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Award-Winning TOEFL Tutors serving San Francisco, CA

Straley

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Straley

Master's/Graduate
Straley's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra

I hold a Master's degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University. I tutored GED math for 3 years in college, so I have experience breaking down concepts for students with a variety of learning styles. I've also informally tutored oth...

Education

Johns Hopkins University

Master's/Graduate

Johns Hopkins University

Bachelor

Ravi

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Ravi

PhD
Ravi's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Linear Algebra
Finite Mathematics

I am passionate about the broad implications and applications of the Science, Math, and Engineering in our daily lives - and enjoy teaching them to my own kids. Towards this end, I also want to leverage my 20+ years in graduate and post-doctoral science/engineering research, past undergraduate lev...

Education

California Institute of Technology

PhD

University of Kentucky

PhD

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

PhD

Patrick

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Patrick

AM
Patrick's other Tutor Subjects
Middle School Math
Geometry
Algebra
Elementary School Math

I am a retired teacher who tutors and writes and who has had decades of success motivating and preparing people for a range of tests and tasks. I also walk/jog 50-plus miles a week, do yoga, and exercise my critical thinking skills regularly. My students since 1979 have ranged from middle school ur...

Education

Yale University

AM

Patrick

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Patrick

PhD
Patrick's other Tutor Subjects
Elementary School Math
PSAT Writing Skills
TOEFL
SAT Subject Test in United States History

After serving as an intelligence officer in the Air Force for seven years, I completed a doctoral program in American Literature at UNC-Chapel Hill. Since then, I have edited a literary journal, managed a research center, and published several peer-reviewed articles on American autobiography, fictio...

Education

Princeton University

PhD

William

Certified Tutor

2+ years

William

PhD
William's other Tutor Subjects
SAT Subject Test in World History
TOEFL
SAT Subject Test in German with Listening
SAT Mathematics

I have a lot of teaching experience in both high-school and college settings, in the United States and abroad. I cover subjects ranging from ESOL, German, literature, and essay writing to most of the humanities topics that arise in AP and IB courses.

Education

Yale University

PhD

Georgetown University

PhD

Ben

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Ben

CTF
Ben's other Tutor Subjects
6th Grade AP Language Composition
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Middle School Math

I have an undergraduate degree from Brown University where I double majored in International Relations and History of Art and Architecture. I also have a certification in teaching English as a foreign language. My favorite subjects to tutor are Russian, Japanese, and English, but I also am available...

Education

Brown University

CTF

Camille

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Camille

AM
Camille's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Algebra
Elementary School Math

I am a graduate of Brown University with a Bachelors Degree in Biology and Yale University with a Masters in Public Health. I also hold a Level 5 certification in TEFL. I am passionate about working with children and students of all ages to assist them in achieving their highest potential. My fav...

Education

Yale University

AM

Brown University

AM

Tori

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Tori

AB
Tori's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Statistics

My name is Tori and I am excited to support and guide you while you rock your way to meeting your learning goals! I have a degree in English and I am a certified English teacher as well, and I am fluent in Spanish, too! My journey helping others started more than 10 years ago... I started tutoring...

Education

Yale University

AB

Kimberly

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Kimberly

Master's/Graduate
Kimberly's other Tutor Subjects
PSAT Writing Skills
TOEFL
SAT Subject Test in Spanish with Listening
SAT Subject Test in Literature

Ivy League professor offering customized academic support. I completed both my Bachelor's and Master's degrees at Columbia University, where I have taught writing, literature, and literary translation. I have been helping students hone their writing skills in various formats since 2005. Through cust...

Education

Columbia University

Master's/Graduate

Columbia University

Bachelor

Natalia

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Natalia

MBA
Natalia's other Tutor Subjects
Cell Biology
Engineering
Molecular Biology
Biotechnology

An experienced Science/Education specialist and College Professor with 20 years of teaching and research experience in Biomedical Sciences

Education

Northeastern University

MBA

Brown University

MBA

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Frequently Asked Questions

The TOEFL reading section requires processing dense academic passages quickly—a challenge many students face. Personalized tutoring helps you develop strategies tailored to your reading level, such as skimming for main ideas, identifying key transitions, and recognizing question patterns before diving into passages. Tutors can work with you on vocabulary building and help you practice retrieving information under timed conditions, which research shows is more effective than passive reading.

TOEFL speaking requires real-time organization and clear pronunciation—two areas where personalized feedback makes a significant difference. Tutors can conduct mock speaking tasks, record your responses, and provide immediate feedback on pronunciation, grammar, and coherence. Regular practice with a tutor helps you develop templates for structuring responses while maintaining natural, spontaneous delivery, which is exactly what TOEFL scorers evaluate.

Most students see measurable improvement in writing within 4-6 weeks of focused tutoring, though results depend on starting level and study frequency. The TOEFL writing section assesses your ability to synthesize information and develop arguments—skills that improve through targeted practice with feedback. A tutor can identify specific weaknesses like argument clarity or grammatical patterns that hold you back, then help you practice with increasingly challenging prompts until these skills become automatic.

Yes—exposure to diverse accents and speaking styles is a major focus of TOEFL listening preparation. Tutors can work with you on accent adaptation techniques, help you recognize common pronunciation patterns in academic English, and provide practice with authentic TOEFL listening materials featuring speakers from various English-speaking backgrounds. With personalized instruction, you'll develop strategies to predict content based on context, which helps you maintain comprehension even when unfamiliar accents appear.

Integrated tasks require you to synthesize information across multiple skills simultaneously—reading passages, listening to lectures, then writing or speaking about connections between them. This is fundamentally different from traditional classroom instruction, where skills are often taught separately. Personalized tutoring lets you practice these tasks repeatedly, develop note-taking strategies specific to your learning style, and receive targeted feedback on how well you're integrating information. This focused approach builds the cognitive stamina needed for test day.

Most universities in the United States require TOEFL scores between 80-100 on the iBT (out of 120), though top-tier universities often expect 100+. Your target score depends on your specific programs and schools. A tutor can help you set a realistic goal, create a study plan to reach it, and focus intensive preparation on your weaker sections—whether that's speaking, listening, or integrated tasks. Personalized instruction ensures you're not spending time on sections where you're already strong.

TOEFL scoring prioritizes clear communication and fluency over perfect grammar. While grammatical accuracy matters, natural flow and the ability to express complex ideas are weighted more heavily, especially in speaking and writing. Tutors can help you shift from obsessing over every grammatical detail to developing confidence in expressing yourself accurately. This means practicing speaking and writing in real-time conditions, building automaticity, and learning to self-correct—skills that come from personalized feedback rather than grammar rule memorization.

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