toefl essay writing tips

TOEFL Prep Online Guides and Tips

How to ace the toefl writing section: 7 expert tips.

toefl essay writing tips

Want to know all the information you need to write two great essays and ace the TOEFL Writing section?

This guide has all the tips you need to do well on TOEFL Writing. We’ll explain exactly what you can expect to see in this section, then give TOEFL Writing tips tips on how to answer both essay types, how you should study, and what you should do on test day to make sure you ace this section.

Overview of the TOEFL Writing Section

The TOEFL Writing section lasts 50 minutes and contains two tasks: Integrated Writing and Independent Writing. It’s the final section of the TOEFL. After this, you’re done!

You’ll have 20 minutes to plan and write the Integrated Writing Task and 30 minutes to plan and write the Independent Writing Tasks. Both essays will be written on the computer. We’ll discuss the tasks and what you’re expected to write in more detail in the next section.

After you complete the exam, your essays will be graded by several (typically four) graders. Each essay will receive a score from 0-5. The sum of those two scores will then be scaled to a score from 0-30, which is your official Writing score. The Writing section makes of 25% of your total TOEFL score (from 0-120).

What Types of Questions Are on TOEFL Writing?

The Writing section contains two tasks. In this section, we’ll explain the format and content of the tasks and give an official example question and response tips for each question type.

By the way: we have built the world's best online TOEFL course . Get online practice (TPO-sytle!) and individual grading and feedback on Speaking and Writing.

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TOEFL Integrated Writing

The TOEFL Integrated Writing task requires you to use listening, reading, and writing skills. For this task, you will have three minutes to read a short passage, then you will listen to a short (approximately two-minute long) audio clip of a speaker discussing the same topic the written passage covers.  You will have 20 minutes to plan and write a response that references both of these sources. You won’t discuss your own opinion.

During the writing time, you’ll be able to look at the written passage again, but you won’t be able to re-hear the audio clip. You’ll be able to take notes while you listen to it though.  The suggested response length for this task is 150-225 words. You’ll be graded on the quality of your writing as well as how well your response represents the main points of the audio clip and written passage and how they relate to each other.

Sample TOEFL Integrated Writing Question

(On the real TOEFL, the lecture would be an audio clip instead of a transcript.)

writing_1

TOEFL Writing Tips for Answering

  • Frequently refer back to the audio clip and written passage when making an argument. A key part of your grade is how well you show you understood the information these two pieces contained.
  • However, don’t just copy portions of the audio clip or passage into your essay; that doesn’t show your English skills. Always rewrite the main ideas in your own words.
  • When answering this question, pay careful attention to any differences between the information in written passage and the information in the audio clip. These differences are often an important part of your response.
  • Take good notes when the audio clip is playing. You won’t have an opportunity to listen to it again.
  • Don’t inject your own opinion. Only discuss what the audio clip and passage are saying. You’ll only discuss your own opinion on the Independent Writing Task.

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TOEFL Independent Writing

For the Independent Writing task, you’ll receive a question on a particular topic or issue. You’ll have 30 minutes to plan and write a response to that topic that explains your opinion on it. You’ll need to give reasons that support your decision.

It’s recommended that your response to this task be at least 300 words, and you’ll be graded on how well you develop your ideas, how well your essay is organized, and how accurately you use English to express your ideas.

Sample TOEFL Independent Writing Question

writing_4

  • Don’t be afraid to make things up. This essay is all about creating a strong argument for your opinion on a topic. If you don’t really care about the topic you’re supposed to write about, choose whichever side you can write a stronger essay for, and act like that’s your opinion.
  • Make your opinion clear within the first paragraph of your essay. There should be no doubt as to how you feel about the topic.
  • Longer isn’t always better. The minimum recommended length for this essay is 300 words. If you have spare time and points you still want to make, keep writing, but don’t feel like your essay needs to be 600 words. Aim for your essay to be at least 300 words, but if it’s only, say, 320 words, it’s still possible for it to get a top score if you’ve written it well.

TOEFL Writing Study Strategies

You should absolutely study the TOEFL Writing section and do practice essays before exam day. Below are some tips to help you get the most out of your studying.

Study Strategy 1: Study the 2 Essay Types

The two essays you need to write for this section are more different than they may appear at first glance, and it’s important to be aware of those differences to understand how to get top scores for both essays.

For the Integrated essay, you should not give your own opinion on the topic, and you’ll need to refer to specific points in the audio and written passages to back up your claims. For the Independent essay, you will have to give your own opinion, along with specifics to back it up.

Completing practice essays will help you become more familiar with what the prompts will look like (see next section), and you should also look at the rubrics TOEFL graders will use when grading your essays so you get a better understanding of what you need for a high score.

Study Strategy 2: Take TOEFL Writing Practice Essays

Any writing you do in English can help strengthen your skills and help you do better on TOEFL Writing, but it’s especially important to take practice TOEFL essays. Completing practice essays will help you become more familiar with the different essay prompts, strengthen your writing skills, and learn how to manage your time when writing essays.

We have a guide to all the best TOEFL Writing practice resources, including numerous free and official practice essays. Check it out to get some great study materials for the Writing section.

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Study Strategy 3: Time Yourself When Writing Practice Essays

When you’re doing practice essays, you should also be sure to time yourself. Give yourself 20 minutes to plan and write an Integrated Writing essay and 30 minutes to write an Independent Writing essay.

Timing yourself when you write will help you be more prepared for test day since you’ll get practice planning and writing essays within a limited time frame. When you first start writing your practice essays, it can be easy to spend too much time preparing which will cause you to run out of time before you finish writing. Completing timed practice essays will help you avoid this.

You should also count how many words your essays contain after you’ve finished writing them. Integrated Tasks should be 150-225 words and Independent Tasks should be at least 300 words.

Study Strategy 4: Review Your TOEFL Writing Practice Essays

After you write each practice essay, you should also review it and think about how well it answered the question. This is easier to do if the practice question comes with sample answers that you can compare your answer to, but you should do this step for all practice essays you write, even if they don’t come with any answer explanation. You can also assign your essays a score or have a tutor or friend who’s also studying for the TOEFL score your essay.

It’s tempting to take a break from TOEFL studying as soon as you’ve finished your essays, but it’s important to do this step because it will get you thinking about what great essays look like and how yours can be improved.

TOEFL Writing Tips for Acing the Section on Test Day

The last step in acing TOEFL Writing is having a great exam day. Follow these TOEFL writing tips to help ensure everything goes smoothly while you’re completing the Writing section.

Test Tip 1: Take a Few Minutes to Plan Your Essays

Since you only have a limited amount of time to complete your essays, it can be tempting to start writing the second your time starts. You want to avoid doing this, however. Spending just a few minutes planning your essay can help keep your writing focused and on topic, and it can often help you write faster because you know what you’ll be discussing next.

Spend a max of two to three minutes writing a basic outline for your essay. It should include:

  • Your thesis statement (the main point you’re making and will discuss throughout the essay)
  • The main point of each paragraph you’ll have in your essay
  • Any specific examples you can quickly think of (either from the included passages or your own opinion, depending on the essay) to back up your claim

Before you begin writing, reread the essay prompt again to make sure your outline answers the question well (see next section for more details).

Test Tip 2: Keep Referring Back to the Question

Even if you craft a beautiful essay with perfect English, you won’t get a good score if you don’t answer the question properly.  It can be easy to go off on a tangent or begin to discuss something other than what the question is asking.

For example, the Independent Writing sample question above asks you to explain whether it’s more important for teachers to relate well to students or have excellent knowledge of the subject they’re teaching. In your essay, you might include an example of a great teacher you had and spent the majority of the essay explaining why that teacher was your favorite. Even if your writing is flawless, you wouldn’t get a good score because you’re not discussing the question the essay prompt is asking.

This is something practice and making an outline before you begin writing can help you avoid, so be sure to do both, and remember to reread the prompt as you write your essay to make sure you’re on track.

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Test Tip 3: Leave Some Time to Review Your Essays

After you’ve finished writing your essay, it’s helpful if you can spend a little bit of time looking it over.  Even setting aside 60 seconds can give you enough time for you skim your essay and catch and spelling or grammar errors or any sentences that aren’t clear. F ixing these little mistakes can help you from losing points when your essays are scored. Doing practice essays will help you get better at managing your time so it’ll become easier to finish your essays with some time to spare for reviewing.

Acing TOEFL Writing: What You Need to Know

In order to do well on the TOEFL Writing section, it’s important to first learn exactly what types of essays you’ll be expected to write, what they should include, and how you’ll be graded on them. While you’re studying for this section, be sure to study the two essay types, take practice essays, time yourself when writing essays, and review your practice essays.

On exam day, during the Writing section you should outline your essays before you begin writing, refer back to the essay prompts regularly, and leave yourself a bit of time at the end to review what you’ve written. Keep these TOEFL Writing tips in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to writing great essays. And remember, this is the last section of the TOEFL. Once you finish the Writing section, you’re done!

What’s Next?

Not sure what TOEFL score you should be aiming for?  Learn what a good TOEFL score is based on the schools you’re interested in.

Want more tips on how to prepare for TOEFL Writing questions? Check out our guide to the best ways to practice for TOEFL Writing!

Once you’ve taken the TOEFL, how do you send your scores to schools?   Learn the six tips you need to know for sending your TOEFL Scores.

Ready to improve your TOEFL score by 15 points?

toefl essay writing tips

Author: Christine Sarikas

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries. View all posts by Christine Sarikas

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Sample Essays for the Writing Section of the TOEFL® Test

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Did you hear about the updated TOEFL iBT Writing section?

On July 26, 2023, ETS introduced a new TOEFL Writing question : Writing for an Academic Discussion.

That’s right. The Independent Writing question has been retired from the official TOEFL iBT test.

Before we get into the topics and sample essays for the new TOEFL Writing question, let’s start with the first task, which hasn’t changed, the Integrated Writing.

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

In the TOEFL Writing Section, there are two questions you must respond to. The first question is called the TOEFL Integrated Writing task. The second question is called the TOEFL Writing for an Academic Discussion task.

The integrated question presents a reading and listening passage, followed by a question, which is a bit more complicated.

Simple, right?

No? Still confused.

No worries. The best way to understand something better is through examples.

Let’s do one together.

This TOEFL integrated writing topic deals with the use of  Corn Ethanol .

