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Are you planning to pursue your education in universities in English-speaking countries like the United States of America or Canada? Did you know that you need a high TOEFL score if you want to study at an American or Canadian university? Are you looking for English teachers who can improve your fluency in the English language? Here, we will tell you all you need to know about the TOEFL exam and how to prepare for it to get the highest score.

• Design a realistic study plan and stick to it.
• Work on all language skills, i.e., reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
• Keep yourself exposed to standard English output.
• Take TOEFL practice tests to familiarize yourself with the test format.
• Learn TOEFL with a TOEFL tutor.

What is the TOEFL exam?

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is an internationally recognized and standardized exam that indicates the participant's proficiency in the English language. English-speaking countries, particularly the United States and Canada, require a TOEFL degree as a precondition for those who want to study or work there. There are two main types of TOEFL exams. The Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) is the electronic version of the test which is available in most countries. The second type is the Paper-based Test (TOEFL PBT), designed for certain regions where the TOEFL iBT is unavailable.

The main difference between the iBT and PBT versions of the TOEFL test is that the PBT version does not include the speaking component but has an extra writing task called Test of Written English (TWE). Our focus here is on TOEFL iBT, so in the rest of the article, when we mention TOEFL, we mean TOEFL iBT. The following table indicates the differences between TOEFL iBT and TOEFL PBT.

What are the components of the TOEFL iBT Test?

1- The reading component of the TOEFL exam

The TOEFL test consists of four parts: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The exam starts with the reading section, consisting of 3 or 4 academic passages and 10 questions. The reading section makes up 30 scores of the exam score and participants have 60 to 80 minutes to answer the questions.

2- The listening component of the TOEFL exam

The second part of the TOEFL exam is the listening section which covers 30 scores of the total score. This section includes university lectures and classroom discussions. Each lecture or conversation is followed by 5 to 6 questions, and test takers have 60 to 90 minutes to answer the questions.

3- The speaking component of the TOEFL exam

The third component of the TOEFL exam is the speaking section. There are 4 tasks in the speaking section that determine the candidate's score from 0 to 30. Tasks 1 and 2 concern familiar subjects such as the environment or pollution. For tasks 3 and 4, the candidates have to listen to an academic discussion or read a passage and explain their ideas about it. Participants have 20 minutes to complete the speaking section.

4- The writing component of the TOEFL exam

The last part of the TOEFL exam is the writing. The writing section is comprised of an integrated task and an independent task. In the integrated writing task, the candidates have to listen to a discussion or lecture or read a short passage and write a response to it. In the independent task, the participants must write an essay and justify their views on the subject of the writing task. The writing component of the TOEFL test takes 50 minutes (20 minutes for the integrated task 20 and 30 minutes for the independent task). Like other parts of the exam, the writing section makes up 30 scores of the total score.

The differences between TOEFL and IELTS

The TOEFL and IELTS exams are both designed to measure the participants' English proficiency in academic and professional contexts. But there are several differences between the two exams. The first difference is that TOEFL is widely accepted in the United States and Canada, while IELTS is required for education and jobs in the UK and Australia. Of course, both exams are internationally creditable and you should choose the test based on the requirements of the institute you want to work with.

The second difference between the two exams is the scoring system. Each component of the TOEFL exam has 30 scores, and the total score is 120. For the IELTS exam, each section has 1 to 9 scores, and the average score of the four test components makes up your total band score.

The third difference between TOEFL and IELTS is in the speaking component. In the TOEFL exam, the candidate's responses to speaking tasks are recorded, while in the IELTS exam the candidates have a one-on-one in-person interview with the examiner.

The fourth factor that distinguishes TOEFL from IELTS is the accent used in the oral and aural parts of the exam. The accent used in the TOEFL exam is mostly North American accent, while

How to prepare for the TOEFL exam?

Having extensive vocabulary and grammar knowledge is the essence of all four language skills. You need to use different techniques and tools, such as flashcards and word lists, to broaden your vocabulary knowledge. Also, you can use different grammar resources such as grammar books and YouTube channels to enhance your grammar.

Consistent practice is the key to achieving the highest TOEFL score. You should design a study plan that covers all language skills but focuses more on your areas of improvement. When preparing for the exam, you should try to simulate the exam conditions. For instance, you should develop time management skills for each exam section. So, if you are preparing for the reading section, for example, set a time limit to read the text.

