I scored a 118/120 on my TOEFL iBT test with 3 hours of preparation. No, I’m not one of those genius kids and neither do I possess extreme concentration talent. This answer consists of my honest approach to the exam.

Study on a GRE level for Verbal and Analytical Writing
Practice one speaking exercise at least 15 times; record yourself over and over and don’t stop until you hear a perfect dialogue
That’ s all; I just put the ‘3’ there because…you know..lucky three
Anyways…..

Let’s jump into the preparation tips that I can offer you:

A) Reading: (My Score:29/30)

There are some great TOEFL preparation guides out there. However, not having used one myself, I would suggest studying the GRE Reading Comprehension section. You can find exercises for these in the classics: Barron, Manhattan, ETS Official GRE Guide, etc. The GRE RC section demands you to apply your mind very analytically as well as intuitively to answer a question. It helps improve your vocabulary and speed reading capabilities. After solving about 180–200 GRE RC questions correctly, the TOEFL Reading section will be an absolute cakewalk. It will not be a challenge to obtain a perfect score(30/30). I do not lie when I say this and strongly encourage you to study GRE Reading Comprehension.

B) Listening:(My Score:29/30)

I’m afraid that my suggestion for this is going to closely align with the age-old suggestions you’ve probably heard before: Listen to English conversations! But it’s true!! It does work! The conversations presented in the TOEFL iBT are usually related to campus situations and lectures on topics like Psychology,Geology,etc. and the accent of the speakers is neutral to American. You will be asked questions related to details from the conversation and I suggest that you keep a notepad handy and jot down parts of the conversation. The questions are easy and if you have understood the language, a 27+/30 is guaranteed. Watch channels like BBC, CNN, or any other English news channel in your country. They are required to maintain a neutral accent and speak at a moderate speed. For practice, you may jot down what you hear to train yourself for writing speed since there will be a lot of information to record in the actual test dialogues.

C)Speaking: (My Score:30/30)

Most test-takers dread and goof up in this section. The two main reasons for this are

Do not use preparation time wisely
Not used to speak into a microphone, and to a computer
Depending upon the number of seconds you are asked to speak( to answer a question related to conversation/lecture), there is a preparation time given ranging from 15–30 seconds. Do not spend this precious time framing sentences! Content is more important. Be a regular English speaker at your college or at home and you have the tools to use the prep time for a better cause:content. Make 3 columns on your scratch pad and label them, Beginning—Middle—End. Under each, jot down in 4–5 words the general idea of what you will say. This is ALL that you have been given time for. Then, once you hear the beep, the floor is yours to let those sentences naturally flow. The scratch pad with golden reminders and points will help now.

Test-takers usually lose marks when they use a lot of ‘umms’ and ‘uhhs’ in their speech. It is natural to do so and we use them a lot in every day conversations. Sometimes they are very required to convey a tone or flavor. However, I suggest that you hold back on this habit during the TOEFL test. Find a sample speaking assignment online(Just Google TOEFL Speaking Section Questions) and record yourself answering it within the given time. Listen to yourself and ask: As an examiner, what do I hear wrong with this? What could have been better? Then plan again and answer again. Record your answers repeatedly until you get a satisfactory output.

Stay focused and oblivious to others’ voices and answer smartly. You will be good.

D) Writing: (My Score: 30/30)

Here, I must again turn to my GRE books to gain writing practice. The GRE books contain sample questions and sample answers related to analytical writing skills. The questions given are usually quite abstract and the answers contain a level of very high-level English. Your exposure to the way a GRE essay is expected to be analyzed and written will again like Reading, make the Writing section look easier than 1+1.

I hope this was helpful. Don’t forget to report your scores the night before your test, get lots of sleep, keep a sweater, and have a hearty meal.

Good Luck!