English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide Main Index Tips and Practice DrillsPractice Questions Essay Writing Welcome to the computer-based TOEFL Study Guide with study tips, exercise
Trang 1English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study
Guide Main Index
Tips and Practice DrillsPractice Questions Essay Writing
Welcome to the computer-based TOEFL Study Guide with study tips, exercise drills and practice questions!
We strongly recommend that you start with the "Tips and Practice Drills" from the index above and then go
on to the practice questions Just follow the directions
on each page
If you have any questions, please contact one of our TOEFL instructors
Trang 2English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
The menu selection below has five sections:
● Part I - Orientation
● Part II - Listening Comprehension
● Part III - Structure and Written Expression
● Part IV - Reading Comprehension
● Part V - Writing Section (Essay Question)
● Final Test Tips
Read the "TIPS" first before you try the drills and then follow the directions on the screen for each drill
Part I - Orientation Test-Taking Strategies for Computer-Based TOEFL Registration Tips 1 - 2
Tutorials Tip 3 Scores Tip 4 Quick Tips 5 - 11 Basic Tips 12 - 18
Part II - Listening Comprehension Listening Section Tips 19 - 25 Conversational English Tips 26 - 31
● Idiom Drills
❍ Idiom Drill 1
❍ Idiom Drill 2
❍ Idiom Drill 3
Trang 3Longer Conversations Tips 32 - 34
Part III - Structure and Written Expression Test Design Features Tips 35 - 37 Grammar Tips 38 - 48
● Grammar Drill 1
Sentence Completion Tips 49 - 50
● Sentence Completion Drill 1
● Sentence Completion Drill 2
● Sentence Completion Drill 3
Error Identification Tips 51 - 59
● Error Identification Drill 1
● Error Identification Drill 2
● Error Identification Drill 3
Part IV - Reading Comprehension Test Design Features Tips 60 - 62 Phrases & Paraphrases Tips 63 - 65
● Reading Comprehension Drill 1
General Questions Tip 66
● Reading Passage Example Questions
Trang 4Part V - Writing Section (Essay Question) Essay Writing Tips 67 - 70
● Intensive 15-Session Essay Program
Test Tips
Final Test Tips
Back to Top of Page Main Index
Trang 5Welcome, students, to the TOEFL Study Guide!
Read the tips carefully and then try to apply them to the drill questions
Test-Taking Strategies for Computer-Based TOEFL
How Computer-adaptive testing is different from traditional paper testing
You see one question at a time
You cannot skip questions in the adaptive portions of the test (Listening and Structure)
You cannot change answers to previously answered questions in the adaptive portions of the test (Listening and Structure)
Can't skip/can't change An examinee cannot go back to a previous question because his or her answer to the question helps determine the difficulty level of the next question given A simpler way of explaining this is to say that the test scores are being built as you go through the test, so going back would destroy what has already been built (However, the Reading section is linear, and you can skip/change answers in that portion of the test.)
Some test takers are uncomfortable with this; however, they
Receive an assessment that is tailored to their ability level and do not spend time answering questions that are too easy
or too difficult for them;
Can respond incorrectly to several questions and still receive
a high score;
Receive fewer questions than on paper test
The total testing time is approximately 4 - 4.5 hours, but this depends on how quickly each test taker works through the test The time limit for each section is very generous so it is not a speeded exam for most test takers
You should be aware of the implications for exiting a section (They will not be able to return to that section.)
You should try to answer every question in each section because the scoring takes into account the number of questions answered in each section It is to your advantage to carefully consider and answer as many questions as you can
Trang 6You should use effective time management each section has an overall time limit The directions at the beginning of each test section specify the total number of questions
in the section and the time allowed for the section The time remaining in the test can be displayed throughout the test You should pay attention to the number of questions and the amount of time remaining to be sure they are making good progress through the test
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Registration Tips 1 - 2
Tip 1 - Have you registered for the TOEFL test?
