TOEFL READING STRATEGIES

Reading procedure
• Never read the questions first. Read the text first.
• Read the text quickly enough not to waste time, but slowly enough to
understand the main point of the paragraph.
• Do no articulate when you read!!! This is not pronunciation or reading aloud
practice.
• DO NOT RELAX. Work as if you have to move very quickly.
• Approximate time you should spend on reading one text: 6-7 min
• “Process” the info in the paragraph – rephrase it to yourself in other words ->
this helps understand how ideas are related and what things mean
• Take notes of the main ideas on the margin of the paragraph
• Remember the “geography” of the text – which idea is located in which
paragraph?
• Answer the question as if it were an OPEN question, not multiple choice. Then
match your answer to A, B, C or D. Confirm with evidence from text.
General reading strategies
• Eliminate wrong options, explaining yourself with clear arguments
why they don’t fit
• Find confirmation/evidence for the RIGHT answer in the text
• If you see highlighted text – try to understand how it works +
rephrase it to yourself
• Half-truths (partially correct answers) are WRONG
Multiple Choice Questions Strategies
• All questions come in order
• The golden rule: the answer paraphrases what was said in the text, or
generalizes the category for the example
• Text might contain examples for the general concept given in the answer choice.
• Correct answer almost NEVER contains exact words from the text.
• FIRST - read the paragraph and “discuss it with yourself” – process it.
• SECOND – read the QS+ identify keywords. Locate and isolate the location of
possible answer in the paragraph based on keywords.
• THIRD – eliminate wrong answers and “half-truths”; justify by close reading
• FOURTH – confirm that your choice is correct – underline/highlight the line(s)
that contain the right answer. Follow what was paraphrased.
Reference Questions Strategies
• Pay attention to reference words (he, she, they, etc.; this, that; here,
there; this is why, etc.), connectors, logic, order or time progression
of story, fact/opinion, quoting. Pay attention to the logic of ideas and
connectors.
• FIRST - read the context of the gap. Pay attention to sentences
BEFORE and AFTER gap.
• SECOND – Locate and isolate the location of possible reference words
+ connections to main point of sentence.
• THIRD – confirm that your choice is correct – follow the correct
connections.
After the test is done and corrected…
• Find out why the right answer is the RIGHT one; why are the other
choices wrong?
• Extract and collect new vocabulary; write synonyms – work on
vocabulary regularly
Other Strategies
• All EXCEPT questions (negative factual qs): recall where you read
about the true options. Find those facts in the text (very quickly).
Explain to yourself why the wrong fact is WRONG.
• Vocabulary questions: examine context, replace by synonyms
• Summary completion: eliminate choices with examples and details or
factual errors; leave only main CORRECT ideas.