TOEFL Essay Writing Tips

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I. Before you begin:
I. Relax and feel confident.
II. Remember that you have 30 minutes to write your
essay. se your time wisely.
III. !ou may write your essay on the computer or on
paper. "hoose the one you are #$%& comfortable
with.
II. !ou can write an excellent essay if you remember all
these tips'
[Note: These tips will be ver help!"l !or o"# b"t o"
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II. Understanding the TOEFL question:
&here are different types of &$()* +uestions. !ou never
,now which +uestion you will receive- so you must be
prepared to write on .** the types of +uestions. It is very
important that you completely understand the +uestion
/()$R( you begin to write. /elow are some different
essay +uestion types.
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1. Choose a point of view and support that view.
(xample: %ome people believe that university
students should be re+uired to attend classes. $thers
believe that going to classes should be optional for
students. 3hich point of view do you agree with4
se specific reasons and details to explain your
answer.
&his type of +uestion as,s you to loo, at only $5( side of
the issue6the side you agree with. 7$58& write about
both sides. !ou tell which side you agree with and support
your ideas with details and examples.
2. Describe something.
(xample: If you could invent something 5(3- what
product would you develop4 se specific details to
explain why this invention is needed4
In answering this type of +uestion- you #%& be creative.
It as,s you to describe something 5(3- something that
does not exist. !ou must describe it in detail .57 tell why
it is necessary.
3. Compare two points of view and tell which one you
agree with.
(xample: %ome people thin, that children should
begin their formal education at a very early age and
should spend most of their time on school studies.
$thers believe that young children should spend most
of their time playing. "ompare these two views.
3hich view do you agree with4 3hy4
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In this type of +uestion- you must write about /$&9 sides
of this issue and then tell which side you agree with. !ou
may 5$& say that you agree with both sides. !ou #%&
ma,e a choice. )irst- give support- details and examples of
both sides of the issue. &hen- tell which side you agree
with and why.
4. Agree or disagree with something.
(xample: 7o you agree or disagree with the following
statement: $5*! people who earn a lot of money are
successful. 7o you agree or disagree with this
definition of success4 se specific reasons and
examples to support your opinion.
In this type of +uestion- you #%& agree or disagree. !ou
cannot be unsure or indecisive. .fter you have said
whether you agree or disagree- you must give convincing
reasons and examples for your choice.
5. !plain why something is true.
(xample: :eople remember special gifts or presents
that they have received. 3hy4 ;ive specific reasons
and examples to support your answer.
In this +uestion- you should use lots of examples. <)or this
+uestion- you would use examples of gifts one might
receive and tell why those gifts are memorable=. 7o not
write in the first person- >I.? 3rite in more general terms.
". #upport an idea or plan.
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(xample: It has recently been announced that a new
restaurant may be built in your neighborhood. 7o you
support or oppose this plan4 3hy4 se specific
reasons and details to support your answer.
In this +uestion- first tell whether you support or oppose
the plan and then tell why. %ince this +uestion is somewhat
personal- it is o, to use personal pronouns such as: >I- me-
my? in your answer.
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III. The parts of an essay:
In every essay- there should be an introduction- a body and
conclusion.
A. $he introduction:
&he introduction restates the +uestion using different
vocabulary and/or sentence structure. &he
introduction also includes your thesis statement6the
most important sentence in your essay.
%. $he body&
&he body of your essay is also the >heart? of your
essay. It will include your main ideas and details and
examples to support those ideas. (ach new idea
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should be a new paragraph. &ypically- a &$()* essay
will have 3 @ 4 body paragraphs.
C. $he conclusion&
&he conclusion will be your final paragraph. It will
summariAe all the main ideas in your essay and it may
also include your opinion.
IV. How to write a good introdution:
*et8s loo, at some more essay +uestions to see how to
restate the +uestion and how to write your thesis statement.
T+/,0 ess' 4"estio$ :;:
%ome people prefer to eat at food stands or
restaurants. $ther people prefer to prepare and eat
food at home. 3hich do you prefer4 se specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.
6est'te&e$t < Thesis:
:eople have two options when deciding where to eat.
&hey can prepare meals and eat at home or they can go
out to stands or restaurants. I prefer to go out to eat
because the food is more varied and interesting- it is
less wor, for me and it saves time.
5$'lsis:
&he restatement mentions the two types of options
people have for eating and tells which one the author
prefers. In addition- it gives three reasons for that
preference. &hese three reasons will ma,e up the three
main idea paragraphs in the body of the essay.
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T+/,0 ess' 4"estio$ :=:
Is it better for children to participate in team sports or
individual sports4 3hy4 se specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.
6est'te&e$t < Thesis:
It is better for children to participate in team sports
rather than individual sports. In team sports- children
learn how to cooperate. &hey learn good
sportsmanship and how to rely on their teammates.
&hese are important lessons that will benefit children
throughout their lives.
5$'lsis:
&he first sentence clearly states the author8s opinion.
&his is followed by three reasons for the opinion.
)inally- the author mentions life lessons. In the essay-
the three reasons will ma,e up the three main idea
paragraphs in the body of the essay. In addition- the
author will mention how each main idea is useful
throughout life.
T+/,0 ess' 4"estio$ :>:
%ome people prefer to live in a small town. $thers
prefer to live in a big city. 3hich place would you
prefer to live in4 se specific reasons and details to
support your answer.
6est'te&e$t < Thesis:
&here are many good reasons to live in a big city and
an e+ual number of good reasons to live in a small
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town. I- myself- prefer to live in a small town because
it is more personal and homeyD it is easier to get
around in and it is safer than a big city.
