TOEFL Preparation

This site is dedicated to all things related to the Test of English for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Start early in your preparation and be consistent so you achieve the minimum score required to graduate. The purpose is to provide English language learners (ELLs) and instructors (who are also ELLs) support for preparing for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The primary goal is to provide support in listening, grammar, and reading sections of the paper-based TOEFL, but also includes areas of production in the areas of speaking and writing. Also, additional support will be provided for the four skills more relevant to the TOEFL iBT.

Who needs the TOEFL?

The TOEFL is required for English language learners who want to study in the United States. Refer to the table below, depending on the level of study (Lougheed, 1992).

Admissions policy	Graduate Humanities	Graduate Sciences	Undergraduate	Technical school
Acceptable	550-600	500-600	500-600	450-600
Acceptable, with additional language training and reduced course load	500-550	450-500	400-500	400-450
Further English training required	Below 500	Below 450	Below 400	Below 400

Registro al TOEFL Institucional - UAA

Pagar el examen en cajas por $966.00 MN.
Enviar comprobante de pago al correo toeflitpidiomas@edu.uaa.mx
Incluir datos obligatorios por requerimiento del INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONALEDUCATION en el correo: Nombre completo del solicitante, teléfono y fecha de nacimiento.
Se te notificará la inscripción al examen y la fecha de aplicación via correo electrónico.

TOEFL Needs Analysis & Support

For those English language learners, review the results from prior TOEFL attempts to see which area(s) you need the most practice: listening, grammar, and/or reading (sections of the Institutional TOEFL).
Create an account in Notion and watch, *How I use Notion! as a student. I suggest you use your UAA email to gain additional Notion functionality:* https://www.notion.so/help/notion-for-education.
Needs analysis: Typically, a diagnostics exam (i.e., listening, structure, and reading sections) is applied to help determine which area(s) to focus on first.
Institutional (paper-based) TOEFL scores-to-percentage correct:
- Listening
  - 400 = 30%
  - 450 = 44%
  - 500 = 62%
  - 550 = 76%
  - 600 = 88%
- Structure
  - 400 = 43%
  - 450 = 55%
  - 500 = 68%
  - 550 = 80%
  - 600 = 90%
- Reading
  - 400 = 37%
  - 450 = 48%
  - 500 = 63%
  - 550 = 75%
  - 600 = 87%

Schedule & Registration

Fall 2026: TOEFL Preparation (Grammar) for Fifth Semester

The TOEFL course - UAA TOEFL Preparation Fall 2024 - was offered Thursdays from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM, August 29, 2024 until November 28, 2024.

https://youtu.be/XuRo1hxDyvo

Language Focus

Grammar

Brief review of common grammar points included in the TOEFL
1. Subject-Verb Agreement: The committee decides on the new policy tomorrow. See Subject-verb agreement.
2. Verb Tenses: By the time she arrived, the meeting had already started. A comprehensive guide to English verb tenses: Mastering the art of time
3. Active vs. Passive Voice: The book was written by a famous author. See Active vs. passive voice: A Writer’s guide to clarity and impact.
4. Conditional Sentences: If I had known about the traffic, I would have left earlier.
5. Modals: You must finish your homework before you go out. See Modal verbs.
6. Gerunds and Infinitives: She enjoys swimming in the ocean. Gerunds vs. infinitives: Unveiling the subtleties with the Bolinger Principle.
7. Articles: I saw a cat sitting on the roof. See Articles.
8. Prepositions: The keys are on the table. See Prepositional phrases.
9. Comparatives and Superlatives: This is the most interesting book I have ever read. See Mastering comparatives and superlatives: Level up your English adjectives.
10. Relative Clauses: The man who called you is my uncle. See Relative clauses.
11. Parallel Structure: She likes reading, writing, and jogging. See Parallelism.
12. Pronouns: They gave us their tickets. See Pronouns.
13. Adjective Order: She wore a beautiful long red dress. Order of attribute adjectives & cumulative vs. coordinate adjectives.
14. Quantifiers: There are many apples in the basket. See Quantifiers and Determiners.
15. Conjunctions: I wanted to go for a walk, but it started raining. See Understanding Conjunctions: A Guide for English Language Learners.
16. Direct and Indirect Speech: He said, “I am going to the store.” → He said that he was going to the store. See Understanding Reported Speech: A Guide for English Language Learners.
17. Punctuation: Let’s eat, Grandma! (Correct punctuation can change the meaning.) Understanding English punctuation.
18. Sentence Fragments: Because I was tired. (Fragment) → I went to bed early because I was tired. See Sentence fragment.
19. Run-on Sentences: She loves to read she has a huge library. (Run-on) → She loves to read, and she has a huge library. See Fixing run-on sentences: A comprehensive guide.
20. Subject Complements: The winner is she.

Basic structures

Intermediate structures

Types of Phrases

Advanced structures

Vocabulary and lexis

Collocations in English: The art of natural word pairing | Mastering TOEFL Vocabulary | Lexical Approach

Listening comprehension

Many of the Reading comprehension methods, strategies, and teaching tactics also relates to listening comprehension. Build these methods, strategies, and tactics into your routine as you prepare for the TOEFL listening section.
When you prepare for the TOEFL listening section, consider the different Types of TOEFL listening questions so that you recognize the different information they are asking about.

Reading

ELT Cast 127: TOEFL Vocabulary and Reading Preparation using AI
TOEFL Reading Strategies & Feedback should be integrated into your study routine as you prepare for the reading section of the TOEFL.

Speaking

TOEFL speaking prompts

Writing

Understanding English punctuation | TOEFL Writing Prompts | Writing error code list (Common writing errors committed by English language learners)

Literature

Articles

Pratiwi, D. & Waluyo, B. (2022). Integrating task and game-based learning into an online TOEFL preparatory course during the covid-19 outbreak at two Indonesian higher education institutions. Malaysian Journal of Learning & Instruction, 19(2), 37-67. doi.org/10.32890/mjli2022.19.2.2

Benjamin L. Stewart

Explorer