by
Name: Indradeep Mazumdar
Country: Australia
m_indradeep@yahoo.co.uk
Rule#1-If you want to secure more than 700 in your verbal you have to memorize, yes memorize the "Baron's" vocabulary section.95% of the words that come to the actual GRE test come from "Baron's" and who ever tells you that most of the words were outside the word list has not studied the word list thoroughly enough.
Rule#2a-This is a general rule. You should start preparing for the test at least
Six months in advance. Build a timetable and give in 1.5-2 hours daily for the
first two months,3 hours for the 3rd and 4th month and 6-7 hours for the last 2
months. Try to give one hour more on Sundays. If you are not able to give in the time that I mentioned try to make up the following week or on holiday.
Rule#2b-When you are preparing for the tests, start by doing the Peterson's book and Baron's word list simultaneously. Then move on the Arco's book and Baron's
word list simultaneously. When you have finished all of these books (by the 3rd
Month), start timing yourself and appear for the practice tests. Do the Big Book
tests first for a month) and then move on to doing the Baron's tests, Arco's and
Peterson's test. Give the Kaplan test about a week before the final test. Add about 100 marks to whatever you get in that test, and that will roughly be the mark that you can expect for the final exam. Finally, about two days before the final exam appear for the practice free CDs from ETS.
Rule#3-There is no rule for the quant's section. Practice maths for six months on a regular basis. Practice all the sums at least two times from the list of books and DVDs that I gave you above.
Rule#4-For the analytical writing section, write as many essays as you possibly can. Unfortunately, you cannot build on your essay writing skills so fast but what you can do is to make sure that you do not make any grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. Write small clear sentences. Do not try to put in flashy word or sentences unless you are dead sure that it is the right word. Try to get your essays corrected not all though, only a few but on diff. Topics) by someone appropriate and try and learn from the mistakes that you made.
Rule#5-The most important rule. Don't panic. Even if you see that your scores are not improving greatly or you are not learning a lot, stick in there. Don't give up and you will eventually succeed. Don't ever panic even in the exam.If the set of words for you are tough, the marking will be easy. So just try staying there. You guys will make it.
The only thing you need to know about the TOEFL exam is that you guys need to practice from Cliff's book. From the grammar section, practice the Agreement of the Verb with the Subject from Wren and Martin Grammar book. Do the listening part from Cliff's, Baron's, and for the writing, the rules are the same as Rule#5.
