Wham Media’s Mini-Guide to Success: TOEFL iBT®

Wham

Media’s Mini-

Guide to

Success:

TOEFL iBT®*

By: H. E. Colby

TOEFL iBT® is a registered trademark of ETS, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

businessenglishace.com Wham Media’s Mini-Guide to Success: TOEFL iBT®

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TOEFL iBT® is a registered trademark of ETS, which was not

involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this

product.

http://www.businessenglishace.com/toefpdf


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ABOUT THE BOOK

Wham Media’s Mini-Guide to Success: TOEFL iBT® is an abridged

version of the full text, Wham Media’s Guide to Success: TOEFL iBT®. Both are

dedicated to preparing you to achieve an optimal score on the TOEFL iBT exam. The

Mini-Guide includes key information for preparation in general for the TOEFL iBT

exam and two important parts of the exam, the Speaking and Writing Sections. The full

Guide includes a link to an extensive list of Additional Resources. Both guides

originated with student frustration in preparation for the TOEFL®. Too many ESL

professors are not able to help their students get the highest score possible on one of the

most important exams in their lives. Stop!

I am H. E. Colby, a seasoned English instructor who has spent several years

preparing my students for success on the TOEFL iBT in particular and Business English

in general. I proudly offer you this Mini-Guide to get you started on your own

preparation so you may have the success you seek – and deserve!


http://www.businessenglishace.com/toeflpdf



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INTRODUCTION

THE TOEFL iBT® CAUSES PANIC and fear for many. Don’t worry. Get the

full Guide for a comprehensive preparation for success on the TOEFL iBT!

Get ready to maximize your score by accepting two key challenges presented by

the TOEFL iBT® and to prepare yourself for success on the exam!

The Challenge

TWO CHALLENGES await you on the TOEFL iBT®. The exam half tests your

English abilities and half tests your exam taking abilities! The exam is a mere snapshot

of your abilities at a juncture of time. However, it is the standardized exam of record for

US universities and thousands of institutions around the world.

Challenge 1: Academic English

Firstly, the exam challenges your ability to successfully manage and manipulate

the four basic language skills in an academic setting: 1) reading, 2) listening, 3)

speaking, and 4) writing. Thus, your English needs to be proficient enough to be

understood and used in a US college classroom. Well, is it? If not, the full Guide with its

unparalleled Additional Resources is a wise investment! Plus, though not explicitly

tested, you need great grammar and a solid vocabulary to round out your exam success.

Academic English is the English for study at universities, mainly expressed in

written form. Use academic English to: 1) describe an object or situation, 2) describe a

process or how something functions, or 3) explain something. Good academic writers

aim to be as clear, precise and simple as possible when describing ideas or concepts.

The main features of written academic English are:

usually formal in tone and impersonal in style - so you should avoid

colloquial words and expressions.

without contractions or shortened forms of verbs, such as won't, doesn't or

it's.

no linking word such as 'and' or 'but' at the beginning of a sentence.

no personal pronouns such as I, me, you, your.





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may use the passive form of verbs more often.

no phrasal verbs such as hold up, put up with, or get off.

varied and rich vocabulary, shorter texts, and more grammatical

complexity.

Remember these traits of academic English while you practice for the TOEFL!

Challenge 2: Integrated Tasks

Secondly, a unique feature of the TOEFL is the task related to “combined skills”

or so-called “integrated tasks.” Just as the phrase suggests, you integrate two or more

language abilities to answer a question. There are three possible “integrated task”

combinations: 1) read an academic text or campus announcement, listen to a

conversation of students or others, and then speak a response; 2) listen to a lecture from

a professor or a talk from a guidance counselor or other college official, and then speak a

response; and 3) read a passage or announcement, listen to a discussion of students,

and write a response.

Be sure to sharpen your supplemental skills (see Chapter 7 of the full Guide) to

assist you on the integrated tasks. From note taking to synthesizing different pieces of

information, you will need to use these additional skills for success on the TOEFL iBT®.

You are now ready to learn and practice strategies and tactics to get the best

possible score on the TOEFL iBT®.




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CHAPTER 1: PREPARATION IN GENERAL

While studying for the TOEFL iBT exam can be scary, difficult, and confusing,

use this Mini-Guide and the full Guide to prepare for exam success.

Three elements are required to maximize your TOEFL iBT score: your

knowledge, skills, and attitude.

Keep the following three items in mind as you start to prepare for the exam.

1. Prepare for the exam well in advance.

I advise my students to begin at least three (3) months before the scheduled test

date. The TOEFL examination requires in depth knowledge of the English language,

so the earlier you start the better. So, do not try to cram. The test is expensive so you

need to concentrate a dedicated amount of time to do your best.

