toefl essay mind map

Brainstorming for the TOEFL Essay

Brainstorming is an essential part of the essay planning process. It can help you pick a topic to write about, choose which side to support in a persuasive essay, and come up with supporting details for that side.  You may think of brainstorming as a group of people, such as TV script writers, sitting around a table, bouncing ideas around. And while brainstorming in a group is a great way to open all the doors and possibilities you have, brainstorming on paper by yourself can also get your creativity flowing.

There are a couple of rules to remember when brainstorming. First and most importantly, there are no bad ideas. You should at least consider everything that pops into your head, even if it doesn’t support the side you plan to take or doesn’t seem like a strong example. If it seems like something you could write a paragraph about, write it down, because it keeps your mind moving forward rather than stagnating. Second, keep your brainstorming topic broad. Don’t choose your opinion at this point; consider every angle and possible argument. You can choose your side later, when you start to actually plan your essay. For now, you just want to generate as many ideas as possible, putting the most interesting ones on paper.

Practicing brainstorming

I recommend that you practice brainstorming in what I call an ideal-conditions essay. Instead of sticking to the 20-30 minute time limit of the TOEFL, give yourself as much time as you need. Spend two or three minutes brainstorming, then five or ten minutes planning, then write for half an hour or so, then reread, edit, and refine until the essay is as good as you think it can get. Although timed practice is essential, writing in ideal conditions will help cement proper grammar and mechanics and will help you see what you’re really capable of.  Below I’ve written about a couple of brainstorming techniques you may find useful. I recommend you try all of them at least once so that you can see which one works best for you. It may be that different brainstorming styles work best for certain types of essays, and this is a great thing to know as you practice. So grab a stack of blank paper, and get started!

If you’re a visual learner, mind mapping will probably be a great brainstorming technique for you. Draw a circle in the middle of your paper and write your prompt in it. Then draw lines coming out of the circle, like a sun. At the end of each line, write a statement or argument that relates to the central prompt. Draw lines coming off of each of these statements, and write supporting details and examples on those lines. Continue doing this until you’ve exhausted all the possibilities you can think of for the topic.

Free-writing

Free-writing is a great technique if you draw a blank—that is, if you have no idea what to write about. Even in the middle of writing practice essays, a mini-free-writing session can help you recover from writer’s block. To free-write, write your prompt or central question in a document, then start writing whatever you think about. Keep typing at all times—if you don’t know what to write, then write about how you don’t know what to write. If your mind wanders, then write that your mind has wandered, then try to get back on track. It will probably feel stupid and unproductive at first, but there’s a reason that some teachers call free-writing “writing the mind alive”: after a few minutes of free-writing, you’ll find that your ideas are much clearer, it’s easier for you to focus on the topic, and you’ll have at least a couple of solid arguments and examples written down, which, for the TOEFL, is all you need.

In your head

On your actual TOEFL essays, you won’t want to spend time brainstorming  then  planning as two separate stages. Instead, it’s better to combine them. There are two ways to do that. First, you might simply spend ~30 seconds or a minute thinking about the topic before you write down a plan. Imagine this like a free-writing exercise without the writing: you want to think as freely and as randomly as possible. There’s no bad idea.

The other way to do this is to start writing immediately as you brainstorm, then cross off (or erase) the ideas that you aren’t going to use. In that method, the crossing off is the “planning” step.

Kate has 6 years of experience in teaching foreign language. She graduated from Sewanee in 2012, where she studied and taught German, and recently returned from a year spent teaching English in a northern Russian university. Follow Kate on Google+ !

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2 responses to “Brainstorming for the TOEFL Essay”

Hi Kate I need someone who could check my essay online is there any website or blog where native speaker interact with non native speaker????

Hi, Altamash– I recommend you check out voxy.com. It connects professional English tutors with students, so you can get help on a variety of topics, including writing.

Thanks for the question!

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The Best TOEFL Writing Practice: 300+ Topics to Study With

Writing is the last section you’ll complete on the TOEFL. You’re so close to finishing, yet you still have two essays to write before you can celebrate completing the exam. In order to finish the test on a high note, you’ll need to be prepared for this section.

In this guide, we explain the ins and outs of the Writing section and the materials you need to do well. We then go over all the best TOEFL Writing practice resources available , including free and official practice Writing topics. We'll end with final tips to keep in mind in order to ace the TOEFL Writing section.

Overview of TOEFL Writing

The TOEFL Writing section is 50 minutes long (broken into two parts) and contains two tasks: Integrated Writing and Independent Writing. You’ll type both essays on the computer.

The 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.

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.

Each essay will receive a score from 0-5. The sum will then be scaled to a score from 0-30, which is your official Writing score. The Writing section makes up 25% of your total TOEFL score (from 0-120).

What You’ll Need to Be Prepared for the TOEFL Writing Section

As you likely expect, you’ll spend most of your time on the TOEFL Writing section, well, writing. However, you’ll also need to have solid reading and listening skills for the Integrated task. Since the Writing section requires multiple skills, you’ll need multiple study tools in order to be completely prepared. Some of the most important things you’ll need to prepare for TOEFL Writing include:

• Complete practice Writing sections
• Individual practice questions or TOEFL Writing topics
• Opportunities to practice your writing skills
• Opportunities to practice your listening skills

In the next section, we'll go over the best TOEFL Writing practice tests and questions.

The Best TOEFL Writing Practice Materials

This section contains links to the top practice materials to use while preparing for TOEFL Writing. What makes a practice material the best?

• First, the practice questions must be similar in content and format to the real TOEFL Writing section to give you the best preparation for the real exam.
• Second, it’s a major plus if the practice questions come with answer explanations that help you understand how to answer an essay prompt well.
• Finally, prep materials that include useful tips and strategies for answering Writing questions are useful because they give you advice on how to raise your score on this section.

Official Prep Materials

Official resources are the best to use since you can be confident they’ll be very similar to the real TOEFL Writing section. The topics will be much more realistic in format and content.

Below are all the official TOEFL Writing practice materials available, both free and paid resources. ETS doesn’t provide just Writing questions, so each of these resources also have practice resources for the other sections of the TOEFL. Be sure to include at least some of these materials in your studying. The next section has more tips on how to make the most of official practice resources.

TOEFL iBT Sampler

The TOEFL iBT Sampler is a program you can download with official practice questions, and it’s a great free and official resource to use. In addition to other TOEFL sections, it includes a complete TOEFL iBT Writing practice section (two tasks). Sample answers for both tasks are included so you can get an idea of what a good essay looks like. Unfortunately, the Sampler only works with Windows; you can’t download it with a Mac.

TOEFL iBT Sample Questions

This PDF is another free and official resource. In addition to other question types, it includes two Writing tasks: one TOEFL Integrated Writing practice question and one Independent Writing practice question. Each sample TOEFL Writing topic is followed by a sample essay as well as an in-depth score explanation, which is a great tool for studiers.

TOEFL iBT Quick Prep

The Quick Prep contains four different volumes, each of which contains one or two Writing prompts. The first volume is the best for TOEFL iBT Writing practice, since it contains two tasks (the others each only contain one) and also has an in-depth explanation of what your essays should include. The other three volumes only contain the essay rubrics without any advice on how to answer the specific essay prompt given.

TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) Tests

TPO tests are retired TOEFL exams now offered for test prep. They give the closest experience to the real TOEFL, and, because of that, they aren’t cheap. You’ll have to pay $45 for each complete TOEFL you buy (you can’t just buy individual TOEFL iBT Writing practice sections).