Be sure to order the free TOEFL Bulletin directly from ETS at http://www.toefl.org or check out our website for this information under http://toefl.telecampus.com/bulletins.html
Be sure to order a free TOEFL Sampler (a practice CD Rom) from ETS at http://www.toefl.org
Tip 2 - Overview of Computer-based TOEFL testThe length of the test session is approximately four (4) hours
There is a tutorial section which on average takes 40 minutes to complete but is untimed
There is a Listening Section which takes 40-60 minutes and has
30-50 questions
There is a Structure Section which takes 15-20 minutes and has
20-25 questions
There is then a 10 minute break
There is a Reading Section which takes 70-90 minutes and has 44-60 questions
There is the Writing Section which takes 30 minutes and has 1 essay
Trang 7Back to Program Menu
Tutorials Tip 3 There are seven (7) tutorial lessons
Basic computer skill tutorial:
1 Using a mouse
2 Scrolling (moving text up and down)
3 Using testing tools (icons for displaying the time clock, for getting help, etc.)
Section Tutorials
4 How to answer Listening
5 How to answer Structure
6 How to answer Reading
7 How to answer Writing
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Scores Tip 4 The new computer-based test offers you a quicker response to getting your scores You will see PART of your score at the end of the test and can select up to 3 institutions for your scores to be sent for free at that time Your final score will be calculated and sent to you in up to 3 weeks if you submit your essay by computer;
however, if you handwrite the essay, it will take a bit longer to get your scores
The new score scales are different than the paper-based test:
Listening: 0-30 Structure/Writing: 0-30 Reading: 0-30
Total: 0-300 Essay rating is included in the Structure/Writing score and also
Trang 8reported separately on a scale of 1.0-6.0.
When the test is completed, you have a choice to view your scores
on the screen (they will be unofficial scores which do not include the essay.) You will see scores for Listening and Reading and the
Structure/Writing and Total scores will be shown only as RANGES because the essay will not have been scored yet You can also choose up to four score recipients from the type-down list
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Quick Tips 5 - 11
Tip 5The key is to think like the people who write the test: learn the types
of questions that come up most often and what a right answer looks like, use your time effectively
Tip 6Identify your strengths and weaknesses so we can work on them together….practice, practice, practice
Tip 7Expressions and idioms used in England and other English-speaking countries will not be tested only American English (page 3)
Tip 8Practice and prepare for the test Don't just try to "wing it" The more you know about the test, the better you will perform If the test is familiar to you, you will have less stress dealing with it
Tip 9Don't try to study everything just before the exam Work at it often over a period of time (i.e 4 weeks)
Tip 10
Be sure to review the TOEFL sampler for more samples of questions
Tip 11
Trang 9This exam is like a competitive sport; practice and be prepared
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Basic Tips 12 - 17
Tip 12 PART I - OrientationThe computer-based TOEFL exam is made up of four (4) sections:
1 Listening comprehension,
2 Structure & Written Expression,
3 Reading Comprehension, and
4 an Essay portion
There is a tutorial at the beginning of the exam to show you how to use the computer during the exam You must do this tutorial, but by
becoming more comfortable with the computer using this program,
you may prefer to take the shorter version of the tutorial that is offered
Tip 13 The BasicsLearn what to expect and how to take a standardized test from the TOEFL Sampler CD (don't waste time with directions - memorize them)
Tip 14 The BasicsThere is no penalty for an incorrect answer - have one letter in mind that you will see as your "guess" answer This strategy should NOT
be used on the computer-based test in the Listening Comprehension section
Tip 15 The BasicsPractice the techniques and do the drills a little at a time - don't leave
it all for one weekend
Tip 16 The Basics
On the computer-based test, it IS important in the Listening Section
to answer ALL the questions (as many as you can in the time allowed)
Trang 10Tip 17 The BasicsThe computer-based test will not have a separate sheet for answers, you will click your answers directly on the screen This can be practiced with our practice drills and exams and the TOEFL Sampler CD-Rom
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Part II - Listening Comprehension
Test Design FeaturesLength: 40-60 minutes (15-25 minutes are actually for response time; the time spent listening to the stimuli is not counted)
Number of Questions: 30-50 questions
❍ Dialogues: 11 - 17 with 1 item each
❍ Short conversations: 2 - 3 sets with 2-3 questions per set
❍ Mini-lectures/academic discussions: up to 2.5 minutes in length, 4 -6 sets with 3 - 6 questions per set
Headphones with adjustable volume control Examinees will both see and hear the questions before the answer choices appear
This section is computer-adaptive
Types of Listening MaterialDialogues and short conversations (traditional multiple-choice questions only)
Segments of classroom lectures on academic topics (traditional and new question types)
Segments of academic discussions on academic topics involving multiple speakers (traditional and new question types)
Types of Listening QuestionsMostly traditional multiple-choice questions (1 stem and 4 options) Some new question types that are not single-selection multiple choice:
❍ Clicking on a picture or parts of a picture: not very different from traditional multiple-choice
❍ Clicking on two choices: testing main reasons or supporting details; similar to traditional multiple choice but with two correct answers (usually four options total)
Trang 11❍ Matching/ordering objects or text: testing comprehension of a process, understanding of a categorization of groups
We do not specify that a certain number of these types of questions
be used; one type is not necessarily more difficult than the others;
each type can range from easy to difficult
Use of visualsCan take advantage of the multimedia capability of the computer by using photos and graphics to create context and support the content
of the lectures, and more closely approximate "real world" situations (in which we don't just listen to voices)
Use of visuals in two ways:
1 Context - photos of the speaker or speakers that provide setting for the stimulus (e.g., photos of lecturer, photo of speakers conversing); every set has a context-setting visual
2 Content - reinforces what the stimulus is about; visuals are authentic to lectures (e.g., diagram of a cell or key terms from lecture written on the board); half of the sets in the pool have
a content-related visual; the visuals are used only if they fit well with the lecture
Some pictures are associated with more than one dialogue of short conversation, but because of selection rules it is unlikely that examinees will encounter this It is possible to have the same people
in different pictures Examinees should concentrate on listening to the dialogue or short conversation and not focus on the visuals
PacingExaminee-controlled pace; you control the pace of how soon the next question is presented; however, now test takers need to exercise time management (With the paper TOEFL the pace of the questions was determined by the tape recording; examinees had 11 seconds to respond to each question.)