Give yourself three minutes to read it:

The chemical compound, ethanol, has risen in recent years as the most viable alternative to fossil fuels. Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from crops, mainly from corn in the United States, which can power engines. There are many who argue that corn ethanol should replace fossil fuel gas as the primary source for running cars.

One major benefit of using corn ethanol is that it uses less energy than gasoline. Using less energy means that people can get better gas mileage while driving these more fuel-efficient cars. In the long-run, this will be cheaper for consumers because they can drive further than they do now with fossil-fueled cars. People will spend less money on gas because they won’t have to stop to fill up as frequently.

Another advantage of switching to corn ethanol is that it helps the American economy become less reliant on energy sources from other countries. Petroleum is not readily available in the U.S., so it must be imported from other countries. Depending on foreign relations with those countries, fuel becomes a political issue. Corn is a crop that America has in abundance. By using corn ethanol instead, the cost of gas will decrease because now the import taxes on fossil fuels are calculated into the price. This also means that we will be putting the money into our own economy, thus helping local corn farmers.

One of the most attractive aspects of corn ethanol is how environmentally friendly is when compared to current automobile gasoline. Fossil fuels release carbon that has been stored for years from the earth. Burning biofuels, like corn ethanol, is better for the environment because it releases less greenhouse gas emissions. Lessening the amount of carbon emissions will help prevent global warming and all of the other negative effects of climate change.

Once three minutes have ended, listen to a conversation about the same topic

Now, it’s time to write your TOEFL essay.

Stop reading.

Start writing.

Write your essay before you look at this TOEFL Writing sample. You will learn a lot more if you actually write the essay and then compare this to your own.

Here’s an expert TOEFL teacher’s sample essay to this particular TOEFL Writing topic.

The article introduces the topic of corn-based ethanol. More specifically, the writer discusses the advantages of switching from fossil fuels to this alternative energy source. The lecturer in the listening passage disagrees. He believes that the benefits the author mentions are misleading and attacks each of the claims made in the reading.

In the reading, the author begins by stating that drivers will get better gas mileage on corn ethanol than on fossil fuels, and therefore save money on gas. The speaker, however, disagrees. He states that the production of corn ethanol is very expensive. He says that in order to make for the costs to create and distribute this biofuel, the price of ethanol gas will increase.  Therefore, it will not be any cheaper for consumers in the long run.

The writer also claims that making the switch to corn ethanol will help the American economy because it will make the United States less dependent on foreign oil. Again, the lecturer believes there are flaws in the writer’s argument. He holds instead that mass use of corn-based ethanol will hurt the economy. He elaborates this by point out that the inevitable competition for corn by multiple consumers, including beef and dairy farmers, will drive the price of corn up.

Another reason why the author feels that moving from traditional gasoline to corn ethanol is a good idea is that they are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels. The professor in the listening passage is doubtful that this is accurate. He suggests that as more farmlands are created to support the demands for more corn, more carbon will be absorbed by the land. This means that these emissions will still be released to negatively affect the environment.

As you can see the author and speaker hold very different views about the use of corn ethanol.

The author here clearly defined the main idea, organized the supporting points from both the reading and listening passage, and showed how they differ from each other. 

I know it may seem a bit difficult, which is why I recommend that you start off with a TOEFL Writing template for both the Writing for an Academic Discussion task and Integrated essay.

toefl essay writing tips

Looking for more example essays?

Download our TOEFL Writing 24+ Guide if you would like more sample essays. It includes extra tips, tricks, and strategies you will not find anywhere else. Download it for free here

Too complicated? Don’t worry.

I will share TOEFL writing templates for the Integrated Writing question, which will make your life a whole lot easier.

We have to talk about the Writing for an Academic Discussion question.

Writing for an Academic Discussion Question

You will have 10 minutes to complete the Writing for an Academic Discussion question .

For this task, you will participate in an online discussion. After you read the question and student responses, you will have to write a response that adds to the conversation.

Here’s the breakdown:

This question is straightforward, but let’s do a sample together.

When the question appears on the screen, take two minutes to scan the passage and the student’s opinions.

toefl essay writing tips

Start to write your response. Be sure to add to the discussion and avoid repeating the same points as the other students.

Aim to write at least 120 words.

toefl essay writing tips

Get peace of mind with these TOEFL Writing Templates

Now that you have a few TOEFL Writing topics and sample essays to study from, you may want to use a writing template to help guide your writing.

A TOEFL template is basically a pre-organized set of words and phrases that you can use in almost any TOEFL Writing response.

Here’s TST Prep’s template for the integrated TOEFL Writing question (question one) :

The article introduces the topic of (general topic). More specifically, the writer discusses (stance of the author on the topic). The lecturer in the listening passage disagrees. He believes that (stance of the professor on the topic) and attacks each of the claims made in the reading.

In the reading, the author begins by stating that (first point made to support stance). The lecturer, however, disagrees. He states that (first counterargument by the professor). He goes on to say that (additional detail about first counterargument).

The author also claims that ( second point made to support stance). Again, the lecturer believes there are flaws in the writer’s argument. The speaker holds that (two sentences about the professor’s second counter-argument).

Another reason why the author feels that (restate stance of author ) is that ( third point made to support stance). The professor in the listening passage is doubtful that this is accurate. He suggests that (two sentences about the professor’s third counter argument ).

To sum up, both the writer and professor hold conflicting views about (general topic). It’s clear that they will have trouble finding common ground on this issue.

And here’s our template for the independent TOEFL Writing for an Academic Discussion (question two) :

You will notice that the sample essays in this article differ from the templates.

You do not have to use templates, it’s up to you. Some people prefer to write in their own unique fashion for the entire exam. However, you will notice that the structure of the templates is similar to the TOEFL example essays.

These templates follow the exact organization and structure you are expected to use on test day, so don’t hesitate to use them in your writing.

Also, don’t forget to download the free 24+ TOEFL Writing Guide if you would like more example essays, templates, and exclusive tips to help you earn the best possible TOEFL Writing score on test day.

If you read this far, it means you are serious about your TOEFL studies. Don’t hesitate to send us an email and let us know how we can help you earn the TOEFL score of your dreams – [email protected]

Did we forget anything? Please comment and let us know how we can improve our TOEFL Writing advice (or if you want to just say hi that would be great too).

Other articles

Ten Awsome Tips for the Writing Section of the TOEFL Test

100 Free Questions for the Listening Section of the TOEFL Test

Check other articles on TOEFL

109 Comments

Abdul Siyar Azizi

Hello Josh, I have a question regarding how we can write an advanced writing that will be scored 25+?

Josh

Thanks very much for your question. We do have some templates that can help to increase your score. However, to give you a more detailed answer, I would suggest you consider doing an essay evaluation with us so we can help you determine specific areas for improvement. In the meantime, here are some articles that can help.

https://tstprep.com/articles/toefl/ten-awesome-tips-for-the-writing-section-of-the-toefl-test/

https://tstprep.com/articles/toefl/sample-essays-for-the-writing-section-of-the-toefl-test/

Ireen

Hi Josh! For the academic writing, I only gave my reason for the topic, and I forgot to mention the opinion of the other student. I checked my word count. It is already past 100 words, and I do not want it to be too long. Do we really need to mention the other students’ opinion?

Hi Ireen. Great question! We often suggest mentioning one of the other students, but it is not required. As long as what you said was on topic, you “added to the discussion,” and gave specific reasons and examples, you should be okay with the 100 words you wrote.

Sarah

Hello, I have a question about the independent writing: Is it a problem if I just give one reason in my essay (but detailed enough)? Thank you

Hi there and thank you for your question. There are no specific grading criteria that say you MUST give two reasons for your opinion, so, in theory, yes, you can just give one reason. I don’t think you will be marked down for it. If possible, try to give two though. It will make your word count higher.

Lobna

Hello Josh, I was wondering if you have more integrated writing questions that we could do for practice, do you know where to find them?

Hi there and thank you for your question. If you search “TOEFL Writing Practice test” on Youtube you will find 2-3 TST Prep practice videos with an Integrated Writing practice question. I’m sure there will be tests from other providers as well.

Ashina

Hey Josh, I have been following your YouTube channel for my TOEFL preparation, where I learned a lot. My question is that I got stuck between 15-17 scores in the reading section and could not figure out what I would do to enhance my scores. Any suggestions?

Hi there Ashina, and thank you for your question.

It is, indeed, a difficult question to answer. Here are two pieces of advice on how to practice at home and how to improve time management:

HOW TO DO A PASSAGE

I am going to breakdown the process you should go through when you do a TOEFL Reading passage:

1. Copy the test conditions (set a timer to complete the passage and all the questions in 18 minutes)

2. Check your answers

3. Identify the reason you got a specific question wrong (or didn’t understand why you were correct) and write down what you can do to avoid the same mistake next time. Step #3 is the most important and the one often overlooked because most test-takers are pretty tired after reading and answering questions. This will help you notice patterns in incorrect choices and apply what you have learned later.

4. (Optional) Do the same passage again two weeks later. (You will remember much of what you did before, but it should help remind you of what you have learned)

TIME MANAGEMENT

My advice is pretty simple here, practice with LESS TIME. If it is not too stressful, try to complete a passage and all of the questions in 16 minutes (instead of 18). This usually does the trick for most students over time.

I hope you find some of this helpful. Good luck, and let me know if you need anything.

Kiba

Hey Josh, in the Reading section the last question holds two marks where we are asked to pick three choices. I have always have a hard time getting the perfect score here. any suggestions, please…

Hi Kiba, this is a popular complaint. I posted a video about summary questions here. You might find it helpful.

Joud

Hey Josh, I have a question. If the question is saying a good essay is between 200 and 300, and I wrote more than 300, is this okay? Or should I make it only as maximum as they are saying?

Hi Joud and great question. Definitely write MORE. There is a direct correlation between test scores and word count, so the more you write the better. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should write as much as possible as fast as possible, but anything between 350-450 words would be great.

Aziz

Hey Josh, I think I do well in my writing section, but my score doesn’t improve. Is there anything that I can do to know my mistakes from the ETS?

Hi Aziz, good question, and unfortunately, no, they do not release that information. The best you can do is work with an experienced teacher who can point out your weaknesses and work on them at home before test day.

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TOEFL Writing Tips 2023: A New Guide to Ace the Writing Section!

  • Updated On January 20, 2023
  • Published In TOEFL 📚

The writing portion of the TOEFL iBT test comes in the penultimate section, where applicants have to finish two tasks within 50 minutes. The first one (Integrated writing task) requires applicants to read a short passage, listen to a short lecture and then write in response to whatever they read and listened to. 

