4 Online Learning Tools to Help Boost Your TOEFL Score

If you're getting ready for the TOEFL exam but don't know exactly where to start in terms of preparation, consider checking out these four online learning tools.


Grammar Monster

In order to do well on the writing and speaking portions of the TOEFL exam, you'll need to have a solid grasp of the essentials of English grammar. There are a number of grammar websites out there you may find to be useful. One of those sites is Grammar Monster. This website will provide you with guidance in terms of punctuation, sentence structure, and proper English grammar in general. Grammar Monster is straightforward, easy-to-navigate, and covers a lot of basis in a concise, clear manner.

Visit Grammar Monster


365 ESL Short Stories

The reading portion of the TOEFL exam will include a few short passages you'll need to read and answer questions about. 365 ESL Short Stories is a good place to start as you prepare for the reading portion of the test. As you can probably guess, this site includes a few hundred short stories meant to be read by English language learners. Many of the stories contain important English vocabulary words that you may see on the TOEFL exam. Keep in mind that the stories offered by this site are somewhat basic. Once you get done reading all the passages on this site, you should continue to try to soak up as much written online content in English as possible before you take the test.

Visit 365 ESL Short Stories


Netflix

This is a somewhat unconventional learning tool you can use to improve your English listening skills, which will be tested on the TOEFL exam. You can try Netflix out for free for a month (and $8 or so a month after that) and have instant, streaming access to thousands of movies and TV shows featuring actors who speak English. Understanding English on paper is oftentimes a little bit easier than understanding it when it's spoken to you. That's why the listening part of the TOEFL exam can be pretty difficult. Watching TV shows and movies in English on sites like Netflix will give you a chance to improve your listening skills and enjoy yourself as well.

Visit Netflix


Howjsay.com

It's good to have a resource to help you pronounce English words you come across but don't know how to say, especially since your speaking skills will be assessed on the TOEFL exam. Howjsay.com is a simple, easy-to-use website that lets you type in English words and then pronounces them for you. This site has pretty much any English word you could find in the dictionary. So, it can definitely be a huge help.

Visit howjsay.com

The four online learning tools listed above will get you on the right track as you prepare for the writing, reading, listening, and speaking portions of the TOEFL exam. Just remember that the more English content and media you expose yourself to online, the better. And good luck on your test!

Jillian Terry is a retired educator, freelance writer, and professional blogger who contributes to teachingdegree.org and other sites related to pedagogy. In her spare time, Jillian likes to volunteer as an ESL tutor and research educational trends. Please leave comments and questions for Jillian below!

4 Free Android Apps for Learning English - Always Accessible Education

The knowledge of second or third language can be one of the biggest assets an individual has from a professional and education perspective. Employers seek individuals who are well rounded, multilingual and able to pick up new skills quickly. Learning a language is an extremely daunting and challenging task. As an adult in particular, people struggle greatly to fully grasp the entirety of learning a new language.

However, with new technologies and new resources, learning English and other languages has become significantly more accessible. Try out these four free Android mobile apps to help you learn English on your own time and anytime you have access to your phone.


Learning English App

This app is free for Android and can be a wonderful way to get started learning the language or to refresh yourself on some of the basic elements of the English language. With lessons and practice in reading, listening, grammar, essay writing, studying tips, and much more, this app may be a great addition to your language studying regimen.

Download Learning English App for Android


Learn English with Busuu

Busuu.com is one of the leading online communities for language learning and practice. This app provides users with over 3,000 words and key phrases to study. Vocabulary is one of the first elements of language that learners should face. Busuu does a wonderful job of presenting English vocabulary to a learner and helping them practice with it regularly.

The app also offers over 150 different study topics, comprehensive audio-visual learning material, practice with dialogues, 20 full learning units, and access to native speakers for guidance and support. This app is useful for many reasons, but is particularly unique in its networking ability.

