The three most common mistakes made by TOEFL test takers
Getting a high TOEFL score is the goal of many people. However, it is quite common for candidates to fail to achieve the desired result. This can be very frustrating and depressing and pretty much ruin one’s dreams of studying abroad. In this post, I talk a little about the three most important considerations to make if you don't want a low grade in the exam. These are the three main reasons why many people don't get the grade they want:
Start training for the test before the right time
The first criterion seems quite simple and obvious: the candidate’s level of English. Many people think that studying for the TOEFL is like studying for a college exam: you sit down, do many mock tests, memorize the answers, and eventually get the desired score. Let me go straight to the point: that’s a mistake. Preparing for the test without the correct level of English is like preparing a middle-schooler for a calculus test; without a basic foundation of Maths, the person simply won’t cope, no matter how good their teacher is. Therefore, you can only prepare for the exam efficiently if you already have the right level of English (and I can’t stress this enough).
There is no point in making a million mock tests and understanding the format of each question.
A student who does not yet have a B2 level at the CEFR (this is what I mean by B2) will struggle a lot to manage the test challenges and won’t be able to answer all questions. Thus, before starting to practice with mock tests, try to make sure you have the minimum level you need. Your English doesn't have to be perfect, but you need to be able to write, speak, read and listen on an academic level.
TOEFL was created to certify English proficiency, not to build it.
If you do not have the minimum English level to be able to attend a class at a university in an English-speaking country, you are unlikely to get a high score on the test. If a beginner student who trained with many questions got a high grade, the test would not serve the purpose for which he lends himself, which is precisely to select people who have a higher level. Therefore, don't feel like you are wasting time on improving your English skills in general before preparing for the test. This is the main thing ypu need todo. It’s better to postpone the project than to lose money. Check with a teacher who knows the test before you start studying with TOEFL materials themselves; make sure your English level meets the standards.
Not training at the correct setting
One of the biggest mistakes of TOEFL candidates is studying in a traditional setting. The ideal for TOEFL is to swap paper books and face-to-face classes for digital materials (preferably programs similar to the test) and online classes. That's because the test is all done on the computer. I always recommend studying with the computer in a cafe, or bakery, in the college cafeteria. The ideal setting is a place with strangers talking and walking around. This is because the test takes place in computer labs, where several people sit side by side and move around and make noise all the time.
Even outgoing and self-confident candidates when having to answer Speaking questions with someone sitting next to me doing Reading.
It can also be very difficult to take the Reading or Listening tests while someone right next to you is speaking. One of the factors that hurt the final grade of students who might actually speak English well is not having prepared for an environment that is completely different from a traditional exam.
Not considering time management as a central factor
It's no use writing a wonderful essay if you need two hours to complete it. Likewise, if you need three hours to read a text, or 10 seconds to think about the answer to a Speaking question, your test score will not reflect your knowledge.
Whenever you are studying, take into account the response time and try as hard as you can to sit entire tests without interruption.
A very common mistake made by candidates is not to consider the test constraint team. Those who train for the test without timing themselves may feel under too much pressureat the time of the exam, which ends up resulting in a score below the candidate's potential.
Here’s some examples of that:
if you don't use Speaking response time wisely, your score will hardly reflect your potential; you’ve got either 45 or 60 minutes to answer the question. And no, you can’t press the button to start answering when you’re ready..
There also the issue over time is the question of integrated skills, which requires you to read, listen and write a comparison (Writing Task 1) or that you read, listen and give your opinion (Speaking questions 3, 4), or even listen and opine without the support of a text.
This requires you to think fast, and it is important to train strategies on how to deal with the test challenges so that you can meet the deadline. A fundamental strategy that people sometimes do not adopt is to try to do whole timed tests when they are studying.
Tiredness and unfamiliarity with time constraints make the test much more difficult than it could be.
And here is the golden tip: first you will do the reading and listening tests. Then there will be a ten-minute break before the Speaking and Writing tests. Take advantage of this time and go to the bathroom and avoid drinking water, after all, it is not possible to pause the test. Good studies!
Good luck!
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