Taking mock tests can significantly improve your performance in the real test because it indicates which section of the exam needs further practice and helps you familiarize yourself with the exam conditions. In addition, you should also work on exam psychology by trying to boost your confidence for the exam and finding ways to eliminate stress and anxiety in the real test. The above guidelines are quite general. Let's see what you can do to improve your performance in each of the components of the TOEFL exam.

Tips to improve reading skills

• Read lots of academic texts and articles
• Time yourself when reading a text
• Use skimming and scanning skills effectively.
• Learn new vocabulary in context.
• Try to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context.

Tips to improve listening skills

• Listen to standard English podcasts, videos, and formal discussions
• Develop note-taking strategies.
• Try to understand the theme of discussions and note what details support it.
• Familiarize yourself with different English accents, especially American, Canadian, and British.

Tips to improve speaking skills

• As you learn new words, make examples with them and say them out loud.
• Choose a topic, preferably academic, and start talking about it.
• Record your voice and listen to it.
• Try to remove hums and pauses from your speech and increase your speaking fluency.
• Enunciate; speak firmly and clearly.

Tips to improve writing skills

• Write a short summary of the academic texts and articles you read.
• Maintain a steady flow in your sentences.
• Keep your writing structured by writing an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Organize your thoughts and plan your text before you start writing.
• Use a variety of grammatical structures and diverse vocabulary items to avoid being monotonous.
• Proofread your writing once you have finished and revise any mistakes.

How to achieve high TOEFL scores?

You don't need school teachers and in-person classes to improve your English for the TOEFL exam. The fastest and most effective way of preparing for the TOEFL exam is by getting help from a private TOEFL tutor. A private tutor can provide you with tailored TOEFL lessons. You receive all the TOEFL tutor's attention in one-on-one sessions. TOEFL preparation courses can be in-person or online.

The merit of online TOEFL courses is that you get used to using a computer to participate in the real exam. Moreover, online TOEFL tutors can teach you the exam format more conveniently. Moreover, with private tutoring, you can learn the TOEFL lessons whenever you have the time from the comfort of your own home. In other words, you can hire online TOEFL test tutors with flexible schedules to run the class in your free time.

Who is the perfect TOEFL tutor?

The best TOEFL teacher is someone with extensive English teaching experience at different levels and age groups. Skilled private tutors have taught academic English and general English classes at advanced levels. Expert tutors usually have a teaching degree, such as a TEFL or TOESL certificate, that guarantees their mastery of the English language and certifies their knowledge of how to teach a foreign language.

Top TEFL tutors can teach English for different purposes, such as academic and business English. Top TOEFL tutors can help you with communication skills and creative writing by providing clear and constructive feedback on your performance. Also, a private tutor can help you boost your confidence as a student.

Join Ostado and achieve excellence in TOEFL!

TOEFL tutoring can prepare you to study in an American or Canadian university and Ostado is just the place for the most straightforward and customized TOEFL lessons. We have gathered the most experienced TOEFL tutors on the Ostado platform. Ostado's TOEFL tutors can provide personalized lessons and make learning a foreign language a fascinating experience for you. Our expert tutors have teaching degrees or other related degrees, such as a BA or MA in English literature. Ostado's TOEFL online tutors can teach you online lessons to improve your business English and academic English. Thanks to extensive tutoring experience, Ostado's tutors know your struggle as an English student, and they can give you expert advice to deal with the challenges of learning English lessons.

Last but not least, Ostado's TOEFL tutors offer online lessons at extremely competitive prices. You can find a TOEFL online tutor with an average tuition of $13 per hour to maximize your TOEFL score. Learning English has never been easier and more affordable.

Conclusion

If you want to continue your education or find a job in the USA or Canada, you will need a TOEFL certificate to prove your English proficiency. TOEFL is rather difficult, and the test fees can be high depending on your location. Therefore, you should properly prepare for the test to get the best results. The best way to prepare for TOEFL is to hire an experienced TOEFL tutor who can teach English at advanced levels. Ostado has the best TOEFL tutors who offer TOEFL tutoring services for fair prices.