Your exam will be automatically graded after you finish it, although I was not particularly impressed with how the Writing section was graded when I took it. For the actual TOEFL, two human graders and a computer program review your essays and assign grades to each one. For this exam, a computer grades your Writing section within less than a minute of you completing the exam, and there is no explanation of how that grade was determined.

This is a useful resource, but if you don’t want to spend that much money on a practice test, it’s completely possible to do well just using the above practice resources.

Official TOEFL Prep Books

There are several official TOEFL prep books for sale by ETS. The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test , in addition to explaining the types of questions on the test, contains numerous practice questions and three full-length exams.  This is also the only official prep book that includes sample essays of varying scores along with scoring explanations, which can be a big help if you’re trying to guess what score your essays would get.

There’s also the Official TOEFL iBT Tests Volumes 1 and 2. Each of these books contains five unique practice tests, available on paper and the computer. However, no sample responses are given for Writing questions, which make them a less useful resource compared to The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test.

Unofficial Prep Materials

You have to be more careful when using unofficial prep resources since not all of them are reliable. Some are high-quality and very similar to the TOEFL, others are not. For the Writing section in particular, because it’s so easy to make up essay prompts, there are many sites that claim to offer TOEFL Writing practice when their practice questions are actually low-quality. Below are some of the top unofficial prep resources out there. All of them (except the prep books, if you buy them) are free.

English Club

This site contains one TOEFL Integrated Writing practice task and five Independent Writing practice tasks. All six TOEFL Writing topics are similar to the real test, and the Integrated task as well as one of the Independent tasks have sample responses you can compare your answers to. At the bottom of the web page is a checklist of things your essays should include to help give you a guideline of what you should be aiming for when you write.

Magoosh offers one TOEFL Integrated Writing practice task. That’s not a lot of practice, but it is a high-quality question that includes a sample response. Magoosh also offers three complete TOEFLs, so you can use those Writing questions as well.

Good Luck TOEFL

This site has a huge number (several hundred) of Independent Writing tasks, separated into five different categories depending on question type. Some of the questions are more simplistic than you’ll see on the real TOEFL , and there’s no scoring information or sample responses, but there are a good source if you need more TOEFL Writing topics to write about.

Beat the Test

This site contains 155 Independent Writing tasks. Like Good Luck TOEFL, some of these TOEFL Writing topics are easier than you’ll find on the TOEFL, and there are no sample responses included, but they do give you the opportunity to practice writing.

Unofficial Prep Books

Prep books, even unofficial ones, often are a great resource for practice questions. Most books include sample Writing questions, along with scoring explanations , and then contain one or more complete practice TOEFLs at the end of the book. You can learn all about the best TOEFL prep books by reading our guide .

Other TOEFL Writing Practice Materials

There are other ways to practice besides just answering sample Writing questions. TOEFL Writing is designed to measure how strong your English writing skills are, so, any practice you get writing English will help you with this section, even if you’re not directly answering practice exam questions. There are many ways to get writing practice; several of them are described below.

Duolingo is a popular free language-learning site. Users answer different types of questions, including writing questions. You can’t choose to only answer writing questions, so this isn’t the best resource for targeted writing practice, bu t it’s a good way to strengthen your overall English skills.

For advanced English learners, many of Duolingo’s beginning problem sets will likely be too easy, but you can take a quiz to figure out where in the program you should start.

Free Writing

Finally, you can also practice writing about topics that have nothing to do with the TOEFL. As long as you’re writing in English, you’re getting good practice. Writing about something that interests you can also encourage you to write more. Some ideas for free writing include:

• Keeping a journal
• Getting an English-speaking pen pal
• Starting a blog about a topic that interests you

How to Get the Most Out of Your TOEFL Writing Practice

Now that you’re an expert on the best practice resources for TOEFL Writing, the next step is to put those materials to use in the most effective way in order to see results on test day. Follow these four tips in order to get the most out of your practice.

Practice Writing in English Regularly

The most important thing you can do to practice for the Writing section of the TOEFL is to practice writing English regularly. If you can practice every day, that would be ideal, but at the very least you should aim to practice writing 1,000 words in English a week.

Remember, this writing practice doesn’t only have to consist of answering TOEFL Speaking questions; any free writing, even just jotting down what you did that day in your diary, counts as writing practice.

Make Use of Official Materials

As mentioned above, official TOEFL resources have the best practice questions out there, so you want to make the most of them. Spread these questions throughout your TOEFL studying; don’t use them all up at the beginning or save them all for the end. You want to be regularly seeing these questions as you prepare.

Also, when you answer official practice questions, make sure you set enough time aside to devote your full attention to them. Practice them in a quiet room with no distractions, and carefully compare your responses to the sample responses. These aren’t the questions to practice when you have a few minutes to spare and need some quick practice while scrolling through your phone.

Time Yourself When Writing Practice Essays

When you are writing practice essays, you should also time yourself. Give yourself 20 minutes to plan and write each Integrated Writing task and 30 minutes for each Independent Writing task.

Timing yourself when you write will help you be better prepared for test day because you’ll have practice planning and writing essays within a limited time frame. When you first begin writing practice essays, it can be easy to spend too much time preparing and run out of time before you finish writing. Taking timed practice essays will help you avoid this. You should also count how many words each of 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.

Review Your Practice Essays

After you write each TOEFL 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. The ETS provides the rubric it uses to grade TOEFL writing tasks which you can use to evaluate your essays.

Conclusion: Getting the Most Out of Your TOEFL Writing Practice

In order to write two awesome essays for the TOEFL Writing section, you’ll likely have to put in some practice. Once you know what to expect from this section and how you’ll be graded, use a variety of official and unofficial practice resources during your studying.

As you’re preparing for the Writing section, you should also practice writing in English regularly, use official resources wisely, time yourself when writing practice essays, and review your essays after you write them.

What's Next?

Looking for more information on the TOEFL Writing section? Learn all the tips you need to know in order to ace TOEFL Writing !

What score should you be aiming to get on the TOEFL? Learn what a good TOEFL score is based on the schools you're interested in attending.

Looking for a great TOEFL prep book? A good prep book can be the most important study tool you use, and we have information on all the best TOEFL prep books you should consider .

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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.

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How the Essay is Evaluated

• Development: How well you have developed your ideas and arguments.
• Organization: How well your essay is organized and structured.
• Language Use: How effectively you use grammar, vocabulary, and syntax to convey your ideas.
• Mechanics: How well you use punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
• Overall Writing Quality: How well your essay meets the expectations of a proficient writer.

Understanding the Scoring Criteria

• Task Completion: This measures how well you have addressed the prompt and completed the task.
• Language Use: This assesses your ability to use a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical structures accurately and appropriately.
• Coherence and Cohesion: This evaluates how well you have organized your essay and used transition words and phrases to connect your ideas.
• Development and Support: This measures how well you have developed your ideas and provided appropriate examples and details to support them.

How the Criteria are Evaluated

• Addresses the prompt fully and directly
• Uses a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary words
• Has a clear and well-organized structure
• Uses transition words and phrases effectively
• Provides specific examples and details to support ideas

Best Practices for Preparing for the Independent Writing Task in TOEFL

1. emphasize practice and preparation.

