[TOEIC] Comparison of Grammar Reference Books! A Thorough Explanation of How to Choose! | Haru English
Have you ever frozen up the moment you opened a bookstore or Amazon to start preparing for TOEIC grammar, thinking, "Wait, how many books are there...?"
Especially for those who are just starting to challenge the TOEIC or those aiming for a score of 800 or higher,
the problem of not knowing which grammar reference book to choose is something you tend to run into.
・I bought a thick book but gave up halfway through
・I bought a book that said "900 points" on impulse and regretted it
・I didn't have time, so I ended up doing everything halfway
In this article, I will neatly organize those hesitations.
The conclusion is simple: choose one book that matches your current level and the time you have available. That alone will significantly change the efficiency of your grammar preparation.
By reading this article,
you should be able to take a step forward without hesitation, thinking, "This is the reference book I should start with."🔥
About this article (Click here for the video explanation)
This article is based on the content of a YouTube video.
In the video, I explain the differences and how to use each reference book, including the tone, enthusiasm, and subtle nuances.
While organizing it in text, watching it along with the video will deepen your understanding significantly👍
Please be sure to check out the video for any parts you are curious about.
▼ Click here for the video
Common mistakes when choosing a TOEIC grammar reference book
There are mistakes that I truly see very often in TOEIC grammar preparation.
That is,
choosing a reference book because "thick = seems good."
A typical example is buying a reference book with a large number of problems right away, and then:
・Initially full of motivation
・Running out of energy after about 200 questions
・It sleeps quietly on the bookshelf...
This is the pattern🙇♂️
This is not because your willpower is weak, but simply because
the reference book did not match your situation.
What is important in TOEIC grammar preparation is the perspective of
"Can I use it until the end?" and "Is it necessary for me right now?"
If you miss this, even the best masterpiece will not be effective.
Conclusion on choosing a grammar reference book
Let's start with the conclusion.
The correct way to choose a grammar reference book is based on these two factors:
・Study time available for TOEIC
・Current score (or English proficiency)
Choosing based on these two is the right approach.
"I want to aim for 900 points, so I'll choose a book that says 900 points on it."
This is the most common mistake people make.
If you ignore your current starting point,
your understanding won't keep up, and you'll end up giving up.
From here on, I will look specifically at which reference books suit each level and situation✊
One book recommended for those who have never taken the TOEIC before
First, this is for those who:
"Have never taken the TOEIC before"
"Didn't fail English in junior high or high school, but don't have much confidence"
It's for people like that.
I recommend
TOEIC L&R Test Grammar: A Drill to Earn Points from Zero.
This reference book is, above all, very gentle.
・Starts from basic grammar
・Structure where the level gradually increases
・Carefully explains frequently appearing TOEIC items such as conjunctions, prepositions, and pronouns
It is rich in short-sentence and four-choice questions, so
you won't get that "feeling of being left behind without understanding."
As an image,
aiming for the 300-point range first is fine.
Even for those with little previous English learning experience,
this is a book that helps you grasp "Oh, so this is what TOEIC grammar is like"🙆♂️
Grammar Tokkyu strongly recommended for those with no time
Next, for those who:
"Have taken the TOEIC at least once"
"Don't have a strong aversion to English"
"But can't find much time to study"
For such people, I recommend
Grammar Tokkyu.
The biggest strength of Grammar Tokkyu is its size.
It's in a new book size that's easy to carry around,
so you can work on it during your commute or in your spare time.
And, the explanations are incredibly thorough.
For every question, the entire back page is filled with explanations,
and even the "thought habits" of "why you would want to choose this option"
are put into words.
It's not just a simple grammar explanation; the point is that you can understand
the traps in the options unique to TOEIC.
You might think that 150 questions is a small number,
but don't worry.
There is a lot to learn from each question,
and the content is more than enough for a reference book to identify your weaknesses🔥
Grammar Express is not a book for 'achieving perfection'
This is a very important point.
Grammar Express is not
a book to perfect Part 5 with just this one volume.