NotetakingYou are not allowed to take notes or have any notes at their computer (NOTE: Research we have conducted indicates that you
do not perform any better when allowed to take notes In fact, some may perform worse because they may focus on taking notes or specific details rather than listening for an overall understanding of the stimulus.)
Trang 12Listening Section Tips 18 - 25
Listening Section Tip 18
In the Listening Section of the computer-based exam, it is important NOT to GUESS the answers! Do not try to fill in the answers if you run out of time It will not make a difference in your score if you guess on the other sections of the exam
Tip 19For Listening, you must answer and confirm each question before going on In these sections they should use effective guessing strategies:
1 If you get stuck on a difficult question, you should eliminate
as many answer choices as possible and then select and confirm the answer you think is best
2 If you find that they are running out of time at the end of a section, you should NOT randomly guess, because it can lower your score
Listening Section Tip 20Pace yourself - answer as many questions as you can
The question types in the Listening section include:
❍ Main ideas (including the order of a process and categorizing topics/objects)
Listening Section Tip 22
A trap answer choice is one that means the opposite of the right answer choice
Listening Section Tip 23
A trap answer choice is one that uses some of the same sounds and
Trang 13words as those in the stem (ex: Some day sounds like Sunday)
Listening Section Tip 24Guess the question (answer choices: meaning, circumstance, action)
1 MEANING: subject and a verb in each answer choice (example: what does the man/woman imply, suggest, infer, conclude);
2 CIRCUMSTANCE: do not have a subject or a verb in each answer choice (place, name or detail);
3 ACTION: have a verb in each answer choice (verb examples; go, do, stay, save, wait)
Listening Section Tip 25Three ways to find the right answer:
1 OPPOSITES: if there is one pair of opposites in the answer, one of them is likely to be the right answer;
2 COMMON SENSE: too extreme, wrong topics, silly;
3 SOUND-ALIKES: an incorrect answer choice often contains words that sound like the words in the stem
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Conversational English Tips 26 - 31
Conversational English Tip 26Practice speaking and listening to English (radio, TV, internet sites like Dave's ESL Café ( http://eslcafe.com )
Conversational English Tip 27
Voice emphasis can change the meaning of a statement In spoken English,
people place stress on certain words in a given sentence to convey additional meaning beyond the dictionary definitions of the words The pitch or volume of one's voice to make the word stand out from the rest of the sentence One fo the things that vocal emphasis can tell you is which information in the sentence the speaker considers to be the most important
Conversational English Tip 28Emphasized expressions: What's ImportantWhen the following sentence is written on paper
Trang 14"Susan took the red purse?"
every word is stressed equally However, when emphasis is placed on specific words in the sentence, the intention of the speaker changes slightly
For example:
"Susan took the red purse?"
If you emphasize "Susan" one is surprised that Susan took the purse, and not someone else
"Susan took the red purse?"
If you emphasize "took" one is surprised that Susan "took" the purse and not perhaps borrowed it
"Susan took the red purse?"
If you emphasize "red" one is surprised that it was it was not the blue purse that was taken
"Susan took the red purse?"
If you emphasize "purse" one is surprised that it was the purse that was taken, not the wallet for example
Conversational English Tip 29Common TOEFL Exam Cliches All of the following are cliches that appear on the TOEFL and are used to express simple ideas We've grouped them by meaning in order to make them easier to learn
Meaning: "I don't know."