Table of Contents

On the other hand, the second one (Independent writing task) demands candidates to write an essay on the basis of personal experience on a given topic. Individuals who are willing to secure a maximum score in the  TOEFL   writing  section must prepare strategically and follow certain tips.  

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Tips for TOEFL Writing Tasks 2022

The  TOEFL writing tasks  helps universities or institutions scrutinise a candidate’s ability to write in English in an academic setting. 

Applicants can follow the tips mentioned below to improve their score.

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TOEFL Writing Tips 2023: A New Guide to Ace the Writing Section!

To prepare for the TOEFL writing section, applicants can build a habit of reading academic articles or even different types of articles in their native language and summarise it in English. To explain it further:

  • Take notes in a language that applicants are comfortable and next, take the same notes in English.
  • Write a summary of points in English sentences.
  • Take the help of teachers and ask them to review this writing and correct errors.
  • Track the time taken to complete this task and slowly work to reduce this the same. 

Listen to Lectures in English and Take Notes    

The TOEFL writing part ,   specifically the Integrated writing task, allows 3 minutes of reading time, 2 minutes of listening time and 20 minutes as the total response time. Candidates need to listen to a short lecture that demonstrates the reading material presented in the previous segment and then write it. To triumph this section of the examination, applicants must do the following things:

  • Listen attentively to recorded lectures in English.
  • Pause the recording every 20 -30 seconds and note down the significant points.
  • Replay these recorded lectures to tally if the points match with lectures and include important points (if any).
  • Lastly, they must elaborate the notes in long sentences.

Focus on the Source of Information 

While preparing for the TOEFL writing test, candidates must learn to figure out the source of information while reading and listening and include that source in writing. For instance: 

  • They must identify the speaker.  
  • Identify if a speaker is narrating about someone else.
  • Command the information and be careful about the difference between ‘might be’ and ‘is’.  

Practice to Deliver Grammatically Correct Sentence 

To score high numbers in  TOEFL writing, applicants need to have a comprehensive knowledge of grammar. To enhance their knowledge, they must practice the following:

  • List down the various concepts of grammar and focus on one section every week. Attempting grammar based exercises will help students practice their knowledge which will help them enormously. 
  • Furthermore, memorising appropriate words and using correct grammatical sentences while summarising any articles or from recorded lectures.  

Avoid Quoting

In TOEFL Integrated writing task, candidates are required to describe the author’s or professor’s point of view in their own words. For this, they must follow the below-mentioned tips:

  • Avoid quoting the author (as TOEFL e-rater section detects this instantly and leads to number reduction).
  • Build a good command over paraphrasing.

Incorporate Enough Transitional Words 

Transitional words or phrases form a crucial part of the Integrated writing segment. Reading and writing passages compel students to make a proper transition between differing or contrasting ideas. This challenge can be overcome only when candidates have enough knowledge of transitional words and learn different transitional. For instance:

  • They must know transitional words that describe sequence points and reasons.
  • In addition, they must increase their vocabulary of transitional words that are used to elaborate, contrast, show cause and effect, summarise or conclude.

Make an Outline

The second part of the TOEFL writing segment, i.e., the  independent writing task of TOEFL,  is different from the first part. Here, candidates must write essays based on personal experiences or opinions in response to the provided writing topic. To make the essay well-structured and coherent, students must do the following things:

  • Read the essay questions attentively.
  • Identify the main point of the essay question.
  • Next, note down two strong reasons to justify the answer.
  • Lastly, write  examples in the TOEFL writing section  from personal life to support each of the arguments previously mentioned.    

Establish a Clear Opinion and Stand by it

The Independent writing test of TOEFL may contain essay questions such as ‘is it better to work in the same organisations all life or for other organisations.’ The answer may vary from one applicant to another. Therefore, the right approach would be the following:

  • Candidates must have a clear opinion and establish it in writing.
  • They must not say an opinion in one paragraph and go on to justify another opinion in the next paragraph.

Add Conclusion Sentences in Each Body Paragraph

Apart from writing a conclusion section of each given task, TOEFL candidates must build the practice of providing conclusion sentences at the end of each body paragraph. This helps to connect to the main argument. To make it a habit, students can adopt the following strategies:

  • Write essays and check their writing to see if it includes a conclusion sentence. 
  • Keep track of the total instances where they have forgotten to add a conclusion and see if it is decreasing with each essay writing.

Do Not Forget to Edit

Editing may seem a trivial task to applicants, and it is one of the important tips for the  TOEFL writing  test. Students have to be extra careful while self-assessing their writing. In this regard, they must focus on the following aspects:

  • Practice with spellcheckers off as there are no spellcheckers available on the test sheet.   
  • Find the spelling and grammatical errors and ask for a teacher’s review. 
  • Similarly, minutely check spacing and punctuation.

TOEFL writing

The TOEFL test is a globally accepted English proficiency test and is crucial for study, work and immigration. The  TOEFL writing  part constitutes 25% of the total score and is calculated from a range of 0 to 30. Therefore, students who are aspiring to secure the maximum score from this segment must follow the tips mentioned above and fulfil their dream of getting admission to a reputed foreign university .    

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Saket Kohli

An International Higher Ed professional with 7+ years of experience studying, working, and living across three geographies, currently on a mission to share his journey as an International Student.

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TOEFL Writing Tips

The toefl writing section is designed to test your ability to communicate through writing in an academic environment. these toefl writing tips will help you master it..

TOEFL Writing Tips

General TOEFL writing tips

  • Know what to expect on the D-day : acquaint yourself with the TOEFL writing section structure.
  • Avoid surprises : learn all the instructions by heart, as they have the same pattern, in order to feel more confident and be sure you understand exactly what you have to do on the day of the test.
  • Remember all the question types: understand and learn basic questions with their expected answers in order to be more efficient. If you can read the questions more quickly and know how to tackle them, you will save time and be able to develop more your answer.

Specific TOEFL writing tips 

  • Get to know the “QWERTY” keyboard , as it is what you will be using during the test. If you are used to another type of keyboard (such as the “AZERTY”) on your laptop, you can switch it to “QWERTY” in order for you to practice in real exam conditions, and save valuable time on the D-day because you will not be looking for the keys!
  • No time for experiments: only use the vocabulary you know well. It is not the right time to try out new words, even though examiners will give extra credit for diverse vocabulary, you will probably have less credit for a wrong word use. So, just think simple!
  • Structure your ideas, organise your thoughts into different categories: discuss your point of view, give examples, nuance them, etc. This will enable you to write clear and coherent essays.
  • Stay focused : You will only be allowed to listen to Exercise 1's audio track once. This recording is shorter than that in the  listening  section but it can still last up to two minutes. You will hear a lot of information. It is very important to stay focused throughout the listening section, especially since you will start feeling quite tired at the end of the exam!
  • Use your draft paper:  For Exercise 1's audio recording, you should use some draft paper to structure your answer and write down key words and vocabulary you will use in your answer.

How to manage your time?

  • Manage your time by staying focused: stay focused after the speaking section, even though it’s tiring, because you must save time for proofreading at the end of the writing section.
  • Practice writing texts that are as long as (or even longer than) the exam essays . You will get faster and faster. Ideally, you should finish writing three to four minutes before the end of the exam to be able to proofread your essays. For example, decide to write the first essay in 17 minutes and the second essay in 25/26 minutes. Global-Exam 's many revision exercises   under real exam conditions can be very helpful.
  • Use the maximum time allowed : finishing the first exercise in less than 20 minutes is pointless! Rather, take the time to proofread your answers. The same goes for the second exercise, even if you get tired: there will always be a mistake to correct, a phrase to improve, etc.
  • Structure your essay on your draft paper before starting to write . This is crucial to make your essays clear and structured. For instance, write down the parts, sub-parts, vocabulary and examples you will use. The examiner will appreciate your organised and balanced essays. Spend at least two to three minutes   on your draft; you will then save time on writing as your ideas will flow more naturally.
  • If you only have two minutes left and haven't finished your essay,  it is better to finish a short but well-structured and well-written essay  rather than to keep writing for the sake of quantity. The examiner will always be able to see if the last part was rushed.

The article TOEFL writing tips first appeared on global-exam.com , which provides online training for language proficiency tests. 

Check out:  Essay Writing Tips for Business School Admission

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5 Simple Tips For Writing Your TOEFL iBT Essay

The TOEFL iBT® test writing section includes two essays. Feeling unsure of your writing skills? Read our article to succeed on test day!

  • Preparing to Study Abroad
  • English Proficiency

toefl essay writing tips

The TOEFL iBT test is a great way to demonstrate your English language proficiency for university education. The test consists of 4 sections reading, listening, speaking and writing and is completed in about 3 hours.

The final writing section includes two essays, one independent writing task, and one integrated writing task. The integrated writing is 20 minutes long and is based on a reading and listening passage recreating a common academic setting. In this section, it is important to retain what you learned in the lecture and relay the ideas without copying words and phrases from what you have read. The independent writing task is based on an essay prompt only, with a 30-minute time limit. This essay gives you a chance to express your own ideas on a topic and to be more creative in your writing.

There are many different ways to improve your English language skills as well as prepare for your  TOEFL iBT test, and this article will focus on tips specific to the TOEFL iBT essay. Listed below are five tips for improving your TOEFL iBT writing skills. 

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1. Create an essay plan

Having a plan for what you will write can help your TOEFL iBT essay to flow better and assist you when forming a discussion. Noting down a short essay plan before you start writing will help you to use your time efficiently. When you know what you are going to write next, you won’t have to pause in a panic between each paragraph to think.

There are a number of common TOEFL iBT essay plans that work very effectively. But what is most important is what works best for you and how your brain works. Having an organized plan is essential to succeed in the TOEFL iBT writing test because it ensures that the examiner knows where to look in your essay. You may have written some great work but if your essay is disorganized it can make it very difficult for you to achieve the grades you deserve.

2. Know what the examiner wants

Look at the writing rubrics for the TOEFL iBT writing test and have a goal for what grade you want to achieve.

The writing rubrics can give you clear notes of what the examiner expects from your TOEFL iBT essay. This can give you goals and skills to work towards, such as organization and clarity.

TOEFL iBT writing test examples with estimated grades can be found online and can give you a good idea of what to work towards when practicing for the writing section. When you are aware of what the examiner is looking for it can help you to feel more confident in what you write.

