10 Tips for the TOEFL Essay

1) Read the statement carefully and make sure you understand it. Always decide on
what you are going to write before you start. Make a list of your main points.

2) It should be easy to identify the introduction, development and conclusion. Each

section should have at least one separate paragraph.

3) Type or write in a clear, large script.

4) Address the entire question or statement, not just part of it.

5) Learn the rules of English punctuation and use them. Each sentence should start with a
capital letter and end with a period, question mark or exclamation point.

6) Write short, simple complete sentences. This style sounds strong in English
.
7) Do not begin sentences with the conjunctions and, or, but or with because.

8) Make sure that each sentence has a clearly identifiable main subject and main verb
and that they agree in number and tense.

9) Use a variety of sentence structures; at least one question, passive voice sentence,
conditional sentence, complex sentence, etc.

10) Use specific examples or reasons to support your ideas. Stories or examples from your
personal life are best. Remember, no one is checking up to see if these stories are true.

Quiz:

Choose the best answer for each of the following questions. There is only one correct
answer choice for each. You will need to write down your answers for this quiz; it is NOT
a computer test.

Have fun!

1. ______ not very healthy.

A Eaten cookies is

B Eating cookies are

C Eating cookies which are

D Eating cookies is
2. Your job is ______ your TOEFL score.

A working hard and raising

B which works hard and raising

C worked hard and raised

D to work hard and raise

3. The population of the US is ______.

A greater than Canada

B more than the population Canada

C greater than that of Canada

D greater than Canada's one

4. You make ______.

A me happily

B me happy

C happy me

D me to happy

5. Mother Theresa dedicated ______ the poor.

A her life and helped

B her life to helping

C her help and life

D to help

6. The guy ______ my brother.

A you saw was

B that saw

C who saw
D that saw you

7. You are the first person ______ I am funny.A to tell me

B telling me that

C who telling me

D that tells me to be

8. ______ pretty funny.

A You said

B You said that

C What you said was

D The thing

9. ______ a new student.

A The room came

B The room came into

C Into the room came

D Came into the room

10. Robin Hood stole from ______ poor.

A rich and gave

B the rich and gave to the

C the rich and giving

D rich and the

Importance of punctuation mark:

1. End your sentences with a period (full stop), question mark, or exclamation point
(exclamation mark or shout mark).
 o Use the period (full stop) to denote a full stop at the end of a statement.
The period ( . ) is one of the most commonly used punctuation marks.
 The accessibility of the computer has increased tremendously over
the past several years.
o The question mark ( ? ), used at the end of a sentence, suggests an
interrogatory remark or inquiry.
 What has humanity done about the growing concern of global
warming?
o The exclamation point (exclamation mark, shout mark)( ! ) suggests
excitement or emphasis in a sentence.
 I can't believe how difficult the exam was!
2. Use the semicolon and colon properly.
o The semicolon ( ; ) has a few uses.
 Use a semicolon to separate two related but independent
clauses. Note that, if the two clauses are very wordy or complex, it
is better to use a period instead.
 People continue to worry about the future; our failure to
conserve resources has put the world at risk.
 Use a semicolon to separate a complex series of items, especially
those that contain commas.
 I went to the show with Jake, my close friend; his friend,
Jane; and her best friend, Jenna.
o The colon ( : ) has multiple uses.
 Use the colon to introduce a list. Be careful not to use a colon
when denoting a regular series. Usually, the word following
suggests the use of a colon. Use only after a full sentence which
ends in a noun.
 The professor has given me three options: to retake the
exam, to accept the extra credit assignment, or to fail the
class.
 INCORRECT - The Easter basket contained: Easter eggs,
chocolate rabbits, and other candy.
3. Understand the differences between a hyphen and a dash.
o The hyphen ( - ) was once a common punctuation mark on typewriters,
when a long word might have been split between two lines. The hyphen is
still used in a number of other areas:
 Use a hyphen when adding a prefix to some words. The purpose
of this hyphen is to make the word easier to read. If you were to
leave the hyphen out of a word like re-examine, it would be
reexamine, which would be harder to read. Understand that some
words do not require a hyphen to separate the prefix from the
word, such as restate, pretest, and undo. Let a dictionary be your
guide for when to use the hyphen after a prefix.

