TOEFL

How to Write the Essay

To show you how to write the essay, I will use the sample preference question
mentioned above.

Writing an Introduction

The first part of your TOEFL independent essay must always be the introductory
paragraph.  Follow this template:

 Sentence One: The “Hook”

This is an interesting sentence that introduces the general theme or topic of the
essay.

 Sentence Two: The Main Point

This is your main argument and direct answer to the question. Start with
“Personally, I believe…“

 Sentence Three: The Transition

Just say: “I feel this way for two reasons, which I will explore in the following
essay.”

If you follow this template, your introduction will look something like this:

There are many different learning styles, and it is important that we find classes
that match our academic preferences. Personally, I believe that it is extremely
beneficial to take classes which are very interactive. I feel this way for two
reasons, which I will explore in the following essay.

There are a few things to keep in mind as you write your introduction:

 Don’t copy from the question prompt when you write your hook.

 Don’t waste time stating the opposite of your thesis (“Some people might
think…”)

 Don’t copy anything word for word from the prompt.

 Writing Body Paragraphs

Next you must write two body paragraphs that state your supporting arguments
and examples. Use this template for your first body paragraph:

 Sentence One: A Topic Sentence

This summarizes your first supporting reason. Begin with “First of all…“.

 Sentences Two to Four: The Explanation

Explain what you mean, without talking directly about a personal experience.

 Sentence Five: The Transition
Just use: “My personal experience is a compelling example of this.“

 Sentence Six to End: The Personal Example

An example from your life that illustrates this argument. Make it longer than the
explanation part.

This leads to a paragraph like this:

First of all, classes that include a lot of discussions develop our communication
skills. Our long-term success depends on our ability to persuade others to accept
our ideas and proposals, so it is critically important to seize opportunities to talk to
a variety of people. If we do not practice this skill, we will never develop it. My
personal experience is a compelling example of this. About ten years ago, I
enrolled in a history class. At that time I had already taken many classes at
university, but I was still very shy around strangers. However, after nine months of
participating in debates, discussions and presentations in that class I came out of
my shell and became a very confident public speaker. As a result, when I began
my career following my graduation I excelled in group work and was seen by my
supervisors as a natural leader. For this reason, I was quickly promoted within my
company. I have been very successful at my workplace, and I owe it all to that
wonderful class.

Use a similar template for your second body paragraph:

 Sentence One: A Topic Sentence
This summarizes your second supporting reason. Begin with “Secondly…“.

 Sentences Two to Four: The Explanation

Explain what you mean, without talking directly about personal experience. Shorten
if necessary.

 Sentence Five: The Transition
Just use: “For instance,“

 Sentence Five to End: The Personal Example

An example from your life (or someone else’s life) that illustrates this argument.
Make it longer that the explanation part.

That would result in a paragraph looking something like this:

Secondly, classes that are very interactive help us to form connections with our
classmates, and these can lead to future opportunities.  When we regularly
converse with our peers, we get to know their personalities. Consequently, we can
even become very close friends with them. In contrast, when students just sit and
passively listen to their professor, they are unlikely to get to know each other. For
instance, when my brother was in college he took an information technology class
that required a lot of group work. He spent two months that semester working on a
programming project with two other students and during that time they all became
very close. In fact, a year later they felt comfortable enough to actually form a
company together. It has been six years since they founded that business and it is
still very profitable.

There are a few things to keep in mind as you write the body of your TOEFL
independent essay:

 Use a mix of simple and compound sentences

 Emphasize the example. It is the easiest part to write, so make it about 60%
(or more) of each body paragraph

 Avoid very short sentences (less than seven words) and very long
sentences (more than 60 words)
 Don’t start sentences with coordinating conjunctions.
https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/conjunctions/coordinating-
conjunctions/

 Use a variety of discourse phrases 

Writing a Conclusion

Conclusions are easy. You just need to repeat your thesis and your two supporting
arguments.  Try this short template:

 Sentence One: Restate the Thesis

Paraphrase your thesis. Begin with “In conclusion, I am of the opinion that…“.

 Sentence Two: Restate the Two Reasons

Just use: “This is because ______, and _______.“

That will produce something that looks like this:

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that it is a great idea to take classes where

students actually talk to each other and their professor.  This is because they help
us develop valuable skills and abilities, and because they help us form important
social connections.

Here’s what you should keep in mind:

 Paraphrase yourself. Don’t copy and paste from above when you restate
your ideas in the conclusion

 Don’t introduce new ideas in the conclusion

Final Thoughts

That’s how you write a strong TOEFL independent essay.  There are a final few
points that are worth mentioning here, of course:

 Aim for about 380 to 400 words. Write a bit more if need a really high score

 Use two minutes to plan before you start writing and save two minutes for
proofreading when you finish
 Practice does not make perfect;  proper practice makes perfect. 

TASK

Question 1
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Overall, the widespread
use of the internet has a mostly positive effect on life in today’s world.