TOEFL – SPEAKING TIPS !!

Hello, My awesome students …!  

As discussed with you all, we will study & now more about the TOEFL Speaking Tips :These simple tips will assist you achieve higher score on the Speaking section of TOEFL exam.

Content under the Speaking Section of TOEFL:

It comes directly after the 10-minute break. It measures the test taker’s ability to converse and communicate in the Speaking section of English. The Speaking section of TOEFL consists six tasks, majorly into two types – independent speaking tasks (2 tasks) and integrated speaking tasks (4 tasks). Students must demonstrate that they are able to comprehend & communicate fluently as per the questioned asked.

Speaking Section

The speaking section measures your ability to speak in English about a variety of topics.

The format of the speaking section is given below.

• Time limit : 20 min.
• You may take notes on paper, and you may use them to answer your questions.

Know the content of your TOEFL Exam 🙂

Directions: The Speaking section in the test measures your ability to speak about a variety of topics. As per the http://www.ets.org/toefl

• In questions 1 and 2, in an actual test, your response will be scored on your ability to speak clearly and coherently about familiar topics.

• In questions 3 and 4, in an actual test, you will first read a short text and then listen to a talk on the same topic. You will have to combine appropriate information from the text and the talk to provide a complete answer. Your response will be scored on your ability to accurately convey information, and to speak clearly and coherently. In this sampler, you will read both the text and the talk.

• In questions 5 and 6, in an actual test, you will listen to part of a conversation or lecture. Then, you will be asked a question about what you have heard. Your response will be scored on your ability to accurately convey information, and to speak clearly and coherently. In this sampler, you will read the conversation.

TOEFL is Awesoeme! The most easy Exam I have ever come across!! 😀

The First 2 TasksYou are expected to do the following things:

• Speaking need a clear Structure of your response.
• Try to speak the way you as an individual speaks, try not to Speak in a Accent, as I warn not to use such accent based speaking. Just focus on speak than on accent, just be as clearly as possible. Have a clear Pronunciation of what you speak.
• The Structure MUST include an introduction Quote, a body and a conclusion.
• A Smoother transition from one part to another is important in a very clear, logical, specific and organized manner.
• Avoid using Pause sounds like Hmm… Aaaa…. Weelll… Umm… with long sound involved in it. Be short & clear in your approach.
• Try not to use High Level English Vocabulary, be clear & specific in your approach, and speak as confident as you can in an expressive manner. i.e: Use Simplicity English.
• For the Give Topic you are expected to provide a maximum of three reasons & examples with detail for your response. You are expected to not go around the bush.
• Use Specific Adjectives to clarify your thoughts & Ideas. The Usage of Verbs is more functioning and makes your English sound more attention grabbing – Use them frequently.
• Speak clearly, so that the listener understands what you speak. Try not sounding too ROBOTIC or taking lots of Long Pauses in a sentence. It’s always good to speak using your points which the examiner can understand your words, that to speak randomly.
• Always concluding your topic, because it shows that you were not in a hurry, but got good time to conclude your Topic. It leaves a good impression on the listener.

Independent Task 1 TOPICS : Asks you to Describe the given topic.

Examples Topics : Describe a teacher who has influenced you and why. Be sure to include specific details and examples in your response.

You have 15 Secs to Prepare and have 45 Secs to Respond (Record) your answer.

Sample Response :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux2Q0upiD_0

Similarly , following are few Sample Question on Task 1 of Speaking Section: 

1.Who is your best friend? Describe this person and say why do you consider this person as your best friend.

2. What is your favorite place to visit ? Explain in brief why it is your favorite place to go with specific examples.

3. What is your happiest childhood memory? Describe it and give reasons to explain why it is your happiest memory.

4. Who is your most favourite charter in History? Describe the reason for him/her to your favourite.

Independent Task 2 (Preference Based) TOPICS :You are given a choice and you need to take a STAND and You cannot be Neutral on the given topic.

Examples Topics : What do you prefer to get News from, by reading a NEWSPAPER or Watching LIVE T.V. NEWS ? Please choose which one & describe it with reasons you so? Use specific details and examples in your response.