When you use a hyphen, the two words have to rely on each other.
Example: re-arrange.

 Cara is his ex-girlfriend.

  Use hyphens when creating compound words from separate
words.
 The up-to-date newspaper reporters were quick to jump on
the latest scandal.
 Use a hyphen when writing numbers out as words. Separate the
two words of any number under one hundred with a hyphen.
 There are fifty-two playing cards in a deck. ("The amount is
one hundred and eighty" is a common error in US English,
where the "and" is usually omitted. Elsewhere in the
English-speaking world, however, the "and" is usually
included.)
 Be careful with spelling out numbers above one
hundred—if the number is used as an adjective, it is
completely hyphenated, since all compound
adjectives are hyphenated (I have one-hundred
tapes). Otherwise, a hyphen should only occur if a
number greater than 100 occurs within the larger
number, e.g., He lived to be one hundred twenty-
one.
o The dash ( -- or — ) should be used when making a brief interruption
within a statement, a sudden change of thought, an additional comment, or
a dramatic qualification. It can also be used to add a parenthetical
statement, such as for further clarification, but should still be relevant to
the sentence. Otherwise, use parentheses. Keep in mind that the rest of the
sentence should still flow naturally. Try to remove the statement within the
dash from the sentence; if the sentence appears disjointed or does not
make sense, then you may need to revise. There should be spaces before
and after the dash in British English.
 An introductory clause is a brief phrase that comes—yes, you
guessed it—at the beginning of a sentence.
 This is the end of our sentence—or so we thought.
4. Use the double quotation mark and single quotation mark/apostrophe for different
purposes.
o The double quotation ( " ) encloses a direct quotation, whether made by a
person or taken from a piece of literature.
 "I can't wait to see him perform!" John exclaimed.
 According to the article, the value of the dollar in developing
nations is "strongly influenced by its aesthetic value, rather than
its face value."
o The single quotation mark or apostrophe ( ' ) has a variety of uses.
 Use the apostrophe together with the letter s to indicate
possession. Be aware of the difference in using an apostrophe with
singular or plural nouns. A singular noun will use 's, whereas the
plural version of that singular noun will use s'. Also, be mindful of
nouns that are always considered to be plural, such as children and
people — here, you should use 's. Be aware of pronouns that are
already possessive and do not require apostrophes, such as hers
and its (it's is used only for the contractions of it is and it has).
 Their is possessive without apostrophe or s, except as a predicate
adjective, where it becomes theirs.
 The hamster's water tube needs to be refilled.
 A singular noun with possession.
 In the pet store, the hamsters' bedding needed to be
changed.
 A pluralized singular noun with possession.
 These children's test scores are the highest in the nation.
 A plural noun with possession.
 Use the apostrophe to combine two words to make a contraction.
For example, cannot becomes can't, you are becomes you're, and
they have becomes they've.
 Use the single quotation mark within a regular quotation to
indicate a quotation within a quotation.
 Ali said, "Anna told me, 'I wasn't sure if you wanted to
come!'"
 Note that an apostrophe is not used with 's' to make a plural noun
from a singular. This is a very common mistake and should be
avoided.
 CORRECT - apple → apples
 INCORRECT - apple → apple's
5. Indicate a break or pause within a sentence with the comma ( , ). This is another
commonly used punctuation mark. There are several instances where you might
use a comma:
o Use the comma when denoting an appositive, or a break within a sentence
that supplements and adds information to the subject.
 Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, is the developer of the operating
system known as Windows.
o Use the comma when denoting a series. This is a set of three or more
"list" items within a sentence. To save space in newspapers, some writers
may omit the last comma.
 The fruit basket contained apples, bananas, and oranges.
 The computer store was filled with video games, computer
hardware and other electronic paraphernalia.
o Use a comma if your subject has two or more adjectives describing it.
This is somewhat similar to a series, except that it is incorrect to place a
comma after the final adjective.
 CORRECT - The powerful, resonating sound caught our
attention.
 INCORRECT - The powerful, resonating, sound caught our
attention.
o Use a comma when referring to a city and state. It is also necessary to use
a comma to separate the city and state from the rest of the sentence.
