The Best Books for the TOEFL iBT
Posted: Wednesday, October 01, 2008
by William Sullivan
Cz-Training
So, you want to know what the best TOEFL books are? There are a quite a few on the market these days, and each book offers something a little bit different. Some books provide basic information about the test. Other books offer practice tests and exercises. Still others offer general TOEFL preparation or tips and tricks to improve your score. These various TOEFL books fall into the following categories:
General Information about the TOEFL
If you want information about the TOEFL format and structure, the best book is from ETS, the creators of the test:
TOEFL iBT: The Official ETS Study Guide
Practice Exercises and Tests
If you want to take a lot of practice tests so that you can get used to the format and test structure, here are some recommendations:
Barron's Practice Exercises for the TOEFL
Delta's Key to the Next Generation TOEFL Test: Six Practice Tests for the iBT
General TOEFL Preparation
For general TOEFL iBT preparation, including tips and tricks, practice exercises, and a few full-length practice tests, these are the best:
Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL Test iBT
Cambridge Preparation for the TOEFL Test
Delta's Key to the Next Generation TOEFL Test: Advanced Skill Practice Book
If you only want tips and tricks to help you with the TOEFL iBT, these kinds of books will give you valuable hints on how to improve your score by a few points. Here are a few of the better ones:
Kaplan TOEFL iBT with CD-ROM 2008-2009
Cracking the TOEFL IBT with Audio CD, 2009 Edition
In short, all of the books mentioned above will help you prepare for the TOEFL in some way. However, it is important to have realistic expectations. Success on the TOEFL, like everything else in life, takes a lot of discipline and hard work. None of these books-not even the books that give you tips and tricks-can guarantee that you will pass the TOEFL. Only you can do that.