good day nairalanders, the essence of this tread is to expose and help ourselves to prepare for the TOEFL test(for those that are planning to take the test).anyone can throw more light on this topic.
the test has 4 sections and as a naija guy wey need to jand enter yankee go study(to go find way coordinate urself) we need to excel wella in all the four sections which includes reading, writing, speaking and listening.here are some points.its long but if you are planning to take the test this will help you a lot.
One reason people experience exam stress is
because they haven ’ t prepared sufficiently and
don’ t know what to expect before a test . One
way to prevent stress on exam day is by studying
the format of the test in detail.
With our TOEFL ® iBT Introductory Course and
our TOEFL ® iBT Preparation Course you will learn
how the exam is structured , helpful strategies for
taking each section of the exam, and other
general tips that will boost your score a few
points . We will practice hundreds of exam
questions and you will take multiple practice
tests. After taking our TOEFL courses , you will
feel extremely prepared on exam day.
It ’ s important to research the minimum
requirements for the university or institution you
are interested in going to so that you know how
many points you need to increase your score. We
then can have an estimate of how many hours of
our TOEFL ® iBT Introductory and /or Preparation
Courses you will need . If you’ re interested in
studying in the USA , please check out our
Admissions TOEFL score requirement list.
During our first meeting we will talk about what
you can currently score on the TOEFL , what score
you need to get into your top schools and which
TOEFL program can help you to achieve these
scores . Remember that the scores for the paper
based test are different than the scores for the
iBT . Also , scores achieved on practice exams are
normally a few points higher than you will achieve
on the actual exam.
TOEFL is used for a different purpose than other
ESL tests . The TOEFL specifically measures your
ability to succeed in an American university or
college.
You should concentrate on studying language that
you would hear and see on campus and in the
classroom by reading textbooks , encyclopedias ,
journals and research articles . This will help you
to become familiar with the presentation and
language used in academic material .
One of best ways to prepare for the TOEFL is to
practice taking the test . If you are taking one of
our TOEFL class, AES will provide you with plenty
of study material that you will not have to
purchase on your own . We will be drilling you
with exercises the cover the 4 key TOEFL
sections : reading , writing , speaking and listening,
as well as boosting your vocabulary and taking
full-length practice exams . We use a variety of
books and pick the best sections from each book
to maximize their effectiveness and create the
perfect study package .
A key to benefiting from taking the practice
exams is to review your exam and to understand
what you did well and what you did poorly . AES
will examine your performance on the exam and
adjust your program accordingly- spending more
time improving your weak areas and less time on
your strengths .
In addition, our students will have access to our
database of our online study material which can
reinforce and supplement our in class material.
Note * Full length exams taken during class hours
will be charged at a reduced hourly rate.
A reliable native English teacher who knows a lot
about the TOEFL is one of the best resources a
student can have . The teachers at American Exam
Services have the answers to your questions that
your textbook can’ t answer for you. We give you
excellent hints and help you with “complicated”
grammar questions. This increases students ’
understanding and reduces frustration .
Additionally, we call on other students in the class
to answer questions as teaching is a great way to
learn and re- enforces what one already knows .
If you have taken our TOEFL ® iBT course( s ) and
arrive at the test center with all of the things you
need , you will feel calm and ready . This is
extremely important because when you are
nervous, your memory does not work as well.
Make sure to leave well ahead of schedule and
aim to be at the test center 30 minutes ahead of
time .
To finish off your last course with AES, we will
watch an informational ETS® video that explains
the rules and requirements of the exam, as well
as what you should and should not bring to the
exam.
During the exam, monitor your time and pacing of
the test very closely . Many students do poorly
on the TOEFL because they spend too much time
on difficult questions. You should dedicate a
certain amount of time to each section of the
exam and it is important not to exceed that limit .
As a part of our TOEFL courses , we will talk
about how much time should be spent on each
section and how to prevent having to rush the
last section( s ) of the exam. We will teach you
about how the different sections are broken up ,
how to maximize the time you have for writing
the essay, as well as other time - saving
strategies. These alone can help improve your
TOEFL score dramatically!
You will be able to take notes in each section as
you take the TOEFL iBT . Note taking is allowed
because it is an important skill you need to excel
at the university level. We will practice taking
notes on the main idea of what you read and hear
as well as on the main details. We recommend
you do this throughout your day as you listen to
news reports , read websites and watch TV. Create
your own shorthand for frequently used words
and phrases.
Never leave a question blank. Eliminate all of the
answers you know are wrong and then make an
educated guess. Even if you can’ t eliminate an
answer, you have a 25 % chance of getting the
correct answer.
Familiarize yourself with key academic vocabulary
Practice reading without using a dictionary. This
will help you improve your reading comprehension
without the need to understand every word .
Concentrate on the areas in the passage that the
questions pertain to . Skim the passage , read the
questions, then read again for more details.
You will usually be asked a main idea question ,
at least two vocabulary questions, some detailed
question and inference questions .
You will not have the time to re- read a whole
passage in detail.
Simulate a real testing environment- when
practicing for the listening section, only play the
CD once . This will train your ears to listen fully
the first time .
During the real exam do not look back at
listening questions you have already answered .
Learn to listen for main ideas , presentation and
key details .
Although it is best use much of the time as
possible with you oral response, it is okay to
hesitate a moment or two before giving your
response.
Sum things up in the end with a short conclusion .
Try to only use words that you feel comfortable
pronouncing- you will lose points for poor
pronunciations.
Do not use vocabulary or idioms that you do not
fully understand as you will lose points for their
improper use .
Memorize phrases from practice tests that show
you how to make connections in the first part of
the writing section.
Keep your writing simple and clear.
Only use vocabulary and punctuation you are sure
of.
Spend time planning your essay before you write
it. This will save you time in the long run !
While practicing for the essay section, find a
format you are comfortable with and use that
format every time .
Use lots of supporting examples
Make your writing easier to read by using
transitions ( memorize a list of them ) .
Leave time at the end to check over your essay.
It is essential to do well in all four areas : reading ,
writing , speaking and listening. With the help of
AES we will determine exactly which areas you
need the most help in. Perhaps your reading ,
listening, and writing skills are ready, but your
speaking skills still need work. If you do very
poorly on one section of the test , you will have to
retake the entire test . You can’ t redo just one
section. Make sure that you are ready to take the
whole test when you register.
You should dress in comfortable layers on test
day because you never know whether or not the
test room will be cold or warm . Wear your
favorite shirt or bring something that has a
special meaning to you. When you feel good and
comfortable you perform better
You will not be allowed to bring any food or
drinks into the test room with you. Eat a light
meal before you take the test as four hours is a
long time to go without eating . Avoid too much
caffeine as it can sometimes increase anxiety and
actually decrease ones focus. Don’ t consume
large amounts of sugar right before the test . And
make sure that you have had plenty of water .

anyone that have taken the TOEFL test before can help us by telling us his or her experience and what to look out for.