• Allocate enough time for practicing writing in English before the test date
• Use official practice materials from ETS or reliable sources to practice writing
• Take timed practice tests to improve your time management and get accustomed to writing under pressure
• Identify your strengths and weaknesses and work on them through targeted practice
• Get feedback on your writing from a teacher or tutor, and use it to improve your skills

2. Tips for Brainstorming and Outlining

• Read the prompt carefully and identify the key points and requirements
• Brainstorm ideas related to the prompt and write them down
• Organize your ideas into a logical and coherent structure using an outline
• Include specific details and examples to support your ideas
• Ensure that your ideas are relevant to the prompt and answer the question directly

3. Importance of Developing a Clear and Concise Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement is the main point or argument that you will be making in your essay
• Developing a clear and concise thesis statement helps you stay focused and on-topic
• Your thesis statement should be included in your introduction paragraph and should be easy to understand
• Your thesis statement should directly address the prompt and answer the question being asked
• Make sure to support your thesis statement with relevant details and examples throughout your essay

4. Other Tips for Success

• Use appropriate sentence structures, vocabulary, and grammar
• Make sure your essay has an introduction, body, and conclusion
• Proofread your essay for spelling and punctuation errors
• Stick to the time limit and manage your time wisely
• Stay confident and focused, and avoid getting sidetracked

Best Practices for Writing the TOEFL Independent Essay

Importance of organization and structure.

• Plan your essay before writing: Create an outline of your essay to help you organize your thoughts and structure your essay effectively.
• Use paragraphs to organize your ideas: Each paragraph should focus on one main idea that supports your thesis statement.
• Use transitional words and phrases: Transitional words and phrases help to connect ideas between paragraphs and make your essay flow smoothly.
• Use clear and concise language: Avoid using unnecessary words or phrases that do not contribute to the clarity of your essay.

Effective Introduction and Conclusion

• Hook your reader in the introduction: Use an interesting fact or anecdote to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to read further.
• Provide background information: Give some context to the topic you are writing about to help the reader understand the importance of the issue.
• End with a clear thesis statement: Your thesis statement should be concise and specific, outlining the main argument of your essay.
• Summarize your main points in the conclusion: Recap the main points you discussed in your essay and tie them back to your thesis statement.
• Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion: The conclusion should not introduce any new information or arguments.

Supporting Ideas with Evidence and Examples

• Use credible sources: When supporting your ideas, use reliable sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable news sources.
• Provide specific examples: Use concrete examples to illustrate your points and make your arguments more convincing.
• Explain the relevance of your evidence: Make sure to explain how your evidence supports your argument and why it is important to the overall topic.

Effective Use of Language and Grammar

• Use a variety of sentence structures: Mix up your sentence structure to make your essay more interesting and engaging to read.
• Avoid using overly complex vocabulary: While it’s important to use proper academic vocabulary, don’t try to use words that you are not comfortable with or that are overly complex.
• Proofread your essay: Take time to review your essay and correct any grammatical or spelling errors. Make sure your sentences are clear and easy to understand.
• Practice writing essays: The more you practice writing essays, the better you will become at using proper language and grammar.

Strategies for Achieving a High Score

Time management, keep pace and stay on task, proofreading and editing, revising and improving an essay, what is the highest score possible for the independent writing task, how long should my essay be for the independent writing task, is it better to write a longer essay or a shorter one for the independent writing task, are there any resources available to help me prepare for the independent writing task, what should i do if i run out of time during the independent writing task, is it possible to prepare for toefl in 10 days, key takeaways.

• Practice and preparation are crucial to achieving a high score on the TOEFL independent essay.
• Effective organization and structure are necessary to clearly express your viewpoint.
• Support your ideas with evidence and examples to make your essay more convincing.
• Use proper language and grammar to enhance clarity and coherence.
• Time management is important for completing the essay on time.
• Proofreading and editing are essential for identifying and correcting errors in your writing.

Applying Strategies and Tips

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The best toefl writing templates for any prompt.

Even if English composition isn’t your forte, you can still earn a high score on the TOEFL Writing section by following a template. But what exactly is a TOEFL Writing template? Simply put, TOEFL essay templates teach you how to organize your thoughts, select strong pieces of evidence, and get the Writing score you want .

In this article, we’re providing you with  two high-quality TOEFL essay templates for the Integrated and Independent Writing tasks. Before that, we’ll go over the differences between the two TOEFL Writing tasks and then discuss how our TOEFL essay templates can benefit you. After, we’ll teach you how to customize and use our templates.

What Essays Will You Write on the TOEFL?

The Writing section is the final section you’ll face on the TOEFL, and it consists of two separate tasks: an Integrated Writing task and an Independent Writing task . The Integrated task requires you to write a response comparing a lecture and an article, whereas the Independent task requires you to write an opinionated essay in which you agree or disagree with an idea.

Below, we examine the two TOEFL Writing tasks in detail.

Integrated Writing Task

For the Integrated task, you must read a passage on an academic topic for three minutes and then listen to a short lecture on the same topic. This lecture will either support or challenge what’s written in the passage. Your response must  summarize the main points discussed in the lecture and explain how these points relate to the reading .

You’ll have a total of  20 minutes to write your response. Your response should be around  150-225 words . During this time, you may reread the passage; however, you may not listen to the lecture again.

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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The score you receive for this task will be on a scale of 0-5 . According to the official rubric , a level-5 essay (i.e., a perfect essay) selects the most crucial information from the lecture and presents it in a coherent, accurate, and well-organized manner. A level-3 essay is satisfactory but overall vague, with fewer key points and several grammatical errors. Finally, a level-1 essay offers minimal coherency and fails to address any of the main points in the lecture. ETS (the creators of the TOEFL) offers  several samples of scored Integrated essays  online.

Below is an example of an Integrated Writing task borrowed from  ETS :

Reading Passage

Critics say that current voting systems used in the United States are inefficient and often lead to the inaccurate counting of votes. Miscounts can be especially damaging if an election is closely contested. Those critics would like the traditional systems to be replaced with far more efficient and trustworthy computerized voting systems.

In traditional voting, one major source of inaccuracy is that people accidentally vote for the wrong candidate. Voters usually have to find the name of their candidate on a large sheet of paper containing many names—the ballot—and make a small mark next to that name. People with poor eyesight can easily mark the wrong name. The computerized voting machines have an easy-to-use touch-screen technology: to cast a vote, a voter needs only to touch the candidate’s name on the screen to record a vote for that candidate; voters can even have the computer magnify the name for easier viewing.

Another major problem with old voting systems is that they rely heavily on people to count the votes. Officials must often count up the votes one by one, going through every ballot and recording the vote. Since they have to deal with thousands of ballots, it is almost inevitable that they will make mistakes. If an error is detected, a long and expensive recount has to take place. In contrast, computerized systems remove the possibility of human error, since all the vote counting is done quickly and automatically by the computers.

Finally some people say it is too risky to implement complicated voting technology nationwide. But without giving it a thought, governments and individuals alike trust other complex computer technology every day to be perfectly accurate in banking transactions as well as in the communication of highly sensitive information.

