On the TOEFL Reading section you only get 20 minutes for each text and question sets. Most question sets are 14 questions in a text, so that means that if you spend 14 minutes on 14 questions, you’d spend one minute a question. This means you’ll be left with six minutes to read the text, which is 700 words. So, many students have time management problems with this specific section of the TOEFL. There are a few things that you can do to go faster:

#1. Experiment

If you have some time before your TOEFL, you should be trying different strategies. Don’t just use the same strategy all the time. In the beginning, try some different strategies and find which one is fastest for you. Some students, for example, think that it’s a little easier to read the text first and then the questions. Usually, those are students who have trouble looking at the question and the text at the same time. If you are one of those people, it is better to read the whole text first, be sure you really understand it before moving on to the question.

Another very important strategy is to first read question one, without reading the answer choices, then go to the text and start reading from the beginning until you find the answer to question one, and then go back to question one, read the answer choices and match the text to the answer choice. Then you can move on to question two using the same sequence.

Another strategy is to read the first paragraph of the text, then the first line of the second paragraph, then the first line of the third, and so on. By doing this, you get a rough idea of what the text is all about. Then, continue by applying the strategy mentioned in the previous paragraph.

The next strategy is also very important: skip the text. Go to question one. If it is a vocabulary question, don’t read the text, because these types of questions, about vocabulary, are easily answered without referring to the text. So, answer all the vocabulary questions first and only then start reading the text and answering the rest of the questions. Keep experimenting and trying new things.

#2. Predict

Looking at the text and the question stamp should give you some idea of what the answer might be. Then you can look for your prediction in the answer choices. If you can select by prediction you’ll spend less time on wrong answers.

#3. Summarize

Don’t get stuck on one word or sentence! Think about the big picture. What does the whole sentence mean and what does the paragraph mean?

#4. Read a lot

Finally, the most important thing: read! Read a lot every day. If you want to do well on TOEFL Reading you need to read consistently. The more you read, the faster you will become.