TOEFL EXAM STUDY GUIDE

What is the TOEFL iBT exam?

It is an extremely difficult exam which measures second language English speakers on their
abilities to use and understand the English language. The test takes about 4 ½ hours to
complete, including a mandatory 10 minute break. This is an internet based test that has a
reading, writing, listening, and speaking component which are sometimes combined.

You will be given the TOEFL exam sometime this year, possibly, as soon as the end of this
month. After the test, you will be given your level, A0, A1, A2, B1, etc. According to your level,
the government will give you training classes in order to improve your score. Within one year
of taking the test and the training classes, you will take the TOEFL again. You will be expected
to have a higher score than your first score.

Reading

 3-5 pages of academic texts

 Approximately 700 words
 Includes multi-focused passages (compare/contrast, cause/effect)
 12-14 questions per passage
 60-100 minutes to complete
 0-30 points

Writing

 Two tasks
 Independent- support an opinion on a topic (20 minutes)
 Integrated- write an essay based on what is heard and read (30 minutes)
 0-5 points (converted to 0-30 scale)

Listening

 4-6 lectures, some with classroom discussion

 Each 3-5 minutes long, 6 questions each
 2-3 conversations
 Each 3 minutes long, 5 questions each
 60-90 minutes to complete
 0-30 points

1
Speaking

 2 independent tasks- express an opinion on a familiar topic

 4 integrated tasks-speak based on what is read and heard
 Up to 30 seconds to prepare the response
 1 minute to respond
 20 minutes
 0-4 points (converted to a 0-30 scale)

Grading System (writing and speaking)

 Content, accuracy, completeness

 Appropriate language and sentence structure
 Responses show that you understood main ideas and their relationships
 Organization
 The reading and listening will be graded on the accuracy in which you answered the
questions
 Total points possible: 0-120

TOEFL scale

Skill Score Range Level

High (22–30)
Intermediate (15–21)
Reading 0–30 Low (0–14)

High (22–30)
Intermediate (15–21)
Listening 0–30 Low (0–14)

Good (26–30)
Fair (18–25)
Limited (10–17)
Speaking 0–30 score scale Weak (0–9)

Good (24–30)
Fair (17–23)
Writing 0–30 score scale Limited (1–16)

Total Score 0–120

All teachers will be expected to be at level A2 and above. The following charts describe the
expectations of your level. The Common European Framework divides learners into three
broad divisions which can be divided into six levels:

2
 A Basic User
A1 Breakthrough or beginner
A2 Waystage or elementary
B Independent User

B1 Threshold or intermediate
B2 Vantage or upper intermediate
C Proficient User

C1 Effective Operational Proficiency or advanced

C2 Mastery or proficiency

level description

Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the
satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and
A1 answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and
things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly
and is prepared to help.

Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate
relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography,
A2 employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange
of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her
background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in
work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area
B1 where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or
of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly
give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

3
 Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including
technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and
B2 spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for
either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint
on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can
express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
C1 Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can
produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of
organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from
different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent
C2
presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating
finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations.

Reading:
The reading will be left on the screen during the entire quiz. You will have a timer on the top,
right hand side of the screen. You have the option to hide it if watching the time makes you
nervous. Read the passage completely first. Identify the thesis and topic sentences throughout
the passage. TAKE NOTES. Then move on to the questions by hitting the “next” button. Read
the questions carefully, they can be tricky. There will be arrows that indicate what paragraph
holds the answer.

How to take worthy information from the reading:

 Identify the thesis statement

 Identify the topic sentences
 Find supporting information and main ideas
 Remember: at least 2 of the answers can almost always be ignored. They discuss a
similar subject but have nothing to do with the question being asked.
 You could be tested on vocabulary, supporting evidence, inferred information, true and
false statements, rewording sentences, summarizing the paragraph, factual information
found in the passage, and sentence placement

Example:

The Creators of Grammar

4
No student of a foreign language needs to be told that grammar is complex. By changing word
sequences and by adding a range of auxiliary verbs and suffixes, we are able to communicate
tiny variations in meaning. We can turn a statement into a question, state whether an action
has taken place or is soon to take place, and perform many other word tricks to convey subtle
differences in meaning. Nor is this complexity inherent to the English language. All languages,
even those of so-called 'primitive' tribes have clever grammatical components. The Cherokee
pronoun system, for example, can distinguish between 'you and I', 'several other people and I'
and 'you, another person and I'. In English, all these meanings are summed up in the one,
crude pronoun 'we'. Grammar is universal and plays a part in every language, no matter how
widespread it is. So the question which has baffled many linguists is - who created grammar?