3. Give yourself a word limit

toefl essay writing tips

It is recommended that a good TOEFL iBT essay will contain a minimum of 150 words for the integrated task and 300 words for the independent task, but it is ultimately up to you to decide.

By giving yourself a word limit you will know when to stop writing to focus on reading through and correcting your essay. This will also force you to consider what is essential to your essay and give you a higher grade rather than wasting space. Quality not quantity certainly rings true when writing your TOEFL iBT essay.

4. Stick to the prompt  

Under pressure in the TOEFL iBT exam , it can be easy to get carried away and start to stray away from the essay prompt.

After each paragraph quickly read over what you have written to see if it is relevant to your TOEFL iBT essay prompt. It will ultimately save time if you do this after each paragraph rather than at the end when you realize you have written on a completely different topic. This will also help you to process how you will move into the next paragraph. 

With not much time available, it is best to ensure you stay on track throughout the TOEFL iBT writing test. While this is more applicable to the independent writing task it can also be good to keep in mind during the integrated writing.

5. Write, write and write some more

toefl essay writing tips

Practice is necessary for the TOEFL iBT writing test, as it can improve writing skills and writing speed. The more writing you do the more confidence you will feel when taking the exam.

Being great at writing doesn’t happen overnight and the best way to improve your grade on TOEFL iBT essay is through practice. Taking 30 minutes to practice a sample TOEFL iBT essay will help you significantly. By regularly returning to writing you will learn and retain your skills. By doing this, you will also become familiar with the essays, which will make them seem less daunting when taking the TOEFL iBT test.

Also, it is important to ensure that, when you practice, you time yourself. Sure you can write an amazing TOEFL iBT essay in an hour, but can you do it in 20 minutes?

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Test Resources

TOEFL® Resources by Michael Goodine

How to write a fantastic toefl integrated essay (2023).

Here’s how the TOEFL Integrated Essay works:

  • It is the first writing task on the TOEFL test.
  • First, you will have three minutes to read an article (four paragraphs, 250 to 300 words) about an academic topic.
  • Next, you will listen to a lecture (about 2 minutes) about the same topic.
  • Finally, you will have 20 minutes to write an essay about the relationship between the two sources.  I recommend that you write about 280 words.
  • You can see the article while writing your essay, but you cannot hear the lecture again.

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Do you want some personal help with the essay?  You can sign up for my essay evaluation service and boost your score!

The Relationship

The relationship between the article and the lecture will be one of the following.

Argument Style (Frequent)

The reading presents an argument and the lecture presents a counter-argument.

Problems and Solutions Style (less common)

The reading presents a problem and the lecture presents solutions to the problem.

Solutions and Problems Style (less common)

The reading presents solutions to a problem and the lecture challenges the solutions.

The Article 

The article begins with an introduction which mentions the topic and the author’s main idea. Next are three body paragraphs.  Each body paragraph contains one supporting argument (opposition style), one problem (problems and solutions style), or one solution (solutions and problems style).

Here’s an example:

The idea of colonizing asteroids has long been a topic of fascination and speculation in science fiction and popular culture. In recent years, however, the idea of asteroid colonization has become more realistic and feasible, thanks to advances in technology and space exploration. There are many potential benefits to colonizing asteroids, and these benefits make the pursuit of asteroid colonization a worthwhile endeavor. One of the most obvious benefits of asteroid colonization is the scientific potential. Asteroids provide a unique environment for scientific research due to their small size, low gravity, and lack of atmosphere. Research conducted in these environments could provide valuable insights related to many different academic fields. Not only that, but asteroids could also serve as stepping stones for future missions to other destinations in the solar system, such as Mars or the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Another benefit of asteroid colonization is the potential for economic growth and development. Natural resources mined on asteroids could create new industries and job opportunities, which would generate significant revenue for both governments and private companies. Asteroid mining could also reduce the need for resource extraction on Earth, which could help to preserve our planet’s natural environment. In addition to economic benefits, asteroid colonization could also have important implications for the long-term survival of humanity. Asteroids could serve as potential refuge for humans in the event of a large-scale disaster on Earth, such as an asteroid impact or a nuclear war. Even if such a disaster doesn’t occur, asteroids could provide valuable information regarding the origins and evolution of the solar system, and how life emerged here in the first place.

You have three minutes to read it and take notes.  Then you hear the lecture. You will be able to see the article again when the lecture is finished.

The Lecture

The lecture is on the same topic, and it is about two minutes long.  You can only hear it once, so take notes.

At the beginning of the lecture, you will hear the lecturer’s main idea.   The rest of the lecture consists of three opposing arguments, three solutions, or three problems.  These directly respond to  the three arguments/problems/solutions mentioned in the reading.  Not only that, but they are  in the same order as the reading. 

Here’s a transcript of that:

While some people argue that starting colonies on asteroids could have many benefits, this claim is not necessarily supported by evidence. In fact, there are several reasons why starting colonies on asteroids may not provide the advantages that are often claimed. One reason why asteroid colonization may not provide significant scientific benefits is our lack of knowledge about asteroids. Despite decades of space exploration and study, our knowledge of asteroids is still limited. We do not know how many asteroids exist, what resources they contain, or what conditions are like on their surfaces. Until we have a better understanding of asteroids, it is difficult to predict what scientific benefits colonization might provide. Next, we can’t exactly predict the economic benefits of settling on asteroids. While asteroids are known to contain valuable resources, such as metals and minerals, it’s not clear how much of these resources exist on asteroids, or how much they would be worth when transported back to Earth. We don’t know whether mining for resources in space would be more cost-effective or efficient than simply getting them through conventional methods here on earth. Finally, asteroids are just not suitable for long-term human settlement right now. Most asteroids are small and do not have enough mass to generate significant gravitational pull. This means that any human settlements on asteroids would need to be designed to cope with the challenges of low gravity, such as serious difficulty moving around and possible damage to our bones and muscles. These challenges could make living on asteroids extremely uncomfortable and dangerous.

The Question

After the lecture finishes, the question will be shown.  It will look something like this:

  • Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage.
  • Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they answer the specific problems presented in the reading passage.
  • Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast doubt on specific solutions presented in the reading passage.

After you see the question, you will have 20 minutes to plan, write and revise your essay.  Have fun!

Taking Notes

If you understand how the sources are structured, note-taking should be easy.  You can do something like this:

Taking Notes for the TOEFL integrated essay

Here are my notes from the above samples (colonizing asteroids):

toefl essay writing tips

Note-Taking Tips

  • Prepare your paper before the question beings by writing “reading” and “listening” and drawing arrows.
  • Even though you will see the article as you write, it is a good idea to take notes.  That will force you to pay attention during the three minutes you have to read it.
  • Use short forms like “grav” and “cond” and “effec” to save time.
  • Use “x” to refer to negatives (not, no, can’t, etc).
  • Immediately after the lecture finishes expand your notes with details still fresh in your head.  I used blue ink to show what I did.
  • You will use a pencil on test day.  Not a pen.  Practice with a pencil.

Writing Your Essay with Templates

Your TOEFL integrated essay should include an introduction  and  three body paragraphs . You don’t need to write a conclusion.

The following templates suggest a way to structure your paragraphs.  I don’t really think you should use the templates below word for word. Instead, use something similar to this and personalize it as you like.

The Introduction

No matter what question style is used, you can write an introduction that looks something like this.

  • The reading and the lecture are both about _____. 
  • While the author of the article argues that _____, the lecturer disputes the claims presented in the article.
  • His position is that _____.

The Body Paragraphs

You can use something like the following templates for the body paragraphs:

  • According to the reading  _____.
  • The article mentions that ____.
  • This argument is challenged by the lecturer.
  • He claims that ____.
  • Additionally, he points out that ______.
  • Secondly, the author suggests ______.
  • In the article notes that _____.
  • The lecturer, however, asserts that ______.
  • He goes on to say that ______.
  • Finally, the author puts forth the idea that _____.
  • The author contends that ____.
  • In contrast, the lecturer’s stance is  _____.
  • He says that _____.

You don’t need to write a conclusion.

Sample Essay 

Using the above notes and suggested templates I created this essay. Notice how I gently modified the template.  I didn’t use it word for word.  Feel free to follow it 100% or to personalize it to suit your preferences!

The reading and the lecture are about the possibility of starting colonies on asteroids. While the author feels that this is a good idea due to scientific benefits, economic benefits and the long-term survival of humans, the lecturer does not believe that the author’s claims are correct. His position is that it might not be a good idea to colonize asteroids. First of all, the author argues that asteroids are a great environment for scientific research because they are small, with low gravity and no atmosphere. Moreover, the article notes that they could be a way to start missions to more distant locations in the solar system. This argument is challenged by the lecturer. He says that we just don’t know enough about asteroids to be sure of their scientific value. We don’t know how many exist, or about conditions on their surfaces so it is difficult to really predict the scientific benefits of colonizing them. Second, according to the article, there could be great economic benefits of colonizing asteroids because they contain natural resources. Mining the resources could be very profitable, and reduce the need to mine them on Earth. In contrast, the lecturer notes that we don’t know exactly how many resources asteroids contain, nor how much they would be worth back on Earth. As a result, it isn’t clear if mining in space is more cost-effective than doing so on Earth. Finally, the author claims that colonies on asteroids could ensure the long-term survival of humanity. To be more specific, we could survive on them if a war or disaster affects the Earth. In contrast, the lecturer’s stance is that human settlements would have to be designed to deal with the unique challenges of the gravity found on asteroids. These challenges could make living on them extremely uncomfortable and dangerous in the long run.
  • The lecture summary is the most important part of the essay.  Shorten the reading summary if you need to save time.
  • I recommend between 280 and 300 words.
  • Use transitional phrases like “in contrast” and “moreover” and “finally” just like I did.
  • Always be sure to indicate where the details are from (the reading or the lecture).
  • Avoid copying from the reading word for word. Paraphrase as much as you can.
  • You don’t need fancy grammatical structures.  The accuracy of your details is more important in this task.
  • Save about one minute to proofread your work.
  • I maintain a collection of complete sample essays written using the above technique. Read them!

How about the Independent Essay?

If you haven’t seen it already, you might want to read my article about the independent writing task .

toefl essay writing tips

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Submit your practice TOEFL essays for evaluation by the author of this website.  Get feedback on grammar, structure, vocabulary and more.  Learn how to score better on the TOEFL.  Feedback in 48 hours.

