TOEFL

Reading Strategies

Bates, S. (2011). Oxford preparation course for the TOEFL iBT exam: a skills-based
communicative approach. Don Mills, Ont.: Oxford University Press.

Vocabulary Questions
Identify word form
Analyze in immediate context
Analyze in larger context
Divide into word parts (root words, similar words)
Replace the word with word in answer

Reference Questions
Reference words can be a pronoun, possessive adjective,
demonstrative, or quantifier that refers to a previous word.
Look for a noun or noun phrase before the reference word.

For example:
While people generally link
the term calorie with food,
it is a unit of measurement
that can be applied to any
substance possessing
energy.

The word it in the

passage refers to
a) food
b) term
c) calorie
d) unit

Insert Questions
The question will ask you to place a sentence in one of the
four positions within a paragraph.
Look for connecting words like reference words and
transitions.
Look for synonyms, rephrased ideas, and repeated key
words.

Insert Questions
For example:
Look at the four squares
that indicate where the
following sentence could be
added to the passage.
In fact, the energy in this
amount of fuel is
comparable to that in 30
McDonalds hamburgers.

A calorie, also known as a

kilocalorie, is a unit of energy.
This unit represents the energy
required to heat a kilogram of
water one degree Celsius.
While people generally link the
term calorie with food, it is a
unit of measurement that can
be applied to any substance
possessing energy. For
instance, there are 8200
calories in a liter (about one
quart) of gasoline.

Paraphrase Questions
This question asks you to identify which of the four
sentences restates the essential information contained in a
highlighted sentence in the text.
The correct answer usually includes synonyms or
restatements of ideas.

Factual Information Questions

These questions ask about specific information such as
facts, details, examples, and definitions.
You will need to use scanning and recognizing paraphrase.

Negative Factual
Information Questions
This type of question asks you to specify which answer is
NOT true according to the reading passage.
It may be worded, All of the following are true EXCEPT
These questions may take longer to answer.
Scan key words in the question.
The correct answer will NOT be true or will NOT be
mentioned.

Inference Questions
This question asks you to draw a conclusion from the stated
facts most often found within one or two sentences within a
paragraph.
Sometimes the question will ask about information
scattered throughout the entire passage.
The correct answer will NOT be DIRECTLY stated in the
passage. You will have to infer the correct answer.
Scan for key words and phrases.

Schematic Framework Questions

This question will ask you to place important ideas from the
passage in the appropriate categories.
There may be two or three categories and either five or
seven correct answers.
Incorrect answers will be untrue or not mentioned according
to the passage.
Make sure you understand the category headings
completely.
Scan for synonyms and key words.

Purpose Questions
There are three types:
1.

why the author included a specific phrase or sentence

a. provide an example, reason, evidence or support

2.

what the authors purpose is in writing the paragraph

a. to state and develop the main idea
b. to expand or develop the main idea of previous paragraph

3.

how one paragraph relates to another

a. skim both paragraph to find the main idea of each
b. read the last sentence of the first paragraph and the
opening sentence of the second paragraph and find
connections

Prose Questions
Distinguish major from minor ideas in the passage
Read the summary sentence and choose three answers that
represent major ideas from the passage that relate to the
summary sentence.
Incorrect answers are usually minor points (examples, statistics,
reasons), but they can also be untrue ideas or not mentioned
according to the passage.

Bates, S. (2011). Oxford preparation course for the TOEFL iBT exam: a
skills-based communicative approach. Don Mills, Ont.: Oxford University
Press.