❍ I couldn't tell you
❍ I wouldn't know
❍ I haven't the vaguest
❍ I haven't the foggiest
❍ I haven't any idea
❍ Who knows?
❍ It's a mystery to me
❍ Don't look at me
Trang 15❍ Don't ask me
❍ You got me
❍ Beats me
Meaning: "No."
❍ Not in a million years
❍ I wouldn't say that
❍ I doubt it
❍ Don't count on it
❍ Not likely
❍ Probably not
❍ Don't bet on it
❍ I don't think so
❍ Dont' be too sure
❍ Never
❍ No way
Meaning: "Don't do it!"
❍ I wouldn't if I were you
❍ Oh no you don't!
❍ Cut it out!
❍ Not here you don't
❍ Better leave well enough alone
❍ Forget it!
❍ Don't bother
Meaning: Agreement
❍ To say the least
❍ That's putting it mildly
❍ You can say that again
❍ That's for sure
❍ Now, That's an idea
❍ There you go! Now youve said something I agree with,
whereas you didn't before
❍ I'll say
❍ I couldn't agree with you more
❍ Count me in
❍ Why not!
Trang 16Meaning: "You're welcome!"
❍ It's the least I can do
Meaning: Surprise / disbelief
❍ Isn't that something?
❍ My goodness!
❍ How about that!
❍ It/He/She's too good to be true!
Trang 17Conversational English Tip 30Homonyms are like sound-alikes; Keep this list to review now and again
❍ new: not used
"I bought this new book today"
❍ knew: past tense of "know"
"I knew you bought that book"
❍ flour: ingredient in baking
"I need two cups of flour for the cake"
❍ flower: daisy, tulip, rose
"I love to grow flowers in my garden"
❍ sew: use a needle and thread
"I need to sew the hem on this skirt."
❍ so: who cares?
"So what? I don't have a skirt"
❍ won: defeated an opponent
"We won the game by 2 to 1."
❍ one: the number 1, or alone
"One at a time, that's how you do it"
❍ plain: simple, unadorned
"This dress is too plain ther are no designs on it."
❍ plane: airplane, for flying
"We flew in that new plane."
❍ sea: ocean
"We swam in the sea."
❍ see: to view, use your eyes
"I see how beiautiful the ocean is."
❍ wood: material from a tree
"I like to buy wood furniture"
❍ would: subjunctive or conditional mood of "will"
"I would like to go to the movies"
❍ hour: a sixty-minute time period
"This class is one hour long."
❍ our: possessive form of "we"
Trang 18❍ red: the color
"You must stop at a red light"
❍ read: finished reading
"I read a whole book last night."
❍ wait: to pause, stop
"Wait for me I'll be right there."
❍ weight: heaviness
"The weight of the books was too much for her to carry."
❍ maid: someone who cleans
"The maid cleaned the whole house today"
❍ made: past tense of "make."
"I made the bed after I got up this morning."
❍ way: direction
"Which way did he go?
❍ weigh: to figure out how heavy
"Did you weigh the package?"
❍ hole: an empty space
"They dug a hole to put the post in for the fence"
"The sail flapped in the breeze"
❍ sale: a discount, bragain
"I bought this on sale and saved a lot of money"
❍ sense: as in common sense
"That makes good sense."
❍ cents: pennies, money
"It cost me twenty cents to take the subway."
❍ reflex: unconscious movement
"My leg jerked in reflex to the pain"
❍ reflects: casts back an image
"The water reflects the moon when it is full"
Trang 19❍ soul: spirit
"The Buddhists believe the soul is reincarnated"
❍ sole: only
"He was the sole heir to the fortune"
❍ son: male child
"My son is called after his father"
❍ sun: the earth revolves around it
"The sun is hot today!"
❍ I: me, myself
"I bought a new dress"
❍ eye: what you see with
"I have something in my eye and it hurts"
❍ banned: not allowed
"He is banned from the club due to his behavior"
❍ band: a music group or something you tie with
"The band at the club was good"
"She ties her hair with a band"
❍ hire: to employ someone
"I need to hire a tutor."
❍ higher: more elevated
"I need to get a higher mark on the TOEFL"
❍ worn: past tense of "wear"
"I have worn out my shoes."
❍ warn: to caution
"I warn you to study or you will fail"
❍ jeans: denim pants
"My jeans are getting worn out"
❍ genes: units of inheritance
"He inherited blue eyes from his mother's genes"
❍ cell: makes up matter
"Every cell in your body needs water"
❍ sell: to make a sale
"He needs to sell his car"
❍ pale: light in color
"She is so pale because she has not been in the sun."
