This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 129.
TOEFL expert Bruce Sterling on how to get a high score on the exam.
Welcome to the All Ears English podcast where you'll finally get real native English conversation and fluency for business and life.
We believe in connection, not perfection when it comes to learning English.
Now here are your hosts Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer and Former IELTS examiner, Jessica Beck, coming to you from Portland and Boston, USA.
TOEFL expert Bruce Sterling shares top tips for passing the TOEFL exam with flying colors.
This is one of the toughest English tests out there.
So if this is in your future, you must listen to today's episode.
Do you ever feel like your English is good but not quite where you want it to be?
Maybe you can have conversations, but you still hesitate when expressing complex ideas.
Maybe you know what you want to say. but you can't always say it naturally.
If that sounds familiar, our B2 English fluency course was designed for you.
You'll learn how to speak more naturally, express yourself with confidence and finally stop feeling stuck at the intermediate level.
This week, you can save $50 on our basic plan or save $100 on our personal coach plan.
Go to allearsenglish.com slash B2.
That's allearsenglish.com slash letter B number two.
Aubrey, I got to say, you and I are IELTS experts.
I was an examiner for 14 years.
You have been examining for us for how many years now?
Yeah, almost three.
Yeah.
In three years.
So we are definitely the IELTS pros, but what we're not pros at is TOEFL.
That's why we have a TOEFL expert today guys, because we know that some of you need to take the American version of IELTS.
As I think about it, the TOEFL IBT exam.
Yes, and TOEFL yeah, it's for everyone who wants to study in an American university, but it is good to know that almost all of them accept IELTS as well.
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
However...
I know some schools have preferences.
So, if you are choosing to take this exam guys, the TOEFL exam, we have some tips for you today from Bruce Sterling.
And what's really cool about Bruce is that he actually took TOEFL himself, just like us really taking IELTS exams.
Mm-hmm.
He took TOEFL himself and then he wrote four books on how to pass this very tough exam.
So our first question for Bruce is this.
What separates students who get high scores on the exam from those who don't?
Those who get high scores tend to have taken courses, have bought TOEFL books and have prepared a lot.
And by preparing, they take the TOEFL test, So they know to expect.
There are no surprises and they're excellent time managers.
And by doing that, ultimately, they should get a high TOEFL score.
Also, they understand that TOEFL is not really a vocabulary test.
TOEFL...
TOEFL is an argument-based test, so those who get high scores know how to develop and analyze not only reading arguments in the reading section and verbal arguments like lectures in the listening section.
They can also deliver verbal arguments in the speaking section and they know how to write arguments, which is the Okay.
That sounds really hard.
Like this is, this sounds a lot harder than IELTS.
What do you think?
Yeah, I don't see how you could do well on TOEFL without a lot of preparation.
And yes, you have to prepare for IELTS too, but this sounds like a bigger time commitment.
You have to be really serious about your preparation here.
Yeah, exactly.
I mean, no matter which test you're preparing for guys, you have to develop time management skills and strategies.
These skills might be slightly different from test to test, right?
Like when to do these certain skills, the timing might change.
You have to talk for two minutes.
You have to think for five minutes.
I don't know.
Like the timing might be different, but just these two things you must prepare for every exam.
And here's the thing as well.
You have to practice that timing over and over again before test day.
Yeah, I like how he says well-prepared students have no surprises on test day.
Totally.
You have to really know what this specific exam wants you to do in each skill listening reading, writing and speaking.
Exactly, exactly.
So that all is the same no matter which test you are doing, IELTS, TOEFL, what have you.
The second point, though you know, as I said, we are not TOEFL experts, and this is not something that comes up on IELTS at all.
So he talks about the need to understand and express arguments.
Now, We do this in writing task two on IELTS, but this is different on TOEFL, right?
This idea of arguments is seen throughout the reading test.
It is...
Seen in the way you respond to speaking questions, like you have to read things and then respond against them.
Respond to them.
Yeah.
I couldn't think of the preposition.
Respond to them out loud, right, in an argument format.
So if you were just to hear that this need to express arguments like what do you think that would mean?
Well, it sounds to me like the different skills are blended much more, right?
Exactly. is much harder than IELTS where these skills are a little more in a vacuum.
Exactly, exactly.
Bruce told us that he's known students who are fluent or near fluent in English.
And so they decided to take TOEFL without preparing and they did not do well.
And of course, that's the same for IELTS, guys.
I, even when I was still an examiner, I had natives come take the test and they still didn't get nines and sometimes not even eights guys.
Sometimes these natives got sevens because they didn't know what was needed in speaking and writing.
So, It doesn't matter, guys, how fluent you think you are or in fact you are.
You still need to study the preparation skills for these exams, guys.
Of course, I mean, you need fluency.
You need impressive vocabulary.
Yes.
But as Bruce says, you need to understand and express arguments if you're going to do well on TOEFL.
Yep.
You're going to have to be able to identify opinions, analyze arguments and then respond to those arguments.
So this is definitely higher level thinking.
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
Yeah.
This is a daily English here, right?
