20 Things That Helped Me Score A 113/120 On The TOEFL-iBT
2 min readMar 8, 2020
--
- Mental Endurance is the golden key. I found the TOEFL is not only a test of English language but also your test-taking skill in general. How well you organize and manage time is super important.
- Most cliche one: surround yourself with English. For me it was: Books (anything I would find interesting), New York Times, Audible, and a regular conversation (mostly with myself!) in English.
- Eat less, focus more
- Don’t let the details thwart your progress: Reading
- Take the “Big Picture” approach: Reading
- Flexibility in strategy. Experiment with different strategies during prep, but NOT during the exam. Learn and adapt.
- The first few seconds is the crux: Listening
- Mindfulness helps. A few mins of meditation pays off. Visualize your success!
- Optimize the break. For me it was Green Tea, Sit ups, and
- Visualization helps: Listening
- Pithy notes. Find out that sweet spot of optimum notes.: Listening
- Connect the ideas. Be vigilant of BIG PICTURE: Listening
- Clarity above all: Speaking
- Don’t take notes during the replay: Listening
- Bolster your arguments with Examples: Writing
- Connect ideas with Transition words: Moreover. Furthermore. Additionally. Whereas. You get the idea. Writing
- One notion in one paragraph: Writing
- Do NOT bring in your own opinions: Integrated Writing
- Use assertive sentences. For example — preferred: Globalization has paved way for increased innovation. Not preferred: I think/believe globalization has….
- Workout and have fun!