Lecture video Hi everyone! Dr. Nanhee Byrnes here. I'm excited to share today’s TOEFL writing tip with you. Whether you're just starting your TOEFL journey or aiming for a higher score, this simple strategy can make a big difference in your writing. Problem: R epeating the same words Let me ask you something: Have you ever finished a TOEFL essay and realized you kept repeating the same words over and over? Don't worry—we’ve all been there. Today, we're going to talk about how to fix that and impress TOEFL raters by showing lexical variety. What's that? Well, it just means using different vocabulary to express similar ideas. And trust me—this is one of the key things TOEFL raters are looking for. It's especially important in the Integrated Writing Task, where you need to summarize both a reading and a lecture. Let me show you what I mean. Here’s a repetitive version of a TOEFL response: "The passage talks about the disappearance of sea otters in North Amer...
Welcome to Dr. Byrnes' Academic English, where we focus on improving English learners' formal language skills, essential for academic and professional success. Unlike colloquial English, which is informal and idiomatic, formal English emphasizes grammatical accuracy and precise vocabulary usage. Additionally, spoken formal English should adhere to the standard American accent in our context.