At first, it would appear that this question is impossible to answer. To find out how grammar is
created, someone needs to be present at the time of a language's creation, documenting its
emergence. Many historical linguists are able to trace modern complex languages back to
earlier languages, but in order to answer the question of how complex languages are actually
formed, the researcher needs to observe how languages are started from scratch. Amazingly,
however, this is possible.

Some of the most recent languages evolved due to the Atlantic slave trade. At that time, slaves
from a number of different ethnicities were forced to work together under colonizer's rule.
Since they had no opportunity to learn each other's languages, they developed a make-shift
language called a pidgin. Pidgins are strings of words copied from the language of the
landowner. They have little in the way of grammar, and in many cases it is difficult for a listener
to deduce when an event happened, and who did what to whom. [A] Speakers need to use
circumlocution in order to make their meaning understood. [B] Interestingly, however, all it
takes for a pidgin to become a complex language is for a group of children to be exposed to it at
the time when they learn their mother tongue. [C] Slave children did not simply copy the
strings of words uttered by their elders, they adapted their words to create a new, expressive
language. [D] Complex grammar systems which emerge from pidgins are termed creoles, and
they are invented by children.

Further evidence of this can be seen in studying sign languages for the deaf. Sign languages are
not simply a series of gestures; they utilize the same grammatical machinery that is found in
spoken languages. Moreover, there are many different languages used worldwide. The
creation of one such language was documented quite recently in Nicaragua. Previously, all deaf
people were isolated from each other, but in 1979 a new government introduced schools for
the deaf. Although children were taught speech and lip reading in the classroom, in the
playgrounds they began to invent their own sign system, using the gestures that they used at
home. It was basically a pidgin. Each child used the signs differently, and there was no

5
consistent grammar. However, children who joined the school later, when this inventive sign
system was already around, developed a quite different sign language. Although it was based
on the signs of the older children, the younger children's language was more fluid and compact,
and it utilized a large range of grammatical devices to clarify meaning. What is more, all the
children used the signs in the same way. A new creole was born.

Some linguists believe that many of the world's most established languages were creoles at
first. The English past tense –ed ending may have evolved from the verb 'do'. 'It ended' may
once have been 'It end-did'. Therefore it would appear that even the most widespread
languages were partly created by children. Children appear to have innate grammatical
machinery in their brains, which springs to life when they are first trying to make sense of the
world around them. Their minds can serve to create logical, complex structures, even when
there is no grammar present for them to copy.

Reading Questions

1. In paragraph 1, why does the writer include information about the Cherokee language?

A To show how simple, traditional cultures can have complicated grammar structures

B To show how English grammar differs from Cherokee grammar

C To prove that complex grammar structures were invented by the Cherokees.

D To demonstrate how difficult it is to learn the Cherokee language

2. What can be inferred about the slaves' pidgin language?

A It contained complex grammar.

B It was based on many different languages.

C It was difficult to understand, even among slaves.

D It was created by the land-owners.

3. All the following sentences about Nicaraguan sign language are true EXCEPT:

A The language has been created since 1979.

B The language is based on speech and lip reading.

6
 C The language incorporates signs which children used at home.

D The language was perfected by younger children.

4. In paragraph 3, where can the following sentence be placed?

It included standardised word orders and grammatical markers that existed in neither the
pidgin language, nor the language of the colonizers.

5. 'From scratch' in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to:

A from the very beginning

B in simple cultures

C by copying something else

D by using written information

6. 'Make-shift' in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to:

A complicated and expressive

B simple and temporary

C extensive and diverse

D private and personal

7. Which sentence is closest in meaning to the highlighted sentence?

7
Grammar is universal and plays a part in every language, no matter how widespread it is.

A All languages, whether they are spoken by a few people or a lot of people, contain
grammar.

B Some languages include a lot of grammar, whereas other languages contain a little.

C Languages which contain a lot of grammar are more common that languages that
contain a little.

D The grammar of all languages is the same, no matter where the languages evolved.

8. All of the following are features of the new Nicaraguan sign language EXCEPT:

A All children used the same gestures to show meaning.

B The meaning was clearer than the previous sign language.

C The hand movements were smoother and smaller.

D New gestures were created for everyday objects and activities.