 I am originally from Freehold, NJ.
 Los Angeles, CA, is one of the largest cities in the United States.
o Use a comma to separate an introductory phrase (which is usually one
or more prepositional phrases) from the rest of the sentence. An
introductory phrase briefly introduces the sentence, but is not part of the
 sentence's subject or predicate, and it therefore should be separated from
the main clause by a comma.
 After the show, John and I went out to dinner.
 On the back of my couch, my cat's claws have slowly been carving
a large hole.
o Use the comma to separate two independent clauses. Having two
independent clauses in a sentence simply means that you can split the
sentence into two. If your sentence contains two independent clauses that
are separated by a conjunction (such as and, as, but, for, nor, so, or yet ),
place a comma before the conjunction.
 Ryan went to the beach yesterday, but he forgot his sunscreen.
 Water bills usually rise during the summer, as people are thirstier
during hot and humid days.
o Use a comma when making a direct address. When calling one's attention
by name, separate the person's name and the rest of the statement with a
comma. Note that this kind of comma is used rarely in writing, because
this is something that we do normally while speaking.
 Amber, could you come here for a moment?
o Use a comma to separate direct quotations. A comma should come after
the last word before a quotation that is being introduced. It is not
necessary to use a comma in an indirect quote. A comma is usually not
necessary if you are not quoting an entire statement.
 While I was at his house, John asked me if I wanted anything to
eat.
 An indirect quotation that does not require a comma.
 While I was at his house, John asked, "Do you want anything to
eat?"
 A direct quotation.
 According to the client, the lawyer was "lazy and incompetent."
 A partial direct quotation that does not require a comma.
6. Understand the difference between parentheses, brackets, and braces.
o Use parentheses ( ( ) ) to clarify, to place an afterthought, or to add a
personal comment. Be sure to include the period after the closing
parenthesis.
 Steve Case (AOL's former CEO) resigned from the Time-Warner
board of directors in 2005.
 Used for clarification. Here, commas can replace the
parentheses.
 You will need a flashlight for the camping trip (don't forget the
batteries!).
 An afterthought. Note that the period (full stop) follows the
last parentheses — not before the first. Also note that
replacing the parentheses with a comma may not be
entirely suitable here, and is better off with a period or a
semicolon.
 Most grammarians believe that parentheses and commas are
always interchangeable (I disagree).
 A personal comment.
 oUse brackets ( [ ] ) to signify an editor's note in a regular piece of writing.
You can also use brackets to clarify or to revise a direct quote so that it
appeals to your own writing. Brackets are often used to encompass the
word "sic" (Latin for thus), suggesting that the previous word or phrase
was written "as is", with the error intended to be displayed.
 "[The blast] was absolutely devastating," said Susan Smith, a local
bystander at the scene of the incident.
 "It was absolutely devastating!" – the actual quote by
Susan Smith.
o Braces ( { } ) are most widely used in denoting a numeric set in
mathematics. Though generally uncommon, braces can also be used in
regular writing to indicate a set of equal, independent choices.
 { 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 }
 Choose your favorite utensil { fork, knife, spoon } and bring it to
me.
7. Know how to use the slash ( / ).
o Use the slash to separate "and" and "or", when appropriate. The phrase
"and/or" suggests that a series of options are not mutually exclusive.
 "To register, you will need your driver's license and/or your birth
certificate."
o The slash is used when quoting lyrics and poetry to denote a line break. Be
sure to add spaces between your slashes here.
 "Row, row, row your boat / gently down the stream / Merrily,
merrily, merrily, merrily, / life is but a dream."
o The slash can replace the word "and" to join two nouns. By replacing
"and" with a slash, you suggest that there is equal important to both
characteristics. Use these replacements in moderation to place greater
emphasis where "and" may not do so—as well as as not to confuse the
reader. You can also do the same for "or", as in "his/her". However you
should not use the slash to separate independent clauses, as shown below.
 "The student and part-time employee has very little free time." →
"The student/part-time employee has very little free time."
 "Do you want to go to the grocery store, or would you prefer to go
to the mall?" → "Do you want to go to the grocery store / would
you prefer to go to the mall? – This is incorrect.

