TOEFL Exam Experience: Preparation, Tips, and Test Day Insights
- Oct 12, 2024
- 3 min read
1. Background
Although English is not my native language, I have completed my education with English as the primary language.
Watching movies and TV series also helped me develop a good grasp of the language.
2. Preparation Strategy
I primarily used the Official TOEFL Guide (7th Edition) for my preparation.
The guide includes:
Sections with explanations
Practice questions
Four additional mock tests
📌 Mock Test Performance at the Start:
Reading: ~50% accuracy
Listening: ~90% accuracy
Speaking & Writing: Considered subjective; focused on learning patterns and analyzing other people's responses.
3. Reading Section: Preparation & Tips
✅ How I Practiced:
Completed 16 reading passages (including mock tests).
Identified patterns in questions and realized practice improves performance.
📌 Tips for Reading:
Do not read the full passage beforehand – Questions appear in sequence, making it easier to locate answers.
Practice as much as possible – Recognizing patterns in question types helps improve accuracy.
Expand your vocabulary – If the passage text is difficult to understand, work on basic vocabulary.
Review your answers – After finishing a passage (10 questions), go through your responses before moving to the next passage.
Manage your time effectively – You get 35 minutes for two passages. My timing:
First passage: 17 minutes
Second passage: 18 minutes
4. Listening Section: Preparation & Tips
✅ How I Practiced:
I only practiced four full mock tests for listening.
The question patterns are similar across all tests.
📌 Tips for Listening:
Stay focused – Try to remain present and avoid zoning out.
Take effective notes – Write down key points, but not every detail.
Practice navigating through the test format – You cannot go back to a previous question once you answer it.
5. Speaking Section: Preparation & Tips
✅ How I Practiced:
Watched free YouTube videos from TST Prep and other creators to understand the structure.
📌 Tips for Speaking:
Use templates – There are 4 questions in a fixed pattern, so templates help structure responses.
Practice with a timer – Many test-takers either speak too little or too much; a 1-2 second overtime is acceptable.
Keep sentences simple – Focus on fluency and clarity rather than complex vocabulary.
Stuttering is okay – It's more important to express your ideas clearly than to have a perfect accent.
Your accent doesn’t matter – As long as you are understandable, having an accent is fine.
6. Writing Section: Preparation & Tips
✅ How I Practiced:
Relied on my prior experience in writing academic papers and documentation.
Practiced using sample write-ups to build my own writing template.
📌 Tips for Writing:
Focus on reducing grammar mistakes – Keep your writing simple and avoid unnecessary complexity.
Identify common question types – Practicing different prompts will help you develop a structured approach.
Use example responses – Looking at well-written essays helped me create a personal template.
Manage your time well:
First task: 20 minutes (More time available)
Second task: 10 minutes (Feels rushed—practice timed responses).
7. Test Day Experience
✅ Where I Took the Exam:
At a certified test center (recommended over the at-home version).
📌 Things to Know About Test Day:
You only need to bring your identification document—everything else is provided.
Other test-takers will be speaking around you – This can be distracting during the Speaking section, so be prepared.
Speaking section can be stressful – I was nervous and made mistakes, but TOEFL prioritizes idea clarity over perfection.
Score release timing:
Reading & Listening scores are available immediately.
Speaking & Writing scores take longer since they are manually graded.
My scores were released six days later (Exam: October 5 → Scores: October 11).
8. Final Thoughts
I hope this post was helpful! Feel free to ask any questions—I might have missed some points.
✨ Good luck with your TOEFL exam!
Shared by r/ToeflAdvice
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