Trang 20❍ pail: a container
"Please bring me a pail of water."
❍ tale: story
"She told a long tale about her imaginary friend."
❍ tail: at the end of an animal
"The cat had an extremely long tail."
❍ scene: where something takes place
"The crime scene was roped off with police tape."
❍ seen: past tense of "see"
"I have seen too much."
❍ fair: festival, carnival
"The summer fair starts tomorrow."
❍ fare: cost
"The taxi fare was $20."
❍ here: this place
"Come here to me."
❍ hear: listen
"I can hear you clearly"
❍ principal: the head of a school
"I was sent to the principal's office"
❍ principle: belief
"She stood by her principles and refused to answer."
❍ weather: what it's like outside
"The weather is nice and sunny today."
❍ whether: if
"I need to know whether you are coming to dinner on Friday
or Saturday."
❍ die: to become dead or cease to live
"We will all die someday"
❍ dye: to color things or what is used to color things
"I used to dye my hair when I was younger"
Conversational English Tip 31Idioms are words or phrases that do not translate literally Do the 3 Idiom Drills that follow and then keep a list of those you have trouble with to review now and again
Trang 21Now do the following drills:
❍ Idiom Drill 1
❍ Idiom Drill 2
❍ Idiom Drill 3
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Longer Conversations Tips 32 - 34
Longer Conversations Tip 32The difficulty of these Parts B & C is in remembering what was said long enough to answer the questions Even native English speakers cannot remember every word! You won't have trouble understanding what was said, just remembering it!
Longer Conversations Tip 33Anticipate the questions The questions that follow these talks are arranged in roughly the same order in which the information is presented As soon as you hear the answer to a question, you should start listening for the answer to the next question
Longer Conversations Tip 34Types of questions (page 78)
❍ Setup questions ask about the main topic, the speaker, the audience, or the location
❍ Specific questions ask about a particular fact, an opinion, a definition
❍ Conclusion questions ask about future actions, the outcome, future discussions (uses words like implies, most probably, and suggest.)
Go on to Structure SectionBack to Program Menu
Trang 22English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
● Idiom Drill #1
Read the short conversation between the man and woman and the question that follows; then choose the answer that best answers each question
1 Woman: I heard that the award ceremony was wonderful
Man: Yes, John broke down when he won the humanitarian award
What does the man mean?
(A) John's award was broken
(B) John got emotional when he won
(C) John only received one award
(D) The award was humanitarian
2 Man: Will you help me clean the kitchen?
Woman: Sure You clear away the dishes and I'll wash the pots.
What does the woman want the man to do?
(A) Wipe off the dishes
(B) Take the dishes off the table
(C) Take the pots away
(D) Put the dishes away
3 Man: It's so sad that Harvey isn't feeling well
Woman: What a bad time for him to come down with the chicken pox!
What does the woman mean?
(A) Harvey was coming with chicken
(B) Harvey has chicken pox
(C) Harvey fell down
(D) Harvey is having a bad time
Trang 234 Woman: When did the new movie house open up?
Man: I don't know - it seems like it went up last week!
What does the man suggest?
(A) The movie house was built quickly
(B) The movie house is very tall
(C) He doesn't understand the woman's question
(D) It opened a week ago
5 Woman: Have you heard about the principal's new plan to make the school day longer?
Man: She'll never go through with it!
What does the man mean?
(A) He likes the principal's plan
(B) The principal went through the school
(C) Her plan is possible
(D) The principal will not carry out her plan
6 Man: How long have you been working on that paper?
Woman: Three hours - I give up!
What does the woman want to do?
(A) Give the man the paper
(B) Stop working on the paper
(C) Throw the paper up in the air
(D) Work longer
7 Man: Did you see John's new haircut?
Woman: I don't know if that crazy style will fit in with his conservative friends
What does the woman suggest?
(A) John's haircut is not like any of his friends' haircuts
(B) John's hair won't fit his head
(C) John's friends are too conservative
(D) She hasn't seen John's haircut
8 Woman: What time do you want to wake up?
Trang 24Man: Well I'll set the alarm to go off at eight in the morning
What does the man want to do?
(A) Put off the alarm
(B) Eat in the morning
(C) Wake up at eight in the morning
(D) Get a new alarm
9 Man: Did you hear about the new vaccine?
Woman: What a breakthrough for people with that sickness!
What does the woman mean?
(A) It's good news for people with that sickness
(B) People with that sickness will get sicker
(C) The vaccine is broken
(D) Scientists are not through with their study
10 Man: What do you want to do today?
Woman: It's hot - let's just hang around
What does the woman suggest?
