The TOEFL Junior Standard test follows a well-defined format and each section requires different skills. You’re probably looking for concrete advice on how to master skills and get the best score possible!
Learn how to improve your test-taking abilities for each of the sections of the TOEFL Junior Standard format and get a complete training program from GlobalExam.
See how GlobalExam can guide you in preparing for TOEFL Junior success!
Improve listening skills
Watch movies and TV or radio in English. Recordings are also a great place to start, and there are countless materials available online. Try to be an “active listener”: listen carefully to the speaker, but try to identify what the speaker is trying to say overall.
Try asking yourself questions such as: what is the purpose of the speech? Is the speaker apologizing, complaining, or making a suggestion? Is the speaker calm or emotional? How can these be clues for what the speaker is trying to say?
Intonation can also be used to convey meaning. Pay attention to how the discussion is organized using linking words for the introduction, main ideas, examples, and conclusion. Words such as “because” and “however” or “therefore” link related ideas.
Try to predict what will be said next by stopping the recording from time to time. This will help you plan on taking notes and creating an outline in real-time.
Tips for the Language Form & Meaning section
This section requires you to pay close attention to a text to be able to choose the right words to complete the text.
Tip #1 Read, Read, Read
Read the text once entirely to understand its overall meaning. Then, read it again, paying attention to how the sentences are written.
Tip #2 Grammar
Identify the grammatical category of each word: subject, verb, object, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, articles, or conjunctions. If possible, identify the verb tenses as well. These will all give clues to which words fit where!
Tip #3 Syntax
Transitional words, punctuation, and even transitions such as “because,” “however, and “therefore” provide information about how the sentences relate to each other.
Tip #4 Vocabulary
Build up your vocabulary by learning 5 to 7 words every day. Keep a list, either on paper or digitally, and review this list occasionally. You may even want to keep a journal in English, just spending a few minutes every day writing in it. If you’re in an English class or a preparatory program, every time you learn a new grammatical structure, try to incorporate it into your journal entries. Be sure to review what you’re written, correct any errors you find, and identify places where you think you need to study.
Improving your reading skills
There’s no secret here: you’ve just got to practice!
Read at least a few pages of English texts every day. These may be stories, news or magazine articles, academic textbooks dealing with science, humanities, or the arts. There’s a virtually endless supply of resources online for this.
First, skim the text quickly to pick out the main idea. Then, read it again more carefully and highlight or note down the important ideas and main facts.
If you find a word you don’t know, try to guess what it means based on context clues. Identify what part of speech it should be or look for parallel structures to make your best guess. If you still can’t understand the word, keep a dictionary handy!
On the day of the test
It should be obvious, but many test-takers don’t read the directions fully! Don’t skip this step because you may end up wasting time.
Don’t spend too much time on one question. If you find yourself hesitating and lingering on a question, see if you can eliminate some of the most obvious answers and narrow your choices down for better chances of getting it right.
Above all, breathe and don’t stress out! Focus only on the question you’re looking at and don’t worry about the other questions until you get to them. This is a skill that will develop with preparation.
Prepare online with GlobalExam
All of these skills require a certain amount of self-discipline during the preparation process. If you prefer more guidance as you study for your TOEFL Junior, let GlobalExam help you!
You’ll get complete TOEFL Junior exercises to practice on and evaluate your score, full-length mock tests so you can get a feel from the timing and pressures of the real test, and grammar and vocabulary files targeted to your English level so you can build your language skills overall.
Plus, you’ll get a personalized study schedule that will keep you motivated, provide valuable feedback about your running score, and focus on your weak areas so you know what to spend most of your time on. Get ready for TOEFL Junior success with GlobalExam!
