Understanding TOEFL: How I Scored 100%

TOEFL is a well known proficiency English exam that many students and professionals are required to have for different purposes like travelling, studying abroad or compliance with a vacancy. If you are here because you are preparing yourself to take this exam, I will tell you about my experience scoring 100% and my best tips for your preparation to be successful.

At the time I decided to take the TOEFL exam, I was teaching Science in a bilingual school, and an unexpected opportunity led me to take the test. The school I worked at offered all the teachers a discount to do the TOEFL test. I'm the kind of person who sees a discount and immediately feels the urge to buy it, so naturally, I ended up purchasing the test. Why not? After purchasing it, I had to schedule the test in a one year period. Thus, I made a plan and studied. I am not going to be misleading here. It does require effort, but you also need a great plan.

After months of preparation, the day of the test finally arrived. I gave it my best effort, and when I finished, I looked at the screen that said: “Your score is 100%”. I got all the answers right. I don’t have an English degree—I’m a biologist. When I saw my perfect score, I was shocked. But when I discussed it with my teacher, she reminded me that it wasn’t luck—it was the result of effort and a solid plan. Balancing work from Monday to Saturday, I still managed to achieve this score. If I can do it, you can too. Now, I want to share the strategies that helped me succeed—along with mottos and quotes to guide you through your own preparation

#1 Every battle is won before it is fought (Sun Tzu in The Art of War)

Sun Tzu in the classical book The Art of War in chapter 4 discusses tactics and the importance of preparation and strategy as the foundation of success in warfare. The same is true for exams of any kind, TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge. I also like the quote: fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Just like in warfare, success in exams depends on strategic preparation. A well-planned study routine is your best weapon

Our routines shape who we ultimately become. This is like going to the gym, it is not a matter of having the amazing train one day and skipping the rest of the month. The key word is constancy and the challenge is to bring your mind back to study when it is hard to do it. Build this new habit in stages starting small and increasing over time prioritizing your own comfort during the process. If it feels self-imposed and a chore, it is unlikely it will last. Start small and increase in time or duration every two weeks and make sure to pay attention to how you feel. We want to feel great, because when we feel great we do our best work.

Since everyone’s schedule is different, the key is to find a routine that fits your lifestyle. Ask yourself what is a reasonable routine I can propose to myself? Find the one that looks almost too easy. And stick to that. I want to recognize that for some people they will have a tidy deadline to do the exam because of an internship, a job opportunity or a trip. If you have a tight deadline due to an internship, job opportunity, or trip, aim for at least 15 minutes of study each day—this consistency will boost your results.

Here’s how I structured my own study routine to stay consistent and improve over time: On Sundays I had a 1:30h session of study where I would do one or two parts of the test. I used to time myself to make sure I was within the target time but I didn’t stress much about that. I focused on reading the questions and listening to the recordings with my best effort. After that, I would mark myself and look closely at my mistakes trying to understand it. Then, on Monday afternoon I had class with a private teacher focused on revising my mistakes and understanding the root of them. I remember going back to the basic revising verb tenses rules. On the other weekdays, I was working as a bilingual teacher so I tried to integrate my English learning in my daily life so I paid attention to the other teacher languages and tried to make note of things I found interesting.

#2 Know everything you can about your enemy

Let’s break down the TOEFL format—and you can do the same for Cambridge and IELTS. Analyze the test carefully. What types of texts appear most often? What are their typical length, style, and subject? Get inside the test maker’s mind. TOEFL offers plenty of free resources on its official website—use them. And always rely on trustworthy sources to avoid misinformation.

Test Format

Reading (35 min) - 2 passages (10 question per each)

Listening (36 min) - 3 lectures and 2 conversations - 28 question total

Speaking (16 min) - 4 tasks (1 independent and 3 integrated)

Writing (30 min) - 1 integrates task and 1 writing for an academic discussion task

#3 Track your progress

Create a table to track your scores and monitor your progress toward your target. Each time you log a new score, reflect on how far you’ve come. If you’re a fan of graphs, use them to visualize your improvement. Watch as your correct answers increase. Visualize yourself already reaching 100%. This method is proven to boost motivation and keep you on track. If your score is lower than expected, don’t stress—it’s part of the process. Be kind to yourself and focus on your growth.

Good luck my friend!