9. Which idea is presented in the final paragraph?

A English was probably once a creole.

B The English past tense system is inaccurate.

C Linguists have proven that English was created by children.

D Children say English past tenses differently from adults.

10. Look at the word 'consistent' in paragraph 4. This word could best be replaced by which of
the following?

A natural

B predictable

C imaginable

8
 D uniform

11-14. Which THREE ideas best sum up the main ideas of the passage?

A Some children are better at grammar than others.

B Children have the mental capacity to create complex languages.

C Children are better at learning grammar than adults.

D Children prefer to invent their own grammar rules than to copy existing rules.

E Children do not only learn grammar by copying other people.

F All creole languages were perfected by children.

Answers:

1. A
2. C
3. B
4. C
5. A
6. B
7. A
8. D
9. A
10. D
11. -14. B,E,F

Study tips:

 READ! Read as much as you can; newspapers, books, magazines, scholarly articles,
anything in English. Utilize the reading packets that are in the binder. They are very
similar to the readings you will find on the TOEFL exam.
 Look for TOEFL iBT study guides online.
 Strengthen your vocabulary. Keep a notebook where you can write any new words you
hear or words that you don’t know and study them.
 Keep a journal. Writing about your daily life will greatly improve your vocabulary

Writing:
Independent- You will be given a simple question that will ask you to take a side

9
Integrated- You will be given a reading passage and you will have 3 minutes to read it and take
notes. You will have a timer on the top, right hand side of the screen. You have the option to
hide it if watching the time makes you nervous. Read the passage completely first. Identify the
thesis and topic sentences throughout the passage. TAKE NOTES on the left hand side of your
paper. Try to make sure you understand it well before the three minutes are up, but don’t
worry too much; you will be able to refer back to it while you are writing.

Next, you will be given a short lecture. You will only be allowed to hear it once so be sure to
take detailed notes on the right hand side of your paper.

Between the reading notes and the lecture notes, compare or contrast (depending on the
content) the information that was given to you. For example:

READING SIMILARITIES/DIFFERENCES LISTENING

Once you have read the passage, listened to the lecture, and made comparisons of the two
activities you need to write a short summary about the points made and the relationship
between the lecture and the reading. You only need to explain what was said and how they
support or oppose one another in 150-300 words or more. DO NOT EXPRESS YOUR OPINION!
You will have 20 minutes to plan and write your summary. You should not finish early.

 Write a thesis statement

 Write 3 topic sentences (3 paragraphs, 1 explaining the reading, 1 explaining the
writing, and 1 explaining how the 2 work together or against each other)
 Provide supporting information for each topic sentence (3-5 sentences)
 Write a conclusion

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement is one sentence at the beginning of your essay that should be no more than
50 words in length. You should explain what you are going to talk about, giving the main idea
of the essay, and using concise and descriptive words that give readers and idea of what they
will be reading about in the following paragraphs. The rest of the essay should support your
thesis statement.

Integrated- Summarize ALL of the information that you read and heard.

Independent- Take a side and state a claim without directly stating your personal opinion. Use
words like the best, the worst, many people say, most people believe, etc.

Bad example: iPods are devices that transport and play music.

10
Good example: iPods are the best source for transporting and playing music not only because
they are compact and user-friendly but also because they store large amounts of music.

Once you finish writing your thesis statement, ask yourself “so what?,” or “who cares?” Are
you interested? Would you read the rest of this essay?

What is a topic sentence?

A topic sentence states the main idea of individual body paragraphs and directly relate to the
thesis statement. Topic sentences provide support for your argument and direction for your
reader.

Integrated- You should have three topic sentences. The first topic sentence should discuss the
reading, the second should discuss the listening, and the last topic sentence should describe
how the two correlate.

Independent- The topic sentences should be the reasons you have taken a specific side. For
example: Fruits and vegetables provide people with a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Eating
fruits and vegetables are good for your body and mind because they provide vitamins and
minerals that your body need, they can help aid in healing illnesses, and they aide in the
digestion of meats and proteins.

What is the body of an essay?

The body of the essay should be one to three paragraphs in length that include a topic sentence
and supporting information. One paragraph should have approximately 5 to 7 sentences
supporting the topic sentences. Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence and be
followed by supporting information.

Integrated essay- Here, you must give support to the topic sentences. This should be facts,
examples, statistics, or other information provided in the reading passage or the listening
exercises. In the third paragraph, you should give facts, examples, statistics, or other
information that proves that they support or contrast with one another.

