Shadowing Practice: TOEFL 2026 Build a Sentence Tips, Tricks and Examples - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Many TOEFL candidates struggle with the build a sentence task in TOEFL writing
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because they get confused about word order and waste valuable time.
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But once you know the right strategies, this task becomes much easier.
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We've helped thousands of students prepare this way through our TOEFL packages.
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They discover how strategic preparation can completely change their results.
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In this video, you'll learn nine essential tips that can help you arrange words correctly and complete this task quickly.
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If you're ready to study smarter, keep watching.
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By the end of this video, you'll know exactly how to prepare for the build a sentence task in TOEFL writing.
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Tip number one is to understand exactly what the build a sentence task tests.
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This task tests your command of sentence structures, which is essential for communication in English.
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In this task, you'll see one complete sentence followed by another sentence with words or phrases in the wrong order.
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The two sentences form an exchange between speakers.
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Your job is to move the words
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and phrases into the right places to create a grammatically correct sentence that make sense as a response.
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Sometimes, you'll need to arrange the entire sentence yourself, because no words are already in place.
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Other times, some words might already be positioned in the sentence, and you need to arrange the remaining words around them.
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Here's what makes this task tricky.
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Sometimes, all the words provided need to be used.
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Other times, a word won't be used at all.
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So you need to figure out which word doesn't fit.
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Additionally, sometimes you'll see single words and other times you'll see groups of words that need to stay together.
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Understanding how this task works helps you approach it strategically instead of randomly moving words around.
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You need to think about grammar rules, sentence structure, and what makes sense in the context of the conversation.
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Tip number two is a game changer.
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Identify the subject and main verb first before you start arranging other words.
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Every complete sentence needs a subject and a verb, so finding these two elements gives you the foundation to build the rest of the sentence.
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The subject tells you who or what the sentence is about.
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The main verb tells you what action is happening.
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Once you've identified these core elements, you can arrange the other words around them.
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Take a look at this example.
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What do you think about the new campus facilities?
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Start by asking yourself, what's the subject?
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The answer is I, because that's what the sentence is about.
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Next, ask, what's the main verb?
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The answer is am, because it's the main verb showing state the only word that makes sense after I am is impressed.
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Now you have your foundation.
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I am impressed, but you still have more words to use.
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So you need to add more information to this basic structure.
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You need to add really to intensify the adjective impressed.
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Then you have to add with to show what you're impressed by.
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Finally, you have to add the noun phrase that describes the facilities.
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Pay attention here, you need to build the noun phrase correctly too.
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The article the comes first, then the adjectives new and modern, and finally the noun study rooms.
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The complete sentence becomes, I am really impressed with the new modern study rooms.
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Tip number three is essential for scoring high on the build sentence task.
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Consider whether your sentence needs a relative clause or subordinate clause.
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Many questions test your ability to create complex sentences with multiple clauses, not just simple sentences.
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For instance, relative clauses give additional information about a noun.
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They typically start with words like who, which, that, where, or when.
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These clauses connect to the main sentence and add important details.
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Let's look at an example.
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Which restaurant did you choose?
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Notice the word that in this list.
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This signals that you need a relative clause.
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The word that introduces information about something.
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In this case, that will connect to the one and tell us something about it.
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So, you don't just write, I chose the one.
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Instead, you need to add the clause that you recommended to me.
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The complete sentence becomes, I chose the one that you recommended to me.
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The main clause is, I chose the one,
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and the relative clause that you recommended to me adds extra information about which restaurant we're talking about.
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Understanding how to build sentences with relative clauses is crucial, because the TOEFL frequently tests this structure.
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When you see words like who, which, that, where or when, expect to create a complex sentence with a relative clause.
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We only make videos that you actually want to watch.
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Tip number four is essential for grammatical accuracy.
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Position adverbs correctly in your sentence.
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Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
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They have specific placement rules in English that you need to follow.
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Different types of adverbs go in different positions.
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For example, frequency adverbs like always, usually, and sometimes typically go before the main verb, but after the verb to be.
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Time adverbs like yesterday, tomorrow, and recently usually go at the end of the sentence.
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Manner adverbs like carefully,
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quickly and efficiently also typically go at the end of the sentence or after the main verb and object.
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Let's look at an example.