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TOEFL Preparation Guide With Tips & Resources

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What You Need to Know About the TOEFL Exam

For language learners willing to prove English proficiency while planning to study or work in an English-speaking country, taking the TOEFL exam is a necessary step. But before you dive into exam preparation, here's what you need to know about how to pass TOEFL.

First, the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) measures your ability to use and understand English in an academic setting. The exam consists of four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing, and it takes about four hours to complete.

For the TOEFL preparation online, it's critical to practice your English in each area and become comfortable with the exam's framework. Additionally, knowing some TOEFL tips and tricks can help you score better on test day.

When it comes to the Reading section, read the passage thoroughly and pay attention to details, such as the main idea and supporting evidence. For the Listening section, take notes while you listen and use them to answer the questions. In the Speaking section, practice speaking English aloud and expressing your ideas clearly and coherently. Lastly, practice writing essays with clear thesis statements and supporting evidence for the Writing section.

To further improve your English proficiency, consider taking an English course, practicing with English-speaking friends in their native language, or reading English texts regularly.

Now that you know the what is TOEFL, it's time to get started on your exam preparation techniques. Check out these TOEFL tips and tricks from our custom essay writers to help you succeed on test day.

Exam Preparation Techniques: TOEFL Tips and Tricks

Preparing for the TOEFL exam can be challenging, but with the right techniques, you can boost your confidence and improve your chances of success. One helpful tip is to practice time management, as the exam is timed and requires you to move quickly through each section. Another key strategy when wondering how to prepare TOEFL vocabulary is to improve your terminology by having a strong command of English words and phrases. Additionally, practicing with past TOEFL exams can help you pinpoint any areas that require improvement.

Meanwhile, don't forget that you can always ask us and free up your precious time for taking practice tests!

Let's now explore how you can make the most of your TOEFL preparation.

preparation toefl

Understand the TOEFL Exam Pattern

First, understanding the TOEFL exam pattern is essential for anyone preparing for this test. The TOEFL exam comprises the following parts: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing.

The TOEFL test is taken on a computer, and each section has a time limit. The Reading section lasts for 60-80 minutes, the Listening section for 60-90 minutes, the Speaking section for 20 minutes, and the Writing section for 50 minutes.

These are the initial steps when you're confused, asking - 'how to pass TOEFL?'. Knowing these will help you to practice each section more effectively and become familiar with the timing and format of the exam.

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Devise a Study Plan for TOEFL

Making progress toward your objective of receiving a good TOEFL score is much easier when you have a study strategy in place. Here are some tips for devising a study plan for TOEFL:

  • Determine your time before the exam and set a realistic goal for the amount of study time you can commit to each day or week.
  • Identify your strengths and weaknesses in each section and prioritize the sections you need to improve.
  • Schedule regular practice sessions for each section and stick to the schedule.
  • Use study materials and practice exams to guide your preparation and identify areas that require more attention.
  • Track your progress and adjust your study plan as needed.

TOEFL Speaking Tips

The Speaking section of the TOEFL exam requires you to speak fluently and coherently on various academic topics. Here are some TOEFL speaking tips to help you succeed on this challenging section of the test:

  • Improve your pronunciation and intonation by listening to and imitating native speakers. You can also use online resources such as Forvo or the Pronunciation App to practice.
  • Provide specific examples and details to support your arguments. For instance, if you are asked to talk about a memorable event, you might describe a trip you took and explain why it was significant.
  • Use idioms and expressions appropriately to convey your meaning more effectively. For example, you might say 'it's a piece of cake' to describe an easy task or 'a needle in a haystack' to describe a difficult search.
  • Speak clearly and at a moderate pace, and avoid rushing or speaking too slowly. Ensure you enunciate your words clearly so the examiner can understand you.
  • Finally, be confident and relaxed. Take deep breaths and remember that the examiner is not there to judge you but to evaluate your English skills.

By following these suggestions and practicing consistently, you may enhance your speaking abilities and perform well on the TOEFL exam. Remember to focus on expressing your ideas clearly and effectively and using the best techniques for you.

TOEFL Writing Tips

The Writing section of the TOEFL exam requires you to compose two essays: an integrated essay and an independent essay. To aid you in conquering this demanding part of the exam, below are some valuable TOEFL writing tips.

  • Familiarize yourself with the essay prompts and the expectations for each essay type. The integrated essay requires you to read a passage and listen to a lecture, while the independent essay allows you to express your opinion on a topic.
  • Use specific examples and details to support your arguments. For example, if you are asked to describe your favorite hobby, you might provide specific details about why you enjoy it and how it has impacted your life.
  • Before you begin to write, arrange your thoughts and ideas. Make a rough outline for your essay that contains your thesis statement and the key themes you wish to cover.
  • Use transitional phrases to connect your ideas and create a cohesive essay. Examples of these phrases include 'furthermore,' 'in addition,' and 'on the other hand.'
  • Plan how much time you will spend on each essay, and leave time to review your work before time runs out.

Consistent, practice timed writing and adherence to these tips can enhance your writing abilities and help you achieve excellence on the TOEFL exam. It's crucial to emphasize clear and effective communication of your ideas while using the most suitable techniques.

TOEFL Tips for Reading

The Reading section of the TOEFL exam requires you to read passages and answer questions based on the content. Here are some TOEFL tips for reading to help you excel on the test:

  • Skim the passage first to get an overall idea of the topic and main ideas before reading it in detail. This can help you save time and focus on the relevant information.
  • Look for signal words and phrases that indicate the author's main point and the relationships between ideas. Examples of these words include 'however,' 'therefore,' and 'in contrast.'
  • Use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words. Look for clues, such as synonyms or antonyms, and try to infer the meaning from the context.
  • Take notes while you read to help you remember important details and organize your thoughts. You can use shorthand, abbreviations, or diagrams to summarize the information.
  • Make sure to read the questions carefully and refer back to the passage to find the answers. Pay attention to keywords and phrases in the questions to help locate relevant information.

Follow these tips and remember to focus on understanding the main ideas and the relationships between ideas. You might also consider taking a TOEFL preparation course to further enhance your reading comprehension skills. Just make sure to use the techniques that work best for you!

TOEFL Tips for Listening Skills

The Listening section of the TOEFL exam requires you to listen to lectures, conversations, and discussions and answer questions based on what you hear. Here are some tips to help you improve your listening skills and achieve success on the TOEFL exam.

  • Listen for the main ideas and details. Focus on the key points that the speaker is making and take note of any important details that support those points.
  • Pay attention to the speaker's tone and attitude. This can provide clues about the speaker's opinion, the purpose of the conversation, or the relationship between the speakers.
  • Take notes while you listen to help you remember important details and organize your thoughts.
  • Watch out for terms and phrases that serve as cues about how the discussion or presentation will be structured. Examples of these words include 'first,' 'second,' 'in addition,' and 'in conclusion.'
  • Be aware of distractions and avoid letting them affect your concentration. Eliminate all distractions and keep your attention on the speaker.
  • Lastly, pace yourself and avoid focusing too much time on any one question to successfully manage your time. Avoid challenging questions and, if you have time, return to them later.

Meanwhile, you can always send us a request - ' do my essay for me ' while you take TOEFL practice tests to master your preparation!

FAQs on TOEFL Exam Preparation

To help you navigate the process of TOEFL exam preparation, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions about the test prep. We aim to provide you with the TOEFL tips and tricks along with the detailed guidance you need to succeed on test day. So, let's dive into these FAQs and help you feel confident and well-prepared for the test.

How Much is the TOEFL Exam Fee?

The cost of taking the TOEFL exam varies depending on your location and the testing center you choose. The standard TOEFL exam fee in the United States is $205, but this may be higher or lower in other countries. Additional fees may apply if you require special accommodations or reschedule your exam date. To find out the exact exam fee in your location, be sure to contact your nearby testing centers or the official TOEFL website. Remember that the fee is just one of many expenses associated with studying abroad or pursuing higher education, so it's important to budget accordingly and plan ahead.

Which is the Best TOEFL Preparation Online Program?

There are several excellent TOEFL preparation online programs available that can help you achieve your desired TOEFL scores. Some of the best ones include:

  • Magoosh TOEFL : Magoosh offers a comprehensive online course that includes video lessons, practice questions, and personalized feedback. It also offers a 7-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied with the program.
  • Kaplan TOEFL: Kaplan offers a range of TOEFL preparation options, including online courses, live classes, and private tutoring.
  • ETS TOEFL Practice Online: Created by the makers of the TOEFL exam, ETS offers an official online practice test that simulates the actual exam experience.
  • Manhattan Prep TOEFL : Manhattan Prep's TOEFL course offers a variety of study materials, including video lessons, practice questions, and detailed explanations. It also provides students with one-on-one support from experienced tutors.
  • EnglishCentral: EnglishCentral is an online language learning platform that offers personalized TOEFL preparation courses. The program includes video lessons, interactive quizzes, and speaking practice exercises tailored to your needs and goals.

In the end, your own learning preferences, financial constraints, and educational objectives will determine the most effective TOEFL preparation course for you. There are also a ton of free online tools accessible. It's crucial to conduct your study and pick a program that matches your requirements and taste.

Which is the Best Book for TOEFL Preparation?

Numerous TOEFL preparation book options are available on the market that can help you prepare for the exam. Here are a few of the best choices:

best books

  • The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test : This book was created by the makers of the TOEFL exam, so it's an excellent resource for understanding the format and content of the test. It includes practice questions, sample essays, and detailed explanations.
  • Barron's TOEFL iBT : This book provides a thorough overview of the TOEFL exam with a concentration on the internet-based examination (iBT). It offers extensive instructions for each exam segment as well as four complete practice exams.
  • Kaplan TOEFL iBT: Kaplan's TOEFL iBT book includes a review of the exam format and content and strategies for each section of the test. It also includes three full-length practice exams and access to an online test center.
  • Princeton Review TOEFL iBT: This book includes strategies and tips for the iBT and a review of the exam's content. Moreover, it offers online access to extra study resources as well as four comprehensive practice exams.
  • Cambridge Preparation for the TOEFL Test : This book serves as a thorough overview of the TOEFL exam with a concentration on the paper-based examination. It contains sample tests as well as advice on how to approach each exam segment.

The best book for TOEFL preparation varies based on your needs and how you like to learn. Look into multiple options and select the book that best suits your preferences and goals.

How Long Does It Take to Prepare for TOEFL?

Many students wonder how long does it take to prepare for TOEFL; the answer is not straightforward. The amount of time needed to prepare for the exam varies depending on various factors, including your current English speaking skills, the score you wish to achieve, and your study habits.

