TOEFL Preparation Guide: All necessary books and courses
Your comprehensive guide to preparing for the TOEFL test
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Preparation for the TOEFL test. If you want to enroll in one of the best international universities or private and international universities in Egypt, the most important conditions for admission are obtaining a good score in the TOEFL test.
The TOEFL test is one of the most accredited English language proficiency tests in the world, and because it is important to prepare for the TOEFL test well before entering the test.
At WWNEED.COM, we offer you a comprehensive guide on preparing for the TOEFL test with the most powerful courses, books, and educational resources to pass the test with the highest score, so let’s follow my friends.
How can I prepare for the TOEFL test?
Since the TOEFL test is important and crucial if you apply to study at an international university, it requires prior preparation and full readiness.
Such as identifying the conditions and content of the test and the pattern of the questions and preparing for it by studying well and studying academic books or attending training courses and training at the level of the test by solving practice tests and sample tests.
Here are some key points to prepare for the TOEFL test well:
- First, determine your current level of English and the skills you need to improve. Find out your level now by taking a free English placement test from the British Council.
- Determine your goal for the test and find out what score you need to get into the university or institution you want to attend and how your current or projected score compares with that score.
- Take a TOEFL preparation course online, at an accredited school, or abroad where you will get guidance and feedback from expert teachers and practice the test in a real-world environment.
- Get detailed information on question format, content, test evaluation criteria, and tips and tricks from ETS and other trusted sources.
- Plan your preparation time appropriately and it is recommended to create a study schedule that suits your needs, level and goals.
- It usually takes three to six months to prepare for the exam, but this depends on your abilities and the time you can devote to studying.
- You can use various resources to improve your English skills such as books and magazines to develop your reading skill.
- Also, following foreign news, TV programs, podcasts, and educational series helps you develop listening skills well, such as the Learn English podcast.. Speak English fluently.
- Try to use English in your daily life and speak it as much as possible, and this step helps you to develop your speaking skills and do not be afraid to make mistakes or be criticized
- Continuous practice using test-specific resources such as practice tests, practice questions, sample exams, academic books, and training programs.
- Make sure these resources are up-to-date and cover all sections of the test.
- Solve these resources regularly, look at your answers critically, and try to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
- There is no objection to asking for help from another person, whether it is a teacher, friend, or colleague. Ask them for their opinion on your level and performance, and ask them to correct your mistakes, give you some advice, or encourage you to improve.
- You can also join online study groups or forums to share experiences and resources with other students preparing for the test.
- Learn to use strategies for effectively answering questions such as note-taking, planning, revision, time management, and logical guessing.
What is the content of the TOEFL test?
The TOEFL test consists of a set of questions and tasks that measure your English language skills and understanding of academic subjects.
The TOEFL test includes 140 questions divided into four sections:
Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary section
Number of questions: 30-40 questions
Time: 54-72 minutes
In the reading section of the TOEFL test, you have to read 3 or 4 different texts on academic subjects and answer 10 questions about each text.
The questions aim to test your ability to understand the information and facts contained in the texts, and the type of questions in the reading section is of the multiple choice type and includes:
- Word’s meaning
- The main idea
- and sub thoughts
- facts and details
- The connection between ideas
- The purpose of the text
You do not have to have prior knowledge of the topics that appear in the texts. All you need is the ability to read and understand academic English.
Listening Comprehension section
Number of questions: 28-41 questions
Time: 41-57 minutes
In the listening section of the TOEFL test, you have to listen to lectures or conversations in English and answer questions related to them.
This section aims to measure the listening skill and to know the level of your understanding of the heard speech and your ability to extract information and main and secondary ideas from it. TOEFL Preparation Guide: All necessary books and courses
The listening section includes 3-4 lectures and 2-3 conversations, and each audio recording is followed by 5-6 questions. The total number of questions in this section is 28-41 questions.
All questions are of the multiple choice type and are divided into three main types:
- General Idea or Objective Questions: – which require you to specify the topic or purpose of the audio recording.
- Detail or information questions: Questions require you to recall specific facts, examples, or interpretations from an audio recording.
- Theorizing or critical thinking questions: – They are required to extract assessments, opinions, or strengths and weaknesses from the audio recording.
Since you cannot replay the recordings as you can only hear each recording once, you should pay close attention and take useful notes to answer the questions.
Speaking section
Number of questions: four
Time: 17 minutes
The speaking section requires you to speak with a qualified examiner who asks you about yourself and general topics.
There are three parts in this section:-
part One
The examiner asks you about your name, country, work or studies, and then asks you about a personal topic such as your hobbies, family, or favorite sport. This part takes 4 to 5 minutes.
