The TOEFL exam is a popular English language proficiency test. Students who wish to study abroad must obtain a satisfactory score on a language proficiency test. However, it is not easy, and thus students look for help from experts.

Are you also planning to take the TOEFL? If yes, you are on the right page. In this article, you will learn about the different strategies to score better, especially in the reading section. They mainly struggle with the TOEFL exam pattern, questions, and time management, particularly in the reading part. So, let's check them out.

X+ Strategies to Improve Your TOEFL Reading Score

Students who are planning to take the TOEFL test need to prepare well, especially for the reading section. While all the sections in a TOEFL exam are important, reading needs more focus. Thus, this article focuses on strategies that can help students improve their reading scores:

Know the Format

Firstly, you must know the TOEFL reading format. This will help you prepare for what to expect from the test. Next, when you know the structure, you get confidence to answer the questions right. So, there are usually 3-4 passages in this section with 700 words in each of them. Next, you have to answer 10 questions per passage within 54-72 minutes. It includes topics like science, arts, social sciences and history.

Types of Questions

Secondly, you must have a clear idea of the types of questions you get in the TOEFL exam, especially the reading section. So, it includes factual information, inference, vocabulary, sentence simplification, reference questions, insert sentence, summary and category organisation. You need to practice more on these question formats to get familiar with them and also learn how to answer them in the right way.

Build Reading Speed

Thirdly, you must work on improving your reading speed. Moreover, you must make sure not to let go of the understanding part while reading fast. This is an important skill as it helps you finish the lengthy passages without any stress. Try to read chunk phrases instead of word by word. Practice skimming and start with 1-2 minutes to get the main idea. Next, you can try focusing on the keywords to answer questions.

Daily Reading Exercises

Fourthly, you must make reading practice papers your daily habit if you want to know the TOEFL exam pattern. Other than that, you can also read academic texts. National Geographic, BBC Future, and Scientific American are a few sources you can focus on to get the idea of TOEFL passages.

Improve Academic Vocabulary

Fifthly, you must focus on the vocabulary. There are questions around this in your reading section that can help you score easily. So, start learning words from actual TOEFL passages. Next, use flashcards for spaced repetition. You must also study academic word lists to learn more and focus on the roots, prefixes and suffixes. These will help you get familiar with new words, learn definitions, make example sentences, know synonyms and form words.

Use Active Reading

Sixthly, you must practice active reading instead of passive reading. When appearing for the TOEFL exam, you must interact with the text and not just scan it. So, highlighting the main idea, identifying the author's tone, marking transition words and identifying factual details are a few ways you can build active reading skills. When you start doing this regularly, you will get familiar with the TOEFL pattern.

Master TOEFL Questions

Seventhly, you must master the TOEFL question types. It is important to know the tricks behind each question type. Moreover, it helps you locate information easily, match keywords and synonyms and remove incorrect options. At the same time, you will learn to apply logic, replace similar words, find meaning in sentences and get the main idea.

Practice Time Management

Eighthly, you must answer 30-40 questions in an hour. So, you must plan your time very well to be able to complete the reading task within the given time. Moreover, you must spend only 1-2 minutes skimming each passage. Next, you have 8-10 minutes to answer the questions. Finally, you get 2-3 minutes at the end to check and revise any answers.

Analyse Wrong Answers

Ninthly, you must check your wrong answers to figure out the mistakes. This is important because it will help you learn from the mistakes and not repeat them. Moreover, it will help you know if you misunderstood the passage, chose wrong answers, misread a keyword, ran out of time or fell for a trick question. These all help you identify your mistake patterns and not repeat them.

Create Real Test Conditions

Tenthly, you must create a real test-like environment while practising, as it will prepare your mind for the main exam. So, sit in a quiet room at a desk with your laptop. You can use noise-cancellation headphones for better focus. While answering, don't take too long gaps between passages. Moreover, make sure to follow the exact TOEFL reading timing for a real-like feel.

Thus, these are a few strategies that can help you score more in the TOEFL reading section. However, if you need help with it, you can always reach out to experts for help.

Conclusion

In conclusion, TOEFL is an important exam for any student who wants to study abroad. Moreover, it is used to test their English language proficiency in all aspects, including reading, writing, speaking and listening. On the other hand, it is not easy to clear this exam without proper preparation. Thus, students must prepare for the test beforehand. It includes understanding TOEFL exam eligibility, meeting the needs, practising the question types and creating a real-life situation. Moreover, this article focuses on a few strategies that can help students, especially with the reading part of the TOEFL. However, if you need more help with it, you can always reach out to online experts. They will be happy to help you.