On average, it takes around 3 to 6 months of consistent and dedicated study to prepare for the TOEFL exam. You can improve your English language skills, learn test-taking strategies, and practice with sample questions and full-length tests during this time. However, some students may need less or more time depending on their proficiency level and study habits.

The test takers with limited time might ask, 'how to prepare for TOEFL in 2 days?'. We answer that preparing for the TOEFL exam in such a short period is possible. However, this requires a focused and intense study approach. To prepare for the TOEFL exam in two days, you should prioritize studying the most critical sections of the exam and review test-taking strategies. Focus on practicing with sample questions and taking full-length practice tests to improve your speed and accuracy. Getting enough rest, eating well, and staying hydrated are also essential to perform at your best before the test date.

Use Our Advanced Academic Assistance

In conclusion, preparing for the TOEFL exam requires time, effort, and dedication. Understanding the exam format and creating a study plan tailored to your needs and learning style is crucial. Utilizing various resources such as online programs, books and taking speaking and writing practice tests can also be beneficial. Remember, success on the TOEFL exam is achievable with the right preparation and mindset. Even if you only have a few days left before the exam, there are still ways to prepare and increase your chances of success.

Don't forget that our advanced academic assistance is here to help. With our research paper writing services and support, you can feel confident and well-prepared to tackle the exam and achieve your desired score!

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TOEFL sample essays: Tips and techniques for a high score

TOEFL sample essays: Tips and techniques for a high score

The TOEFL exam is a standardised test that measures a non-native English speaker's ability to use and understand English at the university level. One of the components of the TOEFL exam is the writing section, which requires test-takers to write an essay in response to a prompt.

To score well on the writing section, it is essential to understand the requirements of the exam and the characteristics of a high-scoring essay.

In this article, we will explore tips and techniques for writing TOEFL sample essays that will help test-takers achieve a high score.

Table of Contents

Toefl writing section, integrated writing task, independent essay sample, 1. understand the task requirements, 2. plan your essay, 3. use effective paragraph structure, 4. use specific examples, 5. use varied sentence structure, 6. use academic vocabulary, 7. use correct grammar and punctuation, toefl essay #1, toefl essay #2, toefl essay #3, frequently asked questions.

The TOEFL writing section is a crucial component of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), which measures the English language proficiency of non-native speakers of English who wish to study or work in English-speaking countries. The writing section evaluates a test-taker's ability to write effectively and clearly in academic English.

The TOEFL writing section comprises two tasks: the Independent Writing Task and the Integrated Writing Task. Both tasks assess different aspects of the test-taker's writing abilities, including their ability to express ideas clearly, organise thoughts, use appropriate vocabulary and grammar, and demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills.

Also read: TOEFL Writing Topics

The Integrated Writing Task assesses your ability to comprehend and synthesise information from both a reading passage and a lecture. This section evaluates your ability to use your reading and listening comprehension skills to comprehend the given content and then integrate and organize the information effectively in your writing.

The Integrated Writing Task is composed of two parts: a reading passage and a recorded lecture. The reading passage presents a topic, and the lecture provides additional information on that topic. Both the reading passage and the lecture are related and complement each other. Test-takers must read and listen carefully, as they will be asked to summarise the information presented in both in a written response.

The reading passage is approximately 230-300 words long and usually includes a definition of the topic, background information, and supporting examples. The lecture is approximately 3-5 minutes long and adds additional information and examples to the topic presented in the reading passage.

Independent Writing Task

The Independent Writing Task assesses your ability to write in English on a given topic. The task requires you to express your thoughts, ideas, and opinions coherently and effectively in written form. The task aims to evaluate your ability to organise your thoughts, use appropriate vocabulary and grammar, and develop your ideas with sufficient details and examples.

The Independent Writing Task is a timed exercise, and you will be given 30 minutes to complete it. You will be presented with a prompt or a question, which you will be required to address in your response. The prompt may ask you to express your opinion on a particular issue or to describe a situation, problem or challenge and propose a solution. It is important to read the prompt carefully and understand what it requires you to do before starting to write.

Also read: TOEFL Exam Pattern 2023

Prompt: Some people believe that it is better to live in a small town, while others think that life in a big city is more preferable. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each perspective and give your own opinion.

Living in a small town versus a big city has been a topic of debate for a long time. Some people prefer the peace and quiet of small towns, while others thrive in the hustle and bustle of big cities. In this essay, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each perspective and provide my own opinion.

Living in a small town has its advantages. First of all, it is generally quieter and more peaceful than living in a big city. There is less noise pollution, less traffic, and fewer crowds. Additionally, small towns are often safer than big cities, with lower crime rates and a stronger sense of community. People in small towns tend to know each other better and are more likely to look out for one another.

However, small towns also have their disadvantages. They can be isolated and lacking in opportunities, particularly when it comes to education and employment. Small towns may not have access to the same resources as big cities, which can make it harder to pursue certain careers or receive a top-notch education. Additionally, small towns can sometimes feel claustrophobic, with everyone knowing everyone else's business and limited options for socialising or entertainment.

Living in a big city, on the other hand, has its own set of advantages. Big cities are often cultural hubs, with access to museums, theatres, concerts, and other forms of entertainment. They also offer more diverse dining options and a wider range of shopping opportunities. In terms of education and employment, big cities often have more options available, with top-notch universities and a greater number of job openings.

However, big cities also have their disadvantages. They can be noisy, polluted, and stressful, with crowds and traffic adding to the chaos. Crime rates are often higher in big cities, and there is often a lack of community and a sense of isolation. Additionally, the cost of living in a big city is often much higher than in a small town, which can be a significant barrier for many people.

In my opinion, both small towns and big cities have their advantages and disadvantages, and which one is preferable depends on individual preferences and priorities. While I appreciate the peace and quiet of small towns, I also value the opportunities and diversity of big cities. Ultimately, the choice between living in a small town versus a big city comes down to personal preference and what one prioritises in life.

Also read: TOEFL study material and resources

Tips for writing high-scoring TOEFL essay

Writing a high-scoring TOEFL essay requires effective preparation, practice, and the use of a clear writing structure. Here are some tips to help you write a high-scoring TOEFL essay:

The first step in writing a high-scoring TOEFL essay is to understand the task requirements. Make sure you read the prompt carefully and understand the topic you are being asked to write about. Additionally, make sure you understand the type of essay you need to write. The TOEFL independent writing task requires you to write an essay expressing your opinion or providing your perspective on a given topic.

Once you understand the prompt and the requirements of the task, take a few minutes to plan your essay. Jot down some notes, create an outline, or even brainstorm on paper to organise your thoughts. Make sure you have a clear idea of the main points you want to make and the evidence you will use to support them. Organising your thoughts and creating an outline will help you stay on track and make your essay more coherent.

Paragraphs are the building blocks of your essay. Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence that relates to the main idea of the essay. Use supporting evidence and examples to back up your main point in each paragraph. Additionally, make sure each paragraph flows smoothly into the next. Using transition words and phrases can help link ideas and make your essay more cohesive.

One of the keys to writing a high-scoring TOEFL essay is to use specific examples to support your ideas. Use real-life examples, statistics, and facts to back up your argument. This will demonstrate your knowledge of the topic and show that you can think critically. Additionally, using specific examples will make your essay more interesting to read and help you stand out from other test-takers.

Varying your sentence structure can make your essay more interesting and engaging to read. Use short and long sentences, questions, and statements to add variety to your writing. This will help you avoid repetition and make your writing more engaging. However, make sure your sentences are grammatically correct and make sense in the context of your essay.

Using academic vocabulary can make your essay sound more professional and knowledgeable. Use vocabulary that is appropriate for the academic level of the test. Avoid slang, colloquialisms, and overly complex language. Additionally, make sure you use words correctly and avoid using words that you do not fully understand.

Using correct grammar and punctuation is essential to getting a high score on the TOEFL writing section. Make sure you use correct verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure. Use appropriate punctuation to ensure your writing is clear and easy to read. If you are unsure about a grammar or punctuation rule, look it up or ask a tutor for clarification.

Also Read TOEFL Exam Syllabus

TOEFL writing samples

TOEFL writing samples provide valuable insights into the structure and content expected in the writing section of the exam. These samples showcase both the integrated and independent writing tasks, allowing test-takers to familiarise themselves with the types of prompts and the expected responses. 

Below we have provided three TOEFL writing samples with answers. By analysing and studying these TOEFL sample essays, students can understand the effective use of transitions, supporting evidence, and coherent arguments.

The importance of learning a second language

Learning a second language has become increasingly important in today's globalised world. It offers numerous benefits such as improved cognitive abilities, enhanced cultural understanding, and better job prospects. In this essay, we will explore the advantages of learning a second language and how it can positively impact individuals and society.

Learning a second language has been shown to improve cognitive abilities. It requires mental effort and helps develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and multitasking skills. Research has shown that bilingual individuals exhibit higher levels of creativity and have improved memory and attention spans.

Furthermore, learning a second language enhances cultural understanding. Language is deeply intertwined with culture, and by learning a second language, individuals gain insights into different cultures, traditions, and perspectives. This fosters empathy, tolerance, and a broader worldview, enabling individuals to engage and connect with people from diverse backgrounds.

In addition, knowing a second language opens up better job prospects. In today's global job market, multilingualism is highly valued. It allows individuals to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, and partners from different countries. Employers often seek candidates with language skills, as it demonstrates adaptability and a willingness to engage in cross-cultural interactions. Thus, learning a second language offers advantages in terms of career opportunities and professional growth.

The impact of technology on education

Technology has revolutionised the field of education, transforming the way students learn and teachers teach. In this essay, we will explore the positive impact of technology on education, including increased access to resources, improved engagement, and enhanced learning outcomes.

One significant impact of technology in education is the increased access to resources. Online platforms, digital libraries, and educational apps provide students with vast amounts of educational materials, regardless of their geographical location. Students can access textbooks, research materials, and interactive learning tools, empowering them to explore and learn at their own pace.

Moreover, technology has improved student engagement in the learning process. Multimedia elements such as videos, simulations, and gamification techniques capture students' attention and promote active participation. This not only enhances their understanding of the subject matter but also fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Additionally, technology facilitates personalised learning experiences. Adaptive learning platforms analyze student performance and provide personalised feedback, allowing for targeted instruction and remediation. Online collaboration tools enable students to work together, fostering teamwork and communication skills. These personalised and collaborative learning experiences contribute to enhanced learning outcomes and student success.

