a practice of question six.
What can I do to study the WRITING SECTION?
Important: See below for downloadable writing section templates!
- Use academic vocabulary such as the words on this list and use these materials to help you study academic vocabulary
- Learn and practice using transition words here.
- Practice typing. Learn how to type accurately
and quickly here. Play a typing game here.
- Click here for helpful advice and general information about the writing section.
Independent Writing
- Use the template below to help you structure your response.
- Write an independent topic essay every day. Send your essays to friends, colleagues, anyone, and ask for their suggestions.
- Here are some sample topics.
- Do practice tests using these materials (LINK TO LOCKED PAGE)
- Look at the strategies for the independent writing exercise here (locked page)
- Here some examples of high-scoring responses.
- http://www.jamesabela.co.uk/exams/argumentative.htm Information about writing argumentative essays
https://www.notefull.com/content.php?pgID=296 excellent list of topics for the independent writing task (30 minute essay)
Integrated Writing
- Use the template below to help you structure your response.
- Write an integrated writing essay every day. Send your essays to friends, colleagues, anyone, and ask for their suggestions.
- Do practice tests using these materials (LINK TO LOCKED PAGE)
- Look at strategies for the integrated writing exercise here (locked page)
- Here are some examples of high-scoring responses (LINKS AND DOCUMENTS)
Download Documents about Writing and Reading
Writing Section
Speaking Section
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