The Smart Way to Prepare for Your TOEFL Test (Without Burning Out)

Let’s be honest, preparing for your TOEFL test can feel overwhelming. But here’s the thing. A bad study strategy can make preparation harder than it needs to be. While you might be putting in more hours, your sessions might not be as productive and in some cases, fatigue can lead to lower quality study sessions. So, what should you do instead? Work smart.

The smarter you study, the better you’ll likely perform on test day. The key to studying success is building a system that trains your brain without putting you under too much stress.

With this in mind, here are three science-backed study strategies designed to help you prepare for your TOEFL test.

One of the best ways to have a productive study session is to keep it short. Your brain isn’t wired for deep focus hours at a time. In fact, many studies show that concentration drops after 30 minutes. This means if you’re studying for two hours without a break, you're likely taking in too much information.

Instead, use methods like the Pomodoro Technique. During the Pomodoro Technique you study for 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break. If you want to study for a longer timeframe, you can repeat this four times and then take a longer break.

This structure allows you to study for short, intense sessions while remaining focused. During these sessions you can complete a timed listening task, read and annotate a passage, write your own passage or practice your speaking. Since the session is shorter, many students find it easier to stay focused instead of getting distracted.

These short sessions are a fantastic way to reduce procrastination. Instead of dreading a long 2 hour study session, tell yourself you’ll start with 25 minutes. Those 25 minutes will go much faster than you expected and you can quickly build up 2 hours of study time.

As you introduce Pomodoro sessions into your study schedule, you can build significant momentum without the mental exhaustion that comes from long, uninterrupted study sessions.

What you do during your study breaks is just as important as the sessions themselves. While many students choose to scroll on social media, more screen time could do more harm than good.

Why? Rather than giving your brain the time it needs to rest, process and consolidate what you’ve learned, you're consuming even more information.

Instead of switching out one screen for another, make your break times more productive. Get in some movement, go for a walk, stretch, or get yourself a snack. These activities give your brain time to reset while reducing stress hormones, increasing your ability to focus during your next study session.

One of the biggest mistakes students make when studying for tests is cramming. They try to do everything in one day in a massive study session. After day one they feel tired and by day three they’re burned out.

This approach to studying is unsustainable and demotivating. So, what should you do instead?

Set realistic daily goals with enough time to prepare for your exam. A realistic goal is studying for 1 to 2 hours a day 3 to 5 times a week. In these short, focused study sessions you can prepare for your exam without overwhelming yourself.

Before each session set a main target. For example: “Today, I’ll read one TOEFL passage and answer the questions,” or “I’ll practice two speaking tasks and record myself.” These specific, manageable goals help you build momentum and keep your study sessions as focused as possible.

By spreading out the workload you give yourself time to work on weaker areas without the stress of an exam environment.

When it comes to studying you likely think of tests and taking notes. But there are many great ways to practice English outside of your standard study blocks.

For example, you can read online magazines in English focused on topics you like. Alternatively, you can listen to English podcasts while on a walk. These are great ways to improve your English without needing to sit down and take notes.

Preparing for the TOEFL doesn’t have to be stressful. Book your test months before you plan on taking it and build a study routine that works around your lifestyle. The key here is balance. You want to give yourself time to study each week without burning yourself out.

By combining short, focused sessions with regular breaks and realistic goals. You're training yourself to build discipline, and what you learn will quickly compound, helping you to feel more confident on test day.