The benefits of exercise for physical and mental health

Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good physical and mental health. It offers numerous benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, increased strength and flexibility, stress reduction, and enhanced mood. In this essay, we will explore the importance of exercise for overall well-being.

Engaging in regular exercise improves physical health. It helps prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system, boosts metabolism, and enhances overall physical fitness. Activities like running, swimming, or weightlifting promote muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility.

Exercise also plays a vital role in stress reduction and mental well-being. Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. These endorphins promote feelings of happiness and well-being, helping to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Regular exercise can also improve sleep quality, increase energy levels, and enhance cognitive function.

Furthermore, exercise provides an opportunity for individuals to unwind, clear their minds, and focus on their physical well-being. It can serve as a form of self-care, allowing individuals to take time for themselves and prioritize their health. Incorporating exercise into one's routine can have a positive impact on their overall mental and emotional state.

In conclusion, regular exercise offers a multitude of benefits for both physical and mental health. It improves cardiovascular health, increases strength and flexibility, reduces stress, and enhances mood. By incorporating exercise into our daily lives, we can experience improved well-being and lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

It is important to understand the requirements of the exam and the characteristics of a high-scoring essay to achieve a high score on the TOEFL writing section. By organizing your thoughts, using specific examples, using clear and concise language, focusing on coherence and cohesion, and proofreading and editing carefully, you can improve your essay writing skills and increase your chances of success on the exam.

What is the format of the TOEFL essay?

The TOEFL essay is a 30-minute written task where you are asked to express and support your opinion on a specific topic. The essay is typically four to five paragraphs long and should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Where can I find sample TOEFL essays to practice with?

You can find sample TOEFL essays in TOEFL preparation books or online. The official TOEFL website also provides sample essays and scoring guides.

How can I prepare for the TOEFL writing section?

To prepare for the TOEFL writing section, you should practice writing essays using sample prompts, develop your grammar and vocabulary skills, and learn how to organize and develop your ideas effectively. You may also want to work.

How to write a TOEFL essay?

To write a TOEFL essay, it is important to understand the prompt, brainstorm ideas, create an outline, and then write a well-structured essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Practice organising your thoughts and expressing them clearly within the time limit provided.

Is 27 a good writing score in TOEFL?

Yes, a score of 27 is considered a good writing score in TOEFL. It demonstrates a high level of proficiency in writing and indicates strong language skills, coherence, and clarity in expressing ideas.

What is the TOEFL essay format?

The TOEFL essay format consists of an introduction, two or three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction presents the main idea or argument, the body paragraphs provide supporting evidence or examples, and the conclusion summarises the main points and restates the thesis statement.

Is 24 a good TOEFL writing score?

A score of 24 in TOEFL writing is considered a good score. It reflects a strong command of English writing skills, including the ability to organise ideas coherently, use appropriate vocabulary and grammar, and develop well-structured paragraphs.

Is TOEFL writing difficult?

The difficulty level of TOEFL writing can vary from person to person. It requires strong language skills, critical thinking, and the ability to express ideas clearly within a time constraint.

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TOEFL Writing PDF

The Writing section is the last section you’ll face on the TOEFL. By the time you get to the essay portion, you’ll already have spent a couple of hours at the test center, and you’ll have completed the Reading, Listening, and Speaking sections. Understandably, you might be tired and losing your focus. So, how can you make sure you do as well as possible on your TOEFL essays? By being prepared, of course! That’s where this free resource comes in.

TOEFL Writing PDF

In this PDF , you’ll find in-depth information about the Writing section, including:

  • the topics you’ll write about
  • the differences between the 2 essays
  • how to structure your essays (outline included!)
  • how to brainstorm effective examples to support your opinions
  • pacing strategies so you finish in time
  • English grammar tips to help you write at an advanced level
  • the most common writing difficulties

View or download the PDF here!

How to use this pdf.

This PDF can be used just like you would any book (or eBook, to be more accurate). 🙂 You can download it and print it out, or save it to your computer / phone / tablet, or read it online. For the most comprehensive help, try to read the book in order. But, if you’re short on time, you can use the links in the table of contents to skip to individual sections.

Once you’ve read through the entire document, we’d suggest checking out our TOEFL practice PDF to put your new skills to the test. And if you want the most complete guidance, including 500+ practice questions (each with an explanation video) and 150 video lessons, Magoosh TOEFL can help !

Happy studying, everyone!

Rachel Wisuri

Rachel helps eager students find out about Magoosh. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a super helpful double major in History and French. In her free time she can be found eating peanut butter, drinking five cups of tea per day, and playing with cats.

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TOEFL essay topics to prepare for the exam

8 TOEFL essay topics to prepare for the TOEFL exam

Worried about your performance in the toefl writing section follow the instructions, tips, and methods in this blog, and practice on one of the 10 toefl essay topics to nail your exam., table of contents, what is the toefl writing section, 5 authentic tips on how to ace the toefl independent writing question.

  • Sample TOEFL essay topics 

Part 2: The Integrated Writing task

How to nail the toefl integrated writing question, any last-minute tips.

A lot of students find the Reading, Listening, and Speaking sections of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam fairly easy. It’s the TOEFL Writing section that gives everybody a run for the woods. To reduce your nervousness and help you prepare for the TOEFL Writing section, I have included in-depth details about each question and shared tips on how to nail it. Along with that, you will also find 8 TOEFL essay topics to help you get started. So, what are you waiting for? Dive in!

The fourth and the last section of the TOEFL exam, the Writing Section measures your ability to write in English at a university level. Its aim is to test how you structure your thoughts and see if you can present them clearly (without any grammatical mistakes).

The Writing Section of TOEFL takes 50 minutes to complete and comprises of 2 questions-

  • Independent Writing task, which takes 30 minutes
  • Integrated Writing task, which takes 20 minutes

While the Independent task tests your ability to organize your thoughts and express them, the Integrated task focuses on how well you can use English in class.

Let’s take a look at them one by one.

Part 1: The Independent Writing task

For this task, you will be asked a question on a personal topic or an issue. Depending on what the question is, you will either have to share a personal experience or give your opinion on the topic. In case it’s an issue-based topic, you will also have to give reasons and examples that support your opinion.

The question you will get will fall into one of these three broad categories-

  • Agree or Disagree – pick one side on the issue and provide arguments that support it
  • Explain both sides – talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both the sides of an issue, express your opinion, and support it with arguments
  • Pick from many opinions – choose one answer from several possible ones and share examples that support your opinion

The first two appear more commonly in exams than the third.

But no matter what the question or the question type, I have a one-stop solution for you (so excited to share this)!

1) Let’s dive straight into it – the first thing you need to do is structure your essay. And this is something you can (and should) do even before the exam begins.

2) Choose to have a limited number of paras. Start by stating the topic and your opinion, use the second and the third paragraphs to support your opinion with 2 strong points. Use examples to support these points if needed.

3) In the fourth paragraph, acknowledge that your opinion is not perfect (because it’s an opinion and not fact) and talk about the strengths of the opinion you did not pick.

4) Use the fifth paragraph to say that even though the other side has its own advantages, you prefer yours. This is a good place to add a third point in favor of your own argument.

5) Conclude with the sixth paragraph by tying up everything you have said so far and restate your opinion.

There! The perfect structure to nail your TOEFL Independent Writing task.

A few things to keep in mind-

  • Do not limit your essay to 300 words, try to reach 600-700 words if possible
  • Spend the first 2 minutes to come up with 3 strong points to support your argument
  • In case you don’t get enough time, skip the suggestion for the third paragraph and save yourself a few minutes
  • Finish writing your essay in 25 minutes and spend the last 5 minutes checking for any grammatical errors

TOEFL essay topics

Sample TOEFL essay topics  

Now that you know how to go about the Independent Writing task and have also looked at a sample answer, it’s time to practice with some TOEFL Writing samples!

I’m sharing a few TOEFL essay topics given by ETS (the official TOEFL test-takers) for you to choose from-

  • Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? When people succeed, it is entirely because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with their success. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.
  • Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Human activity is making the earth a worse place to live. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
  • When you face a difficult problem in life, what do you feel is the best way to solve it? -asking someone with more experience for advice about the problem  -finding information about the problem using the Internet  -taking a long time to think about the problem Use specific details and examples in your answer.  Do not use memorized examples. 
  • Some people like to travel with a companion. Other people prefer to travel alone. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
  • It is important to improve our skills and knowledge as much as possible. Some people prefer to learn from individuals who have more experience than they do – like teachers and supervisors – instead of learning from peers, like their colleagues and classmates.  Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not?
  • Television advertising directed toward young children (aged two to five) should not be allowed.  
  • Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? ‘A teacher’s ability to relate well with students is more important than excellent knowledge of the subject being taught.’ Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. 

For this task, you will have to read a short passage, listen to a 2-minute lecture about the same topic, and write a response to what you read and listened to.

The question tests your listening, reading, and writing chops and evaluates how you would do in a real classroom. So, answer it in a way that includes the content of both the passage and the audio recording.

Here, you do not need to provide an opinion. You just have to summarize what you learned from the essay and the recording. And while you will have the passage in front of you as you write the answer, you will not be able to listen to the audio recording again. But this should not affect you in any way. Let’s see why.

The ideal way to solve this problem is to take notes. Start by reading the passage, slowly. Since it’s a short passage, the amount of time allotted will be more than enough. As you read each para, write down one sentence (of 4-5 words) describing what you learned from that paragraph. Do this for the entire passage.

When you’re listening to the audio, again make notes. Write down the primary points leading the argument in the recording.

TOEFL integrated writing task

When it’s time to start writing, take a few seconds. Collate all your points and structure your answer.

Split it into 4 paragraphs. Use the first para to state the topic, and the second one to talk about what the passage states. In the third paragraph, use points from the audio recording. And conclude with a sentence or two in the fourth para.

That’s it – you’ll have close to 250 to 300 words and you’ll have presented a clear, concise answer!

  • Find what works for you – writing more notes, or less
  • To save time while making notes, don’t write sentences but one-worded points
  • Finish writing your essay in 15 minutes and spend the last 5 minutes checking for any grammatical errors

Integrated Writing TOEFL essay topics

Here are TOEFL essay topics I borrowed from ETS, the official TOEFL test-takers-

Give yourself 3 minutes to read the passage.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

In an effort to encourage ecologically sustainable forestry practices, an international organization started issuing certifications to wood companies that meet high ecological standards by conserving resources and recycling materials. Companies that receive this certification can attract customers by advertising their products as “ecocertified.” Around the world, many wood companies have adopted new, ecologically friendly practices in order to receive ecocertification. However, it is unlikely that wood companies in the United States will do the same, for several reasons.