Writing essay section
Number of questions: 2
Time: 50 minutes
In the writing section of the TOEFL test, you are required to write essay answers to texts or lectures you hear or read, or to topics you express your opinion about.
There are two types of written assignments in this section:
integrated writing
In this task, you will read a short text and listen to a lecture related to the same topic, then you will write an answer that summarizes and compares the text and the lecture.
Your answer should be between 150 to 225 words and try to use your own phrases and not copy from the text, you will have 20 minutes to complete this task.
Freelance writing
In this task, you will be given a topic title and asked to write an essay expressing your opinion on it, supporting your answer with examples and evidence.
Your essay should be between 300 to 350 words and preferably use precise and correct language. You will have 30 minutes to complete this part.
What are TOEFL test scores?
Test scores determine your test scores and reflect your level of English and your understanding of academic subjects.
TOEFL test scores include four division scores and a total score, each section has a score from 0 to 30. The total score is the sum of the four section scores and ranges from 0 to 120.
Each section has different skill levels that determine how well you can master that section and range from beginner to advanced.
There are no specific success or failure scores in general in the TOEFL test, as the scores required for admission to foreign universities differ from one university to another, from one country to another, and from one program to another.
Therefore, it is imperative that you check the requirements of the university or college you wish to apply to and know what the minimum score is required for admission.
For example, some famous American universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Princeton require high TOEFL scores ranging between 80 and 100 out of 120.
While some other universities or colleges require lower scores ranging from 60 to 80-90, some universities or programs may require specific scores in each section of the test depending on the program requirements.
For example, a graduate program in engineering may require a BA in the writing section, while a graduate program in translation may require a BA in the speaking section.
Therefore, it is important to set your goal for the test and strive to achieve it by preparing and practicing well.
It is also recommended that you obtain a degree higher than the required degree in order to increase your chances of acceptance and scholarships.
How long does it take to prepare for the TOEFL test?
How long you prepare for the TOEFL test depends on several factors such as your current level of English, the score you aim for, the resources you use and the time you devote to practice.
Therefore, it is not possible to specify a fixed period for preparing for the test, but there are some general estimates that can be based on.
If you have an advanced level of English and can easily understand and use the language in an academic context, you may need 1 month or less preparation.
In the event that your level of English is average and you can understand most of the language, but you face difficulties in some skills or in the form of the test, you may need from one month to 3 months of preparation. TOEFL Preparation Guide: All necessary books and courses
But if you are still a beginner in English and are facing great difficulties in understanding and using the language in an academic context, you may need a year or more of preparation.
Of course, these estimates are not accurate or final, and you may need more or less time depending on your individual situation.
Therefore, it is advisable that you do some formal practice before preparing for the exam to determine your strengths and weaknesses and the goals you want to achieve.
You should also plan an appropriate study schedule, use appropriate resources, and review yourself regularly.
What are the TOEFL preparation courses?
The best way to prepare for the TOEFL test is to attend online training courses, as it saves you effort and time, and it also ensures that you obtain sufficient information regarding the test content and question sections.
Learn effective ways of thinking, answer correctly and improve your English skills in a way that allows you to pass the test and get a high score.
Fortunately, there are many free courses that help you prepare for the TOEFL test well, which are offered by reliable sites on the Internet.
It is important when choosing the right course to take into account your level of English, the time available for preparation and the financial resources you have.
You should also make sure that the course is up-to-date and includes all sections of the test
These are some examples of free courses that you can use when preparing for the TOEFL test:
TOEFL Test Preparation: The Insider’s course
A free course from the global edx platform, prepared by the best experts and language teachers, and recommended by the ETS Testing Center.
The edX platform is one of the most popular accredited online education platforms that guarantees you high quality courses and internationally recognized experience.
The course provides you with an overview of the TOEFL test and the contents of each of the four sections, as well as videos, short tests, and advice from experts.
Toefl ibt complete courses
A collection of courses offered by the Udemy online education platform to help students prepare for the TOEFL test in an excellent way.
The courses include 200 video lectures (over 36 hours of video teaching) covering each section of the exam and introducing strategies and techniques for obtaining a high score.
In addition to offering quizzes, full practice exams, group talks and private lessons with certified teachers to improve English language skills and adapt to the test format.
You can also get a course completion certificate and additional services such as question and answer and direct communication with the teacher in case of paying a fee for a paid copy of the course.
Here are examples of some courses:
1- TOEFL Speaking Success in 90 Minutes course
A free course from Udemy that provides you with strategies and tips to improve your speaking skill in the exam, as well as provides you with examples, exercises, and instructions for answering different types of questions.
2- Better TOEFL Writing Techniques for ESL Speakers course
A writing course that provides you with ways and ideas to write good writing essays, as well as examples, common mistakes, and grammar.