The test involves all aspects of the language – speaking, writing, reading and

listening plus grammar and vocabulary – far too much to cover in just a few days of

study.

2. Make test preparation fun.

Preparing for the TOEFL is not only about class sessions and preparatory books.

Remember that learning is doing and that means practicing the language. Make

an effort to speak some English every day, preferably working with a native

English professor.

The interaction with a native English speaker can break the monotony of exam

preparation.

Consult the full Guide for a complete Study Game Plan.

3. Get familiar with the exam layout.

Be smart and do not let uncertainties about the format of the test make you

anxious.

The TOEFL iBT begins with a reading section that lasts about 60-80 minutes

(3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions) followed by a





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listening section (academic lectures, classroom discussions and conversations,

then answer questions) that lasts 60-90 minutes.

After a ten-minute break, you get the speaking section (express an opinion on

a familiar topic; integrated task with speaking based on reading and listening

tasks), which takes 20 minutes, followed by 50 minutes for the last part, the

writing section (integrated task to write an essay based on reading and

listening tasks; support an opinion in writing.).

Consult the full Guide for a more information about the important integrated

tasks.

A key website for general preparation for the TOEFL iBT is Good Luck TOEFL.



http://www.goodlucktoefl.com/1-1-TOEFL_overview.html


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CHAPTER 2: PREPARATION FOR SPEAKING

Use the following tips in this Mini-Guide and the full Guide to prepare for success

on the Speaking Section of the exam.

Keep this fact in mind - communicating simply and correctly in an organized way

will get you a higher score every time on the test.

The third section of the TOEFL iBT is the Speaking Section.

This part is made up of six tasks: two independent and four integrated. You do

not meet a live examiner, but speak directly into a microphone. Make sure you practice

with a voice recorder on your smartphone or tablet to get accustomed to speaking this

way.

Your responses are recorded on the computer and then graded later.

Like the other sections of the TOEFL iBT exam, the Speaking Section contains

academic situations set both inside and outside the classroom.

In classrooms, there are situations where you must: respond to questions,

contribute to class discussions, read or listen to something and then summarize it,

and/or give your opinion of topics under discussion.

In situations outside the classroom, you need to take part in conversations with

administrative staff, such as at the library, take part in casual conversations with other

students about campus problems, and/or give your opinion about a topic regarding a

campus situation.

For Questions 1 and 2 (independent tasks) you will be asked to give an opinion or

explanation related to a familiar topic.

For both, read the question. Take notes on the main points of your response.

Then, respond to the question.

For example: What is your most useful study aid? Describe it and explain why it is

useful in helping you to study. Take 15 seconds to prepare your response and 45 seconds

to deliver your answer.

For example: Your university is planning to allow students to watch TV in their

dormitories. What is your opinion and why? What are the advantages and disadvantages

of watching TV in dormitories? Include reasons and examples to support your response.




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Again, take 15 seconds to prepare your response and 45 seconds to deliver your

answer.

For questions 3 and 4 (integrated tasks), you will read a short passage and then

you will listen to a short talk about the same topic. Then you will answer a question that

relates to both of them.

For example, you will read an article from a campus newspaper. Take notes on

the main points of the reading passage and use them to answer the questions which

follow.

For questions 5 and 6 you will hear a conversation and a lecture. You will be

asked a question about each.

As you can see, good note taking and summarizing are essential Supplemental

Skills for the Speaking Section of the exam.

Consult the full Guide for a more information about these and other

Supplemental Skills.

Check out these two websites (1 and 2) for more information on preparation for

the Speaking Section.

Conclusion

The Speaking Section can easily be used to boost your overall score on the TOEFL

iBT. It is the shortest section of the exam.

With adequate practice, especially with a native English speaker, good

pronunciation and intonation, you can nab a high score on the test.

Make sure you consult the full Guide for links and more suggestions to improve

your English speaking before the big exam day.



https://www.englishclub.com/esl-exams/ets-toefl-practice-speaking.htm

http://www.testden.com/toefl/speaking-and-writing/



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CHAPTER 3: PREPARATION FOR WRITING

Use the following tips in this Mini-Guide and the full Guide to prepare for success

on the Writing Section of the exam.

The last section of the TOEFL iBT is the Writing Section lasting about 50

minutes.

The iBT writing section is divided into two parts: Integrated Writing and

Independent Writing (the much feared essay). It consists of two parts: the integrated

writing task (150-225 words) and the independent writing task (300-350 words).