Lecture Transcript

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

(Female professor) While traditional voting systems have some problems, it’s doubtful that computerized voting will make the situation any better. Computerized voting may seem easy for people who are used to computers. But what about people who aren’t? People who can’t afford computers, people who don’t use them on a regular basis—these people will have trouble using computerized voting machines. These voters can easily cast the wrong vote or be discouraged from voting altogether because of fear of technology. Furthermore, it’s true that humans make mistakes when they count up ballots by hand. But are we sure that computers will do a better job? After all, computers are programmed by humans, so “human error” can show up in mistakes in their programs. And the errors caused by these defective programs may be far more serious. The worst a human official can do is miss a few ballots. But an error in a computer program can result in thousands of votes being miscounted or even permanently removed from the record. And in many voting systems, there is no physical record of the votes, so a computer recount in the case of a suspected error is impossible! As for our trust of computer technology for banking and communications, remember one thing: these systems are used daily and they are used heavily. They didn’t work flawlessly when they were first introduced. They had to be improved on and improved on until they got as reliable as they are today. But voting happens only once every two years nationally in the United States and not much more than twice a year in many local areas. This is hardly sufficient for us to develop confidence that computerized voting can be fully trusted.

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

Independent Writing Task

For the Independent task, you will write about your opinion on a certain topic . You must provide clear reasons and specific examples for why you agree or disagree with the issue or statement. (This doesn’t have to be your real opinion, though!) You’ll have 30 minutes to write your response. A typical high-scoring essay is at least 300 words .

You’ll receive a score on a scale of 0-5 . According to the official rubric , a level-5 essay effectively addresses the topic, provides clear and ample details, and contains at most only minor issues with grammar and word choice. A level-3 essay offers a generally coherent response with occasional slips in clarity. Finally, a level-1 essay offers little to no detail and contains multiple technical errors. You can look at samples of Independent essays  on the ETS website.

Here is an example of an Independent Writing task taken from ETS :

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

Always telling the truth is the most important consideration in any relationship.

Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Integrated Task vs. Independent Task

So far we’ve covered all of the basic components of the TOEFL Writing tasks. To briefly recap, here is an overview of the Integrated and Independent Writing tasks:

What Is a TOEFL Writing Template?

The purpose of a TOEFL Writing template is to help you compose a detailed and eloquent essay — and of course get you a high Writing score! But what exactly is a template?

It’s easiest to think of an essay template as a skeleton . While a skeleton is the framework for a body, a template is the framework for an essay . Thus, a TOEFL Writing template highlights basic structural patterns and phrases you can integrate into your own writing. What a template doesn’t do is write your essay for you. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how you’ll add the skin and muscles (i.e., the details and supporting evidence) to your “skeleton.”

Furthermore, writing templates are typically created to suit different types of essays . For example, a template for a compare/contrast essay will differ from a template for an editorial piece. This is why it’s so important you use a writing template specifically geared toward the TOEFL!

What Are the Benefits of a TOEFL Writing Template?

There are three major benefits to using a TOEFL Writing template.

It Organizes Your Thoughts

Using a TOEFL Writing template ensures you’ll have a focused and well-organized response . A high-quality template teaches you how to structure your response so that your introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs are all clearly defined. This way, even if your grammar and spelling aren’t perfect, your response will still have an overall strong framework that’s easy to follow.

TOEFL essay templates also show you  what kinds of transitions you can use and where . Transitions are a key component of essays that allow you to connect your thoughts and progress to new ideas smoothly. Truth be told, you probably won’t score super highly on the TOEFL Writing section if you don’t use any transitions!

It Saves You Time

Another big benefit of using a TOEFL Writing template is that it saves you time on the Writing section. Since you’ll already have a sense of how you’re going to structure your essay,  you’ll spend less time planning it out and   coming up with transitions, openings, and closings. As a result, you’ll get more time to actually write out your response!

It Gives You Confidence

Lastly, a TOEFL Writing template allows you to  feel more prepared on test day. Many test takers find it difficult to write out responses to English-language prompts in only 20 or 30 minutes. But TOEFL essay templates equip you with the skills you’ll need to feel more confident in your writing skills — and confidence is the first step toward getting a great TOEFL score!

2 TOEFL Essay Templates for You to Use

In this section, we offer you   a TOEFL Integrated Writing template and an Independent Writing TOEFL template . We also provide you with a handy list of key transitional words and phrases  you can incorporate into your essays.

Please note that you do not need to follow these templates directly. In fact, we strongly encourage you to replace our sample words and phrases with your own . We will talk more about how to customize our TOEFL essay templates in the following section. But for now, let’s take a look at the templates!

Template 1: Integrated Writing Task

Before we dive into our TOEFL Integrated Writing template, let’s get a quick reminder of what the Integrated task entails.

For this task, you’ll read a passage and then listen to a lecture. Your task is to summarize the lecture and explain whether the lecture challenges or supports what’s written in the passage. You’ll have 20 minutes to compose a response of around 150-225 words .

We’ll divide our template into four paragraphs:  an introduction and three body paragraphs . You shouldn’t need a separate concluding paragraph for this task, as you can still score a 5 without one (plus, you likely won’t have enough time to write one!). But if you want to write a conclusion, just be sure you keep it short —  two to three sentences  at most.

Now, on to the TOEFL Integrated Writing template!

Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

Your first paragraph will introduce the lecture and how it relates to the reading. This paragraph doesn’t need to be long; a simple  two or three sentences should suffice.

1. Begin with a topic sentence that summarizes the main point of the lecture.

• According to the lecture, …
• Based on the lecture, …
• The lecturer states/believes that …
• The lecturer talks about …
• The lecturer discusses …

2. Next, explain whether the passage refutes or supports the main point of the lecture.

Examples (Contrast):

• By contrast, the author of the passage explains/states/posits that …
• The author of the passage, however, disagrees with this idea/belief. Instead, he/she believes that …
• The author of the passage, however, doubts this idea/belief and thinks that …
• The author challenges this point, however, by explaining/suggesting/positing that …

Examples (Agreement):

• This line of thinking agrees with that of the author, who states that …
• The author of the passage agrees with this notion/idea/belief, stating that …
• Likewise, the author of the passage explains/states/posits that …
• The author of the passage supports this idea/belief, explaining that …

Paragraph 2 (Body)

In this paragraph, you’ll want to focus on one of the key points in the lecture and explain whether the passage refutes or supports this idea.

1. Introduce the main point you’ll be discussing.

• First, the lecturer asserts/claims/suggests that …
• For one, the lecturer thinks/believes that …
• The first point the lecturer makes is that …

2. Next, describe this particular point in more detail and then discuss how the passage either refutes or supports it. I suggest using one to two sentences here.

• On the other hand, the author asserts/claims/suggests that …
• Likewise, the author thinks/believes that …
• This concept is refuted/supported by the passage, which asserts/claims/suggests that …

3. Finally, conclude your paragraph by explaining what this difference or similarity means .

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• This difference/similarity ultimately means/indicates that …
• Basically, the lecturer/author is saying that …
• The lecturer and author are essentially in agreement with each other. Both think/believe that …
• Clearly, the lecturer and author maintain different views on …

Paragraph 3 (Body)

In this paragraph, you’ll focus on another key point in the lecture and again discuss how the passage either agrees or disagrees with this idea. The structure here is essentially identical to that of paragraph 2, so make sure you are using new transitions and varying your word choice.

1. Start by introducing the second point  in the lecture you’ll be discussing. Because this is your second body paragraph, do not use transitions such as “first” or “first of all.”

• Second, the lecturer argues/contends/asserts that …
• Next, the lecturer suggests/proposes that …
• Another key point the lecturer makes is that …

2. Next, explain this key point in more detail  and elaborate on how it is either refuted or supported by the passage. As with paragraph 2, I recommend using one to two sentences here.