Independent essay- This is where you support your claim or opinion that you have stated in
your thesis statement. This is where you give facts, personal examples, and reasons for why
you believe what you believe. This may be from one to three paragraphs in length.

What is supporting information?

Supporting information is basic information, facts, and examples that explain the topic
sentence. Supporting information is found in the body of the summary. For example, oranges

11
have a lot of vitamin C which is rumored to fend off the common cold. Whenever I am ill, I eat
a lot of oranges in order to feel better, sooner.

What is a conclusion?

A conclusion is very similar to the introduction and the thesis statement. Your conclusion is
your chance to have the last word on the subject but not to provide any additional information.
The conclusion allows you to have the final say on the issues you have raised in your paper, to
summarize your thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your
reader to a new view of the subject. It is also your opportunity to make a good final impression
and to end on a positive note. Do not add any new information in the conclusion.

Outlines:

Before you start writing your essay, integrated or independent, you should make a quick outline
that states the main ideas of the essay. You should write your thesis statement and two to
three topic sentences that support the thesis. After each topic sentence, you should write
three to four sentences that support your topic sentence. This is the body of your essay.

Example of an outline:

Thesis Statement

T T T
O O O
examples examples examples
P P P
I I I
C C C

S S S
E facts E facts E facts
N N N
T T T
E E E
N information N information N information
C C C
E E E

Conclusion

12
Thesis- Fruits and vegetables provide people with a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Topic sentence- Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals that your body
needs.

Supporting sentence- Oranges have a lot of vitamin C.

Supporting sentence- Vegetables help keep skin healthy.

Supporting sentence- Apples are known to give people energy.

Topic sentence- They can help aid in healing illnesses

Supporting sentence- It is said that oranges and vitamin C help cure the common
cold.

Supporting sentence- When I was a child, my mother always gave me oranges

when I had a cold. It always made me feel better.

Topic sentences- Fruits and vegetables help in the digestion of meats and proteins

Supporting sentence- I have a lot of problems with digestion.

Supporting sentence- I have learned that eating certain fruits and vegetables like
dragon fruit and broccoli help me feel better.

Conclusion- As you can see from the information stated above, there is no argument as to
whether fruits and vegetables are good for your health. The facts show that they keep your
body healthy and happy.

Integrated Writing Example:

Reading:

In a vote that took place at the International Astronomical Union Conference on August 24th,
2006, Pluto lost its status as a planet in our solar system. Pluto was originally discovered in 1930
when scientists were searching for something that was interfering with Uranus's orbit. Though
Pluto was estimated to be similar in size to Earth, it was later discovered that it was even
smaller than our own moon, as well as many other moons. It is now known that there are
thousands of planetary objects similar to Pluto, including Eris which is slightly larger than Pluto.
Choosing to reclassify Pluto to a dwarf planet honors the fact that science is about making new
discoveries. While it was a sad day for Pluto lovers, people in general have accepted the idea,
and the next generation of children will grow up knowing only eight planets and thinking
nothing of it. As Mike Brown, the astronomer who discovered Eris, noted following the IUC's
decision, "science is self-correcting."

13
Transcript of lecture:

As you all likely know by now, Pluto has been officially demoted to a dwarf planet. What this
means is that we will no longer include it as part of our solar system. The debate about whether
or not Pluto should hold its status as a planet created such a conflict within the community of
world astronomers that it has been called the Great Pluto War. The decision on whether or not
to demote Pluto was put to a final vote by astronomers from around the world at the
International Astronomical Union Conference. However, when I say from around the world, I
don't mean worldwide. In fact, less than 10% of the world's astronomers voted, and most of
those who were at the conference had already gone home by the last day when the vote took
place. Of more than 10 000 potential voters, less than 500 took part, mainly because there was
no way for them to cast their vote without actually being at the conference. Many astronomers
believe that if electronic voting had been an option, Pluto along with two other celestial
objects, would now be considered planets. Furthermore, the definition that was decided upon
for a planet - that it must clear the neighborhood around its orbit - doesn't technically hold up,
since Earth, Mars, Neptune, and Jupiter all have asteroids as neighbors.

The IUC decision disappointed many people outside the astronomy community too. You see,
there are more than a few Pluto lovers out there. Some were so angry at the resolution that
they began putting petitions together to have the ruling overturned. In New Mexico, where
Pluto's discoverer was a resident, state officials have declared March 13th, Pluto Planet Day.
Children in particular have a thing with Pluto and are perhaps the least willing to part with it.
The name for the now dwarf planet was put to a vote in 1930. And incidentally, Pluto, which
was chosen unanimously by a group at the observatory where it was discovered, had been
submitted by a young schoolgirl.