Okay.
Let's get to Bruce's second tip for TOEFL.
Being able to argue verbally and in writing within a prescribed.
That's really something you cannot learn on your own.
If you're studying at home, nothing will prepare you for that.
That's why I really suggest taking classes because you'll learn time management.
Yeah.
And you can see other people doing it and it's fun too.
All right, Aubrey.
What do you think about that?
Do you think that people have to attend classes in person to learn how to argue verbally and in writing?
Yeah, definitely not.
These days, with online learning, you can definitely get the same skills without that classroom environment.
But I do think he's right about not being able to teach yourself this type of academic communication.
Definitely, definitely.
You can't.
I mean, we've had so many students come to us with high IELTS scores in every section except for writing, right.
Because learning how to form arguments in writing in a direct way, in an organized way, in a high level way, that's not something that you probably learned in your first language.
And it's definitely not something you can just understand on your own by reading a sample essay, for example right
These are skills that you really do need someone to teach you.
Yeah, this is also true for IELTS writing.
You know it's impossible to just sit down and write an IELTS essay and understand the scoring system and know what the examiner's looking for in each scoring system, in each scoring section, right?
This takes specific preparation.
It's vital to get feedback on your essay so you know you're getting that seven or higher you need.
Just like TOEFL, it takes a lot of preparation.
Yeah, for sure.
So this is true for both tests, guys.
It's not so much about the ideas themselves, but it's how you communicate them and organize them right.
Those are the two things that take a lot of practice.
How specific do we get?
You know, how do we link these sentences together?
So those are the things that take a lot of practice, guys.
All right.
So finally, what does Bruce say when students ask him what the secret is to TOEFL success?
There's no secret formula.
There's no magic bullet.
And it's really basically what we've been talking about.
The secret to TOEFL success, the secret to getting, is being able to write, in this case, an independent essay.
In my experience as a TOEFL teacher, if the TOEFL test taker can write a good independent essay, that will give them a foundation for argument, development and analysis which they can apply to all other sections of the TOEFL test.
So that is a very interesting view.
Learning these writing skills right.
These academic argument skills are useful for all other parts of the test.
What do you think?
Do you think this is a good first skill to develop?
Like should this be the first thing I do as a TOEFL or IELTS student, learning how to write an independent essay or an argumentative essay?
Yeah, this really makes sense because it's the most difficult part for a lot of people.
Learning to do that teaches you these transitions, the organization vocabulary, a lot of what's going to transfer to the speaking exam for IELTS.
And it's going to help you understand the reading passages more.
So yes, it builds up all of your skills.
Yeah, I agree.
I agree.
I like starting here with our study plans.
And Bruce also reminded us that your ultimate scores, guys, on TOEFL and IELTS
It's not just about vocabulary, because we know a lot of students just focus on that because it's easy, right.
If you memorize a list of 500 academic words, it won't help you.
It's not going to increase your scores academically. all.
We don't communicate in individual words, okay?
So yes, that advice is great for both exams.
Okay, let's get to Bruce's last TOEFL tip.
You can be as prepared as possible.
You can have all the strategies and all the books, but if you're not confident, you're just going to crash.
And I've had a lot of students who have just walked And being prepared and knowing argument strategies creates a higher degree of confidence, which is really another key to total success just being confident.
Okay, this is so true.
I love it.
We talk about anti-anxiety a lot over on the IELTS side.
This is so true.
Confidence is a testing skill.
Yes, no matter what exam you're preparing for, you have to keep in mind the amount of preparation it takes to do well on test day.
And the more preparation you put in, the more confident you will be knowing that you're prepared.
Exactly, guys.
You have a lot ahead of you if you are going to take one of these exams, guys.
You need to develop skills.
You need to learn the test strategies, practice those strategies and you need to improve your fluency in all four English skills.
You need to be prepared to do all of these things in a timed environment that is pressure filled.
That is a little bit scary, right?
And so all of this, guys, takes so much practice.
Yes, but it's not all bad news.
We know that you can do this, right?
You're preparing for this exam.
We have seen thousands of students get the scores they need on IELTS.
We know it is possible for TOEFL as well, but it does take preparation.
Totally, exactly.
So guys, if you are taking TOEFL, you can find Bruce's TOEFL books online from basically anywhere that you buy books online guys, any booksellers.
Just search for Bruce Sterling.
That's S-T-I-R-L-I-N-G, TOEFL.
That's Bruce Sterling TOEFL.
All right.
Awesome.
This was interesting talking about TOEFL today.
Yes.
And I'm going to assume you guys know where to find us if you are studying for IELTS.
But just in case you don't, check out the IELTS Energy Podcast, where you can find Jessica and I every week with lots of tips to help you get the scores you need on IELTS.
Yes.
Awesome.
Thanks for saying that, Aubrey.
Yeah.
All right, I'll see you on the aisle side.
All right, bye-bye.
Bye.
Thanks for listening to all ears english and if you believe in connection, not perfection, follow our show wherever you listen to podcasts to make sure you don't miss anything.
See you next time.
