TOEFL Reading Preparation: Question Types, Preparation Tips, Guide and Books
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TOEFL Reading Preparation: Question Types, Preparation Tips, Guide, and Books

TOEFL reading includes three to four reading passages of 700 words, with each having 12-14 questions. You must practice high-quality TOEFL reading passages to achieve a good TOEFL score. The total time allocated to each TOEFL reading section varies from 54 to 72 minutes (18 minutes to read a passage and answer 10 questions). Scaled sectional scoring is measured from 0 to 30. The best way to improve TOEFL reading score is by start taking out excerpts from passages. 

Check TOEFL Reading Practice Papers

TOEFL Reading Preparation Tips

Test-takers often get stuck on the question “How Do I Prepare for my TOEFL Reading?” Here are a few TOEFL reading tips to improve your score and form the structure of the passage:

Increase your Vocabulary 

TOEFL vocabulary from the academic list should be studied. Make use of the comprehension strategies and vocabulary to perceive the complex passages.

Also check What is a good TOEFL score?

Practice with Official TOEFL Reading Materials 

The most effective TOEFL reading articles are real passages from real tests. Also, the test-takers can refer to the book- Official TOEFL IBT tests which includes a total of 15 more official TOEFL reading practice passages. Also, follow TOEFL reading test with answers available online.

Also check TOEFL Preparation Online

Strategize Your Learning

Knowing and understanding new words can help during TOEFL reading preparation. If you are familiar with TOEFL reading articles, you will not feel uncomfortable even after finding unknown words during the exam. During your TOEFL reading times learn synonyms, antonyms, and usages of each new word you find and use that word daily in sentences and paragraphs. 

Understand The Central Idea Of The Passage

Try to identify the main ideas in a TOEFL Reading passage which can help you guess at the meaning of difficult words and phrases in each paragraph’s supporting details. Also, it can help you to answer the summary-type question. 

Also Check Types of TOEFL Reading Questions

Balance Reading and Answering

  • Read the first line of each paragraph - it is a time-saving approach.
  • Skim the passage for main ideas before reading the questions.
  • Have a look at the questions first and answer the vocabulary-type question first.
  • Pay attention to the right details required for each question.

Stay Aware Of Your Speed

Time management is very crucial, TOEFL reading time per passage needs to be maintained. You need to manage your TOEFL reading time very consciously and not spend more than 18 minutes on each passage and question set. Try not to spend more than one minute completing each question, so that you can go back and recheck your answers.

Also Check TOEFL Preparation Books

TOEFL Reading Tips to Answer the Questions

In the exam, there will be different types of questions including multiple-choice, inserting a sentence, fill a table, vocabulary, and others. TOEFL reading tips will help in answering these:

Read the instructions minutely

Read every single answer option carefully before answering. For Inserting a Sentence, read the passage and each option provided and decide which option suits best. Decide with logic. In the Reading to Learn question, the candidates are expected to organize the main points of a passage in a summary or chart. Be logical here as well and read all the options completely to understand the correct option. Look for evidence in the passage because every right answer will be supported by evidence in the passage, even if it’s not immediately obvious. In case you are not sure which answer is correct or in case the options are much similar, you can go back and skim the passage for clues.

Also check TOEFL Preparation App

Answer The Easy Questions First

Answer the question that directs to any specific Paragraph or sentence. Answer the question which only asks your vocabulary knowledge. These questions are relatively easy to solve and once you are done with it, you can spend another minute or two on those harder ones. 

Read More

Make sure you go through TOEFL online practice tests, read academic texts or passages from any high-quality reading materials like newspapers, journals, and magazines to strengthen your vocabulary. 

Also Check TOEFL Study Plan

During Exam 

On the day of the test, 

  • Stay confident
  • Rather than getting stuck on one question and wasting time, move to the next question that looks more familiar. 
  • Stay calm and focus only on the reading passage keeping all the distractions and disturbances aside during the exam.

Check out: TOEFL Reading Question Types

TOEFL Preparation Books

The TOEFL reading preparation requires the candidates to follow good TOEFL reading preparation books. TOEFL Reading Online Practice tests are also available on the internet. A few popular TOEFL reading practice books are given below:

  • ETS’s Official Guide to TOEFL-5th Edition - Check PDF
  • Barron’s How to Prepare for TOEFL - Check PDF
  • Cracking the TOEFL iBT-Princeton Review - Check PDF
  • Cambridge Preparation for the TOEFL test – Check PDF
  • Kaplan TOEFL iBT-4th Edition – Check PDF

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.

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