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TOEFL ITP Cheat Sheet

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Listening Comprehension

  • 36% of exam
  • Listening Strategy Idioms + Inference Purpose + Attitude Sound-Alike Traps Question Types

Structure + Written Expression

  • 29% of exam
  • Agreement Rules Verb + Tense Clauses + Modifiers Error-ID Approach Parallelism

Reading Comprehension

  • 36% of exam
  • Reading Strategy Main Idea + Detail Reference + Inference Vocabulary in Context Pacing

Core Grammar Rules

  • 29% of exam
  • Articles Prepositions Comparatives Conditionals Gerund vs Infinitive Score Bands

Quick Facts

  • Exam TOEFL ITP
  • L1 Questions 140
  • L1 Time 115 min
  • L1 Score 310-677
  • L2 Score 200-500
  • Body ETS
  • Pass Institution-set
  • Validity 2 years

Listening Strategy LI

  • Short conversations Test idiom, inference
  • Second speaker Holds the answer
  • Speaker purpose Why they say it
  • Attitude / tone Listen for emotion
  • What happens next Likely next action
  • Sound-alike trap Reject repeated words
  • Idiom meaning Not literal words

Coordinators ST

  • FANBOYS joins two clauses
  • For And Nor But Or Yet So

Error-ID Approach ST

  • Underlined verb → Check agreement, tense ( Most common )
  • Two nouns joined → Check parallelism
  • Adjective near verb → Should be adverb
  • Pronoun present → Check reference, number
  • Comparison words → Check -er vs -est
  • Two subjects/connectors → Delete the extra
  • Nothing wrong found → Recheck word form

Subject-Verb Agreement ST

  • Find real subject Ignore intervening phrases
  • Each / every Takes singular verb
  • Neither / either Singular verb
  • There is/are Verb matches real subject
  • Collective nouns Usually singular verb
  • And-joined subjects Plural verb
  • Quantity + noncount Singular verb

Error-ID Scan ST

  • Verb-Word-Parallel-Pronoun first
  • Verb: agreement/tense Word form Parallelism Pronoun reference

Completion Item Picker ST

  • Blank at start → Likely subject/clause
  • No main verb → Choose verb option
  • Two clauses, no link → Add connector
  • After preposition → Use gerund/noun
  • Read whole sentence → Then test options

Verb + Tense Rules ST

  • Present perfect Past to now
  • Simple past Finished time
  • Time clause Present, not future
  • After modal Base verb
  • After 'to' Base verb
  • Passive be + past participle
  • Sequence of tenses Match main clause

Section Order ST

  • Listen-Structure-Read, in order
  • Listening 50 Structure 40 Reading 50 L1 total 140

Structure Patterns ST

  • Parallel structure Match coordinated forms
  • Correlatives both...and, not only...but
  • Double subject Avoid: my brother he
  • Double connector Avoid: although...but
  • Word form Right part of speech
  • Adjective vs adverb Modifies noun vs verb
  • Need subject+verb Every clause requires both

Clauses + Modifiers ST

  • who Refers to people
  • which Refers to things
  • that Defining clauses
  • whose Shows possession
  • Noun clause order Subject before verb
  • Reduced modifier -ing or -ed phrase
  • Dangling modifier Must match subject

Skim vs Scan RE

Skim

  • Get main idea
  • Read fast
  • Topic + structure

Scan

  • Find detail
  • Hunt keyword
  • Specific fact
  • Gist vs detail

Reading Question Picker RE

  • 'mainly about' → Main idea ( Whole passage )
  • 'according to' → Scan detail
  • 'NOT mentioned' → Eliminate three true
  • 'infer / suggest' → Read between lines
  • 'refers to' → Find nearest noun
  • 'why does author' → Rhetorical purpose
  • 'closest meaning' → Substitution test