First, American consumers are exposed to so much advertising that they would not value or even pay attention to the ecocertification label. Because so many mediocre products are labeled “new” or “improved,” American consumers do not place much trust in advertising claims in general.

Second, ecocertified wood will be more expensive than uncertified wood because in order to earn ecocertification, a wood company must pay to have its business examined by a certification agency. This additional cost gets passed on to consumers. American consumers tend to be strongly motivated by price, and therefore they are likely to choose cheaper uncertified wood products. Accordingly, American wood companies will prefer to keep their prices low rather than obtain ecocertification.

Third, although some people claim that it always makes good business sense for American companies to keep up with the developments in the rest of the world, this argument is not convincing. Pursuing certification would make sense for American wood companies only if they marketed most of their products abroad. But that is not the caseAmerican wood businesses sell most of their products in the United States, catering to a very large customer base that is satisfied with the merchandise.

Read the transcript.

Narrator:  Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.

Professor Well, despite what many people say, there’s good reason to think that many American wood companies will eventually seek ecocertification for their wood products. First off, consumers in the United States don’t treat all advertising the same. They distinguish between advertising claims that companies make about their own products and claims made by independent certification agencies. Americans have a lot of confidence in independent consumer agencies. Thus, ecologically minded Americans are likely to react very favorably to wood products ecologically certified by an independent organization with an international reputation for trustworthiness.

Second pointof course it’s true that American consumers care a lot about pricewho doesn’t? But studies of how consumers make decisions show that price alone determines consumers’ decisions only when the price of one competing product is much higher or lower than another. When the price difference between two products is smallsay, less than five percent, as is the case with certified wood Americans often do choose on factors other than price. And Americans are becoming increasingly convinced of the value of preserving and protecting the environment.

And third, U.S. wood companies should definitely pay attention to what’s going on in the wood business internationally, not because of foreign consumers, but because of foreign competition. As I just told you, there’s a good chance that many American consumers will be interested in ecocertified products. And guess what, if American companies are slow capturing those customers, you can be sure that foreign companies will soon start crowding into the American market, offering ecocertified wood that domestic companies don’t.

Give yourself 20 minutes to plan and write your response. Your response is judged on the quality of the writing and on how well it presents the points in the lecture and their relationship to the reading passage. Typically, an effective response will be 150 to 225 words. You may view the reading passage while you respond.

Response time: 20 minutes

Question: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast doubt on specific points made in the reading passage.

Yes, just two-

  • Remember that there’s no spell-checking tool that will help you during the test. So, when you’re practicing and preparing for the writing section, disable Grammarly or the spell-check tool in Word (depending on where you’re practicing).
  • Don’t lose your cool. If you see a question that might be difficult to answer or notice a grammatical error just as the timer is going off, don’t panic. Take a deep breath, rethink your writing plan, and get back to the test. Worrying won’t help.

A bonus tip is this – practice, practice, practice. It will help you stay prepared for whatever question may come your way.

And if you need any help, you know where to find me! Drop a comment and let me know what I can do to help with your TOEFL essay topics. I would be more than happy to help.

All the best for your exam!

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8 TOEFL essay topics to prepare for the TOEFL exam

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3 thoughts on “8 toefl essay topics to prepare for the toefl exam”, see what others are saying.

Nice article. Very helpful for students who are preparing for TOEFL . Good work. Keep it up.

Nice article, this will help test takers a lot, keep it up

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1 Source: Statistics gathered from 765 users who also took the TOEFL iBT test (China, India, and the U.S.)

2 Source: Survey of 765 users across China, India and the U.S.

IMAGES

  1. 8 TOEFL essay topics to prepare for the TOEFL exam

    toefl essay writing tips

  2. Toefl Essay Writing Tips

    toefl essay writing tips

  3. Clearly Appropriate Examples in TOEFL Writing

    toefl essay writing tips

  4. Essay Writing Tips for the TOEFL

    toefl essay writing tips

  5. TOEFL Writing Templates Explained

    toefl essay writing tips

  6. How to Ace the TOEFL Writing Section: 7 Expert Tips • PrepScholar TOEFL

    toefl essay writing tips

VIDEO

  1. TOEFL writing for an academic discussion questions sample answer #1

  2. TOEFL writing for an academic discussion questions (sample answer) #2

  3. TOEFL Writing practice test 12 with answers, New version (2023)

  4. TOEFL Writing: Integrated Essay

  5. Writing TOEFL iBT Integrated Task 1 Text and Lecture

  6. TOEFL WRITING

COMMENTS

  1. How to Ace the TOEFL Writing Section: 7 Expert Tips

    The suggested response length for this task is 150-225 words. You'll be graded on the quality of your writing as well as how well your response represents the main points of the audio clip and written passage and how they relate to each other. Want to learn more about Integrated Writing? Watch this short clip below:

  2. Master the New TOEFL Writing Section in 2024, Test Resources

    You should write about 280 to 300 words in total. The Reading The article will be about 300 words long. It can be about any academic topic that might appear in a first-year university course, but topics related to history and zoology seem to be most common.

  3. Ten Awesome Tips for the Writing Section

    The first five tips are for the TOEFL integrated writing question, task number one. The last five tips are for the TOEFL Writing for an Academic Discussion question, task number two. Here's a quick summary of our top 10 TOEFL Writing Tips

  4. Sample Essays for the Writing Section of the TOEFL Test ( )

    Simple, right? No? Still confused. No worries. The best way to understand something better is through examples. Let's do one together. This TOEFL integrated writing topic deals with the use of Corn Ethanol. Give yourself three minutes to read it:

  5. Master the TOEFL Independent Essay (2023)

    being patient Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. Do not use memorized examples. Preference Style (common) There are many different styles of classes at schools nowadays. Some students prefer classes where they interact with their teacher and other students. Others prefer classes where they just listen to their teacher speak.

  6. TOEFL iBT Test Writing Section

    Get Started Writing videos Watch these videos to learn about the questions in the Writing section, plus helpful tips. Question 1: Integrated Writing Read a passage and listen to a lecture; then write a response comparing them. View Transcript Question 2: Writing for an Academic Discussion

  7. TOEFL Writing: 5 Ways to Start Your Essays

    TOEFL Writing: 5 Ways to Start Your Essays TST Prep TOEFL 459K subscribers Subscribe Subscribed 1.4K Share 44K views 1 year ago Download the TOEFL GRAMMAR Guide at this link -...

  8. Tips for Writing

    If you're weak in writing in general and you have a lot of time before you take the TOEFL, I would recommend doing only un-timed practice. Give yourself every chance to express yourself fully, avoid stupid mistakes, and revise your work. Timed practice is great for learning test-taking skills, but un-timed practice will be invaluable if you ...

  9. TOEFL Writing Questions in 2024

    Machu Picchu REM Sleep (new) The Cave of the Hands (new) Moai of Easter Island (really old) Writing for an Academic Discussion Questions Next, you'll get a "Writing for an Academic Discussion" question. This will ask you to answer a question that looks like it was posted to a university discussion group.

  10. TOEFL Writing Tips 2023: A New Guide To Ace The Writing Section

    Command the information and be careful about the difference between 'might be' and 'is'. What is TOEFL Used For Practice to Deliver Grammatically Correct Sentence To score high numbers in TOEFL writing, applicants need to have a comprehensive knowledge of grammar. To enhance their knowledge, they must practice the following:

  11. TOEFL Writing Tips

    Practice writing texts that are as long as (or even longer than) the exam essays. You will get faster and faster. Ideally, you should finish writing three to four minutes before the end of the exam to be able to proofread your essays. For example, decide to write the first essay in 17 minutes and the second essay in 25/26 minutes.

  12. 5 Simple Tips For Writing Your TOEFL iBT Essay

    1. Create an essay plan Having a plan for what you will write can help your TOEFL iBT essay to flow better and assist you when forming a discussion. Noting down a short essay plan before you start writing will help you to use your time efficiently.

  13. PDF TOEFL iBT® Writing Practice Questions

    Writing Practice Set 2 (Independent): Question. Directions: Read the question below. Give yourself 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise your essay. Typically, an effective response will contain a minimum of 300 words.

  14. How to Write a Fantastic TOEFL Integrated Essay (2023)

    First, you will have three minutes to read an article (four paragraphs, 250 to 300 words) about an academic topic. Next, you will listen to a lecture (about 2 minutes) about the same topic. Finally, you will have 20 minutes to write an essay about the relationship between the two sources. I recommend that you write about 280 words.

  15. TOEFL Preparation Guide With Tips & Resources

    TOEFL Writing Tips. The Writing section of the TOEFL exam requires you to compose two essays: an integrated essay and an independent essay. To aid you in conquering this demanding part of the exam, below are some valuable TOEFL writing tips. Familiarize yourself with the essay prompts and the expectations for each essay type.

  16. TOEFL sample essays: Tips and techniques for a high score

    1. Understand the task requirements 2. Plan your essay 3. Use effective paragraph structure 4. Use specific examples 5. Use varied sentence structure 6. Use academic vocabulary 7. Use correct grammar and punctuation TOEFL writing samples TOEFL essay #1 TOEFL essay #2 TOEFL essay #3 Conclusion Frequently asked questions TOEFL writing section

  17. TOEFL Writing PDF

    TOEFL Writing PDF. By. Rachel Wisuri. on. February 10, 2016. in. TOEFL Writing. The Writing section is the last section you'll face on the TOEFL. By the time you get to the essay portion, you'll already have spent a couple of hours at the test center, and you'll have completed the Reading, Listening, and Speaking sections.

  18. 8 TOEFL essay topics to prepare for the TOEFL exam

    1 Worried about your performance in the TOEFL Writing Section? Follow the instructions, tips, and methods in this blog, and practice on one of the 10 TOEFL essay topics to nail your exam. Table of Contents What is the TOEFL Writing Section? Part 1: The Independent Writing task Part 2: The Integrated Writing task

  19. TOEFL TestReady

    No other English language test provider has a prep offering like this — designed for you, with you. TOEFL ® TestReady ™ combines the best TOEFL iBT prep offerings with exclusive features and deeper insights to enhance your English communication skills. All feedback, recommendations, personalized insights and tips are developed by the same teams that write and produce the TOEFL iBT test.