You have 15 Secs to Prepare And have 45 Secs to Respond (Record) your answer.

Similarly , following are few Sample Question on Task 2 of Speaking Section: 

1. What do you prefer to go out to dinner or stay home and cook a meal? please choose one and use reasons to support your response.

2. What do you prefer to Study alone or in a group? Please choose one and explain in details you point of view with example.

3. Some people prefer to Study abroad or Study in your home country? Please choose one and explain in details you point of view with example.

4.“Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a big city. Which place would you prefer to live in and why? Please choose one and explain in details you point of view with example.

Sample Response : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjS74bf2v3A

Hope you liked it, Post your comments & likes !!

Have fun !! Lets meet next time with a Reading Section of TOEFL !! 🙂

Adios Amigos 😀 !

F.A.C.T.

 Visit: http://www.ets.org for TOEFL’s Official Website for details!

SAT/ GRE – ESSAY WRITING TIPS !

Hello Guyz… Welcome once again to F.A.C.T.  – SAT Writing TIP!

  

Starting with SAT – Essay Writing Section!

One thing that you MUST always keep in Mind is that You MUST always KNOW the DIRECTION before hand, and do not waste your valuable time in reading Direction during your EXAM.

So Lets, start with few basic things KNOWING the DIRECTION : http://sat.collegeboard.org

The SAT essay measures your ability to:

• develop a point of view on an issue presented in an excerpt
• support your point of view using reasoning and examples from your reading, studies, experience, or observations
• follow the conventions of standard written English

The essay gives you an opportunity to show how effectively you can develop and express ideas. You should, therefore, take care to develop your point of view, present your ideas logically and clearly, and use language precisely.

Your essay must be written on the lines provided on your answer sheet — you will receive no other paper on which to write. You will have enough space if you write on every line, avoid wide margins, and keep your handwriting to a reasonable size. Remember that people who are not familiar with your handwriting will read what you write. Try to write or print so that what you are writing is legible to those readers.

You can practice writing essays using the essay prompts from the most recent SAT from http://sat.collegeboard.org. website.

Few Very Important COLLAGE BOARD RULES :

Important THINGS During exam :

1. A pencil is required for the essay. An essay written in ink will receive a score of zero.
2. Do not write your essay in your test book. You will receive credit only for what you write on your answer sheet.
3. An off-topic essay will receive a score of zero.
4. If your essay does not reflect your original and individual work, your test scores may be canceled.

How does it look ??

SAMPLE ESSAY : The SAT examination begins with a 25-minute writing task: The essay; You have no choice of topic: you have to write on the prompt ESSAY TOPIC given in a text box. For example you may see something like this:

Underneath the prompt is the assignment a statement that clarifies what you are supposed to do. For example, after the issue given in the prompt above, you might see: Assignment:  Plan your response, and then write an essay to explain your views on this issue. Be sure to support your position with specific points and examples. (You may use personal examples or examples from your reading, observations, or, knowledge of subjects such as history, literature, science.)

The examiners tell us in the Official Guide to the SAT that there is no formula for writing an effective essay. I suggest that you practice a few practice essays within a set TIME.

BRAINSTORMING :NOW HERE IS HOW TO FRAME YOUR ESSAY :

Since the Essay is of 25 Minutes spend around 2 or 3 minutes making OUTLINES OR DRAWING notes and organizing your thoughts. Spend about 20 minutes writing your essay. Spend 1 or 2 minutes for proofreading your essay. Use & Divide your Time very Efficiently!

Think over the following things:

• What claims does the author make?
  • Why do they sound good? Is it the logic, the sources, the writing, the structure? Is it something else?
• What evidence does the author present? (Look for his Examples)
  • Why does the evidence sound credible? How does the author present facts, and what is his/her approach to telling a story with facts?
• Is the logic sound or faulty, and why?
  • Why is the logic sound? Does the author back up his/her claims with examples that are easy to follow?

                                            ——————-@–@–@–@–@——————

Scrutinize your ESSAY Carefully! 

