TOEFL iBT study plan
TOEFL iBT · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Reading & Listening
Diagnose baseline performance by completing one timed Reading section and one timed Listening section under official conditions
Classify every missed question by type and name the specific skill gap behind it
Build a 50-item personal vocabulary log from words you missed or guessed on
Shadow 10 minutes of academic lecture audio daily to train sustained attention
Your checkpoint
A one-page diagnostic report listing your baseline Reading and Listening scores plus your top five recurring error patterns
Reading & Listening
State each Reading passage's main claim in a single sentence within 90 seconds of first read
Categorize 40 Reading questions by type and label the trap used in each incorrect answer choice
Take structured notes on six academic lectures and answer five detail questions per lecture without replaying audio
Highlight 15 discourse signposts (contrast, cause, example) in lecture transcripts and match each to what followed
Your checkpoint
An error log of 40 classified Reading questions, each annotated with the distractor trap type you fell for
Reading & Listening
Complete three full Reading sections within the official time limit
Reduce average per-question Reading time to under 90 seconds without losing accuracy
Summarize eight lectures aloud in 45 seconds each using only your own notes
Predict a lecture's structure from its first 30 seconds and check the prediction at the end
Your checkpoint
A scored timed Reading section at or above your target band, accompanied by a per-question timing log
Writing
Draft five integrated writing responses using a fixed four-paragraph structure
Map reading points against lecture points in a three-column chart before writing each response
Paraphrase source sentences so that no more than three consecutive words are copied
Self-score each draft against a rubric and justify every point awarded
Your checkpoint
A portfolio of three integrated writing responses scoring at least 4 of 5 on your own applied rubric
Writing & Reading
Outline eight independent writing prompts in five minutes each, with a thesis and two developed reasons
Write six independent essays in 30 minutes each using your own outlines
Eliminate your three most frequent grammar errors as identified from your own drafts
Rewrite 20 run-on sentences into shorter, clearer constructions
Your checkpoint
Six timed independent essays with a grammar-error tally showing a measurable drop from essay one to essay six
Speaking
Record 20 independent speaking responses at the official 45-second limit
Fill the 15-second preparation window with a written skeleton of claim plus two supports
Transcribe and mark your own recordings for filler words, false starts, and pacing
Rebuild your three weakest responses and re-record them until they are 20 percent smoother
Your checkpoint
A folder of 20 labeled recordings plus a before-and-after filler-word count for your three weakest responses
Speaking & Writing
Complete two integrated speaking tasks per session using the reading-lecture-speaking sequence
Deliver campus-situation responses that state a recommendation, give a reason, and close within the time limit
Cut filler words to fewer than three per 45-second response
Revise two integrated essays for cohesion by adding or replacing transition phrases only
Your checkpoint
Ten recorded integrated speaking responses scored on a rubric, plus one revised integrated essay with transitions tracked
Reading & Listening & Writing & Speaking
Simulate two full-length tests end to end under official timing with no breaks
Review every missed item from both simulations and log the cause within 24 hours
Re-drill your two lowest-accuracy question types until accuracy exceeds 80 percent
Lock in test-day logistics: section order, timing checkpoints, and a scratch-paper routine
Your checkpoint
A full-length mock score report across all four sections with a written review of every error and a finalized test-day checklist
Milestones
Week 2: You can name your top five Reading and Listening error patterns without consulting notes, and your error log shows evidence for each
Week 4: Your timed Reading score is at or above target, and you have produced at least three integrated writing responses scoring 4 or higher on a self-applied rubric
Week 6: Your independent writing essays fit the time limit with a declining grammar-error count, and you have 20 recorded speaking responses on file
Week 8: Your full-length mock shows every section within three points of your target band, with no section below your week-one baseline