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Here is the first sentence.
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Do you exercise regularly?
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The frequency adverb usually needs to go before the main verb go to.
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So you start with I usually go to.
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Then add the object the gym.
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Finally, the time expression three times a week goes at the end.
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The complete sentence becomes I usually go to the gym three times a week.
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Notice how the adverb usually comes right before the main verb go to, not at the beginning or end of the sentence.
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This is the natural position for frequency adverbs in English.
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Here's another example.
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How did your team finish the research project?
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You have a manner adverb here that describes how an action was done.
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The adverb effectively describes how they collaborated.
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You need to position this adverb correctly to create a sentence.
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It comes after the verb collaborated.
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The complete sentence is, we collaborated effectively and managed to meet the deadline.
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In this sentence, effectively modifies collaborated and appears right after the verb.
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Understanding where to place different types of adverbs helps you build grammatically correct sentences quickly.
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When you see adverbs in your word list, immediately think about their type and where they belong in the sentence structure.
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Tip number five focuses on English grammar.
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Pay attention to word order rules when building your sentence.
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English has specific patterns for where different types of words should go, and following these patterns is essential for creating grammatically correct sentences.
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In English, the most common word order is subject -verb -object.
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Here's an example.
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I finished my homework.
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The sentence follows this pattern.
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I is the subject, finished is the verb, and my homework is the object.
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But word order becomes more complex when you add adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, and clauses.
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You need to know where each type of word or phrase belongs.
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Adjectives typically come before the nouns they describe.
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For instance, you say difficult exam, not exam difficult.
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When you have words like difficult and exam to arrange, you know difficult must come directly before an exam.
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Articles like the, a, or an come at the very beginning of a noun phrase, before any adjectives.
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So you write the difficult exam, not difficult the exam.
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Let's practice with an example.
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Did you enjoy the documentary we watched in class?
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Following word order rules, you need to identify the subject first, which is I.
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Then you need the main verb found, followed by what you found, which is the discussion.
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Now you need to add the prepositional phrase about the environmental issues.
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This phrase tells us what the discussion was about.
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Finally, the adjective quite informative describes the discussion.
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But where does quite go?
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The adverb quite modifies the adjective informative, so it comes directly before informative.
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The correct sentence is, I found the discussion about the environmental issues quite informative.
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Tip number six is really important.
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If you don't know this tip, you might get confused when trying to build a sentence.
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Learn to eliminate words that don't fit in the sentence.
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Sometimes a word in the list won't be used at all and you need to identify which word doesn't belong.
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Let's think about how to identify a word that doesn't belong.
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First, try building your sentence using the core elements like the subject, main verb, and necessary modifiers.
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If you have one or two words left over that don't fit naturally into the sentence structure, those are probably the words you should exclude.
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Second, check for grammatical clues.
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Take a look at this example.
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Are you planning to attend the seminar next week?
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You need to choose between am planning and will attend.
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Since the question uses planning to attend, you would continue with the present continuous form.
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I am definitely planning to attend it.
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The word will is the extra word that won't be used because you can't say I am planning will attend.
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However, be careful not to automatically exclude words just because you're not sure where they go.
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Try different arrangements first only eliminate a word when you're confident.
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Your sentence is complete and grammatically correct without it.
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Tip number seven can improve your speed and accuracy considerably.
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Practice common sentence structures that appear frequently in the Build -A -Sentence task.
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When you're familiar with typical patterns, you can arrange words much faster during the actual test.
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The TOEFL often test these common structures.
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First, you might see simple sentences with a subject -verb -object pattern.
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For example, the professor explained the theory.
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This is the most basic structure, but even basic structures can include modifiers and prepositional phrases.
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Second, there might be sentences with relative clauses starting with who, which, or that.
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We've already discussed the example, I chose the one that you recommended to me.
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This pattern appears frequently, so you should be comfortable building it quickly.
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Third, practice sentences with prepositional phrases that add details about location, time, or manner.
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For example, the meeting will start in the conference room at two o 'clock.
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Fourth, don't forget to practice questions with specific word order.
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Remember that questions often invert the subject and verb or use helping verbs.
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And finally, make sure you know how to build sentences with time expressions and frequency adverbs.
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For example, she usually arrives early for class.