Its role is to:
・Expose your weaknesses
・Identify which grammar points you are unsure about
For example, if you stumble on relative pronouns,
you should focus on reviewing that area in another grammar book.
If you can use it this way,
your Part 5 performance will not fall apart.
Grammar Express or Gold Grammar, which one should you choose?
Often found side-by-side in bookstores and on Amazon are
Grammar Express and Gold Grammar.
They are similar in size and thickness,
so it's easy to wonder, 'Which one should I get?'
There are four points to consider when choosing.
Choose based on your confidence in grammar
・Not very confident in grammar → Gold Grammar
・Understand the basics → Grammar Express
Gold Grammar provides thorough explanations down to the very basics.
It is for those who want to confirm 'why it works that way' from scratch.
On the other hand, Grammar Express
assumes you have a basic understanding and delves deeper into how to think about the answer choices.
Whether your weak areas are clear
・Know your weak grammar points → Gold Grammar
・Want to test your skills → Grammar Express
Gold Grammar is organized by grammar unit,
so it is suitable for eliminating weaknesses one by one.
Grammar Express features random questions,
so it is perfect for those who want to check their ability in a format similar to the actual test.
Differences in Difficulty
・Close to actual test level → Kin no Bunpo
・Slightly more difficult for training → Bunpo Tokkyu
Bunpo Tokkyu is intentionally made a bit more difficult, and
it is reassuring content for those aiming for a high score✊
Do you want to review summaries?
・Want to look back at rules right before the test → Kin no Bunpo
Kin no Bunpo has a summary page called "Kin no Rule," which
is very convenient for checking just before the test period.
For those who can secure study time, try Derusen
The last one I will introduce is
Derusen (a grammar problem book series like Deru 1000).
It is recommended for:
・Those stuck in the 600-700 point range
・Those who can secure a reasonable amount of study time
These are the people for whom it is suitable.
The biggest strength of Derusen is
an overwhelming amount of practice.
Since it is organized by problem pattern,
you can also use it for specific areas like just part-of-speech problems or just relative pronoun problems.
However, there are some points to note.
The explanations are a bit dry, so
if you are unsure about your grammar knowledge,
be sure to keep another grammar book on hand to supplement it.
To those who bought Derusen but have no time
"I already bought Derusen..."
"But I don't have time..."
Even for those people, it is okay🙆♂️
・Focus only on solving your weak units
・Start from the random problems at the back to get a feel for the actual test
This way of using it is also fine.
The important thing is to
always look back at the parts you didn't understand.
As long as you don't just leave the problems unsolved after doing them,
you can get sufficient results even with limited time.
When should you use 900-point or 990-point level reference books?
Reference books with "900 points" or "990 points" in the title should be used
after you have finishedthe reference books introduced this time.
If you start with them at a beginner level,
it is likely to cause frustration.
Just by following the order,
TOEIC study becomes much easier🔥
Choose the one that suits you
Every reference book has truly excellent content.
That is precisely why,
instead of asking "which one is the best,"
please choose based on "what suits me right now."
If you are unsure,
start with the one you felt even slightly drawn to.
Once you finish using it, you can move on to the next.
That first step
will be a solid start toward increasing your score👍
Conclusion | To those of you who thought you might want to try a transfer exam
Transfer exams have little information available and can be quite anxiety-inducing.
However, there are common traits among those who pass.
Thoroughly research the trends of the transfer exam for the school you are applying to
Create a preparation schedule by working backward from the exam date
Do not give in to temptation and honestly proceed with the correct preparation
If you master these three points, passing is well within your reach.
If you are hesitating, now is the time to act.
Actually, transferring is a chance to re-choose your career path, it's just not widely known.
You can challenge yourself again for the university you wanted to attend
You can change your current environment
You can relearn what you want to learn
However, because there is so little information, most people get stuck wondering, "Can I really do this?" or "Where should I even start?"
・Does my target school have eligibility requirements?
・Is there enough time for me to prepare for the exam?
・How should I plan my applications to other schools?
・Which subject should I start with?
Even if you diligently gather information, many people still end up lost.This is because the timing to start preparing for transfer exams and the academic level at the start are completely different for everyone.
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