• In other words, the lecturer is suggesting/proposing that …
• The author, however, agrees/disagrees with this idea/belief, suggesting/proposing that …
• Similarly, the author argues/contends/asserts that …

3. Finally, explain what this difference or similarity means .

• What this difference/similarity means is that …
• This difference/similarity in thinking tells us that …
• Evidently, the lecturer thinks/believes that … , whereas the author thinks/believes that …

Paragraph 4 (Body + Conclusion)

This final body paragraph will offer  your last key point in addition to a brief conclusion . Once again, try to vary your transitions and words here so that your body paragraphs do not sound redundant.

1. Introduce and summarize the third point in the lecture . This is your third and final body paragraph, so do not use transitions such as “first” or “next.” Instead, use transitions such as “third,” “finally,” “last,” and “lastly.”

• Third, the lecturer explains/states that …
• Finally, the lecturer introduces the idea that …
• Lastly, the lecturer goes on to say that …

2. Then, explain this point in more detail and discuss whether the passage matches or challenges it. Use one or two sentences here.

• This point is also made in the passage, which argues/contends/asserts that …
• The passage supports this idea, suggesting/proposing that …
• On the contrary, the author writes that …

3. Finally, conclude your paragraph by explaining the significance of this similarity or difference . You should also look at this sentence as the conclusion to your entire response . Remember, you do not need to write a separate concluding paragraph for this task; it’s perfectly OK to combine it with your last body paragraph!

• In conclusion, the lecturer and author appear to be in agreement/disagreement about …
• All in all, the lecturer argues/contends/asserts that … , whereas the author argues/contends/asserts that …

Template 2: Independent Writing Task

For this task, you will read a short prompt and then write a response explaining whether you agree or disagree with the issue or idea. Unlike the Integrated task, here you’ll be writing an opinionated response  (though you do not have to write about your actual opinion).

You’ll have 30 minutes to write an essay of at least 300 words . Because this essay should be longer than the Integrated task, it’s best to use the basic five-paragraph structure, with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Note that many of the example sentences below are based on the sample Independent Writing prompt used above . This means that these sentences will not apply exactly to other prompts! So don’t simply copy the sentences onto your test; instead, use them as a general guide to help you develop a better sense of style and flow in your writing.

Now, let’s take a look at our Independent Writing TOEFL template.

In this paragraph, you’ll introduce the main issue or idea and rephrase the prompt in your own words. Then, you’ll state whether you agree or disagree with the statement and why.

1. For your first sentence, you’ll want to come up with a hook  that introduces the topic of your essay in a unique and creative way. Most people  start broad and then get specific . This sentence is also a great opportunity to insert a hypothetical question.

• There is great debate about .. .
• It is said that .. . But is this always true?
• Many people wonder  whether telling the truth at all times is necessary in order to maintain a healthy relationship with someone .

2. Next, introduce your opinion on the topic . You may list your specific reasons for your opinion here or in the following sentence(s). Remember, this doesn’t need to be your real opinion!

• In my opinion, …
• I believe that … is important because …
• I agree/disagree with this idea/suggestion because …
• For me, although telling the truth is important , there are many cases in which it’s OK to lie .

3. Here, state how many points (three is ideal) you’ll be discussing in your essay and then  briefly summarize what these reasons for agreeing or disagreeing are . Your reasons may come from facts, predictions, personal beliefs, experiences, etc.

• In this essay, I will address three potential problems with lying in relationships .
• Lying is never a smart idea because it undermines trust in relationships, causes feelings of betrayal, and often leads to more lying.

In this paragraph, you’ll introduce  your first key point about the issue and offer specific examples illustrating why you agree or disagree.

1. For the first sentence, introduce the key point you want to talk about.

• First of all, lying can make it difficult to trust someone in a relationship.

2. Next, provide an example to explain why you believe this is the case . I suggest using a hypothetical situation somewhere in your essay to help illustrate one of your points.

• For example, if a father lied to his daughter by telling her she was good at drawing, the daughter might begin to wonder whether her father has lied to her about other things, too.

3. Continue your paragraph by elaborating on your example . Explain any effect or consequence of the example and discuss how this outcome supports your viewpoint.

• The next time the father praises his daughter for something, she might believe he is lying, even if he isn’t. In other words, the daughter might find it difficult to trust her father, thereby damaging their relationship.

This paragraph will follow a similar structure to that of paragraph 2, only this time you’ll discuss your second key point . To prevent this paragraph from sounding too similar to the one before it, vary your word choice and choose a different type of example on which to focus.

1. In the first sentence, introduce your second key point . Because this is your second body paragraph (and second point), make sure you employ appropriate transitions, such as “second,” “secondly,” and “next.”

• Second, lying can cause feelings of betrayal in relationships.

2. As you did in paragraph 2, use these next few sentences to elaborate on your point and offer specific examples . Always clarify how your examples support your stance (agree or disagree) and how they relate back to the issue stated in the prompt.

• When I was young, I lied to my best friend about being able to attend her birthday party. She later told me I’d betrayed her and that we couldn’t be friends anymore. Essentially, because I’d lied to her, I destroyed our relationship.

Paragraph 4 (Body)

This is the last body paragraph in which you will introduce and explain your third and final key point .

1. First, introduce your third point . As this is your final body paragraph, make sure you’re using appropriate transitions, such as “finally,” “last,” “lastly,” and “third,” to introduce your point.

• Lastly, lying often begets more lying. This means that once you tell a lie, you will become more likely to tell other lies.

2. As you did in paragraphs 2 and 3, elaborate on this point by providing new evidence, details, and/or examples. Explain why this point is important and how it supports your stance on the issue.

• If you lie but nobody knows you’ve lied, you might begin to believe it’s OK to lie. As a result, you start to lie more and more. However, once people realize how often you lie, they’ll likely lose all trust in you and might even decide to end their relationships with you.

Paragraph 5 (Conclusion)

Like the Integrated Writing task, a separate concluding paragraph isn’t always necessary here . That said, if you have time, I recommend quickly wrapping up your points in a concise yet effective conclusion. One to three sentences should suffice.

1. In the first sentence or two, summarize your stance and explain why you feel this way . You may re-introduce your three main points here. You may also paraphrase the prompt and explain once more whether you agree or disagree with the issue and why.

• In the end, I believe telling the truth is the most important consideration in a relationship.
• Ultimately, lying can easily destroy relationships because it weakens trust, results in feelings of betrayal, and often causes more lying.

2. Finally, if you have time, bring together your concluding paragraph with a single general statement about your viewpoint .

• This is why it is imperative we always refrain from lying.
• Thus, the only way to ensure your relationships with others are healthy is to always tell the truth.

54 Key Transitions & Phrases

In addition to TOEFL essay templates, we offer you an assortment of  common transitions and phrases you can use in your TOEFL responses. These words will allow your writing to flow more smoothly and connect your thoughts in a clearer, more logical manner.