(A) That they do nothing
(B) That they go home
(C) That they walk around
(D) That they hang pictures
Trang 25Back to Idiom Drills Back to Beginning of Tips and Drills
Trang 26English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
● Idiom Drill #2 - Conversational English
Match the idiom with the definition
3 pass up
(A) to refuse (B) to overlook (C) to bear an embarrassment (D) to do in spite of problems (E) to terminate someone's employment
4 pass by
(A) to refuse (B) to overlook (C) to bear an embarrassment (D) to do in spite of problems
Trang 27(E) to terminate someone's employment
Trang 28(C) to bear an embarrassment (D) to do in spite of problems (E) to terminate someone's employment
10 keep in touch with
(A) to refuse (B) to overlook (C) to stay in communication with (D) to do in spite of problems (E) to terminate someone's employment
Trang 29English Tutor TeleCampus TOEFL® Study Guide
● Idiom Drill #3 - Conversational English
Read the sentence and then choose the answer that best completes the sentence
1 "Work hard and it for success."
(A) steep in (B) step on one's toes in (C) stick to
(D) pull out of
2 "I'm in a real rush; _later and I'll have more time
to talk".
(A) stop by (B) drop out (C) turn over (D) turn off
3 Jane was _ with work and couldn't be here.
(A) up to date (B) tied up (C) filled up (D) touched up
4 Smitty felt that people who were rude were a real .
(A) turnoff (B) turn down (C) turn over (D) stop up
Trang 30(A) think over (B) write down (C) think through (D) wake up
6 The beginning of the sequel to that book brings the reader with what happened in the first book.
(A) up over (B) up to date (C) up against (D) think over
7 At our school no one would even think to against the administration for fear of getting in trouble.
(A) step in (B) sign in (C) speak out (D) step up
8 Due to the great fury about what little he had done, Mayor Pete was forced to _to satisfy the people.
(A) speed up (B) step down (C) speak up (D) step in
9 "Why don't you _; I'm sure that Mr Smith will
be here any second.
(A) step up (B) sign in (C) stick around (D) think better of
10 Americans _ being able to buy anything they
Trang 31want in a large convenience store in Russia, it is not always
so easy.
(A) think over (B) think through (C) think better of (D) think nothing of
Trang 32Welcome, students, to the TOEFL Study Guide - Structure Section!
Read the tips carefully and then try to apply them to the drill questions
Part III - Structure and Written Expression
Structure & Written Expression
Structure questions: test the ability to identify the correct structure
needed to complete a given sentence The examinee reads incomplete sentences From the four responses provided for each incomplete sentence, the examinees must choose the word or phrase that best completes the given sentence Only one of the choices fits correctly into the particular sentence
Written Expression questions: test the ability to recognize correct
grammar and to detect errors in standard written English Here the examinee reads sentences in which some words or phrases are underlined The examinee must identify the one underlined word or phrase in each sentence that would not be accepted in standard written English
Test Design Features Tips 35 - 37
Tip 35 Structure (page 84)Sentence Completion - 15 questions Error Identification - 25 questions Time: 25 minutes
Tip 36 Sentence Completion For Sentence Completion you will be given a sentence that contains
a blank and asked to choose from the four choices the best possible answer
Use the two-pass system to answer the Sentence Completion questions
❍ First pass: answer all the questions that you see the anwer right away
❍ Second pass: go back and try to answer the harder questions
GUESS if you still don't know
Tip 37 Using POE to determine the correct answerPOE - Process of Elimination can increase your chances of answering correctly If you know an answer is wrong, you can
Trang 33eliminate that choice and increase your chance of answering correctly
Structure and Written Expression: Grammar Tips 38 - 48
Structure: Grammar Tip 38 Nouns: a person, place, thing, or idea
Structure: Grammar Tip 39 Pronouns: A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun
■ Examples: he, she, his, it, her
Structure: Grammar Tip 40Verbs:/ A verb is an action word
■ Example: kicked, thought, are, felt
Structure: Grammar Tip 41Modifiers: used to describe another word
■ Adjectives: describe nouns
■ Adverbs: describe adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs (many adverbs end in -ly)
Structure: Grammar Tip 42Subject: The subject of a sentence is either a noun or a pronoun It tells you who or what is performing the action
Structure: Grammar Tip 43Articles: a, an and the are all articles
Articles are used before nouns; "a" and "an" are used as specific modifiers and "the" is used as a specific modifier
non-For example: "I put the book on a table."