Essay Example 1:

Pluto lost its status as a planet in our solar system at the International Astronomical Union
Conference in 2006. The decision has been wrapped in controversy ever since.

The reading suggests that the decision was generally accepted and was based on the new
scientific information that has been learned since Pluto's original discovery. However, the
lecture refutes this idea, suggesting that the astronomy community was not fairly represented
in the vote to demote Pluto to dwarf status, and that many people disagree with the decision.

According to the reading, Pluto was demoted due to its size. However, the professor points out
that the reason Pluto was demoted was because it doesn't fit the new definition of a planet.
According to the new definition, a planet must clear the neighborhood around its orbit. While
Pluto does not, neither do other planets including Earth. Technically speaking, many planets
have asteroids as neighbors, therefore, they do not clear their orbit.

Finally, the reading implies that people will soon forget that Pluto was ever a planet. In

14
contrast, the professor talks of petitions and special ways that citizens are honoring the beloved
planet Pluto. While the reading notes that children will not know any differently when they
grow up without Pluto in their solar system, the professor claims that the lost planet will always
have a place in children's hearts as it did from the very beginning.

Example of Integrated Essay:

The reading argues against buying organic food while the lecture supports buying organic
produce.

Essay 1:

First, the reading professor says that organic food is too expensive. For example, organic
strawberries are 50% more expensive than regular ones. She concludes saying you can't feed a
family buying organic. It costs too much. However, the lecture professor says organic
strawberries are expensive because they do not have chemicals like pesticides that cause
cancer. Buying organic, therefore, is an investment in your health.

Next, the reading professor says that organic food is not easy to buy. She says she has to drive a
long way just to buy organic rice. It is easier to buy non organic rice at a local store and save
time. In contrast, the lecture says you can buy organic food at local stores, such as Wal-Mart.
This makes buying organic convenient.

Finally, the reading professor talks about organic milk. Her family can't taste the difference
between organic and non organic milk, so why but organic? The lecture refutes this by saying
taste is not the issue. The issue is your health. For example, non organic milk has lots of
chemicals like rBGH, a dangerous growth hormone connected to breast cancer. Therefore, you
should not buy non organic milk.

All in all, the lecture is against buying expensive organic food while the reading supports organic
food.

Independent writing question example:

How to movies and television influence people’s behavior? Use reasons and specific examples
to support your answer.

Examples of Independent Essays:

Neighbors are the people who live near us. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a good
neighbor?

Essay 1:

15
From the very beginning of the development of the society people live in small groups. This
helps them to face any problem easier.

In my opinion a neighbor must be first and foremost a good friend, secondly a person with good
manners and finally a sober-minded one. I will prove the importance of these qualities one by
one so you could understand my position.

The importance of a neighbor to be also a good friend can be proved by the following example.
This week, one of my neighbors was hit by a car. When this happend I was staying at the
balchony with my father, so we rushed out of the house and took our neighbor to the hospital.
If we came ten minutes later she would had died. That's why I think a neighbor must be a good
friend that would always help you.

If you have a neighbor with good manners, being neighbors becomes a pleasure for both of
you. A day begins batter if you get a "Good morning" from a smiling and nice person.

And finally, if your neighbor is a wise person you can always get a good advice from him; he can
always help you with to solve some difficult problem.

In conclusion, a neighbor must be an example of a man from a developed society, because only
then he can represent all the qualities mentioned above.

Essay 2:

Neighbors are part of our daily lives. They are part of the process of socialization. Socialization
is the process in which we interact with other people. In our lives we are always trying to look
for a good area to live, a nice house, and most important of all good neighbors. this will
influence in the decision of either moving to the area, or star looking for another area. In my
opinion a good neighbor will be those who are respectful, friendly, and helpful.

The first quality that good neighbors should have is to be respectful. respect is the most
important aspect of being good neighbor. Neighbors should respect your space and privacy in
order to live in a peacful environment. Being a respectful neighbor means not invading your
personal space as well as your property. Another example will be to maintain a quiet
environment not allowing loud music, or noise that will bother others. Respect to one another
is the most important quality that a neighbor should have in order to live in harmony.