To add information to a point, or to introduce a new (related) point:

• In addition, …
• Additionally, …
• Furthermore, …
• Moreover, …
• Besides, …
• Also, …

To introduce an example:

• For example, …
• For instance, …

To introduce an opinion:

• I believe that …
• I think that …

To start a new body paragraph:

• First off, …
• First of all, …
• To begin/start, …
• Secondly, …
• Last, …

To add similar or related information:

• Likewise, …
• Similarly, …
• On a related note, …

To restate information in a shorter or clearer way:

• In other words, …
• In short, …
• Simply put, …
• Essentially, …
• In essence, …
• Basically, …

To contrast information:

• That (being) said, …
• Nevertheless, …
• Nonetheless, …
• By/in contrast, …
• On the contrary, …
• On the other hand, …

To show cause and effect:

• As a result, …
• Because of this, …
• As such, …
• Consequently, …
• Therefore, …

To emphasize information:

• Evidently, …
• Clearly, …
• Certainly, …

To conclude information, a paragraph, or your overall response:

• In conclusion, …
• All in all, …
• As you can see, …
• In the end, …
• Ultimately, …

How to Customize a TOEFL Writing Template

Below, we offer you a few pieces of advice to help you customize your TOEFL Writing template.

Integrated Writing Template

Here are two ways to customize our TOEFL Integrated Writing template.

#1: Tweak Sample Sentences & Openers

The sample sentence and openers we’ve provided above don’t contain any specific information, so you are welcome to incorporate these examples into your own Integrated Writing response however you like.

That said, you don’t need to use these examples exactly as they are . If you’d like to tweak them, try replacing the verbs and transitions with other (synonymous) words. I also suggest adding adverbs to emphasize certain words. So for example, instead of writing, “The author, however, disagrees with this belief,” you could write, “The author, on the other hand, strongly challenges this concept.”

Just be sure that the examples you’re using in your essay fit with the type of lecture-passage relationship you’re given. Remember, this relationship can be either supportive (in which the lecture agrees with the passage) or contrastive (in which the lecture disagrees with the passage).

#2: Use Different Words to Emphasize Contrast

Most Integrated Writing tasks will give you a lecture that challenges  what’s written in the passage. In these cases, it’s important you use a variety of transitions, conjunctions, and prepositions to emphasize this important contrast throughout your essay.

There is one caveat, though:  do not use a single transition more than once in your response . For instance, if you were to consistently start your supporting sentences with “however,” your essay would lack balance and begin to sound redundant. So be sure to vary your word choice!

Here is a list of strong contrastive words you can use in your Integrated Writing response:

• Nonetheless …
• Even though
• In spite of

Independent Writing Template

Here are three ways you can customize our Independent Writing TOEFL template.

#1: Choose the Side That’s Easier to Support

Although the Independent Writing task asks specifically whether you agree or disagree with an idea, you do not need to write about your real opinion . What you should really do is choose the side that’s easier to argue — regardless of whether you actually agree or disagree with it!

In other words, it’s perfectly OK to make things up for this response and pretend you support something you don’t actually believe. Remember, you are not being judged on which stance you choose but on  how effectively you support your stance.

#2: Do Not Copy Sample Sentences Word for Word

For this task’s examples, I’ve primarily supplied you with whole sentences, all of which were based on the sample Independent Writing prompt used above. Because our examples refer to a specific prompt, you cannot  copy these sample sentences word for word and use them in your own essay . Failing to change these sentences means your essay won’t make a whole lot of sense, if any at all!

Therefore, what you should actually be doing is using these example sentences to learn what types of details to include in your Independent Writing response. You may also use our examples to get a feel for how you can change up your sentences and word choice.

#3: Vary Your Supporting Details

For your response, you must come up with specific details and examples to support your viewpoint. These examples can range from facts and statistics to experiences and hypothetical situations.

In order to produce a truly compelling response (and get a high essay score), you must incorporate a variety of effective examples into your essay. This means you’ll want to  avoid using the same types of examples for each point you make . So if you were to discuss a personal experience for your first body paragraph, focus on a different type of detail, such as a universally accepted fact or a hypothetical scenario, for your second body paragraph.

How to Use a TOEFL Writing Template: 4 Tips

Finally, here are four general tips for using a TOEFL Writing template effectively.

#1: Employ a Variety of Transitions

The sample sentences and openers we’ve given you for each template above contain different transitions to help link ideas together; thus, we encourage you to use a variety of transitions in your own essays . For ideas, refer to our transition list above. This list can help you swap out some of our sample transitions for other ones you believe fit better with your writing.

Ultimately, varying your word choice is critical to ensuring your essay is well written . This means that a high-scoring TOEFL essay will not simply use transitions but use them well . So if you’ve already inserted “therefore” in one area, try using “as a result” or “thus” in another area. You’ll still get the same meaning but with a stronger, more versatile effect.

#2: Add Details Without Rambling

Don’t feel limited by the number of sentences we’ve included in each body paragraph in our templates. If you need to use two or three sentences to explain a point, that’s OK! You should always give a lot of detail for your points — so long as you are staying concise and focused.

For example, if you spend a paragraph discussing a hypothetical scenario but fail to offer any analysis, you probably won’t receive a high TOEFL score. Likewise, if you write a verbose introduction or conclusion, your score may end up being lower than you wanted it to be.

Basically, you must find the perfect balance between detail and analysis. A good way to monitor this balance is to  always try to hit the word minimum for each task . Doing this means you’ll likely have an essay that’s sufficiently detailed. Just try not to exceed the maximum or you’ll risk rambling!

#3: 2 Strong Points Is Better Than 3 Weak Ones

Each of our TOEFL essay templates above has three body paragraphs and three main points. Although three points is a solid number of points, if you can only think of two points, just stick with those and try to   support them as clearly and effectively as possible.

As you can see in the sample TOEFL essays here , many essays with scores of 2 and 3 actually address three points — but their points are altogether weak, with few supporting details and insufficient analysis. What this means is that just having three points in your essay isn’t enough to guarantee you a high essay score . Thus, it’s far better to write an essay with two strong points than three weak ones.

#4: Do Not Copy Entire Sentences From the Prompt

If you struggle with English, you might be tempted to borrow some sentences and phrases from the prompt. While it’s OK to paraphrase sentences, you should never copy exact sentences from your prompt .

Copying the prompt shows evaluators that you lack the English level necessary for writing creatively and analytically. On top of this, copying is also a form of plagiarism, which means you are essentially “stealing” another’s work.

So what does this mean for your score? If you copy entire sentences and phrases from the reading or topic, you will receive a score of 0 .

Additional Resources for TOEFL Essay Templates

In addition to our templates above, here are a couple of online resources offering high-quality TOEFL essay templates you can use for free.

• TOEFL Resources : This resource offers detailed templates for the Integrated and Independent Writing tasks along with useful transitional phrases and sentence openers.
• Magoosh : This handy PDF contains a lengthy list of transitions as well as various sample TOEFL essays.

Recap: How Can a TOEFL Writing Template Help You?

TOEFL essay templates are an especially useful component of TOEFL prep because  they raise your chance of achieving a high TOEFL Writing score .

With TOEFL essay templates, you can organize your thoughts more clearly, spend less time outlining your responses, and prepare for the TOEFL with increased confidence. Our templates are also flexible , allowing you to customize certain elements to your liking and cater the templates to many different prompts.

When using a TOEFL template, always remember the following four tips:

• Employ a variety of transitions throughout your essay
• Add details but try not to ramble
• Two strong point are better than three weak ones
• Do not copy exact sentences from the prompt

Now that you’re equipped with our TOEFL essay templates and the knowledge of how to use them, you should have no trouble getting a great TOEFL Writing score!

What’s Next?