"the book" shows that it was a specific book;
"on a table" shows that it was not a specific table
If I said, "I put a book on the table", I mean that I put "a specific book or any book" on "the table" which means that it was a specific table, one that I could point to or a specific table that I was referring to
Trang 34non-"An" is used the same as "a" except that it is used before nouns and adjectives starting with a vowel, such as "an orange" or "an eye" or "an apple" or "an intense storm" "An"
is not used before the letter "Y"; you would use "a", such as
"a yellow towel" or "a young man" or "a yapping dog"
"A" and "an" are used to modify single nouns or adjectives modifying single nouns "The" can be used for both single and plural modifiers; for example, "I put the books on the table" or "I put the book on the table."
Structure: Grammar Tip 44Prepositions: into, from, without, etc
Note: the most common type of phrase on the TOEFL is the prepositional phrase
■ Examples: "I went into the house"; "She read from
the cookbook"
Structure: Grammar Tip 45Conjunctions: Conjunctions link words or word groups in a sentence Examples: and, or, but, etc
■ "I bought oranges, apples, and bananas."
■ "We could go to the beach or to the park."
■ "He would have gone to the movies but he was sick."
Structure : Grammar TIP 46
Sentences: Sentences must have both a subject and a conjugated verb It expresses a complete thought.
For example, "He went to the store"
"He" is the subject, "went" is the verb, and "to the store" is
the adverb clause telling where he went.
"Go!" is a complete sentence because it has a verb, "go" and
"you" is the implied subject Command sentences such as
this don't often have a stated subject but it is understood that
"you" is the subject
Structure : Grammar TIP 47Flexible Verbs: Some words may look like verbs but do not act like verbs
■ Participate: this form of verb often ends in -ing or -ed
and acts as an adjective For example, "The talking
Trang 35doll was very pretty." or "That baked pie smells
delicious."
■ Gerund: this form of verb ends in -ing and acts as a
noun For example, "Listening to him was very
educational."
■ Infinitive: the basic form of a verb but is not the main verb and can act as a noun, an adverb, or an adjective
For example,
■ as a noun: "To speak in front of an audience is
very frightening to many people."
■ as an adverb: "I plan to arrive at nine o'clock."
■ as an adjective: "The work to be done was for
the seminar."
Structure : Grammar TIP 48Advanced Grammar
■ Phrases: A phrase is a group of words that act as a part
of speech It does not express a complete thought like
a sentence
■ Adverb phrase, "I went to the store."
■ adjective phrase, "The girl with blond hair sits
beside me."
■ noun phrase, "To go on the trip was exciting."
■ prepositional phrase, "The book was written by
the author"
■ Clauses: independent or dependant clauses
■ an independent clause can stand on its own
For example, "I was afraid"
■ a dependant clause cannot stand on its own
For example, "to go to school."
Now do the following Grammar Drill:
Grammar Drill 1
Back to Program Menu
Trang 36Sentence Completion Tips 49 - 50
Sentence Completion Tip 49 Process of Elimination:
❍ If there's no main verb, eliminate that answer choice
Remember, a verb is an action word It can express a physical action, a mental action, or a state of being For example:
■ a physical action: "I went to the store"
■ a mental action: "I think he likes me"
■ a state of being: "I am very happy"
❍ Make sure the subject and verb agree in number If you have
a plural subject, you must have a plural verb For example,
"They are happy" or "I am happy"
❍ Find the subject The subject can be a noun or a pronoun A
noun is a person, place, thing, or idea A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun, such as "I, he, she, it, we, they, you."
❍ What is the tense of the verb (i.e present, past, or future
tense)
❍ Make sure the verb is conjugated For example, the verb "to
sing" must be conjugated as:
■ present tense:
■ (I)"sing",
■ (I)"am singing",
■ (he, she, or it) "is singing", or
■ (they, we, or you) "are singing"
■ past tense:
■ (I, he, she, it, you, they, we) "sang",
■ future tense:
■ (I, he, she, it, you, they, we) "will sing"
■ If there's no main subject, eliminate that answer choice
■ Figure out what is missing from the sentence
■ Look to see what action is taking place in the sentence Is it a physical action, a mental action, or a state of being?
■ Make sure the subject and verb agree in number, ie if your subject is plural (we, they, you) your verb must
be plural For example:
■ (We, they, or you) are happy
■ (I, he, she, or it) is happy
Trang 37■ If you've found the main subject and the main verb, what else could be missing?
■ A modifier or dependent clause, such as, "Mr
Smith who lives next door is a very nice man."