Download Learn English with Busuu for Android


Vocabulary Trainer TOEFL

As mentioned earlier, vocabulary is one of the first and most important steps to learning a new language. TOEFL offers over 1,500 vocabulary words for users to study. Becoming entirely fluent in a language requires significant practice and regular exposure to a language.

This mobile app offers the phonetic transcription, audio pronunciations, and regular lessons in various English vocabulary words. Users can use this app to learn new words or to perfect their understanding and pronunciation of difficult words in their repertoire. This Android app is also highly recommended if you’re preparing for the TOEFL exam as it contains the main vocabulary that you’re likely to find in this test.

Download Vocabulary Trainer TOEFL for Android


Test Your English I

This app is one of the most useful and entertaining English language learning apps out there. With over 300 multiple choice tests available, users can use this app to practice and test all aspects of English language learning. The app offers English grammar exercises, ESL business English tests, English synonym worksheets, idiomatic expressions in English, and common errors in English usage.

These tests are a fun and helpful way to test your language skills and learn from your mistakes. The app works to make the hard work of learning a language fun by using color coding and scores to help you keep track of your success rate and foster a positive learning environment.

Download Test Your English I for Android

This is a guest post written by Barbara Jolie. Barbara is a full time writer and blogger in the Houston area. She is passionate about all things education and wishes to share her knowledge on online classes with her blogging community. For questions or comments email her at barbara.jolie876@gmail.com.

Learn English and improve your vocabulary base with Quizlet

Quizlet is one of those free Internet resources that are worth trying and that you’ll love. It’s based completely on the use of flashcards for learning English, vocabulary or almost anything.

You can make your own flashcards at Quizlet and then share them so you’ll have millions to choose from. These flashcards are grouped in different categories, like Arts and Literature, Languages and Vocabulary, Maths and Science, History and Geography, Standardized Tests and Professional and Careers.

To study English, the most interesting subcategories are English (in Languages and Vocabulary), SSAT, TOEFL and TOEIC (in Standardized Tests). Moreover, as the majority of vocabulary is in English, you’ll be able to dip into the category you’re interested in and practice your English skills.

The following tools and games are available for each flashcard:

• Flashcard Mode: allows you to familiarize yourself with the material.
• Speller Mode: uses audio to let you type what you hear.
• Learn Mode: is the most powerful study mode, keeping track of your scores, and retesting incorrect answers.
• Test Mode: generates customizable tests with short answers, matching, multiple choice and true/false options.
• Scatter: is a fun matching game which lets you drag and drop questions and answers with your mouse while racing against the clock.
• Space Race: is the ultimate video game study simulation. Racing the clock, you type in answers to questions flying overhead before they evade your grasp.

You can see an example about the Learn Mode below:

Choose a Study ModeScatterLearnFlashcards

Study these flash cards | Study english flash cards

Quizlet is also a very valuable resource for classes, as teachers will be able to create their own flashcards (which can include images) and then use them in class with their students. As it’s an interactive resource, the chances are that it will be fully accepted by the class.

Finally, you can also enjoy Quizlet on your phone or tablet as there are many available apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone and Kindle Fire.

Go on and check out Quizlet, it won’t disappoint you.

Are you studying for TOEFL?

Anybody willing to go for a full time on –campus higher education abroad must be aware of the criteria in qualifying the admission, which also includes qualifying the TOEFL test. Designed to test the English language skills, this test is mandatory for gaining an admission in an U.S.A university along with other universities across the World. A rough estimate shows that around 6,000 colleges and universities worldwide recognize this test score for admission.

Now, before your mind is filled with thoughts of how to prepare for TOEFL, you need to understand what the test is all about.

Understanding TOEFL test

TOEFL stand as an abbreviation for Test of English as a Foreign Language. Designed to test the English language skills of a candidate aiming for an admission at an abroad university, this test usually judges one’s writing, listening, reading, and speaking ability of English. The test is generally conducted over four and half hours time with a 10-minute break in between. The Internet based test, which is the latest version, is ranked on a scale of 0 to 120 points with each section divided into 30 points. Well, when it comes to qualification marks, the criteria set may differ with universities with the general graduating score being ranked at 82.6.