Another quality of a good neighbor is that it shoud be friendly. All people should be friendly
to one another, but this quality is most important when it comes to neighbors. Neighbors are
close to you, to your home, property and most important to your family. You might not see
them every day, but they live next to you all the time. These are the reasons why they should
be friendly. One of the ways to be frienly is by showing they care about you, and they should
welcome you to their neihgborhood. Friendly neighbors make a good and united society.

16
 The last quality of good neighbor is that it should be helpful. Neighbors as well as everyone
should be helpful to one another. Helpfulness is a characteristic that everyone should have. A
helpful neighbor is that, that in the times of need is there for you. For example, if a person is in
a situation where he/she need a moral support for the lost a loving family member, the
neighbor should give this person all the support he/she might need and encourage he/she that
they can count on them no matter what.

Overall good neighbors are those whom are respectful in every way. Friendly, that every
time you see them they greet you with a good smile. And good neighbors are those whom are
helpful when ever you need a supporting hand.

Essay 3:

Neighbours are the people who live closest to us, so close that their maybe only a cemented
wall separating their abodes.Therefore, i believe that a person has many responsibilities
towards his neighbours. in my opinion the qualities of a good neighbour are, that he should be
helpful, friendly understanding and trustworthy,

I would like to quote a personal example here. this incident just happened last year when a
couple of my relatives came with arms to threaten my father.Me and my mother were on the
door and screaming our lungs out at them. Hearing our voices my neighbour, a very pious lady,
came to our house with her guards and sons. She helped us to get our relatives reported to the
police and thats not it she walked beside my family in every trial concerning this issue. Now
that truly is a quality of a good neighbour! she turned better then our relatives also, a helpful
and faithful friend, indeed.

Another quality of a good neighbour is to be trustworthy. A neighbour always has some

knowledge about what is going on in the four boundaries of a house. This is because he lives so
close to you, he can hear voice, see your appearences, observe who comes to your house and
who goes; at what time. Basically, a neighbour can gossip about half of the things happening in
your klife. that is where the quality of a good neighbour comes in. A good neighbiur should be
tryustworthy and sensible enough to not leak out one's family secrets.

I believe that neighbours are very close people and being a good neighbour is a duty that
everyone should fulfil. iIt higlights the basic concept of give and take. As a neighbour is the
nearest person to one in the darkest hour of the night also,therefore one should always be a
good neighbour so that he is also treated in the same manner when he is need.

Examples of bad essays:

Is playing games important for adults? Use specific details and examples in your answer.

Essay 1:

17
Now a days people are facing a lot of health problems. This is most oftenly found among the
adults aged above 23 to 40. This is because of lack of physical excersice as the improvement of
technology has acqired most of the laborious works from our work place. As a result most of
the people dont have enough physical movement as they for a healthy life style. one of the
way to overcome this limitation is to do regular exercise of body. But for a working people it is
difficult to chose which excercise he needs for a complete health life style. As different
tradtional excercises are meant for different organs of body. But the right way to over come
this is to play games like football,hockey etc. Basically these games cause movement of every
parts of a body and thus keeps a balance of different requirements.More over playing games
causes sweating which is very necessary for the biological balnce of the body.By this way
people can avioid very common diseases like heart-attck, diabetics etc. so It can be concluded
that playing games is important for human beings more specially for adults not only to maintain
a healthy life style but also for biological balance.

Essay 2:

I don't agree that playing game is very important for adults. Playing game is just a habit of
teens. I think that the most important thing for adults is working. Adults need to earn money or
do other things to support the future or present family. For example, women need to teach a
children in a family, or men need to earn money to suppport the expenses of the family.
Otherwise, playing game may be just a way to relexe yourself. Therefore, I don't think playing
game is really good for adults. It may be a great influence of adults if adults feel playing game is
very important.

Essay 3:

I thnink that it is very important for adults to play games. It is very interesting for men after a
hard day of working to have somethink soft for his mind, to change him from all the duties and
the obligations of a morning running after the minutes.

Tips on writing an essay:

 Press tab or space two times to make an indentation at the beginning of your
paragraph. Be sure to do that every time you start a new paragraph.
 Capitalize the first letter of every sentence.
 After a period, press the space bar two times before you start your next sentence.
 Only capitalize proper nouns, e.g.; peoples’ names, place names (countries, cities,
oceans, rivers, lakes, mountains, parks, buildings, stores, schools), months, days of the
week, holidays, religions, historical periods and events, and styles of art and
architecture.
 Check your spelling.
 When changing new ideas or themes, start a new paragraph.

