Web sites for skill building

This list has been adapted from the ETS TOEFL tips list.

Remember that these sites have been recommended by the people that write the iBT. If you try some and have any feedback --- either positive or negative --- it would be useful if you could share your impressions with everyone. At the time of posting there are no broken links; if that changes please let me know about it.


Many universities have Web sites that provide information about study skills and writing skills. These Web sites are not designed specifically for nonnative speakers of English, but contain helpful guidance that can be accessed by anyone. Among the skills featured in these Web sites are

• note taking
• outlining
• paraphrasing
• summarizing

Here are some Web sites in this category:

Virginia Tech Self-Help Information
• www.ucc.vt.edu/stdyhlp.html

California Polytechnic State University Academic Skills Center
• www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/

Lecture Note Taking (College of Saint Benedict / Saint John’s University)
• www.csbsju.edu/academicadvising/help/lec-note.html

York University Counselling and Development Centre
• www.yorku.ca/cdc/lsp/

Dartmouth College Academic Skills Center
• www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/index.html

Purdue University Online Writing Laboratory
• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/index.html

The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Documentation.html

The Writing Center, Arizona State University
• www.asu.edu/duas/wcenter/


There are many other Web sites that provide free skill practice and advice for English language learners of all levels. Below are just a few examples of the many Web sites that are available.


Dave’s ESL Café
has resources for instructors and practice for students.
• www.eslcafe.com/

EnglishClub.com
• www.englishclub.com

Activities for ESL Students
has quizzes, exercises and puzzles to help you learn English as a Second Language.
• http://a4esl.org