If you’re seeking assistance for preparation for the TOEFL exam, this guide is for you. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a recognised English test and is widely accepted globally if you’re planning to study or work abroad. This exam evaluates the English proficiency of individuals. With a good TOEFL score, you can secure admissions in some of the top universities in the world in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and many others. Preparation for the TOEFL exam requires you to be well-prepared with all the sections of the exam that you’ll have to answer within a certain time-frame. In this blog, get to know about the strategies for preparation for the toefl exam, including the TOEFL exam pattern and studying tips. 

Preparation for the toefl exam : Understanding the pattern

Before you know the study strategies, you must be aware about the TOEFL exam pattern, duration and mode of exam. 

• TOEFL Exam : Overview

The TOEFL iBT (Internet-based Test) is conducted completely online, either at a specified test centre or at home (home edition). It includes 4 sections- Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. The duration of the test is approximately 3 hours. Each section is scored out of 30, on the entire score of 0-120. The registration amount for the TOEFL exam is 16,900 Indian rupees. There is no age limit to sit for this exam. If you need assistance with detailed test-taking strategies or the toefl exam test practice, get in touch with Right Directions and we’ll be helping you out with personalised study plans and one-on-one tutoring. 

• TOEFL Exam Pattern : Sections

The internet-based exam consists of 4 sections. Here is the TOEFL exam pattern:

• Reading

• In this section, you need to read passages and analyse them.
• Duration- 35 minutes
• Number of questions- 20

• Listening

• This section evaluates how well you can evaluate passages and comprehensions by listening to them
• Duration - 36 minutes
• Number of questions - 28

• Speaking

• Assess the candidate’s ability to express ideas clearly in the English language.
• Duration- 16 minutes
• Tasks- 4 tasks

• Writing

• This section measures the ability of your written skills; how well you are able to comprehend and provide opinions on audio and texts
• Duration - 29 minutes
• Tasks- 2 Tasks

Scoring requirements

Each of these 4 sections is scored on a range of 0-30 and then added up to provide the final score on the scale of 0-120. Most universities require a score of 80-100, whereas some competitive exams may ask for a higher score than 100. 

Validity

As per the Educational Testing Service, the validity of the TOEFL exam will be two years from the date of the test. 

When to take the test

The TOEFL exam is conducted almost every month on different dates. When applying to universities abroad, ensure that you have appeared for the test quite in advance (2-3 months) so that you receive your scores in time and can produce it during application. 

Preparation for the TOEFL exam : Study tips

The preparation for the TOEFL exam requires a well-developed strategy that includes your study plan, materials and helpful resources which will guide you throughout the process. If you’re looking for expert TOEFL exam preparation guidance, reach out to us and we’ll be helping you with providing coaching sessions, study materials that includes practice papers, books and videos, and even workshops that can help you build your proficiency in the English language. Here are some basic guidelines that you must follow throughout your TOEFL exam preparation journey. 

• Allocate a specified study time

Set aside 2-3 hours of preparation daily for this exam. For every week, give time to a specific section.

• Effectively use study materials

Having the right resources is very important during preparation for the TOEFL exam. Make good use of books, study materials and online resources for the best learning experience. At Right Directions, we provide personalized mentoring sessions that include the TOEFL exam test practice sessions and provide effective feedback to students post that. We also help with all application-related assistance and visa-related assistance

• Build a strong foundation in English

Start reading a lot of books, newspapers, magazines or even listening to podcasts in English that will enrich your vocabulary. Try speaking in English on a daily basis. You can even pick up a topic and start speaking about it, which will enhance your “spoken” skills for the exam. Refer to the dictionary for the meanings of difficult words and their associated pronunciations.

The TOEFL exam preparation journey is really a test of your proficiency in English as well as how well you can solve them within a certain time frame. 

Start your preparation for the TOEFL exam today

Start preparing for this exam some months before or even a year before depending on your levels of proficiency in English. If you’re looking for coaching sessions or study materials for the preparation for the TOEFL exam, get in touch with Right Directions and we’ll be assisting you with all exam-related guidance including the TOEFL exam test practice with various mock papers and sample questions. You will also be receiving timely feedback on your performance. Start the TOEFL journey today!