"who lives next door" modifies "Mr Smith"
and tells who he is
■ a fixed expression which often starts a
dependent clause, such as, "which", "because
of", "in spite of", "that", or "who" For
example, "In spite of being smart, I found the
test was extremely hard"
■ an expression of comparison, such as "more
than", "bigger than", "as many as", "as much as possible", "greater than", "wider than", "longer than", "farther than", "longer than", "as good as", etc For example, "As good as he was, she was better"
■ Locate the main subject and a main verb
■ Remember that "because" usually signals a dependent clause which also contains a subject and verb but not the main ones
If there's no main subject or main verb:
This type does not occur very frequently An example would be, "There were no samples that matched the pattern." "There is", "there are", "there were", "there was", "it is", and "it was" are examples of no main verb or subject and are classed as expressions
Sentence Completion Tip 50 Strategy:
Locate the main verb
❍ Eliminate answers without conjugated verbs
❍ Eliminate answers that do not agree with the subject in
number
❍ Eliminate answers with verbs that are conjugated in the
wrong tense
Locate the main subject
❍ Eliminate answers that use poor grammar, have diction errors, or contain unnecessary words
Trang 38If there is a main subject and verb, take a look at the answer choices
to see what is missing
Eliminate answers that do not agree with the rest of the sentence, that contain errors of diction, or that contain extra words
If there is no subject or verb, eliminate choices that do not supply both a subject and a verb for the sentence or that do not agree with the rest of the sentence
Now do the following drills:
❍ Sentence Completion Drill 1
❍ Sentence Completion Drill 2
❍ Sentence Completion Drill 3
Back to Program Menu
Error Identification Tips 51 - 59
Structure: Error Identification TIP 51 You only have to FIND the error; you don't have to correct it!
In the next 7 tips you will see the "Seven Common Errors"
Structure: Error Identification TIP 52 Seven Common Errors: Error #1
❍ Verb Tense and Agreement
❍ Make sure the subject and verb agree in tense and in number
❍ Countries are singular Structure: Error Identification TIP 53 Seven Common Errors: Error #2 Nouns
❍ Singular and plural nouns:
■ Many plural nouns are followed by an s
■ Singular nouns could be identified with a, an, or this
■ Plural nouns could be identified with the, those,
these, two (or any number over two), or they
Trang 39■ Groups of nouns listed together with "and" are plural
For example, "Apple, orange, and grape are all fruit drinks."
■ Noncountable nouns refer to things that cannot be counted, such as:
These nouns are classed as singular and you can
replace them with "it"
■ Countable nouns refer to things that can be counted, such as:
■ cat, cats
■ knife, knives
■ child, children
■ cookie, cookies
■ can, cans, etc
Structure: Error Identification TIP 54 Seven Common Errors: Error #3 Pronouns
❍ Pronoun agreement: Make sure the pronoun agrees with the noun it replaces in terms of number, case, and gender For example, "I was sure I had the money because I remember
counting it." This sentence is correct; it would be incorrect to
say, "I was sure I had the money because I remember
counting them."
❍ Missing pronouns, such as "He took the money from my purse but he promised to replace "; This sentence should read, "He took the money from my purse but he promised to
replace it."
❍ Extra pronouns: If you see a noun and a pronoun right next to each other, one is probably unnecessary (especially as an
Trang 40very stubborn" should read, "The child is very stubborn."
Structure: Error Identification TIP 55 Seven Common Errors: Error #4 Diction
❍ Watch out for the use of a verb instead of a noun or vice versa! For example:
■ Wrong: "He is quick to reaction."
■ Correct: "He is quick to react."
❍ Nouns and adjectives may sometimes sound alike For example:
❍ Wrong: "He is coldness."
❍ Correct: "He is cold."
● Adjective-Adverb (adverbs often end in -ly but there are many exceptions) For example:
❍ "The puppy is big." ("big" is an adjective and modifies "puppy".)
❍ "The puppy has grown bigger." ("bigger" is an adverb and modifies
the verb "has grown".)
The normal rule for forming an adverb is to add 'ly' to the adjective, such as
"slow; slowly", "beautiful; beautifully", "shy; shyly", etc For example:
❍ Adjective: "The slow train is late"
❍ Adverb: "The train moves slowly"
● Some words may appear misspelled Some favorite errors on the TOEFL include using the word for a profession, such as "chemist", instead of the word for the subject, "chemistry"
❍ Wrong: "He studies chemist."
❍ Correct: "He studies chemistry."
● Other typical mistakes for words that sound alike:
Structure: Error Identification TIP 54 Seven Common Errors: Error #5 Parallelism