TIPS ON GRAMMAR:

* If you write in a professional capacity, be sure to follow any guidelines or style guides
provided by your employer. In some cases, their rules can be at odds with what you read
here or elsewhere, but their rules always take precedence. For example, some companies
use serial commas (a, b, and c) and others do not (a, b and c).
 Many grammar experts believe that parentheses and commas are often
interchangeable when setting off information. While this is sometimes true, there are
some cases where a set of parentheses might be more suitable, such as in indicating one's
personal thought.
 Although dashes and parentheses have similar uses, remember that parentheses
indicate a stronger "side notion" than dashes.
 There are exceptions to the hyphen-dash rule. In making compound words, when one
of the words is itself composed of two words, use an en dash ( – ) rather than a hyphen,
as in, "He took the Paris–New York route." En dashes are also used between numbers, as
in page numbers or years, to denote a range. ("A discussion on personal finance is found
in pages 45–62.")
 The placement of punctuation marks before or after a closing quotation mark varies.
American English leaves the punctuation mark inside the quotation if it is part of the
quotation, "like so." (Commas and periods (full stops) are always put inside the quotation
marks for a sentence in American English, regardless of whether the quotation has
punctuation at the end. Other types of punctuation marks are put outside the quotation if
they are not part of the quotation.) British English tends to leave the punctuation mark
outside the quotation, "like so".
 At times, British English will switch back and forth between the inside and
outside, depending on the context. For example, interrogative quotations may
keep the question mark inside the quotation, as in, "Do you like this question?"

 In formal writing, try to avoid excessive use of question marks and exclamation
points. Most of your sentences should be declarative statements.
 Dashes are usually considered to be informal. You might want to replace the use of a
dash with a set of parentheses, or even commas. Similarly, limit the frequency of dash use
in your writing; they should be reserved to emphasize a couple of important points.
 If you decide against the serial comma in your work, make sure that the meaning of
the sentence can stand without its use. Think about the classic example of a sentence in
which the serial comma is needed: "My heroes are my parents, Mother Teresa and the
Pope."
 If you find that a sentence seems to drag on, find a way to add a comma or two, so that
it is easier on the reader's eyes. If a sentence becomes too long, then consider splitting it
into two or more sentences.

 Never be afraid to have short sentences in your writing by splitting up long sentences
that contain several points. Your reader will appreciate writing that is clear and concise
with briefer statements, as opposed to a one-page paragraph with twenty words per
sentence
Reading Comprehension Strategies
One of the main difficulties experienced by students doing the
Reading Module is not having enough time to complete the test. It is,
therefore, essential to read both efficiently and effectively.
There are a few main skills that you will need in order to do well in
the TOEFL Reading Module. It is useful to use the following
procedure for each text that is given.

Type of Questions:
1. Multiple Choice Questions
You will be given four options with the question and you have to
click on the correct option. Eliminate the options rather than
selecting one.

2. Insert a sentence
In this type of question a sentence will be given followed by a
paragraph. There will be four places marked [A], [B], [C] and [D].
You need to click on the suitable option wherein the sentence can
be inserted. A good idea is to look for indicative words like it, thus,
consequently, hence etc.

3. Select three options out of six to summarize the passage.

You will be given six sentences and you have to select three
sentences which summarize the passage. This type of question
carries more marks than the other questions. Select the sentences
which adhere to the main theme of the passage and not the
examples.