Seeking additional help with the TOEFL Writing section?  Start practicing with our 13 Writing topics  and get information on what resources you can use for high-quality Writing topics .

What does a high-scoring TOEFL essay look like? Take a look at our analyses of two perfect-scoring TOEFL essays  to learn what you can do to guarantee yourself a high essay score on test day.

Want more TOEFL templates?  Check out our TOEFL Speaking templates to improve your English-speaking skills and confidence.

Ready to improve your TOEFL score by 15 points?

Author: Hannah Muniz

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in English and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz

Test Resources

TOEFL® Resources by Michael Goodine

Toefl independent writing master guide (2023 update).

Here’s how the TOEFL Independent writing question works:

• It is the second writing question on the TOEFL Test
• You will be asked a question about your personal opinion and be given 30 minutes to write about it.
• Questions can be about any topics, but they are most often about education, work and society in general.
• There is no minimum or maximum word count, but I think you should write between 380 and 400 words.

Styles of Questions

There are four main styles of TOEFL independent essay questions in 2022.  They look like this:

Agree/Disagree Style (most common)

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should be required to follow strict rules set by their parents . Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. Do not use memorized examples.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Students do not respect their teachers as much as they did in the past . Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.  Do not use memorized examples.

Multiple Choice Style (common)

Which of the following values do you think is best to teach to a young child? being honest being helpful 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. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. Make sure to use your own words. Do not use memorized examples.

Imaginary Situation (less common)

Imagine a situation where you have a school assignment and are unable to finish it before the deadline given by your teacher.  What do you think is the best thing to do in this case – submit an incomplete assignment, or wait until it is completely finished and submit it after the deadline. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.  Do not use memorized examples.

Note that questions are somewhat longer than in the past.

Coming up with Ideas

I get a lot of questions about how to come up with ideas about what to write.  To deal with this problem, check out my video .

How to Structure the Essay (Template)

To show you how to write the essay, I will use this question:

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Students do not respect their teachers as much as they did in the past . Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Writing an Introduction

The first part of your TOEFL independent essay is the introductory paragraph.  You could follow this template:

• Sentence One: The “Background Information” This is an interesting sentence that introduces the general theme or topic of the essay.  I recommend stating something that most people agree we should do :  “ Most people agree that everyone in the world should… “
• Sentence Two: The Main P oint This is your main argument and direct answer to the question. Start with “ Personally, I believe that… “
• Sentence Three: The T ransition Just use: “ I feel this way for two reasons, which I will explore in the following essay .”

For the above question, the introduction could look something like this:

Most people in the world agree that everyone should get as much education as possible. Personally, I believe that young people do not have as much respect for their teachers as in the past. 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 waste time on the opening line.  It isn’t very important.
• Don’t copy and paste from the prompt.
• Write about 50 words .

Writing Body Paragraphs

Next you must write two body paragraphs that support your thesis. You could dse this template for your first body paragraph:

• Sentence One: A Topic  Sentence This summarizes your first supporting reason. Begin with “ To begin with… “.
• Sentences Two and Three : The Explanation Explain what you mean, without talking directly about a personal experience.
• Sentence  Four: The Transition Just use: “ My personal experience is a compelling illustration  of this. “
• Sentence Six to End: The Personal  Example An example from your life that illustrates this argument. It should make up about 60% of the body paragraph.

This leads to a paragraph like this:

To begin with , there are many more ways for students to learn nowadays, which means they are less reliant on teachers than in the past. A few years ago, children could only acquire new skills by going to school and attending classes , so they respected their teachers a lot. In contrast , now they can easily use technology to learn independently. My personal experience is a compelling illustration of this .  For the past five years, I have studied English almost every single day. Although my native language is Korean, I am able to easily communicate in English without feeling any anxiety.  I expand my vocabulary by using a smartphone application that teaches me new phrases twice per day, and I practice pronunciation by watching videos on the Internet.  Consequently , I feel like old-fashioned classes with a teacher are not as important as they used to be.  If I had tried to become proficient in English twenty years ago, I would have depended on a teacher and respected her a lot.

Use a similar template for your second body paragraph:

• Sentence One: A Topic  Sentence This summarizes your second supporting reason. Begin with “ Furthermore… “.
• Sentences Two and Three : The Explanation Explain what you mean, without talking directly about personal experience.
• Sentence  Four: The Transition Just use: “ For instance, “
• Sentences Five to End: The Personal Example An example from your life that illustrates this argument. Again, it should be about 60% of the paragraph.

That would result in a paragraph looking something like this:

Furthermore , teachers are no longer strict, which means children don’t fear them at all. If teachers fail to discipline students when they misbehave, they do not feel obligated to respect them. This problem is very common nowadays.  For instance, a few months ago my little brother used profanity when addressing his math teacher.  Surprisingly, he wasn’t punished for this terrible behavior. His teacher was afraid of how our parents would react to my brother being punished, so he just ignored it. Since then , my brother hasn’t respected that teacher at all , and is often quite rude. In addition , a lot of his classmates have picked up on the fact that they can get away with impolite behavior and have started acting up as well. Based on this experience , I strongly feel that young people do not respect educators like they did in the past.

There are a few things to keep in mind as you write the body paragraphs:

• Use a mix of simple, compound and complex sentences.  This is mentioned as “syntactic variety” in the scoring rubric.
• Emphasize the examples.  They are easy to write, so they should make up about 60% (or more) of each body paragraph.  If you emphasize them, you will make fewer mistakes. 
• Avoid very short sentences (less than seven words) and very long sentences (more than 60 words).
• Don’t start sentences with coordinating conjunctions.  The e-rater seems to dislike this.
• Use a variety of discourse phrases (therefore, moreover, as a result, in addition, etc).
• Write about 150 words in each body paragraph.

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 strongly feel that… “.
• Sentence Two: Restate the Two Reasons Just use: “ This is because ______, and _______. “

That will produce something that looks like this:

In conclusion, I strongly feel that children do not respect their teachers as much as they used to. This is because teachers are not as essential as they were a few decades ago , and they are too nervous to enforce rules .

Here’s what you should keep in mind:

• Paraphrase yourself. Don’t copy and paste from either the thesis or the topic sentences when you write the conclusion.
• Don’t introduce new arguments in the conclusion
• Write about 40 words 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:

• There is no word limit.  You can write as much as you want.
• In multiple choice questions you can totally ignore the choices you don’t pick.
• The template works for all of the styles
• Practice does not make perfect.  Proper practice makes perfect.  For help, sign up for my evaluation program .
• You will not get punished for using a simple template.

Further Reading

We maintain a large collection of  complete sample essays , written using the above techniques.

You may wish to continue by reading our guide to the integrated essay .

Sign up for express essay evaluation today!

Submit your practice 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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Mind Maps for Essay Writing (Guide + Examples)

In this article we’ll show you how to use mind maps for essay writing . Mind maps can not only make this often dreadful task a whole lot easier, but also save you a huge amount of time. If you want to learn how this simple yet effective technique works, just follow the steps as outlined below.

Looking for even more ways to use mind maps? Get inspired with these 13 mind map examples .

What Is a Mind Map?

A mind map is a diagram that displays information visually. You can create mind maps using pen and paper, or you can use an online mind mapping tool such as MindMeister . Whatever you use, the rules for creating a mind map are simple:

1) Write the subject in the center of your paper / canvas.