1. You have in all ONLY 25 minutes to plan effectively and write an essay on the assigned topic. You will have line space for writing notes to help you organize your thoughts, write within that only , as you will not be provided with extra sheet.
2. Use Quotations related to the TOPIC of prompt issue at hand.
3. Keep a tab on TIME,  plan your time during the practice test itself !!!
4. Notice that this topic, or prompt, features a quote about an issue to which you are asked to respond. It is written with the intent that you will be able to respond quickly regardless of your background or interests.
5. The Topic, or prompt, could have a one quote or a pair of quotes (two quotes) about an issue at hand to guide you better.
6. Try not be over smart by using Large writing, filling pages, it does not serve the purpose,Try not to leave extensive wide margins.
7. The assignment will ask you to give your view on a topic. Support your point of view with reasoning and specific details or examples out of your experience drawn by you over the years.
8. Any Drift from the Topic mentioned to write on will not fetch you marks. So, Make sure that the essay you write is on the mentioned topic only.
9. Use Correct Grammar, make it a point that you use correct form of Standard written English Grammar and your PUNCTUATIONs are used well.
10. You are expected to write of Minimum of 3 to 4 Paragraph of ESSAY. Very short essays will receive very low scores. Aim for at least three paragraphs.
11. Be clear & specific to your Point / idea / argument, not vague . Your readers are not, as you may suppose draw inference from your writing. They are looking for Clear,Logical & Specific details,with concrete evidence of some kind used to support your point of view and ideas.
12. Remember: Your essay should be clear and effective.
13. Do not forget to write the CONCLUSION, Without a proper conclusion it looks incomplete  you may loose points on it!
14. Do not forget to PROOFREAD it, you might notice that Facebook & Wass app has ruined your English Writing with all the Shortcuts! as , wen U mght Bf9 with it!  (Avoid it – Rather NOTICE IT)
15. Last but not the least, Quality Matters NOT the QUANTITY! , So don’t write lengthy essay write quality essay.

                                                    ——————–@–@–@–@–@——————

CREATE OUTLINE OF YOUR ESSAY within 2-3 Min.

Brainstorm and assemble, anther collect your Ideas into an outline. Write a topic sentence for your main ideas. Then, underneath, make bullet points for every Paragraph and list your supporting evidence as per requirement. Generally, you want a min. of 3 arguments or pieces of evidence to support each main idea.

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Explain, in your own words, what the issue is. Include a thesis statement, which is a clear statement of your point of view/ idea / argument.

Paragraph 2: Point one in support of your thesis Statement

• Example 1 : ABCDEFG
• DETAIL : …… Explain the point you are making with the aid of a specific example with detail, Write the point & example you want to use in 1 -3 words. Explain every point you make is related to the Question or Issue / Topic asked. Look at the ideas / points/ examples that you came up with. Choose one to three of your strongest ideas that supports your topic the best. You should be able to support these ideas with evidence from your ideas/ experiences & studies drawn from over the years.

Paragraph 3: Point two in support of your thesis statement

• Example 1 : ABCDEFG
• DETAIL : …..Explain the point you are making with the aid of a specific example, again write the point & example you want to use in 1 -3 words supporting your IDEA!
• Use Correct TRANSITION WORDS to connect two Paragraphs.

Paragraph 4: Qualification

• Example 1 : ABCDEFG
• DETAIL : …… Explain that, under certain circumstances, the opposite point of view might be correct. (This is to show that you are aware of all aspects of the issue, even though you are 80-90% convinced of your thesis.) [Sometimes this paragraph is replaced by another point and/or further discussion or reasoning.]

Paragraph 5: Reinforcement of thesis / CONCLUSION

Show how your  idea / argument/ viewpoint, despite the qualification you have just made, is more persuasive under the present circumstances.Draw your themes together.

                              ————————@–@–@–@–@———————-

I hope you got how to Write an effective Essay for SAT or GRE. Plan & Write effectively!

 Tell us about your Experience, Tips, Ideas on SAT / GRE ESSAY – see you soon with New TIPS on Other Writing Topics!

Have Fun! Gracias , Amigos! 🙂

F.A.C.T. Or VISIT Our FACEBOOK PAGE on FACT  🙂

FACT SEMINAR in APRIL!

