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TOEFL preparation: a practical guide
The TOEFL iBT is an academic English test, which means half of preparing for it is English and the other half is knowing the format well enough that nothing surprises you on the day. This guide covers both, and is honest about what a course can and cannot do for your score.
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Written and reviewed by Mourade Boulanouar — Founder & Head of Teaching, EnglifyLast reviewed
In short
TOEFL preparation works best in two layers: raising your general academic English level, and training the exact format of the four sections — Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing — under timed conditions. Start with a placement test so your plan matches your real level, then practise full sections weekly with feedback on your speaking and writing, because those are the parts you cannot mark yourself. At Englify, TOEFL preparation is taught live one-to-one at 100 MAD per hour, with monthly packs from 500 MAD for 4 hours to 2,000 MAD for 20 hours, and the placement test and first class are free.
Key facts
- TOEFL iBT has four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing
- Format familiarity and English level are two separate jobs — train both
- Speaking and writing need external feedback; reading and listening you can self-drill
- Start from a placement test, not from a target score
- Englify TOEFL preparation: 100 MAD per hour, one-to-one on Google Meet
- Monthly packs: 500 / 900 / 1,200 / 1,700 / 2,000 MAD
- Free placement test and free first class
Related questions
Understand what the test measures
The TOEFL iBT is designed for university admission, so every task imitates academic life: reading dense passages, following a lecture, speaking about a campus situation, writing an argued response. It rewards structure and clarity far more than sophisticated vocabulary.
- Reading: academic passages with detail, inference and vocabulary questions
- Listening: lectures and conversations, note-taking under one pass
- Speaking: short spoken responses, recorded, strictly timed
- Writing: an integrated task based on a reading and a lecture, plus an independent task
Build the plan around your level, not your target
Most wasted TOEFL preparation comes from starting at the wrong place: a B1 learner drilling test strategy for months, or a C1 learner reviewing grammar they already control. A placement test first means you know which of those you are.
Below roughly B1, the fastest route to a better score is general English — vocabulary, listening volume, writing basic paragraphs cleanly. From B2 upward, format training and timed practice pay off much faster.
- Take a level test and get a CEFR estimate before choosing a schedule
- Do one full timed section per week from the start, so timing never shocks you
- Record your speaking answers and listen back — it is uncomfortable and it works
- Get writing marked by someone who explains the fix, not just the error
Mistakes we see most often
- Preparing only with reading and listening, because they are easy to self-mark
- Memorising template answers that do not fit the question asked
- Practising without a clock, then losing points to timing on the day
- Aiming for complex vocabulary instead of clear, well-structured answers
- Booking the test date before knowing the starting level
TOEFL or IELTS?
Choose based on what your university or immigration file accepts first, and on format second. TOEFL is fully computer-based with recorded speaking; IELTS has an academic and a general version, and its speaking part is a conversation with an examiner. People who freeze in front of a person often prefer TOEFL; people who freeze in front of a microphone often prefer IELTS.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does TOEFL preparation take?
- It depends on your starting level and weekly hours, and any figure given before a placement test is a guess. A learner already around B2 usually needs a shorter, format-focused block; a learner below B1 needs general English first. The free level test and free first class give you an honest estimate for your own case.
- How much does TOEFL preparation cost at Englify?
- Private one-to-one preparation is 100 MAD per hour, with monthly packs of 500 MAD for 4 hours, 900 MAD for 8, 1,200 MAD for 12, 1,700 MAD for 16 and 2,000 MAD for 20 hours. The placement test and the first class are free.
- What score do I need?
- That is set by the institution you are applying to, not by the test, so check their published requirement directly and prepare against that number. We will not guess a requirement for you.
- Can I prepare for TOEFL online?
- Yes, and it suits the test well: the TOEFL iBT itself is computer-based, so practising on screen with a teacher sharing tasks and marking your speaking and writing mirrors the real conditions.
- How much do English lessons cost in Morocco?
- At Englify, small-group online English classes are the most affordable option and private one-to-one classes cost more per hour, because a private teacher works with one student only. Current group and private prices are confirmed on WhatsApp (+212 724 744 137) and on our prices page, since they depend on the format, the number of hours per week and the length of the plan. The trial class is free and no card is required.
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