Integrated Writing

Writing Based on Reading and Listening

You will read a passage about an academic topic (3 minutes). Then you will hear a

lecture on the same topic (2 minutes). You are encouraged to take notes while you read

and listen. You will only see these materials once!

You will be asked a question that relates to both the text and the listening. You

have 20 minutes to craft an appropriate response which should be 150-225 words.

Key Point: Look for three many points that are related. Your score will depend

on the quality of your writing as well as how well you answer the question. After you

have heard the lecture you will have twenty minutes to plan and write your response.

Independent Writing (Essay)

Writing Based on Knowledge and Experience

There are five main types of TOEFL iBT Essay Topics.

Make sure you practice writing about the five (5) main areas during your

preparation: agree or disagree, preference, description / explanation, if / imaginary, and

compare and contrast.

You will never need to know any specific information about your writing topic,

but will based on common experience.




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You will be asked to give your opinion and provide reasons and examples. You

should use a five-paragraph structure essay structure. You will have 30 minutes to

prepare an essay in response to the question provided.

Spend the first five minutes outlining your response. (Consult the full Guide to

learn more Supplemental Skills).

Sample Question types:

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Students should take out student

loans to avoid working while studying. Use specific reasons and examples to support

your answer.

Some people think it’s better to live with a roommate. Other people prefer to live alone.

Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

It is better to grow up with siblings than without. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific

reasons and examples to develop your essay.

It has recently been announced that the public library in your area will be closed for the

summer months for a major renovation and expansion. Do you support or oppose this

plan. Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

While preparing your essays during practice sessions and especially on the exam,

keep the following points in mind:

Do I have an interesting introductory sentence?

Do I have a thesis statement?

Does my introduction state the topics that I plan to cover?

Does each paragraph have a topic sentence? (one paragraph = one idea)

Do I use examples and reasons to support my points?

Is my spelling and punctuation correct?

Do I use complex grammatical structure that I am comfortable with?

Do I use transitional phrases?

Have I covered both sides of an issue fairly?

Did I prove my thesis?




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Does my conclusion end with an interesting thought or idea?

Do I use strong vocabulary to express exactly what I need to say?

Being able to compare and contrast ideas in your essay is important.

Study the following expressions that are used to compare and contrast ideas: in

contrast, on the other hand, however, but, although, similarly, and like.

Check these two key websites (1 and 2) for more preparation for the Writing

Conclusion

The Writing Section causes great fear in many students because writing skills are

not sharpened in too many English classrooms. So, when the big exam day nears,

students panic. Stop!

Consult the full Guide for the necessary guidance and suggestions to get you

ready to ace the Writing Section of the TOEFL iBT exam!


http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/toeflwrite.html

http://www.testden.com/toefl/speaking-and-writing/



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FINAL THOUGHTS

NOW YOU HAVE THE Mini-Guide to Success: TOEFL iBT®.

For now, you have a strong start to prepare yourself for the big exam day. Tell your

colleagues about the book so they may also enjoy the rich future success you will enjoy after

making the highest possible score possible!

Consult the full Guide for comprehensive preparation and robust resources to be

ready for the big exam day.

Accomplish your dream to study at your favorite university, win a scholarship or get that promotion at the office with an optimal score on the TOEFL iBT® exam! Wham Media’s Guide to Success: TOEFL iBT® is written by a seasoned English exam preparer and instructor familiar with the key competencies essential for success in obtaining the highest score possible on the reading, writing, listening, and speaking sections of the test. Get Wham Media’s Guide to Success: TOEFL iBT® for mastering the language skills and test-taking strategies needed to develop the confidence and winning attitude on the big exam day. Plus, download the free Additional Resources file with links to material across the web neatly arranged to enhance your intense exam preparation - saving you lots of time! Learn the inside tricks to build fluency across the four language skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing - plus grammar and vocabulary as well. Improve your language knowledge (grammar accuracy, range of vocabulary and clarity of pronunciation) while engaging in effective study skills and exam techniques specially designed for the test. Get Wham Media’s Guide to Success: TOEFL iBT® today to begin preparing for both success on the exam and in your long career afterwards.






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THANK YOU!

Thank you for downloading Wham Media’s Mini-Guide to Success: TOEFL

iBT®.

My aim is to expand your career opportunities as the result of obtaining the highest score

possible on the TOEFL iBT®.

Be sure to check my other English books as well to improve your knowledge and skills.

Please visit my blog at http://www.businessenglishace.com/ .

Good luck in all you do. Carpe Diem!


https://businessenglishace.selz.com/

http://www.businessenglishace.com/

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Wham Media’s Mini-Guide to Success: TOEFL iBT®