Stop Memorizing Vocabulary Lists for TOEFL – Do This Instead! 📚❌
- shanitoeflyogalove
- Apr 15
- 2 min read
So many students come to me saying, “I need to memorize more TOEFL vocabulary!” And while having a strong vocabulary is important, I want to tell you something that might surprise you: TOEFL is not a vocabulary test. It’s not a big spelling bee, and you’re not being tested on how many difficult words you can memorize.
We don’t know what topics you’ll get on the test. It could be about astronomy, economics, frogs, or ancient art. And that’s the point. The TOEFL is testing how well you understand unfamiliar topics, not how many big words you can recite.
In the Reading section, for example, even if you don’t understand every word, you can still do well—if you have strong comprehension skills. You need to focus on the overall meaning of the passage and use the clues in the sentence to understand unfamiliar words in context.
Many students get caught up in chasing a certain score. I get it—you need a 100, a 90, maybe even just a 75. But if you only focus on the number, you miss the big picture. Comprehension is what gets you the score—not memorization.
Yes, strategy matters. But strategy without comprehension is like trying to solve a puzzle without looking at the picture. You need both. You need to understand what kind of questions you're getting wrong, learn the strategy behind those question types, and build the skill of understanding the context, even when the topic is unfamiliar.
Remember: this is a timed test, but it’s not magic. It’s science. Understand the structure. Build your comprehension. Use smart strategy. That’s how you improve—not by memorizing 500 words you may never see on the test.
What Should You Do Instead?
Here’s a quick checklist of effective habits to build your TOEFL vocabulary and comprehension—without wasting time on long word lists:
TOEFL Vocabulary & Reading Strategy Checklist:
✅ Read academic content regularly Get used to reading complex texts so TOEFL topics don’t feel intimidating.
✅ Practice using context clues Train your brain to guess word meanings based on the words and ideas around them.
✅ Track the types of questions you miss Keep a log of wrong answers and identify patterns—this tells you where to focus your energy.
✅ Familiarize yourself with the AWL or Academic Word List
This website provides academic words that can provide you with a wider range of vocabulary words.
Yours, Truly,
Prof. Shani
Need more support?
My TOEFL eBook, The Little Guide to Academic Test Preparation, is available for purchase at an affordable price. It’s packed with expert strategies to help you prepare with confidence.