Preparing for the TOEFL

TOEFL, as a test is feared by almost all individuals aiming an admission through the foreign university. However, you need to keep in mind that the test though is challenging is not unbeatable. Effort and practice on your part can help you obtain the score. Here is a quick look at some of the tips that would help you prepare for TOEFL:

• Approach the test with a preset plan.
• Always prepare well as there is no place for underprepared individuals.
• Prepare for the individual sections differently.
• Listen to the Native American speakers via American radio, CNN and other likes.
• Practice grammar exercises regularly to enhance your command over grammar.
• Read as much as you can to sharpen your vocabulary skills.
• Practice speaking in English with your friends to increase your speaking power.
• Learn 5 to 10 words everyday and practice writing and speaking ability with those words.

However, for obtaining best results, get yourself a TOEFL Test guide and take free online tests to judge your English language command. ETS offers a number of free and paid presentation materials to help you with the TOEFL preparations, take help from those guidebooks. You can also have a look at the official TOEFL website and take the sample test online for judging your skills. The FAQ section details you all the necessary information required to sit for the test.

Fight your fear and learn the language at its best to secure an admission at a foreign university.

This guest post is a contribution from Mellisa Spears. She loves English Language and writes on topics related to learning the language or preparing for English tests. She also writes for other topics like Online MBA and Distance Learning Courses.

How to Prepare for IELTS?

‘Why Learn English’ for higher studies or professional growth is one question that pops up in the mind of every learner of the language? Well, the answer is simple- enhancing the English language skills comes up as a necessity for qualifying for a degree program in United Kingdom or for succeeding in the professional growth. If you wish to Study in UK for your higher academic degree then, qualifying the IELTS test ranks as one of the most significant step to your success. Canadian, Australian and U.S universities along with the UK universities, also recognizes this test widely.

What is IELTS all about?

IELTS stands for the International English Language Testing system. This particular test is designed to evaluate your proficiency in the English language. It is based on a nine-point band, where a nine signifies the highest mark complementing the equivalency to the highly educated native of the country. Preparing for IELTS requires you to brush all the four skills of the language that includes writing, speaking, reading, and listening in an academic context. You can sit for this test at periodic intervals throughout the year and are organized at centers worldwide.

What is the Qualification Mark for IELTS

Usually, an undergraduate student needs to score a mark of 5.5in average for university admission, while a postgraduate needs to score an average of 6.5. Some universities ask for a higher course for a few chosen programs. Preparing for IELTS should be done keeping in mind the score requirements.

How to Prepare for IELTS Exam?

Preparing for IELTS requires you to enroll at study centers focusing on training the students in accordance to the exam. These days, online classes are also available, which you can take up via the road of Distance Learning. However, you also need to focus on your study techniques for qualifying the IELTS exam. The following tips should help you cut the score required for admission in UK universities:

• Know about the test and the module. The skills that are being tested require a thorough brush up and hence needs time.
• Make sure you are using your study time properly. Organize a planned timetable and follow it at best. Take mock tests frequently and try to cut through the past score achieved.
• Study each skill differently and with proper focus, as each skill is being marked independently in the test. Know your weakness and work towards it.
• Make sure that you are aware of the exact procedure of the test and the way you are marked or the time given for the test. Set the clock accordingly and appear for mock tests.
• Only learning for the test according to the curriculum is not advisable. Submerge yourself in English; join an English club, develop reading habits and watch and listen to English channels.

Learn English and qualify the IELTS test to offer your dreams the wings to soar above all.

This is a guest post by Melissa Spears. She is attracted to English language and loves to explore the internationally recognized language at a global base. She writes about English Language Learning and English test preparations.