TOEFL Prep on a Budget: Affordable Resources and Study Tips

TOEFL exam is very important if you want to study in an English-speaking country. But you dont have to spend big money to prepare for it. You can use free TOEFL preparation tools from ETS, the test makers. Try to read, listen, speak, and write in English every day. Even if you practice only small time daily, it still helps a lot. You don’t need any expensive coaching for this.

For many students who want to study abroad, the TOEFL test feels like the first big step. And honestly, with college forms, visa fees, and test charges, everything becomes costly fast. So if you are thinking how to do TOEFL preparation without spending too much, you are not the only one. The good news is you can prepare well with simple steps and almost no money.

What Is the TOEFL, and Why Does It Matter?

The TOEFL iBT is a test that checks how well you use English in an academic setting. It covers four main skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Most universities in US, Canada, the UK, and even some in Europe and Asia accept TOEFL scores. Basically, if you're planning to study where English is the main language, this test matters a lot.

Free TOEFL Official Resources from ETS

Before you rush into paid coaching classes or expensive prep books, check out the free TOEFL preparation resources that ETS already offers:

• A full-length practice test: This helps you get used to the format and timing. It’s a great way to figure out what sections you’re already strong in, and where you need more practice.
• Practice questions: These cover every section of the test and give you a sense of what kinds of questions to expect. They're straightforward and pulled from actual previous tests.
• TOEFL TestReady: This is ETS’s preparation platform. It combines free and paid tools, but the free part alone is worth using - daily practice questions and personalized tips based on your performance.

Making a Plan That Works for You

You are not going to study 6 hours every day for the TOEFL exam, you know? Just a small plan can do big help. Every person learn different, so your TOEFL preparation can be simple also.

• Reading: Maybe you read one small article today… from a blog or newspaper or some science page. If you see a word you don’t know, just circle it and check meaning later. Then try to write a small summary in your own words. It look too easy, but it really make your mind stronger.
• Listening: Sometimes you watch a English lecture on YouTube, sometimes you listen podcast. You pause anywhere and try to say what you heard, but say it out loud. Your brain start to catch ideas better, and your speaking go little more smooth.
• Speaking: You can just pick any random topic, like “my morning” or “why I like rain”, and talk 30–40 seconds. Record in phone. Later when you listen, suddenly you hear mistakes that you didn’t hear before while speaking. It’s funny but it works.
• Writing: Try writing small essays, maybe 250 or 300 words, on normal topics. Don’t try perfect… just write something. After some time, read again and check if your idea is clear or if sentence go too long. This small checking is also part of TOEFL writing preparation, even if it feel slow.

Do You Need to Pay for TOEFL Coaching?

It depends on your style. Some students learn better with a teacher, but others enjoy self-study TOEFL preparation.

You may not need paid coaching if you are focused and can study on your own without much problem.

Paid classes can help if:

• You have very less time
• You need someone to keep you on track
• You tried self-study but didn’t see much improvement
• Both ways are fine. Just choose what makes your TOEFL preparation easier and more comfortable for you.

TOEFL Free Classes by Shiksha

If you want some extra help for your TOEFL preparation and you don’t want to pay money, Shiksha give you a nice choice. They have free TOEFL classes for students, and it’s a 4-week class. The teacher is Taru, and she know a lot. She got Cambridge and IDP certificates, and also CELTA from Cambridge, and she studied Linguistics in Delhi University too. She teached more than 1,000 students in IELTS, Spoken English, DET, and TOEFL, and she doing this from many years.

Sometimes she gives very simple feedback, sometimes she explain little different so you understand better. Each lesson she change small things because every student learn in own style. These free TOEFL classes help you in all four parts — reading, listening, speaking, writing.

And there is more things you get also when you join:

• You get discount on your TOEFL exam fee
• You get free counseling
• Small other help too for your study abroad plan

So Shiksha’s free TOEFL classes can be a good match for you. It help improve your score, it make your preparation easy, and you save money also.