3 TOEFL Tips ELTP TV
[edited transcript]
Hello and welcome. I'm Professor Winn, author of the englishlanguagetestprep.com/ blog.
Thank you for being with me today for this presentation of English Language Test Preparation TV - 3 Food Idioms.
So if you're getting ready to take the TOEFL test, or more precisely, if you're just starting your TOEFL preparation, these three tips are going to help you get started on your road to a higher score.
So let's go ahead and get started. Alright, let's start from the beginning. The 3 tips we're going to cover more in depth today are: 1. Know Academic English. 2. Improve your vocabulary and 3. Start preparing today.
Academic English
So let's start with what is academic English?
As you know, for the TOEFL IBT exam or the Academic IELTS exam, you need Academic English to help you to do well. Remember, most candidates that are taking these two tests are usually going to study at an English-speaking university.
Now there are more uses for these exams than for work.
Maybe you're applying for your scholarship or you're going to try to get a job somewhere, but a lot of candidates are taking these exams to go to university.
It's ironic, but you need to know a little bit of Academic English before you go to school because you need that Academic English on the TOEFL IBT exam.
As you know, everything about the TOEFL IBT is universitycentered, so of course you need academic English.
And it's natural if you're not so accustomed to academic English.
Of course, with social media everybody is, you know, writing in 240 characters or less on Twitter or using emojis on Facebook.
I prepare IELTS and TOEFL students.
When I work with my own students, they need to raise their level of writing for the exam and unfortunately writing is a weak subject for many students around the world, and it's really not their fault.
A lot of times the teachers are not comfortable in their English writing skills as well.
But you can.
Improve your English skills for the TOEFL exam and you can improve your Academic English so that you're ready to to maximize your score on the exam.
Now let's go over a couple of aspects about Academic English. First of all, it's written from a third person Point of View.
When you're writing the TOEFL IBT essay or Writing Task 1 these are not personal papers.
And this is something that sometimes presents a challenge to students.
As I’ve said before, you probably need to raise your level of writing so that you can do well on these tests.
Remember that for the TOEFL IBT exam and the same thing for the Academic IELTS test as well.
Now, as I’ve said, Academic English is the language of a university.
However, you do need to know a little bit of academic English before you take the TOEFL IBT exam.
Academic English is all about relating ideas, and this is what helps you when you're writing your essay or Writing Task 1 on the TOEFL exam.
You always want to be connecting your ideas and relating your ideas.
Academic English helps you do that.
And finally some of the basic characteristics of Academic English.
You're using it to be descriptive, and when you're writing on the TOEFL iBT test, you want to make sure that you're using the most descriptive adjectives.
The most precise verbs and nouns that you can write with, and the more you develop your writing skills, the better you're going to get.
And that's the good news.
The good news is that you can improve before you take the exam.
Vocabulary
All right, now, let's go ahead and look at the second aspect here just how important is vocabulary.
Why do you need to improve your vocabulary for the test?
It can always be better and you never know which word you're going to need and in which situation on the exam.
This goes for the speaking test.
Remember, you're dealing with academic texts on the TOEFL exam.
It's important to realize that the TOEFL grading criteria for both speaking and writing checks your vocabulary.
So this is something that the TOEFL graders are looking for. That is going to help you achieve a higher score on the test.
And finally, as I’ve said, the reading section quizzes you specifically sometimes on words in about words in context.
What does a certain word mean in the whole academic article?
Uh, this is probably about as close as a vocabulary test you're actually going to have on the TOEFL exam.
But it does occur on the TOEFL reading test, so think about it.
Improving your vocabulary is going to help you to boost your score on all four parts of the test.
It's an English test.
You know you're going to have some vocabulary challenges, so right now, as I said today, start building your vocabulary to be able to do better on the exam.
So just how do you build your vocabulary?
Well, one of the best ways to build your vocabulary is to read. It is the slowest way, but it is the surest way. So you want to read outside of your comfort zone as well.
So if you're a lawyer read business articles or travel articles or So you can pick up a very diverse vocabulary and you never know what word you're going to need on the exam.
So while reading is the surest way, as I said, to build your vocabulary, you sometimes need to acquire your vocabulary a bit faster, and one way to do that is through studying word lists.
Group your vocabulary by, for example, a topic like the environment or your career or business or travel.
And finally, another way to improve your vocabulary, of course, is to take quizzes.
Quiz your vocabulary so when you're reading.
Keep a vocabulary notebook and if you study from a vocabulary text then make sure that you take the quizzes which are going to help you to build your word power.
Vocabulary ECourse - Fast Way to Boost Your Word Power
As I've mentioned earlier, for you to be able to build your vocabulary, and if you're starting to prepare for the IELTS or TOEFL exam or TOEIC exam, start today.
Building your vocabulary so that you'll have a higher level of word power when you go to take those tests.
And I've created a video ECourse to help you do just that.
I guess you could say a crash video course.
It comes with 20 less common vocabulary terms plus 30 phrasal verbs, collocations and idioms, and it's meant to be able to help you to increase your vocabulary in the shortest amount of time possible.
You can go and check out the uh and register for the video course.
Enroll today to build your word power: bit.ly/teach50vocab
Get started today improving your word power and if you're taking the TOEIC TOEFL or IELTS exam, you can thank me later for starting right now.
Make sure that your vocabulary is much better than it is so that when you reach test day, you're going to be able to maximize your score, and that's why it's so important to get started soon.
Start Preparing Now
Finally, our third tip for today, and that is to prepare right now.
When I have candidates who come to me and they want to take TOEFL or IELTS preparation courses, I like to give a pre test.
By speaking to them and see where their level is right now and design a specific course for them that will help them to achieve their scores.
That's one of the advantages of working with a personal teacher is you're actually able to get a course designed specifically for you and what your needs are.
[Study with Professor Winn to improve your TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC or English skills.]
Because every student is different, one of the most important points I make besides start building your vocabulary right now which we talked about earlier.
And that is to at least start three months ahead of time.
During your TOEFL preparation, you need time to be familiar with the exam format to know the type of answers that are needed and build your vocabulary and your Academic English skills.
Perhaps you need to look over your grammar skills as well, and of course, practice your writing skills.
Practice the speaking test.
And of course, prepare for the reading and listening as well. That takes time.
But what I found in my over 10 years working with students is that in about three months, about two classes per week for three months you're able to really leap a level of English
So start right now.
You can actually improve your skills immensely just in those three months alone.
That's going to help you to improve your score. That's why it is so important to start at least three months ahead of when you plan to take the test.
As I said earlier, people may be taking the exam for scholarships or you have other deadlines.
Of course, for getting into a university, plan ahead.
So on that point, make sure you have a study plan.
And again, this is something that if you're working with a personal teacher, they can work with you to help you to design a specific
study plan that will help you to achieve the maximum score possible.
That's what we're here for so you get that top score that you need, seek and deserve.
RECAP
All right, so let's recap what we've looked at for today.
These three tips that get you started on your TOEFL journey.
1. Know Academic English.
2. Improve your vocabulary and 3. Start preparing today.
My philosophy is take the test only once and get the score that you need and move on with your life. You deserve it!
No one wants to take the test twice or three times, even though I've seen that happen before.
Take the test once and move on with your life and live your dreams that you're looking for.
And of course, as a teacher you know that makes me very happy to see students do that.
Join the TOEFL Email Blog
So finally I leave you today with my TOEFL email blog. Get lessons to help build your TOEFL and English skills for a high score on the exam.
Enroll today at: bit.ly/toeflemail
Thank you for being with me today and good luck on the TOEFL test.