4. Definition based Questions

This question will give you two broad categories on the right hand
side and six to eight characteristics on the left hand side. However
the number of given options generally exceed the number of
options that need to be selected. So you need to be careful in
selecting the options.

Previewing (about 2 minutes for each passage)

(a) Study the passage by noting:
titles
headings
illustrations
diagrams
any print in bold type or italics.
(b) Study key parts of the passage by skimming. Read the first
paragraph which often focuses on the main idea. The first sentence of
each paragraph usually expresses the key points of the paragraph.
Generally, the concluding paragraph provides a summary of the given
passage. You may wish to highlight these with a pen.
Scanning the text for specific answers (about 1 minute per
question)
Use your time wisely. Spend no longer than one minute on finding
each answer. Only look in the given text, table, diagram or graph for
the answer required. Locate key words in the question and find them
or synonyms for them, in the text. The sentences around these words
are most likely to contain the answers you need.
If you are still unsure of the answer after you have spent
approximately one minute on the question, make a sensible guess in
the appropriate form. You may wish to mark the answers you are
unsure of in some way so that, if you do have time at the end of the
Reading Module, you can check these answers again.

Helpful hints for the Practice Reading Module

There may be some words in the passage with which you are
unfamiliar. Use the strategies explained in the section, Working
out unfamiliar vocabulary' to help you work out the meanings
of these words.
Be aware of the use of connective words. These will help you
with the general meaning of the text. If you are unsure of any
answers, check the table of common connective words.
Note if there is a glossary accompanying the passage.
Follow the instructions carefully. A correct response will be
marked wrong if it is written in the wrong form.

Working out unfamiliar vocabulary

When reading a passage in the TOEFL test, it is most likely that you
will come across words with which you are unfamiliar. Be prepared for
this. You may not need to understand the exact meaning of an
unknown word, unless there is a question directly related to it.
If you do need to know the meaning of an unfamiliar word, don't
panic. There are various strategies that you can use to work out the
meaning of the unknown words.

Check the context

Are there any clues in the surrounding words or phrases? Look
particularly at the words just before and just after the unfamiliar
words.

Look for a definition

Sometimes the writers realise that the word is an uncommon one so
they define, restate, explain or give an example of it. Words that
signal meaning often include is, means, refers to, that is, consists of.
For example, Snoring is a noise generated by vibrations of the soft
parts of the throat during sleep. Remember, too, to check if there is a
glossary.

Identify the word's place and purpose

Is it a noun, adjective, verb or adverb in the sentence? Are there any
punctuation clues, for example, semicolons or question marks?

Look for connective words

They are often near the unknown words and will usually help to
identify the general direction of the argument which will help to give
some understanding of the unknown word.

Break the word down into syllables

Sometimes knowledge of common roots, affixes and possible similarity
of words in your own language can help you to identify the meaning.

Treat the unknown word as an algebraic entity X

Observe the relationship of the unknown word, X, to other words and
concepts with which you are more familiar. Often this is enough to
answer questions that include X.

Listening Strategies:

In the TOEFL Listening Section, the recording is played once only. You
must, therefore, use a number of strategies to help you listen closely.
There are a few main skills you will need to do well in the TOEFL
Listening Section:

Understanding the instructions

Instructions are spoken on the tape. Listen to every word in the

instructions very carefully. Ensure that you follow them exactly and
answer in the correct way. You will see the questions only once the
recording stops. So it is mandatory that you take notes on the scratch
paper given to you while listening.

Previewing and predicting

An announcer will briefly outline:

 the topic
 who is talking
 the situation.

Try to listen carefully as this will help you to preview the questions.
 Here are some hints for previewing and predicting:

 Study the question carefully and try to predict what type of

answer is required. For example, will it be a date, a name or
maybe a number?
 Check the differences between similar-looking pictures or
diagrams.
 Look for minor details such as different numbers or omissions.

Listening for specific information

Use of previewing and predicting skills will help you listen for the
specific information you need to answer the questions in the Listening
Section. Listening for key words and common connective words often
helps to signal the specific information that you need in order to
answer the question.