5$'lsis:
&he first statement says that both a city and town have
positive aspects. &he next sentence tells the author8s
preference and reasons for that preference. &hese
reasons will ma,e up the body of the essay.
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V. How to write good body paragraphs:
(ach paragraph in your essay introduces a new idea. It
should include a thesis statement followed by support and
examples. /e sure to use *$&% of examples. 3ithin and
between paragraphs be sure to use transition words li,e: on
the other hand- however- though- for example- in contrast-
li,ewise- in addition- first- finally. &he paragraph should
end with a concluding sentence which briefly summariAes
the ideas in the paragraph.
VI. The e!e"ents of a good on!uding
paragraph:
. good concluding paragraph should include a summary of
your main points. It may also include the author8s opinion.
It should 5$& introduce any new ideas. . good
concluding paragraph often leaves an impression on the
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reader. It may ma,e the reader thin, more deeply about the
topic.
VII. #reparing to write and writing your answer:
I. Read and understand the essay +uestion. <1 minutes=.
II. $rganiAe your ideas on paper by writing a short
outline of the introduction- body and conclusion. <F
minutes=.
III. 3rite your essay. Remember to restate the +uestion
in your introduction. se clear details and *$&% of
examples in the body of your essay. )inally-
summariAe the main ideas in the concluding
paragraph of your essay. <2B minutes=.
I. Reread your essay and ma,e any changes in spelling-
verb tense- word choice or sentence structure. <B
minutes=.
VIII. $ sa"p!e TOEFL out!ine:
TOEFL Question: In some countries, teenagers have jobs
while they are still students. o you thin! this is a good
idea" #u$$ort your o$inion by using s$eci%ic reasons and
details.
I. It is a good idea for teenagers to have Gobs while they
are students because they can learn about
responsibilityD they can learn the value of money
and they can learn how to wor, as a member of a
team.
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II. %tudents can learn responsibility
a. &hey have to come to wor, on time every day
b. &hey must serve customers in a friendly manner
c. &hey have to maintain the store shelves with
inventory
III. %tudents can learn the value of money
a. %tudents will learn that it ta,es a lot of time and
effort to ma,e money
b. %tudents will ma,e wiser choices when buying
things with their own money
IH. %tudents will learn how to wor, as a member of a
team
a. %tudents will learn how to compromise with
other employees <helping out when someone is
sic,- etc.=
b. %tudents will learn about the friendship that
comes from teamwor, <feeling li,e you can trust
others=
H. "onclusion
It is a valuable experience for teenagers to have Gobs
while they are students because they will learn to be
responsible adults. &hey will have an appreciation
for money and they will learn about wor,ing with
others. .ll of these traits will benefit them
throughout their lives.
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I%. $ sa"p!e TOEFL essay &based on the out!ine
abo'e(
It is a good idea for teenagers to have Gobs while they
are students because they can learn about responsibilityD
they can learn the value of money and they can learn how
to wor, as a member of a team.
3hen teenagers have Gobs while they are students-
they can learn how to be responsible. .s an employee- you
must follow a wee,ly schedule. &his means- you have to
come to wor, on time. If you are scheduled to begin wor,
at F a.m. on a %aturday morning- you have to be there at F
a.m. It doesn8t matter if you went to a party the night
before and do not want to get up. !ou have to get up. !our
boss is relying on you to do your Gob. .s an employee- you
also learn that you must serve the customer in a friendly
manner. If you are not friendly- the store may lose business
and you may lose your Gob. )inally- an employee is
responsible for maintaining the store shelves with
inventory. If you wor, in a department store- you have to
,eep the shelves filled with merchandise. &he products
have to be priced and placed on the shelves. If the shelves
loo, empty- customers may get a bad impression of the
store and may not continue to shop there. It is good for
students to learn responsibility when they are young
because it will benefit them as they get older.
.nother benefit to teenagers wor,ing is that they will
learn the value of money. $ften students get money from
their parents- but they do not realiAe how hard their parents
wor, for that money. 3hen students wor,- they begin to
appreciate how difficult it can be to ma,e money. &hey
also realiAe that >money doesn8t grow on trees? as some
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students seem to believe when as,ing their parents for
money. .nother reason it is good for students to wor, is
that they will ma,e wiser choices when they use their own
money to buy things. )or example- if students wor, 10
hours per wee, at JE.00 per hour- they will ma,e J240 per
wee,. In one month- that is about JB40. :erhaps a student
will thin, twice about spending J210 for a pair of tennis
shoes or J3B0 for a stereo system when s/he has had to
wor, very hard for that money. $n the other hand- when
students do spend money for personal obGects- they will
appreciate them more than if they had gotten the money
from their parents.
)inally- wor,ing teenagers learn from being members
of a team. .s employees- students learn to wor, with
others and help one another. )or example- if someone is
sic,- you may be as,ed to help out. In addition- other
employees will depend on you to do your share of the
wor,. If one person does not do his/her Gob- other
employees may have to do extra wor, to compensate.
%tudents will learn very +uic,ly that it is not good
teamwor, to expect others to do your wor,. )inally-
students will develop friendships with other employees
because they have learned to count on each other. 3or,ing
as a member of a team will build strong character in
students.
&o conclude- it is a valuable experience for teenagers
to have Gobs while they are students because they will learn
to be responsible adults. &hey will have an appreciation for
money and they will learn about wor,ing with others.
&hese experiences will help them grow into adulthood and
benefit them throughout their lives.
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