Students have a lot of questions about the TOEFL — we would know! Luckily, we also have a lot of answers to those questions. What better place to find frequently asked questions than Google? Below are the most commonly Googled topics, and our answers, about general TOEFL information. Consider it your shortcut to finding the answers to your TOEFL questions.   Your Top TOEFL Questions Answered Is the TOEFL hard/easy? That is a good question, and not something we can answer with a simple yes or no! That’s why we’ve written a whole post about it. You can find out whether or not the TOEFL is ..read more

How can you get a TOEFL scholarship? We’ll explore eligibility and each of the major types of TOEFL exam scholarship. (Note: This post is about scholarships that cover your tuition or other expenses related to study and research. For scholarships that pay for your TOEFL exam fee, see our post on TOEFL fee waivers.) Who can get a scholarship through TOEFL? I have two pieces of good news. First, it’s possible to get a TOEFL scholarship directly from ETS (the makers of the TOEFL) or from another organization. Second, you are probably eligible for a TOEFL scholarship. All you need to do is meet ..read more

Students often ask me “How can I practice TOEFL Listening?” The good news is that one of the best sources of TOEFL Listening practice is free– you can turn to the Internet for all Listening section practice. Of course, the Internet’s a big place, and it can be hard to sort the good practice from the bad. In this article, I’ve rounded up Magoosh’s best free online TOEFL Listening practice, as well as some additional recommended practice from ETS, the official makers of the TOEFL. As you go through the practice materials below, remember to take good notes. “How do I take good notes on TOEFL Li ..read more

Along your English learning journey, you’ve probably made leaps and bounds in your vocabulary, working your way up to a level of advanced English vocabulary! So why is it important to learn more vocabulary? An expanded vocabulary creates opportunities to communicate in ways that can benefit your academic pursuits (see the definition of pursue below!), career goals, and your daily experiences. In this post, we will show you two types of advanced English vocabulary – words for daily communication and words to know for the TOEFL test. If you need some tips on how to learn and remember more advan ..read more

In many ways, a language is its vocabulary. Other skills, such as grammar, pronunciation, etc. all revolve around correct, meaningful use of words. To master the English language, you need to know a large volume of English vocabulary. This is especially important on the TOEFL, where you can’t stop to look up a word or ask someone to explain it. Vocabulary is an important part of all four TOEFL skills: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. When you practice each skill, you have many different opportunities to build your vocabulary as well. So let’s look at the best strategies to help you i ..read more

Education Test Services (ETS) quietly announced a new version of the TOEFL called TOEFL Essentials. Students can register for this new TOEFL starting in May 2021 for test dates administered in August 2021. This is big news for students taking the TOEFL. In this article, I’ll provide information about the new test, how it’s different from the TOEFL iBT, and whether you should consider taking this new version of the test. Format and Design The TOEFL Essentials consists of 4 sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking with the addition of a non-scored 5-minute personal video statement. Th ..read more

Vocabulary is a very important part of TOEFL success. And if you’ve clicked on this book reivew, you may be particuarly interested in boosting your English vocabulary. Is McGraw Hill’s 400 Must-Have Words for the TOEFL Test the right vocabulary resource for you? Read on and judge for yourself. What’s in the book? This book consists of 41 vocabulary lessons. Each lesson focuses on 10 or nearly 10 vocabulary words, for a total of 400 words (hence the title of the book). The individual lessons highlight vocabulary related to specific academic topics. In turn, these individual topic lessons are d ..read more

As I’ve mentioned before, Barron’s is one of the best sources for unofficial TOEFL prep. (Besides Magoosh, of course! ) And Barron’s Essential Words for the TOEFL is yet another great Barron’s book I can happily recommend. Let me give you a closer look at what this book offers. The Structure of the Book This is a short book with carefully structured lesson material. The structure I’m going to outline below will tell you everything you need to know about what this book offers. Read on for a guided tour of Barron’s Essential Words for the TOEFL. Chapters 1-4: Tips and Tricks Barron’s Essential ..read more

Welcome to my review of a book that is very near and dear to me: The ELT Grammar Book. This is not a TOEFL book per se. But this book can help you master English grammar in a way that will benefit you on the TOEFL and beyond! One of the reasons I’m so fond of this book is because it was written as a teacher’s resource. In fact, the book’s subtitle is “A Teacher-Friendly Resource Guide.” But over the years, I’ve also shared this book with my ESL and TOEFL students. This book really is useful for teachers and learners alike. How to Use the ELT Grammar Book if You’re a Student If you’re a studen ..read more

Beyond Magoosh and the official materials, where can you find truly quality TOEFL prep? Increasingly, the answer to that question is Barron’s. And Barron’s TOEFL iBT with 8 Online Practice Tests just might be their very best book. Still, like all TOEFL prep resources, it’s not perfect. Let’s take a closer look at this book’s pros and cons. The Format of Barron’s TOEFL iBT With 8 Online Practice Tests First and foremost, it’s important to remember that a significant portion of this book’s offerings are not actually found in the book itself; instead they are found online. Every print test in th ..read more