Hi Everyone!

MISSED the SEMINAR ??  NO Worries… Call on the respective Office to Meet the COUNSELLORS, One on One, for Expert Guidance ON YOUR CAREER!  OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE on F.A.C.T. !

Careers after 12th & Diploma are getting increasingly “UNCERTAIN” in India. Every year, lacs of students appear for IIT-JEE, AIEEE and the state CETs. A Seminar by well known Career Advisor Mr.Sunil Shah who guided more that 10,000 + students to study abroad ranging from HSC to Ph.D.

We are very pleased to say that the dates for our Seminar for X , XII & Diploma students in the month of April 2014 are as follows:

PLACE – DATE    –  DAY  –   SEMINAR TIMING         – PHONE No.
Thane – 05 April’14 – SAT – 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm    – Call on  025397777
Dadar – 05 April’14 – SAT – 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm    – Call on  024170056
Borivali – 05 April’14 – SAT – 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm  – Call on  028984773
Vashi – 06 April’14 – SUN – 10:00 am to 12.00 pm – Call on 065224435

Its always better to take a Professional Guidance before starting thing on your own, it give you a clear picture of the Process!

So, complete your online Registration soon & for more details about the event and happenings at respective days, Visit us on http://www.gurukulonweb.com/hsc.html Or CALL US on the ABOVE  RESPECTIVE Nos.

 

 See you soon then! 🙂

 

TOEFL Registrations!

Hello Every one ,

Today I thought that I we will discuss about TOEFL iBT and how to go about its registration details.

TOEFL is conducted by ets.org

I have always been asked by students about  its registration & University unloading details, so i thought to hare it with all of you.

TOEFL is abbreviation for Test of English as a Foreign Language. It’s international test conducted by ETS that is Educational Testing Service. The TOEFL Exam is compulsory for students who come from Non – English Background, i.e. If you do not come from a country where English is NOT you 1st Language then you are required to take the TOEFL Exam. This exam basically conducted to estimate a level of English language of foreigner speakers. Many university need students to take and pass TOEFL with Minimum requirement of 85+ to enter students to there Masters or Undergraduate Programs. TOEFL is accepted in more than 300 Universities in USA and Canada; and more than 150 world countries accept TOEFL certificates. TOEFL certificates can be accepted even in UK. If you are planning early to start preparing for higher education , you can take TOEFL Exam as its Valid for 2 Years and the registration Fees changes as per your area you leave, like TOEFL Fees in INDIA is $ 165 and UAE $ 235. 

TOEFL iBT Test has four sections consisting the 4 division of English language skills like of Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. It is approximately 4 hours long, with an obligatory 10-minute break after the Listening section.

At FACT we train you to prepare you for these specific section with online tests & evaluation of every test that you take.

TOEFL iBT Test is approximately 4 hours long

‘TOEFL iBT Test is for 4 hours long so be prepared to sit that long’

 

Scoring On The TOEFL iBT Test – The TOEFL score report will show:

1. Separate Score of 0 to 30 for each of the Four Sections of the language skills
2. Total test score of 0 to 120

Uploading Of your Universities: You can upload the names of 4 Universities for FREE, under the Test Services in your Account, but this should be done BEFORE the Exam , as after the exam you pay  $18 for each university you upload.

For more information: Visit the official website: www.ets.org/toefl

There are various books available to prepare yourself or TOEFL like …

Will meet next time with Tips for every section of TOEFL, till then adios… 🙂

Byeee… All the best!

A Night on a Dhow Cruise!

People in this day and age have forgotten a really important and necessary skill, the absence of which makes life quite dull, that’s why I have always looked at doctors with pity wondering how they could devote so much of their lives to work and considerably less to play.  You may have guessed that I’m talking about having a good time, letting your hair down, or fun as it’s generally called. Now I know you’re wondering if I’ve written this just to discuss my petty views and opinions, well no. What I’m really trying to say or rather recount are the happenings of a particular night which I thought to be rather fun.

