#TOEFLTips A Few Useful TOEFL Websites

Whatever your reason for taking the TOEFL, if you're preparing through a prep school, the prep school will usually have put together plenty of resources for its students.

But if, like me, you plan to study on your own, or you're not planning to sign up for a prep school yet, this post recommends some websites I've found pretty useful. Of course, you're very welcome to share the websites you find useful with me too, so we can swap notes!

First, I think anyone who wants to take the TOEFL should start by getting to know the test. Since July 26, 2023, the TOEFL has switched to the “new TOEFL.”

Key changes in the new TOEFL

• Much shorter test: you can finish in under 2 hours

• No more unscored extra questions in Reading and Listening

• Fewer reading passages and questions: only two reading passages

• The Independent Writing task is gone, replaced by the Academic Discussion writing task These YouTubers' channels, besides covering how to learn English or life abroad, also often explain things about the TOEFL.

↠Learn about the new TOEFL through videos

(1) https://youtu.be/RqHQgtcArUs?si=z0UGltYtFaHl0OBM

(2) https://youtu.be/q82a3b9KHWA?si=YMqczDZy88QgL6B7

(3) https://youtu.be/33CGg1BsNE8?si=L_3bHXxis7SI5Q4y

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1.Test Ready

https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/prepare/toefl-testready.html

This is the official TOEFL prep site, entirely in English. It used to be called TOEFL Go and was renamed Test Ready in the new version. Since it's official, the information is bound to be the most accurate! It's free; you just need to register an account. I think the content is very thorough too: it covers everything in detail, from getting to know the TOEFL, to which countries and schools accept it, making a study plan, how to prepare, test day and TOEFL scores.

Through “Prepare for the Test” you can create or log in to your own Test Ready account, and there are practice questions for test takers to try.

If you want to prepare for the TOEFL on your own, you can answer a few simple questions on Test Ready and get a study plan. Following the plan means you won't be running around like a headless chicken, not knowing where to start.

With TOEFL TestReady you can try full-length TOEFL iBT practice questions. Unlike the real test, the practice questions are scored only by AI automatic scoring, and you get feedback on your performance in each of the 4 sections. For the Writing and Speaking sections, TOEFL TestReady offers personalized feedback and suggested answers.

The site also has a rather special “free daily question” feature: every day it posts one free question from one of the four sections, and you can answer it once you log in!

Besides the free practice, TestReady also offers paid practice tests, namely TOEFL Practice Online (TPO). TPO lets you simulate the real iBT test with past questions, and you get your scores quickly: Listening and Reading are scored instantly, and Speaking and Writing feedback comes within 24 hours.

You can choose how much to take: a full test, a half test or just the Speaking section, so practice is very flexible.

Besides TPO, TestReady also offers single-section mock tests and practice. Reading and Listening cost the same, as do Speaking and Writing, so you can focus on your weak sections. Single-section mock tests give you an estimated TOEFL score and a CEFR level, and you also get feedback on Writing and Speaking so you can improve more effectively.

Beyond mock tests and practice questions, TestReady also sells official prep materials, such as guides and past papers.

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2.Exam English

https://www.examenglish.com/TOEFL/index.php

As the name suggests, it doesn't only cover the TOEFL; it also covers English exams like the TOEIC, IELTS and PTE. Besides an introduction to the TOEFL, the site has practice questions for Reading, Listening and Speaking, plus a list of words that often appear on the TOEFL.

In Reading and Listening, it shows right away whether the answer you picked is correct. Speaking can't actually be scored, but sample answers are provided. Exam English is a free resource site, so it's a pretty good site to use while preparing for the TOEFL.

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3.Learn4Good

https://www.learn4good.com/languages/spec_english_toefl.htm

This site looks pretty bare-bones, but it's also a free resource site. It has a written introduction to the TOEFL, so you can learn about the test's structure, scoring criteria and so on. Of course, it also has free practice questions, and the answers are shown as you go.

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4.YouTube channels

Besides the free sites above with past questions to drill, you can actually pick up plenty of prep tips from YouTube channels too!

▹TST Prep TOEFL

https://www.youtube.com/@TSTPrep

A YouTube channel dedicated to the TOEFL. It explains things in an easy-to-follow way and suits students at every level. The channel also has lots of prep guides and test strategies for listening, speaking, reading and writing, as well as walkthroughs of practice questions. The videos are all quite long; it's a really useful TOEFL channel.

▹MagooshTOEFL

https://www.youtube.com/@MagooshTOEFL

Although the MagooshTOEFL website itself is paid, their YouTube channel still offers plenty of TOEFL prep videos, plus test-taking tips for each of the listening, speaking, reading and writing sections.

▹BestMyTest

https://www.youtube.com/@BestMyTest/featured

BestMyTest is a lot like MagooshTOEFL: both sites charge based on different study plans. But their official channels still have plenty of TOEFL and IELTS prep videos you can use.

▹Adam’s English Lessons

https://www.youtube.com/@engvidAdam/featured

Adam, a teacher with over 3.5 million subscribers, has a channel with tons of English learning tips, as well as test strategies and advice for English exams like the TOEFL, IELTS and SAT.