How to Prepare for TOEFL Online?

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is one of the major English proficiency exams taken by those planning to study or work abroad. It aims to evaluate candidates on four parameters, i.e. Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing skills. Conducted as both paper-based and internet-based tests, TOEFL is widely accepted as a language proficiency test in various English-speaking countries like the US, UK, Australia, Canada, amongst others. For those planning to prepare for TOEFL at home, there are a multitude of online platforms that one can utilise. Through this blog, we are providing you with the best tips and study resources you must consider on how to prepare for TOEFL online.

Check Out: TOEFL Preparation Tips

Exam Pattern

Sections	Types of Questions	Number of Questions	Duration	Score
Reading	Reading Comprehension	30-40 Questions	54-72 minutes	0-30
Writing	Essay Writing; Writing in response to an argument	2 Questions	50 minutes	0-30
Speaking	Speaking in response to an audio clip	4 Tasks	17 minutes	0-30
Listening	Lectures, classroom discussion in the form of audio	30-35 Questions	41-57 minutes	0-30

Please Note: Educational Testing Service (ETS) has ultimately planned to discontinue the TOEFL Paper Based Test.

Preparation Tips to Study TOEFL Online

Listed below are some of the tips to prepare TOEFL exam online:

Set a Target Score

The first step to begin your TOEFL preparation is to set a target score that you want to achieve. Go through the TOEFL exam pattern and understand its structure and types of questions asked. Then, take a TOEFL sample test and evaluate which section you need to strengthen as well as the ones you need to practice. It is one of the foremost steps to creating an effective plan on how to prepare for TOEFL online. It will help you devise a realistic target for the preparation time you have and thus assist in outlining the right strategy. 

Have a look at TOEFL Exam Dates

Develop Note-taking Skills

You can only listen to audio clips once on the TOEFL. After that, you’ll have to provide feedback, make a speech, or write about what you learned. You must learn to take good notes because you cannot listen back the audio. You can get practise taking notes in English or your native tongue. Doing a combination of both is generally ideal. Your objective is to develop the ability to take notes while someone is speaking so that you don’t miss anything. Try a range of audio recordings with varying lengths and levels of complexity, then play the clip once again to check the accuracy of your notes. Pay attention to details that may seem basic, such as how your notes are organised and how legible your handwriting is. It will be quite helpful for you on your TOEFL test as well as in your future academic endeavors to be able to take notes with assurance and record all the crucial information in the moment.

Listen to Podcasts

Whether you prefer the BBC or NPR, comedy or news, there is a tonne of English-language talk radio online. Your listening comprehension will improve if you listen to native English speakers speaking at their normal pace. Playing back sections of the podcast and trying to emulate the speaker’s pronunciation can help you improve your speaking abilities. Due to the lack of context cues, comprehending a recording is more difficult than understanding a video. Podcasts are therefore more effective for practising listening comprehension than English-language movies or TV programmes.

Draft a Strategy

Preparing for any competitive exam without a defined strategy or study plan can pull you away from reaching your target score. Once you attempt a mock paper, you will get to know about the different types of questions, how effectively you are able to solve them along with your strong and weak points. Now, design a study plan by bifurcating the time that you will devote to each section under the TOEFL syllabus and spare an hour or two on a daily or weekly basis to highlight the weak points that you need to revise more. Effective time management is the key to curating the right study plan on how to prepare for TOEFL online.

Know All About TOEFL Eligibility Criteria

Find Your Resources

Once you have a plan of action, the next step is to equip yourself with the best study guides and reference books to ace the TOEFL exam. With a variety of online platforms available for TOEFL preparations, it is necessary to thoroughly research about the different preparation guides and online resources. You can start with exploring the official website of the TOEFL i.e, Educational Testing Services (ETS) which offers TOEFL mock tests and study materials. Alongside, you can purchase exclusive preparatory kits published by Cambridge and Oxford. These study materials will surely assist you in finding the best way to prepare for TOEFL online and crack the exam with a higher score! Also, you can utilise online applications like English Vocabulary in Use with Picture, Vocabulary Builder- Test Prep, English Grammar and Vocabulary, etc. to improve your core English skills and work on your vocabulary.

Also Read: TOEFL Results and Score

Practice Timed Writing and Speaking

You must not forget that TOEFL is a timed test. Thus, you need to train yourself to ace each section within the prescribed time limit. Further, the TOEFL Writing section comprises of 2 long questions that need to be answered within a given time limit. Hence, you must make sure that you practice writing at least 2 questions daily while adhering to the allotted time limit. Furthermore, the answers of the speaking section are recorded through a microphone, thus you should practice speaking answers in the same set using a microphone. Listen to your recorded answers, write down the aspects you need to improve and work on your fluency and pronunciation to perform better in the exam.

Check Out: TOEFL Sample Essays

Practice Mock Tests

While exploring the question of how to prepare for TOEFL online, it is also important to gather mock tests and practice at least one test every day. With abundant TOEFL study material available online, you can download and practice a variety of tests to assess what you have learned. These mock tests will not only familiarize you with the structure and types of questions but they will also train you to take the test in a timed manner.

Related Read: TOEFL Sample Speaking Questions

Course for TOEFL Preparation

The TOEFL Test Preparation: The Insider’s Guide is a highly interactive course created by the official TOEFL makers. It helps you through short quizzes, discussion boards, tips for experts, etc. The course also practice questions and that course is self-paced for effective and tailors learning.

Books for TOEFL Preparation

Here are a few books for TOEFL Preparation.

• The Official Guide to the TOEFL iBT Test
• Official TOEFL iBT Tests, Volumes 1 & 2
• Ultimate TOEFL iBT Test Prep Savings Bundle
• The TOEFL iBT Test Prep Planner
• Kaplan TOEFL iBT Premier 2016-2017 with 4 Practice Tests

How can Leverage Edu Help?

Leverage Edu provides many facilities for students to prepare for their TOEFL Test through Leverage Live. Students can benefit from the following services:

• Live Classes
• Mock Tests
• Personalized Doubt Solving Sessions
• Study Plans and Prep Material
• Get Access to Great Faculties

Enrol into Leverage Live Courses to Skyrocket your Test Scores!

Thus, we hope that this blog has cleared all your doubts regarding how to prepare for TOEFL online. If you are planning to study abroad and gearing up for exams like IELTS, GMAT, SAT, GRE, etc., reach out to our experts at Leverage Edu and we will guide in devising the right strategy as well as equipping you with the best preparation material to ace your chosen exam with flying colours!