18
  Use a simple grammar structure that you are comfortable with.
 Use transitional words and phrases.
 Make sure that you stay focused, that your essay flows, and you do not stray from the
topic.
 DO NOT use informal English; can’t, won’t, don’t, shouldn’t. You should write the words
out completely.
 DO NOT use words or phrases that state your opinion such as “I think” or “In my
opinion,” instead use more general terms like “most people believe” or “while iPods are
small and easy to use, they are often lost because of their size.”
 DO NOT write in all capital letters
 DO NOT use bullet points

Transitional words and phrases

Agree/Disagree:
I entirely agree, I agree with, I differ from, I disagree with
Addition:
also, again, as well as, besides, coupled with, furthermore, in addition, likewise, moreover,
similarly
When there is a trusting relationship coupled with positive reinforcement, the partners will be able to
overcome difficult situations.
Beginning:
first of all, I would like to say/state, to begin with, in the first line of the paragraph
Consequence:
accordingly, as a result, consequently, for this reason, for this purpose, hence, otherwise, so
then, subsequently, therefore, thus, thereupon, wherefore
Highway traffic came to a stop as a result of an accident that morning.
Contrast and Comparison:
contrast, by the same token, conversely, instead, likewise, on one hand, on the other hand, on
the contrary, rather, similarly, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, in contrast
The children were very happy. On the other hand, and perhaps more importantly, their parents were very
proactive in providing good care.
Direction:
here, there, over there, beyond, nearly, opposite, under, above, to the left, to the right, in the
distance
She scanned the horizon for any sign though in the distance she could not see the surprise coming her way.
Diversion:
by the way, incidentally
He stumbled upon the nesting pair incidentally found only on this hill.
Emphasis
above all, chiefly, with attention to, especially, particularly, singularly, I would like to lay
emphasis on the fact that, I just wanted to point out that
The Quakers gathered each month with attention to deciding the business of their Meeting.

19
Exception:
aside from, barring, beside, except, excepting, excluding, exclusive of, other than, outside of,
save
Consensus was arrived at by all of the members exclusive of those who could not vote.
Exemplifying:
chiefly, especially, for instance, in particular, markedly, namely,
particularly, including, specifically, such as
Some friends and I drove up the beautiful coast chiefly to avoid the heat island of the city.
Generalizing:
as a rule, as usual, for the most part, generally, generally speaking, ordinarily, usually
There were a few very talented artists in the class, but for the most part the students only wanted to avoid
the alternative course.
Honesty:
To be frank, Frankly, To say the truth, Honestly
Illustration:
for example, for instance, for one thing, as an illustration,
illustrated with, as an example, in this case
The chapter provided complex sequences and examples illustrated with a very simple schematic diagram.
Similarity:
comparatively, coupled with, correspondingly, identically, likewise, similar, moreover, together
with
The research was presented in a very dry style though was coupled with examples that made the audience
tear up.
Restatement:
in essence, in other words, namely, that is, that is to say, in short, in brief, to put it differently,
to a certain degree/extent, let me put it this way, in this respect
In their advertising business, saying things directly was not the rule. That is to say, they tried to convey the
message subtly though with creativity.
Sequence:
at first, first of all, to begin with, in the first place, at the same time,
for now, for the time being, the next step, in time, in turn, later on,
meanwhile, next, then, soon, the meantime, later, while, earlier,
simultaneously, afterward, in conclusion, with this in mind,
The music had a very retro sound but at the same time incorporated a complex modern rhythm.
Summarizing:
after all, all in all, all things considered, briefly, by and large, in any case, in any event,
in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the final analysis,
in the long run, on balance, to sum up, to summarize, finally
She didn't seem willing to sell the car this week, but in any case I don't get paid until the end of the month.

Study Tips:

20
  READ! Read as much as you can; newspapers, books, magazines, scholarly articles,
anything in English. Utilize the reading packets that are in the binder. They are very
similar to the readings you will find on the TOEFL exam.
 Look for TOEFL iBT study guides online.
 Strengthen your vocabulary. Keep a notebook where you can write any new words you
hear or words that you don’t know and study them.
 Keep a journal. Writing about your daily life will greatly improve your vocabulary
 Do listening exercises. Utilize the listening packets that are in the binder. They are very
similar to the lectures that you will find on the TOEFL exam.
 Do the daily writing exercises that will be assigned on the board in the teachers’ lounge.