We had been through a rather grueling six days of study which was both educational, tiring and Fun filled week, for we were preparing for our SAT’s. We at F.A.C.T. conducted a 7 Day ‘SAT – WORKSHOP’, which was a combination of Fun & Tedious all together! For all 7 days we studied English & Math solving worksheets, watching movies as well, in the Breaks! Guess what by whom? – by our Teachers on a Projector! Can you believe that!

 

I being a student at FACT, was a part of this amazing course and be a team member of this. So, it was decided that we should reward ourselves with a well-deserved evening of fun and frivolity, but here’s the thing about having an evening out and trying to write about it; time flies and everything goes by in a blur, as though the human condition has been put under some kind of spell. We decided to go on a Dhow Cruise! The day was too hot to go sailing on a boat so we went in the evening, although it was still clammy and I was exposed to the salty spray of the night sea and the constant rocking back and forth of the boat, but this soon fades away until you can barely feel it; soon, floating rounds of cold drinks are served until the air is alive with chatter and laughter and casual innuendo and pointless conversations forgotten on the spot. As the lights die down and the sea lurches away from the earth, we sat grouped up in tables each lit by a lone candle like stars on a black sky. The groups change more swiftly, swell as they form two large groups and then dissolve and form again in the same breath.

‘That Fun-filled Memorable Night!’

As the night wore on it came time to eat of which I did little, I managed to grab a quick bite but that was it. I found myself looking into a mirror at some point in the evening in some cabin beneath the boat, I could hear the dull roar of the party somewhere above me. Later a man walked up to the floor, dressed peculiarly in a frock dress and shirt with intricate markings upon it, I was shocked at first but then I soon realized it was part of the show for that evening as it had been conducted time and again on the boat. Even though I lived in the middle east for a long time this was the first time I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing such a performance, the dancer gradually built up a slow rhythm and kept it up, then the beat gained pace almost as if it had come to life, and he started to spin, the sound reaching a feverish pitch in my ear; The lights went off and he lit up, emitting a soft glow from the markings on his dress, illuminating the dark interior and we looked like a lantern drifting aimlessly at sea.  He picked up the pace and started to sway to the ever increasing rhythm almost in a trance like state and I was all in awe.

We all were having fun with FACT Teachers & our Mentor Mr. Sunil Shah, he is the one that we all look upto. He guides us all  in correct direction.He being with was never  occurred that we were with our teacher he is so friendly with us , that we are more close to him than our own Parents!!

Once his performance was over people once again called for more photo taking. What came next was quite a sight to watch, and yes there were watchers, families who had come for a quite dinner aboard a boat seated in the lower deck, where we soon found ourselves, at the height of the evening. And so they watched, watched as a crowd descended the stairs and subsequently start dancing to music which just happened to be conveniently present. The music was loud and the people wild. This seemed to go on for a while, I guess it’s just one of those things that happen, you can’t tell when they happen or why, just that they do. The boat pulled towards the harbor and it was finally time to call it a night.

We all Crazy smart people!!

The Goodbyes! – were the most sad part! It declared the end of all the 7 days studies with fun & enjoyment, getting to know each other making new friends & then parting! But we loved being at FACT and looking forward for the next Workshop !  🙂

 

 

Testimonials – What Students have to say about us!

US EDUCATION !

On the Day of the GRE

GRE is probably the first step towards your goal in getting into a good university. So it is understandable that you wish to score really high on your GRE. Memorizing the wordlists and practicing various types of sums indeed give you the kind of self-confidence and assurance that you need for cracking GRE successfully. So in the hope of giving you a peek in the actual GRE day, in this article I’ll talk about what you should do on the day of your GRE.

As you know it is in your hand to decide when to take your GRE. You are also given the choice of time when you would like to take the test. (Choose this time wisely as you may be more comfortable in the afternoon slot than in the morning or evening and so on.) It is advisable to reach the test centre at least 30 minutes in advance of the actual test time. This is so because as you enter the test centre you have to fill out the forms that will be given to you and this seriously consumes a lot of time. Once you are through with it be patient until your name is called and you are admitted into the adjoining examination hall.

