Make Your Study Plan
For Test Takers
Free Practice
Head over to my blog. Posts for Test-takers even have a special section on vocabulary used in or a TOEFL-like assignment to do. These posts really are just for you!
There are many places to find free practice to help you prepare for the TOEFL. Unfortunately, some of these freebies don't offer very high quality. This list features only the top free resources so you know that you are getting the best free practice available.
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Number2 (for SAT practice)
Remember that under the TOEFL tab, you will find information for each of the four sections of the exam. Each page lists links where you can find or make more practice.
Also, by signing up for the free newsletter, you will receive extra TOEFL test prep materials. Just enter your email in the box at the bottom of the page. And of course, sign up for the FREE 7 day Perfect Paraphrasing Course provided to you by SISG. Each day, get free paraphrasing tips and practice directly to your email inbox.
At the beginning of the year or when first signing up for the test, it is tempting to be overly optimistic when it comes to creating a study plan. Also, what works for one person doens't always work for someone else. How should you get started? When creating a study plan that you can stick to, consider these factors.
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Starting score. Make sure to take a practice test so you actually know where you are. You might be pleasantly surprised by how well you do or it may help you keep your growth in perspective.
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Goal score. Don't just pick 120. Look at the scores for your goal program before just selecting a number.
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Time til test. If you only have 2 weeks until your test, you need to triage the situation and consider what you personally need to work on. If you know what you have great listening skills and a short time to prepare, focus on your weaknesses. Also, don't try to learn 150 vocab words every day until the test. Nothing will stick if you overwhelm yourself.
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Time to dedicate to test prep. Be realistic. If you have a full time job, school, or children to take care of, you know that it will be difficult for you to keep up with your goal of studying for 4 hours each day. By selecting a reasonable goal, such as I will read and answer one set of questions every day, you will ultimately be more successful. Remember, you can always add more if you find time. For those procrastinators, keep yourself accountable by setting a recurring event on your calendar on your Smartphone or through Google. If you are doing something else, this will motivate you to stop the other activity and complete the requird studying. Make it easier by keeping all of your study materials readily available. Don't force yourself to go looking for your book every time. Instead, know exactly what you will do that day with careful planning ahead of time.
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Available resources. What do you have that can help you study? Do you have American friends to talk to every day or a Writing Center on the college campus that you are on with free tutoring so you can improve your grammar? In addition to TOEFL books and materials, think about all of those other resources that you have access to and make the most of that, too.
Vocab words:
tempting: appealing or attractive
triage: a process of assigning importance, typically used in medicine
stick: slang for to stay with something (persevere)
recurring: repeated