Reading Strategy RE

  • Main idea Whole-passage scope
  • Detail Stated fact, scan
  • NOT / EXCEPT Wrong is three-true
  • Inference Implied, not stated
  • Reference What pronoun points to
  • Rhetorical purpose Why author wrote it
  • Passage only Ignore outside knowledge

Vocabulary in Context RE

  • Substitution test Swap option for word
  • Surrounding clues Use sentence context
  • Synonym match Same meaning preserved
  • Watch nuance Positive vs negative
  • Level 2 focus Vocabulary + reading

Adjective Order GR

  • Opinion-Size-Age-Shape-Color-Origin-Material
  • OSASCOM order nice small old round red Italian wooden table

Since vs For GR

since

  • Start point
  • since 2020
  • Perfect tense

for

  • Duration
  • for five years
  • Length of time
  • Point vs length

Articles + Nouns GR

  • a / an Singular, nonspecific
  • the Specific or known
  • No article Plural/noncount general
  • much Noncount nouns
  • many Count nouns
  • few / fewer Count nouns
  • little / less Noncount nouns

Few vs Little GR

few / fewer

  • Count nouns
  • few books
  • Plural

little / less

  • Noncount nouns
  • little water
  • Mass
  • Count vs noncount

Prepositions GR

  • at Time/clock, place point
  • on Days, dates, surfaces
  • in Months, years, areas
  • interested in Fixed verb phrase
  • depend on Dependent preposition
  • different from Fixed adjective phrase
  • capable of Fixed adjective phrase

Gerund vs Infinitive GR

Gerund

  • enjoy, avoid
  • After preposition
  • ing form

Infinitive

  • want, decide
  • Purpose 'to'
  • to + base
  • Verb decides form

Comparatives + Conditionals GR

  • Comparative -er / more, two items
  • Superlative -est / most, the
  • as...as Equal comparison
  • the same as Equality phrase
  • Real conditional If present, will future
  • Unreal present If past, would base
  • Unreal past If had, would have

Make vs Do GR

make

  • Create, produce
  • make a decision
  • make progress

do

  • Perform action
  • do homework
  • do research
  • Produce vs perform

Gerund vs Infinitive + Pronouns GR

  • enjoy / avoid Take gerund
  • want / decide Take infinitive
  • After preposition Use gerund
  • Pronoun agreement Match noun number
  • Clear reference One obvious antecedent
  • Frequency adverb Before main verb

Level 1 vs Level 2 GR

Level 1

  • 140 Q, 115 min
  • Reading Comprehension
  • 310-677

Level 2

  • 95 Q, 70 min
  • Reading + Vocabulary
  • 200-500
  • Advanced vs beginner

Scoring + Format GR

  • L1 total 310-677 range
  • L1 section 31-68 scaled
  • L2 total 200-500 range
  • L2 section 20-50 scaled
  • Four options One answer each
  • No pass mark Institution sets cut
  • Valid 2 years From test date

Common Traps

Its vs It's

  • Its = possessive ≠ It's = it is

Affect vs Effect

  • Affect = verb ≠ Effect = noun

Few vs Little

  • Few = count ≠ Little = noncount

Since vs For

  • Since = start point ≠ For = duration

Sound-alike distractor

  • Repeated word = trap ≠ Meaning, not sound

Infer vs Stated

  • Inference = implied ≠ Detail = stated

Outside knowledge

  • Answer from passage ≠ Not your opinion

Last Minute

  • 1. No guessing penalty—answer all
  • 2. L1 = 140 Q, 115 min
  • 3. L1 score 310-677
  • 4. L2 score 200-500
  • 5. Find real subject first
  • 6. Each/every = singular verb
  • 7. Time clause = present tense
  • 8. Parallel structure in lists
  • 9. Few = count; little = noncount
  • 10. Reference = nearest noun
  • 11. Answer from passage only
  • 12. No universal passing score

TOEFL ITP

  • Practice Questions 100 questions Study Guide 25 topics Cheat Sheet 81 facts Flashcards 50 cards Videos 2 videos Blogs 2 blogs