Remember that you are not allowed to carry anything with you in the examination hall, not even water bottle or handkerchiefs which you have to leave in the locker you are provided with. Your passport is the only personal item that stays with you throughout the test. Remember that you are NOT allowed to give GRE without your passport. Make sure that your passport is in order before you register for your GRE.

While all these procedures are underway, remain calm and composed. Do not panic and moreover do not study at the last minute, it will only confuse you more. It is normal to feel nervous but don’t let your nervousness get the better of you. Remember that all the other candidates are also sailing in the same boat and are as stressed as you are. Just keep a cool head and if you have studied diligently then you will surely do well on the test.

So work hard ahead of time. Last minute preparations won’t help you. Practice from as many materials as you can but two days prior to the test only go through important stuff and revise your vocabulary. Score high and increase your chances of getting into the University of your choice. All the Best.

GRE MOCK TESTS: The practice matches before the final match.

‘Practice tests’ or ‘Mock tests’ as we may call it, are one of the most important part of a GRE exam preparation, in fact it’s the most important part of most of the other examinations too, but it highly depends on the quality of the tests available. Being an engineer, I’ll give only engineering examples; of course they might be applicable for others. The ‘term-tests’ which we have are not in par with the final exams and hence, unanimously neglected. The fact of the matter is you’ve got excellent CD-tests for GRE, so in the words of Dumbledore “Use it well”.

As the greats say “Play every Practice match as if it were a Final, and play every Final as if it were a Practice match”.

On the same lines “Attempt every mock test as if it is your final exam, and attempt every final exam as if it is your mock test”.{Note: In the above sentence the term ‘every final exam’ is used to maintain the rhythm, only one final GRE exam is what everybody wants}

Hence, complete concentration is expected during mock tests. Don’t take them lightly; switch off your mobile phones & No music.Now, planning mock tests should be done while taking the GRE date. Ideally you should start your tests 20 days before the exam. How many tests? 8 is a good number, but it depends on you, your preparation and the number of days you have in hand. Finish all your mock tests, at-least 3-4 days before your exam. Keep a day or two between every test. Work on your weaknesses. For that a detailed review should be done after every test. Note the kind of mistakes you make, clear all your doubts before giving the next test. Remember how disappointed you are in Sehwag when he gets out in the same fashion in consecutive matches. Don’t repeat your mistakes. Eventually, you’ll run out of mistakes, and you’ll improve your scores.

Also, see to it that one low score never discourages you and one high score doesn’t lift your feet off the ground. You never know everything. ‘Over/Under’ confidence doesn’t help. In the end, fighting spirit is what counts. Giving up is for losers. Let me end this before it gets too filmy. Topic is open for discussion.

ALL THE BEST

Cracking the GRE….

The GRE, or graduate record examination, tests your verbal, mathematical and critical abilities as part of the graduate school admissions process. This exam is required as a prerequisite before applying to a graduate school.Before getting your test taking nightmares , here is some information which will transform your nightmares to a sparkling dream with a great future in the US of A.

Firstly all it takes is 3 months to prepare for the GRE .However it should be kept in mind that those 3 months should be entirely dedicated to words and numbers , for almost 8 hours a day on an average.
This is not to scare you off but just to let you know that the fruits of this hard work are definitely sweet and its indeed a pleasure to bask in the glory of a 1400+ score .
For those who have a background of a sound knowledge of math or who have a habit of regularly poring over the news paper pages or flipping through the novels , for them, 1 and a half to 2 months should be enough to get the hang of the exam and give their best shot.
Concentrating on the verbal ability , the major mistake most of the students do is that THEY SIMPLY READ THE WORDS . What they fail to realise is that application of the knowledge of those words in solving analogies , reading comprehensions ,antonyms and sentence completions , simultaneously as they are done with half of the wordlists , is of utmost importance .
To break the monotony of “mugging “ up the words , the best way is to relax , sit back, switch on the computer and enjoy a game of Verbal Warfare or Super Voca or even GRE Hangman!!And the best order to solve the questions is Barrons,Princeton , Nova ,Kaplan ,ETS and The Big book.
Hope this relieves the “word scare” and helps in flying out with 800 colors in verbal ability .