http://www.lexile.com/toefl/

and put your TOEFL score into the pop-up menu on the left of the page!

Want to learn how to write a more powerful TOEFL essay, begin by watching this video!

1. The content of movies are not even close to the content of TOEF lectures.  Therefore, movies and TV might improve your ability to understand general English, but it will not give you the specific vocabulary and content that you’ll need for TOEFL.

2. If you process information more through your eyes than through your ears, you can easily understand a movie by focusing more on the images than by focusing on the words.  Now this is good, because most everyone uses their eyes to understand the world around them, but this won’t help you with TOEFL.  TOEFL offers no visual prompts or visual clues. You only have your ears.

So if you really want to use movies to improve your listening, then go to the theater with a blindfold on!  Okay, that was a joke.  But here are a few ideas that might improve this ETS Tip:

1. Go to movies with very little action.  Action movies do not have as much talking, so they do not help you improve your listening.

2. Watch documentaries, like Disney’s EARTH. These movies have content that is more akin to TOEFL content.

3. Watch TV channels like PBS , the Discovery Channel, or the History Channel. Again, they have content that is similar to TOEFL content.

This is why Strictly English has designed a TOEFL program that can be directly applied to university life.  Our methods and strategies will be helpful when writing university essays and when giving oral presentations in your university classes.

Case in point: during the Spring 2009 semester, Strictly English received a phone call from an ex-student who has already completed her TOEFL study and was not at college taking a history class.  She called requesting help with her midterm essay. Although Strictly English does not regularly offer academic tutoring, I did take the time to meet with this ex-student to show her how all of Strictly English’s strategies for the 30-Minute essay could be applied to her college midterm paper.

Not only did she get an A- on that paper, but that grade was significantly higher than the other essays she had written without the Strictly English method!

So remember: a good TOEFL tutor will give you skills that go far beyond the test!

If you’re looking for an iBT tutor, make sure he or she can answer at least these three questions below. If your tutor cannot answer these questions, then you might want someone who knows more about the test to be teaching you!

QUESTIONS:
1. Can I get a 25 out of 30 on the Speaking section of the iBT?
2. What section of the TOEFL iBT asks you questions that directly test your knowledge of Grammar?
3. On what part of the iBT are you most likely to use modals?

ANSWERS:
1. NO. TOEFL does not give a score of 25 on the Speaking.
2. NONE: There are NO grammar questions on the iBT.
3. Speaking Task 5. It is the only place where you talk about offering suggestions.

EXTRA NOTE: Make sure you see the tutor’s TOEFL SCORE. Even if he/she is a native English speaker, your tutor should have taken the TOEFL so that he/she knows exactly what you’ll experience on test day. Every Strictly English tutor has taken the TOEFL. This also means that we know exactly how the real test is different from what is taught in the books. Much of the information in the books is out of date because the books were published 3-5 years ago. TOEFL books should be updated at least every 2 years if not every year. If your tutor is not taking the test regularly, then he/she is relying on information in the books, which is usually old and out-of-date information.

Body
Mind
Heart

EX: “I really respected my chemistry teacher because he was SMART (mind) and PATIENT (emotion)”

You can also:

1. Talk about the effect this person has had on you (for example, this person made you more interested in volunteer work, or this person introduced you to jazz music)

Or: 2. talk about why you respect this person (for example, you really respect their work ethic, or you admire their sense of humor).

For more tips on how to generate speaking ideas, come back and read more on our blog!

TRANSLATION:
I think Strictly English is one of the best TOEFL preparation institutions there is. I know Strictly English has worked hard to understand how the TOEFL test works. From Strictly English tutors I learned methods to successfully increase my score. I believe that the TOEFL test is a system that can be cracked once you know how to apply your English skills effectively. For me, Strictly English tutoring turned out to be a good investment. I increased my score from 92 to 109 after three weeks of instruction.

Dear TOEFL Test Taker,

Thank you for taking the TOEFL® Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT™). This message is to inform you of a change in ETS policy regarding verification of scores by institutions and agencies.

Effective July 2009, if you provide an institution or agency with your score information and/or TOEFL registration number, you are giving ETS permission to allow that institution or agency to verify your scores.

If you do not want an institution or agency to have access to your score information, do not provide them with information about your scores or your TOEFL registration number.

You can read more about this change at www.ets.org/toefl under Test Takers, Internet-based Test, Scores, Policies.

my TOEFL textbook is totally brutal. lotta words even I can’t understand in my mother tongue lol

Now, because TOEFL is a test of ENGLISH, I usually do not suggest that people study for it in their own language. You should immerse yourself in English as much as possible. But there is one time when I think using your own language is a good idea: to learn about common TOEFL topics.

This student above is finding it hard to understand the topics in his TOEFL book even in his own language. Therefore, studying the basics of biology, chemistry, American history, geology, art, psychology, etc. in your own language will make it easier for you to understand these topics in English. Once you are familiar with the idea of, for example, symbiosis in your native tongue, then reading and listening about it in English will be much easier.

GOOD LUCK!

当你还在为考托福（TOEFL）发愁时，当你有足够的单词量却不能在做听力时听到细节而踌躇时，请来Strictlyenglish家教（TUTORING）。Jon会用他科学而独特的教学方法帮你在最短的时间内提高托福（toefl）成绩。 多亏他的帮助使我的成绩在一个月之内从63分提高到了81分。Strictlyenglish家教辅导一定会让你取得一个理想的成绩。