IMPORTANT
this isn’t a part of TOEFL any more - now “Writing for an Academic Discussion” - replying to teacher and student in online forum. I will share an example in class.
General tips
- 300 words minimum for a perfect score
- See tips for all writing questions here: Resources-TOEFLOverview
- This essay is rated by a human, but also a computer. Computers are good at finding:
- text you have memorized from the internet. So don’t
- structure phrases such as “Another example”. Use these
- sentence length. Don’t give short sentences.
Examples
See example
Suggested timing
- (~5mins):
- Read the question carefully: reasons, examples, or details?
- Brainstorm some ideas
- Choose your best ideas
- Write an outline in the typing window
- (~15mins)
- Turn your outline into sentences, in this order
- your thesis statement
- your section/paragraph topic sentences
- your detail sentences
- (~10 mins)
- Finish off your Intro/conclusion
- Check your cohesion
- Check spelling/grammar
5 paragraph example
- Introduction
- PERSONAL CONNECTION TO TOPIC
- e.g. “When I was a child, I”
- e.g. “Recently, I.
- BACKGROUND
- (Give the topic. Use keywords from the question)
- PARAPHRASE, don’t quote. See here: [[Invention - quote and paraphrase]]
- THESIS STATEMENT
- e.g. “I prefer X for three reasons - A,B, and C”
- e.g. “I think it’s best to X, for three reasons - A, B, and C”
- e.g. “This essay looks at the advantages X and Y in three areas - A, B, and C”
- e.g. “This essay compares the advantages of A and B.
- PERSONAL CONNECTION TO TOPIC
- Paragraph 2
- Topic sentence: Keyword A * main idea
- point 1
- (details/reason/examples)
- (details/reason/examples)
- point 2
- (details/reason/examples)
- (details/reason/examples)
- point 3
- (details/reason/examples)
- (details/reason/examples)
- Paragraph 3 - Same as Paragraph 2
- Paragraph 4 - Same as Paragraph 2
- Para 5: Conclusion
- Personal Opening Comment -
- (Mention alternate, for choices) (e.g. “I understand why some people X, but…”)
- Summarise paragraph 1, 2 & 3 in one sentence
- Give your choice e.g. “For these reasons, I prefer X”
- Final Comment (Your personal concrete plan)
1 paragraph example
It’s possible to get a perfect score with one 300 word paragraph - check the ETS example answers in the official textbook. That might look like this:
- PERSONAL CONNECTION TO TOPIC (see above)
- BACKGROUND (see above)
- THESIS STATEMENT (see above)
- Keyword A link (“Firstly, A”)
- (details/reason/examples)
- Keyword B (“Another X is B”)
- (details/reason/examples)
- (details/reason/examples)
- Keyword B (“In addition, C”)
- (details/reason/examples)
- (details/reason/examples)
- Conclusion sentence (“In conclusion, I can see why some people X, but I Y, becuase Z”)