A Word of Caution

Since you are not doing anything else but just listening and some of
the topics may not be of your interest, it is quite likely to lose your
concentration. However even if you lose your focus for two minutes
you may lose out on vital information essential for answering one or
two questions in that section. So be very alert. Sit straight and take
notes.

Independent Task

All too often students begin planning or even typing their answers in
the TOEFL Writing Module before they understand what is actually
expected of them. Following the steps below will help you to plan a
well-structured and coherent essay or report that addresses the given
task.

Preparation

You may wish to spend about 3-5 minutes working out exactly what
you are going to do. There are five steps to consider.

 Study the question carefully. Most task statements or questions

have a key instructional word or words telling you what to do.
Note these words with a highlighting pen.
There are also key topic words which point to the most important
parts of the question. Underline those words too. Ask yourself how the
key words relate to the given instruction.
 Think carefully about the topic. How do you feel about it?
 Establish a point of view and list some points for development.
The answer normally takes the form of a short essay. The word
essay comes from an old French word essai which meant to
attempt or try out, or to test. In a TOEFL Independent Writing
Task answer, your purpose is to develop your point of view in a
convincing way.
 Decide which points will be written as topic sentences. Think
about how they will develop into paragraphs.
 Ensure that your points are arranged in a logical order.

Writing

When you are writing an essay, a structure based on the following

elements could be used (summarized in the flow chart below).

Introductory paragraph

The introduction of an independent task answer should begin with a

general statement or idea of your own that takes into account the key
topic words or their synonyms. The last sentence of the introduction
should include a thesis statement which shows the point of view or
direction that will be taken in the answer.

Body paragraphs

Body paragraphs each consist of several sentences that are arranged

in a logical way to develop a main idea. You can expect to write about
2-4 body paragraphs for an essay. Each of these contains an
appropriate connective word to ensure a smooth transition between
paragraphs. This connective is then put in a topic sentence which is
the main point of the paragraph clearly stated in a sentence. Every
sentence in the paragraph must be directly related to it. Try to
develop every paragraph adequately. This may be done through the
use of examples, explanations, detail, logical inference, cause and
effect or making comparisons or contrasts. There are many different
ways to organise your ideas for body paragraphs. Be confident of the
ideas you choose.

The conclusion

A good conclusion serves several purposes:

 It indicates the end of your essay.

  It gives your final thoughts and assessments on the essay
subject.
 It weighs up the points in your essay and should strengthen
your thesis statement.
 Do not simply repeat your opening paragraph. This appears too
mechanical and superficial.

INTRODUCTION
 General statement

 Thesis statement

BODY PARAGRAPH 1
 Topic sentence including connective
word
 First supporting sentence
 Second supporting sentence

 Third supporting sentence

BODY PARAGRAPH 2

BODY PARAGRAPH 3

FURTHER BODY PARAGRAPHS

CONCLUSION
 Final assessment with concluding
connective

Editing (about 3-5 minutes)

In the last few minutes, you should check for obvious errors, such as
spelling or grammatical errors. Be sure you have written what you
intended and that there are no important ideas missing.
Study the checklist for editing. It lists points to think about when
checking your essay. Become familiar with the list so that you will
know what to check for in the actual IELTS Writing Module.

Checklist for editing

1. I have used accurate grammatical structures, for

example, consistent verb tenses, subject-verb agreement,
accurate word formation (especially of nouns, verb and
adjectives) and appropriate use of a and the as well as
prepositions.

2.I have used a range of sentence structures.

3.I have used appropriate vocabulary.

4.I have used accurate spelling.

5. I have stated the main idea for each paragraph in a topic

sentence and all the points are related to this topic.

6.I have used connective words effectively to link ideas so

that the thoughts move logically and clearly from sentence
to sentence and paragraph to paragraph.

7. I have developed each paragraph adequately.

8. I have supplied enough detailed information and

sufficient examples or facts.

9. I have developed a definite point of view.

10. Every paragraph that I have written has definitely

helped to address the task.