Hi all
I have just received my score for the test taken on December 13:
Reading: 29
Listening: 29
Speaking: 23
Writing: 27.
TOEFL Ibt is a very easy test for a GMAT test taker. Only Speaking section requires attention and practice.
Learning experience:I was on a sick leave almost for a month and I studied for the TOELF in the week from Dec 6 to Dec 13 when I was at home and regathering energy for the GMAT retake. I needed rest from GMAT fever and stress that actually had provoked my illness.
1. So on Dec 6 I purchased
the official guide which included 3 test delivered in an interactive format. The guide is rubbish. Do not spend money on that. Better buy the 5 tests they sell as an individual product - this will bring you the most value. Believe me.
I immediately took the first interactive test: only half of it - reading and listening - and scored 97% and 95% respectively. I got relieved after that since I learnt that 50% of the preparation is not required. The same day I reviewed the guide (the first 2 sections) just focusing on the tips they highlight there and writing the most useful ones down. for reading i just thoroughly read through the passage once, i was missing a lot of details because the passages are boring and too general and there are more than 6 paras usually. so after the initial read (up to 3 mins) i just switch to questions. it is a gift that the questions are structured just in accordance with the flow of teh paras: first 2-3 questions deal with first para and so on - i just read through the para with greater care and detail - this helps with the final questions which deal with the primitive inference and main point questions. so by reading the passage first in 3 mins and then chewing through every passage when answering the questions you come prepared to the last questions. listening is just about taking details: i used an entire page for each answer, it was all covered with notes and marks. and i structured my notes and so should you - at least do the numbering of the ideas or better draw some logical map of what you are being told.
On the next day I took the speaking and writing. For speaking I used my phone integrated voice recorder and practiced the answers a couple of times to understand that i need some format for becomeing able to answer the stuff within 1 min. I found out that notefull gives valuable format and advice so I viewed all his free lectures on the 6 questions and wrote down the structure for every question: in terms of secs spent on diff parts, the phrases, well just everything he so generously shares with us - really great value! then i realized man i need more practice on speaking to avoid those mmm, uuuhmm, and being short of time. so then i found out that there are free resources to practice on that. please see this link
https://www.eng1on1.com/ibt.php?test=1 16 recordings x 6 questions. great practice. but i did only 4 for each.
writing again was not very hard - just concentrate on listening and deliver the essay n a structured way. those general naive question on the second essay really made me feel confused - as i had tons of different reasons and aswers to why for instance parents should take care of their children on their own and not to burden their elder children with taking care of their younger sisters and brothers and so on.
2. the following days i spent some time on gmat and took the rest 2 tests without writing section. i paid much attention to speaking. reading and listening splipped a bit to 90% but i was not very focused. by friday i was still concerned about my speaking and bought the online toefl practice test: scored 102 (speaking being 20) - i realized i need to really focus on other sections to excel there in order the speaking did not drag me down.
3. the real thing. the toelf test center is too formalistic. the girls almosts looked into my pants. reading went smoothly 3 passages with 2 mins to spare. listening was LONGER!!! i was already exhausted and dreamed of drinking my red bull when the listening section threw at me additional 17 questions. longer than that for what i was preparing myself.
again speaking troubled me a bit. gave clumsy answer on q 2, was short of time again on q 6 =(. just practice more on this. other testtakers really did not bother me when they delivered their speaking section.
writing was simple. i think i gave my best possible essays. the reason for lower score on writing is because i think i have not provided some more detail on those hammerhead sharks. first essay took me 350 words the second - 450 (4 paras)
4. so my advice in terms of preparation and learning materials for GMAT takers: just buy the 5 tests, practice a lot on speaking and use the above link for this, if you need some more practice and confidence buy the online practice test - it replicates the real thing at 100%. btw the online test feeds harder questions than the interactive tests. for the online practice test they have different value packs so consider what would be cheaper.
feel free to ask questions and give kudos