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Words like usually, often, and sometimes typically go before the main verb, but after the verb to be.
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When you practice these patterns regularly,
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it will be easier for you to recognize the structure more quickly during the test and arrange the words correctly.
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Tip number eight is crucial.
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Read the first sentence carefully to understand the context.
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This sentence tells you what the conversation is about and your response needs to make sense as a reply to it.
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The Build a Sentence task always presents two sentences that form an exchange between speakers.
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The first sentence gives you the context you need to build an appropriate response.
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If you ignore this context,
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you might create a grammatically correct sentence that doesn't actually answer the question or respond appropriately.
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Therefore, it's absolutely crucial to read the first sentence carefully.
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Additionally, understanding the context helps you figure out the correct verb tense.
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If someone asks about a past event, your response should use past tense verbs.
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If they ask about future plans, you'll need future tense.
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Let's say the first sentence says this.
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How did your presentation go?
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Now you know the response needs to talk about how something went in the past.
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The words you arrange should create an answer about the outcome of the presentation.
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My final tip is practical and essential.
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Work efficiently under time pressure because you have limited time for the entire writing section.
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The build a sentence task is just the first part of TOEFL writing
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and you need to complete it quickly so you have enough time for the other tasks.
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Here's how to work efficiently.
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First, read the first sentence quickly but carefully.
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Don't rush this step because understanding the context prevents costly mistakes.
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Second, scan all the words provided before you start arranging them.
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This gives you an overview of what you're working with.
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Third, build your sentence systematically.
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Finally, check your final sentence quickly, verify it's grammatically correct and make sense as a response to the context sentence.
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That's it those are nine essential tips for scoring high in the build a sentence task in TOEFL writing.
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If you're serious about achieving the TOEFL score you need, check out our TOEFL packages using the link below.
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We'll guide you step by step on how to score high so you'll feel confident on test day.
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I hope you liked this video.
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Don't forget to like, subscribe to the channel and hit the bell icon so you're notified when the next video comes out.
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Also, share this video with your friends so they can improve their TOEFL score too.
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See you in the next video!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 188 sentences and 2241 words to shadow. The speech runs for 16:02. The speaker talks at a steady 140 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| verb noun | /vɝb/ | A word that indicates an action, event, or state of being. |
| clause noun | /klɔːz/ | A group of words that contains a subject and a verb; it may be part of a sentence or may constitute the whole sentence, depending on the syntax in each… |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| arrange verb | /əˈɹeɪnd͡ʒ/ | To set up; to organize; to put into an orderly sequence or arrangement. |
| relative noun | /ˈɹɛl.ə.tɪv/ | Someone connected by blood, marriage, or adoption; someone in the same family. |
| examination noun | /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ | The act of examining. |
| noun noun | /naʊn/ | A word that functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as person, animal, place, word, thing, phenomenon, substance, quality, or idea… |
| correctly adverb | /kəˈɹɛk(t).li/ | In a correct manner. |
| impress verb | /ɪmˈpɹɛs/ | To affect (someone) strongly and often favourably. |
| carefully adverb | /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ | With care; attentively, circumspectly. |
| belong verb | /bɪˈlɒŋ/ | To have its proper place. |
| frequency noun | /ˈfɹiːkwənsi/ | The rate of occurrence of anything; the relationship between incidence and time period. |
| informative adjective | /ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv/ | Providing information; especially, providing useful or interesting information. |
| collaborate verb | /kəˈlæb.ə.ɹeɪt/ | To work together with others to achieve a common goal. |
| element noun | /ˈɛləmənt/ | One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| figure out verb | To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce. | |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). | |
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| stay together verb | To remain loyal in times of stress or difficulty; to avoid separation despite pressure to do so. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | We've helped · you've identified · We've already discussed |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | be positioned · is impressed · was done |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | structures, which is · first, which is · found, which is |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 36 contractions and reduced forms, such as you'll, you're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, crucial /ˈkɹuː.ʃəl/, presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, rush /ɹʌʃ/, preparation /ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/
- Long words — get the stress right: examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, informative /ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv/, collaborate /kəˈlæb.ə.ɹeɪt/, accuracy /ˈæk.jɚ.ə.si/, eliminate /ɪˈlɪm.ɪ.neɪt/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like verb, clause, phrase.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.