Listening:
You will hear academic lectures or conversations between two people. Again, you will have a
timer in the upper right hand corner and you may hide the time if it makes you nervous. You
may take notes while you listen. You will hear each lecture only one time, so be sure to take
notes and pay close attention. After each exercise, you will be given questions. Most questions
asked will be based on the main ideas and supporting details. Sometimes, you will be asked
about attitudes, statements, or implications. Sometimes the questions will be written, other
times, you will only hear the questions. You will see a picture or slides while the conversation
plays. Be sure to manage your time properly. You may have more than one listening exercise
for the time allotted.

How to take worthy information from the lectures:

 Listen for main ideas

 Identify supporting details
 Listen for transitional words and phrases which signal new ideas
 You could be tested on supporting evidence, general information, inferred information,
factual information

Examples of listening exercises:

I once had a friend that was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the news that he might only
live up to six months was a great shock to him, his family, and his friends. However, in spite
of the dire prognosis, he was initially determined to look into all available treatments that
might cure or extend his life. I think that when you find yourself in such situations, you tend to
look up every possible avenue for hope of preserving your life.

As the months progressed and his health grew worse, I noticed an unexpected change in
attitude that came over him. He had also been a jovial person with an upbeat personality, but

21
rather (than) give in to discouragement and self-pity, he took comfort his faith in God and
humanity. His conversations focused on others rather than himself, and he spoke of the
afterlife as something he was prepared for, believing that his deceased ancestors, including his
mother and father, were there waiting for him.

During the last few months, weeks, and days of his life, he was kindly cared for by family,
friends, his loving wife, who looked after both his physical and emotional needs, and workers
from a local hospice came to the home to help regulate his medication and provide any other
needed support. He didn't complain about his fate, and he willingly allowed others to serve
him, realizing they were the benefactors of something more.

Indeed, one might ponder why God allows death and suffering in our world, but for me, such
experiences taught me to value family more and kindness for others. You often can't learn
these important attributes in the lap of luxury, and perhaps, such an experience is the greatest
and final gift the terminally ill can give those left behind.

1. Which word best describes the man's initial reaction right after he found out that he had
been diagnosed with cancer?

A. shock

B. anger

C. self-pity

2. What did the man do after he first learned of his illness?

A. He underwent immediate surgery.

B. He retired from his job.

C. He researched cancer treatments.

3. After several months with the disease, what was the man's main source of consolation?

A. his family and friends

B. his belief in God

C. his doctors' encouragement

4. Who was mainly responsible for checking on and adjusting the man's medications in the
home?

22
 A. relatives

B. his wife

C. a hospice

5. According to the story, what can we learn from such difficult and emotional experiences?

A. All people will face death, and thus, we must prepare for it spiritually.

B. Our characters can be strengthened by such adversity.

C. Families provide the best support system during such a crisis.

Answers:

1. A
2. C
3. B
4. C
5. B

Study Tips:

 Utilize the listening packet in the binder, they are very similar to these lectures.
 Use websites like TED.com, npr.com, bbc.co.uk, voanews.com/learningenglish, RSA
animate videos, esl-lab.com.
 Listen to academic lectures and write 5-10 questions on the lecture and answer them.
 Look for the TOEFL iBT study guides online.

Speaking:

The speaking section is very similar to the writing section of the exam. There are three main
parts to the exam, integrated and independent. For the integrated section of the exam, you
will be given a reading passage and you must listen to an academic lecture. You will be asked a
question about what you read and heard. You will need to combine appropriate information
from the text and the talk and provide a complete answer. For the independent section of the
exam, you will be asked to respond to a specific subject or theme. There is also a listening
section. You will listen to an academic lecture or a conversation between two people. You
must answer a question based on what you have heard. Listen carefully, the directions will not
be written on the screen. You make take notes. You will have 15-60 seconds to prepare your

23
response to the question. Again, there will be a timer in the upper, right-hand corner of the
screen and you may hide it if it makes you nervous. After each listening exercise you will be
given a question. Most questions asked will be based on the main ideas and supporting details.
Sometimes, you will be asked about attitudes, statements, or implications. You will only get to
listen to each listening exercise one time. You will be tested on your ability to speak clearly and
coherently about the topics presented.

How to take worthy information from the lectures:

 Listen for main ideas.

 Identify supporting details.
 Be sure you understand the question being asked.
 Listen for transitional words and phrases which signal new ideas.

Study tips:

 Talk!
 Look for the TOEFL iBT study guides online.

24