3- The Complete Guide to TOEFL Writing course
This course is concerned with the writing section. It provides a detailed explanation of each type of question in the writing section of the test. It also provides you with models, examples, tips, and instructions for writing good essays.
Prepare for TOEFL courses from Coursera
The Coursera platform offers several online TOEFL preparation courses in collaboration with reputable universities, such as the University of California, Irvine and Rice University, to help students prepare for the TOEFL test.
Which helps you improve your English skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Some of the advantages of these courses:-
- It features lessons, videos, interactive tests, and application projects that cover each section of the exam and introduce strategies and techniques for getting a high score.
- The possibility of obtaining a certificate of completion of the specialization or course that can be shared on your CV or your accounts on social media.
- Various options for course length and intensity from the TOEFL Preparation Specialization course lasting 1 to 3 months, to individual courses such as the TOEFL Reading and Listening Sections Skills Mastery or TOEFL Test-Taking Strategies lasting 1 to 4 weeks.
TOEFL iBT Prep Course
An official course provided by the ETS center responsible for TOEFL tests worldwide. The course provides lessons and activities in the four skills, reading, listening, speaking and writing.
It also allows you to enter pre and post tests to evaluate your performance. The course is not free. You can subscribe for a period of 6 months for $ 49.
Kaplan TOEFL Test Courses
Specialized courses offered by Kaplan International Institutes to help students obtain a high score in the TOEFL test, which is the most popular English language test in the world.
Some of the advantages of these courses are:-
- Offering lessons with specialized teachers of TOEFL preparation and materials available to you when studying English online on your own.
- Familiarize yourself with test content and solution strategies for each test section and complete practice tests and test simulations.
- Submit a certificate of completion accredited by Kaplan International Language Institutes for language level and attendance.
- Availability of different course length and intensity options from the TOEFL Intensive course to the TOEFL iBT course.
What are the best TOEFL preparation books?
It is very important to prepare for the test by studying academic content related to the test which includes academic English which may be slightly different from standard English.
Fortunately, there is a wide range of academic books and study materials that you can use to prepare for the TOEFL test to effectively prepare for the test.
These books include test content, question types and appropriate strategies for answering them, and provide you with materials, models and exercises to practice for the test and improve your level of English.
You can also download some useful books and files to prepare for the TOEFL test, free or paid, such as:
Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL Test
Longman’s book is considered one of the best textbooks to prepare for the TOEFL test, as it covers the four sections of the test (listening, reading, writing and speaking) comprehensively and in detail.
It provides tips, instructions, examples and practice tests with audio CDs. The book is available for free download from the Knowledge Planet Library.
The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test
It is the official reference for the test by the ETS Testing Center that prepares and conducts the test. It contains a detailed explanation of the test pattern, the types of questions and the skills required.
Plus 600 questions with answers and 4 practice tests complete with audio CDs.
Barron’s TOEFL iBT Superpack
Barron’s Encyclopedia is a comprehensive package of 3 books covering all aspects of the exam, plus 8 audio CDs and 10 practice tests on CD.
The first book is Barron’s TOEFL iBT with CD-ROM and MP3 audio CDs which provides detailed explanations of each section of the test with tips, strategies and practice questions.
The second part is Barron’s Essential Words for the TOEFL which provides a list of 500 important words for the test with their definitions and examples of their use.
The third part is Barron’s Writing for the TOEFL iBT that includes tips and advice for writing a good essay in the writing section with samples and practice questions.
You can get the Longman book from the Amazon app with delivery anywhere in the world.
Cracking the TOEFL iBT book
An excellent book that includes effective question-solving strategies for each section of the test with tips and advice for improving your English skills.
The book also contains 8 practice tests complete with audio CD and CD. The book is available for purchase from Amazon and will be delivered to you wherever you are. TOEFL Preparation Guide: All necessary books and courses
Cambridge Preparation for the TOEFL Test
The Cambridge book is one of the most famous and oldest books to prepare for the TOEFL test, as it covers the four sections of the test in a comprehensive and detailed manner. It also provides tips, instructions, examples, and practice tests with audio and CDs.
TOEFL practice-tested models
The best way to actually prepare for the TOEFL exam after good preparation is to review and solve practice tests, which are TOEFL tests from previous years.
Solving exams helps you to really get into the exam atmosphere, get used to the pattern of questions, anticipate the next questions and practice time management in each section as specified.
Get up-to-date practice tests from the ETS Test Center to get into the real TOEFL iBT test-taking experience online with trusted past test questions.
In addition to receiving results and performance feedback within 24 hours on all four sections of the test, you can access TOEFL practice test.
Which includes a huge collection of books, novels, academic books, and scientific references that you will be happy to review. We are glad that you joined the library to find everything you are looking for and more.