January 2025: Your Year to Conquer the TOEFL: A new year is here, and with it comes the opportunity to set ambitious goals that can transform your life. At the start of every year, it’s customary to reflect on what you want to achieve and create a plan to make it happen. For many of you, passing the TOEFL exam is at the top of your list. This blog’s mission is to help you succeed on the TOEFL so you can reach your professional dreams.
If you’re aiming to work in the healthcare industry as a doctor, pharmacist, physical therapist, or other professional, meeting specific TOEFL subtotal scores is often essential. Here are the targets you’ll need to hit:
- Reading: 22/30
- Listening: 21/30
- Speaking: 26/30
- Writing: 24/30
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January 2025: Your Year to Conquer the TOEFL: How to Reach These Scores
To achieve these scores, you must focus on improving your academic English proficiency in four key areas. Let’s explore actionable strategies for each.
January 2025: Your Year to Conquer the TOEFL: Reading (Target: 22/30)
To meet the reading requirement, you need strong comprehension skills for complex academic texts. Here’s how:
- Expand Your Vocabulary: Make a habit of learning new words daily. Use flashcards or apps like Anki and Quizlet to review and memorize academic vocabulary.
- Develop Skimming and Scanning Techniques: Practice quickly identifying main ideas, supporting details, and key terms in texts. Use resources like Scientific American or The New York Times to hone this skill.
- Take Timed Practice Tests: Familiarize yourself with TOEFL reading passages and complete them under timed conditions. Analyze your mistakes to identify weak areas.
January 2025: Your Year to Conquer the TOEFL: Listening (Target: 21/30)
Listening is all about understanding spoken English in academic settings. Improve by:
- Listening to Academic Lectures: Watch TED Talks or university lectures and take notes to capture the main points.
- Practice Active Listening: Focus on the speaker’s tone, implied meanings, and transitions. Try listening to NPR or BBC radio programs for varied accents.
- Use Shadowing Exercises: Repeat sentences you hear to match the rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation of native speakers.
Speaking (Target: 26/30)
Speaking well requires fluency, coherence, and precision. Achieve this by:
- Organize Your Responses: Use clear structures for Independent Speaking Tasks. State your opinion, give two reasons, and support them with examples.
- Record and Evaluate Yourself: Practice common TOEFL speaking prompts, record your responses, and listen for areas to improve, such as grammar or pacing.
- Get Expert Feedback: Enroll in my TOEFL speaking feedback service to receive personalized guidance on how to enhance your speaking performance.
Writing (Target: 24/30)
Scoring well in writing depends on presenting ideas clearly and with good grammar. Here’s what to do:
- Practice Writing Essays: Focus on structuring essays with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Use specific examples to support your points.
- Improve Grammar and Vocabulary: Pay attention to sentence variety and word choice. Tools like Grammarly can help catch common errors.
- Simulate Test Conditions: Practice writing Integrated and Independent Writing Tasks within the allotted time.
- Receive Detailed Feedback: My TOEFL writing feedback service can help identify weaknesses and suggest improvements.
Make It Your New Year’s Resolution
This January, commit to implementing these strategies into your daily routine. Set aside time each day for reading, listening, speaking, and writing practice. Track your progress, and don’t forget to reward yourself for reaching milestones.
Remember, 2025 is your year to conquer the TOEFL. With determination, consistent effort, and the right support, you can achieve your goals and move forward in your career. If speaking and writing are your focus areas, enroll in my feedback service to get the personalized help you need.
Let’s make this the year you pass the TOEFL once and for all. The future you’ve been dreaming of is within reach—go for it!
Michael Buckhoff, mbuckhoff@aol.com