English Book Review: Vocabulary and Grammar for the TOEFL Tes
2015-03-27 01:17:40
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Too often, students study vocabulary as if they are trying to memorize dictionaries Simply knowing the definition of a word
Too often, students study vocabulary as if they are trying to memorize dictionaries. Simply knowing the definition of a word is not the same as truly learning the word, because it doesn’t mean you can use the word correctly. And although there are some questions that just ask for a synonym in the reading section, the TOEFL is mostly a test of vocabulary in use. Knowing what words mean when you read them or hear them is a big help, but you should also know how to use the words yourself for the speaking and writing sections of the test. The same is true of grammar: you have to actually use the correct grammar in your responses, not just know the rules.
That’s why I really like Collins’ Vocabulary and Grammar for the TOEFL Test. This is the first vocabulary and grammar book I’ve found that not only gives definitions, explanations, example sentences, and basic fill-in-the-blank exercises, but also includes exercises that mimic every part of the TOEFL.
Note, for instance, that this book comes with a CD. Why? Because there are lectures and conversations on it. And more importantly, those lectures and conversations actually sound like what you hear on the TOEFL. Then, in the book, you have listening, speaking, and writing questions on those recordings. But the goal is not to practice taking the TOEFL, exactly; the goal is to improve vocabulary and grammar. So all of the words from the word lists are in those lectures, conversations, texts, and multiple choice questions. That way, you get to see the same word again and again in natural, native usage, and then you can imitate that usage in your spoken and written responses. This is exactly what a you should do to improve your academic vocabulary!