2) Draw branches that point away from the center. Each branch symbolizes one thought or idea related to the subject. Use meaningful keywords to write these ideas onto the branches.

3) From each branch more ideas can branch off . There is no limit to the number of hierarchical levels in a map.

4) Use colors, icons and images whenever possible. These function as mental triggers and can help spark new ideas in you, which is important during brainstorming sessions .

Now that you know how to create a basic mind map, let’s go over how you can use mind maps for essay writing.

Step 1: Using a Mind Map to Find a Good Topic for Your Essay

If you have the opportunity to choose the topic for your paper yourself, try to find one that’s been covered by other researchers before but still gives you a chance to come up with new findings and conclusions . If you choose a topic that has already been explored in depth by a gazillion other researchers, you might be hard-pressed to develop a unique perspective.

Ideally, the topic should be something you are also personally interested in, or at least something you can relate to in some way. This will make the whole task of writing your essay a little less dreadful. The best way to find such a topic is a  brainstorming session .

How to brainstorm topic ideas in a mind map

Create a new mind map and simply write “My Essay” or “My Paper” in the center of the map. Now, start adding ideas around the center. These can be things your professor suggested, related subjects you discussed in class, or anything else relevant to get you started.

Next, note down your own areas of interest and see where they intersect with the former. Once you have a few good ideas for the subject of your paper, you can start weighing them against each other, noting down pros and cons . Eliminate topics until you’re left with only one. This will be the topic of your paper.

In the example below, the only requirement that had been given was to write a paper about literature from the English Renaissance. You’ll see various famous writers of this time mentioned in the map, as well as various aspects of their work that could be examined in a paper, such as the symbolism, dramatic conflicts or themes.

Step 2: Start the Research Process

While working through both primary and secondary sources, it’s quite easy to get confused about the numerous arguments and counterarguments mentioned by the different authors. Many students get frustrated and waste time just trying to figure out how to make all the different pieces of information fit together into a coherent text.

What you need, therefore, is a system to collect and structure all this information  in one central place, so you can easily review the materials while you write.

How to collect research in a mind map

Create a new mind map for each source (book, article, essay) you read and take notes in this mind map while you work through the text . Alternatively, you can use  one single map where you list all your sources and create branches for every page/paragraph/quote you want to use in your paper.

In the map below, you’ll see that — based on our initial brainstorming session — we chose ‘Love in Romeo and Juliet’ as the topic of our paper. For our research map, we wrote this topic in the center and created individual branches for each secondary source we read.

Next to the book title, we noted down the topics covered in the source, its central question as well as important passages that we thought we might want to quote in our essay.

Here are some practical tips to set you up for success:

• Use colors , arrows and icons to indicate connections between the arguments and quotes.
• Be sure to add the page numbers of your secondary sources to the topics in the map so you can quickly go back to do some more fact checking if necessary. If you’re working with online sources, you can also attach their links directly to the topics in your map.
• As you go along, you can restructure the sources according to their common themes. This usually provides a better overview of the material you have available for each section of your paper.

Here’s another example of a research map. This is the map we used to take notes while reading Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet , the subject of our paper. As you can see, we created branches for each of the text passages we wanted to analyze in the essay.

Step 3: Outline Your Paper in a Mind Map

Before you start with the actual writing , it’s very important that you first  create an outline of your paper . This will help you create a coherent structure of your arguments, counterarguments, examples, quotes, and the sources you want to reference in each argument.

You can quickly review this outline whenever you get sidetracked in your writing process, or when you’re unsure about how to continue. A mind map is a great format for such an outline because it provides you with a visual overview of your thesis statement  and the entire text structure .

If you’re using mind mapping software such as MindMeister , you can also…

• Link the individual topics in your map with the respective research maps you’ve created.
• Add notes and deadlines to each step to make sure your writing stays on schedule.
• Export your finished outline as a Word document and use it as the basis for your paper.

Using mind maps to plan and outline your essay will not only make the writing process a lot easier. It will also enable you to work through sources more efficiently and help you find and review information more quickly . Of course, you can use mind mapping for all types of writing assignments — from essays to short stories and from book reports to blog posts . Try it out!

Plan and outline your essays

See also: The Student’s Guide to Mind Mapping

TOEFL iBT ®

The premier test of academic English communication

Learn more by selecting any step in your TOEFL iBT ®  journey.

TOEFL iBT Test Writing Section

The TOEFL iBT test Writing section measures your ability to write in English in an academic setting, and to present your ideas in a clear, well-organized way.

There are two writing tasks.

• Integrated writing task (20 minutes) — read a short passage and listen to a short lecture, then write in response to what you read and listened to.
• Writing for an Academic Discussion task (10 minutes) — state and support an opinion in an online classroom discussion.

You'll type your responses on a computer keyboard.

Test time:  It should take about 29 minutes to complete the Writing section.

Scoring: Writing tasks are scored based on the  Writing Scoring Guides (Rubrics) (PDF)  by a combination of AI scoring and certified human raters. Raw scores are converted to a scaled section score of 0–30.

Practice Your Writing Skills

Explore a variety of official prep offerings to practice your English-writing skills with TOEFL ® TestReady ™ . Get insights and feedback on your grammar, usage, mechanics and more.

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

Share your opinion in an online discussion with a professor and other students.

1. TOEFL BASICS

Toefl overview.

• TOEFL Exam Details
• Registration
• Administration

TOEFL iBT Format

2. toefl skills, primary skills.

• Reading Skills
• Listening Skills
• Speaking Skills
• Speaking Tips
• Free TOEFL Speaking Samples
• Writing Skills
• TOEFL Writing Topics

Secondary Skills

• Pronunciation

Support Skills

• Summarizing
• Paraphrasing
• Mind Mapping
• Synthesizing

3. TOEFL RESOURCES

Toefl books, in-class training.

• TOEFL Prep Centres
• ESL Schools

Online Training

Studying toefl abroad, 4. attitude, test anxiety.

• Types of Anxiety
• Causes of Anxiety
• Symptoms of Anxiety
• Reducing Anxiety

5. TOEFL Videos

6. toefl blog.

• Kindle Store
• Kindle eBooks
• Education & Teaching

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TOEFL Essay Skills - Mind-Mapping Kindle Edition

• Print length 54 pages
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• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• Publication date July 29, 2013
• File size 5691 KB
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Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00E8HXB7U
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 29, 2013
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 5691 KB
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• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
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Moving English Lessons

5 tips to get a high score on the toefl academic discussion board task.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a widely recognized assessment of English language proficiency. For those aspiring to study in English-speaking countries, a high score on the TOEFL can open doors to prestigious institutions and better career opportunities. 

One of the most critical sections of the TOEFL iBT is the Academic Writing Discussion Board Task.  You have only 10 minutes to write 100+ words.  In this blog post, we will delve into five essential tips that will help you achieve a high score in this demanding task.

Tip 1: Provide a General Statement about the Topic

The first step in completing the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task is to start with a clear and concise general statement about the given topic. This statement sets the stage for your response and helps the reader understand the context of your argument. Your general statement should be well-constructed and relevant to the topic at hand. 

Here’s an example:

“Global warming is a complex and pressing issue that affects our planet on multiple levels, including the environment, economy, and public health.”

By beginning your response with a well-crafted general statement like this, you provide a strong foundation for your argument, which is crucial for scoring well on this task.

Tip 2: Write a Variety of Kinds of Sentences to Support Your Opinion

Variety is the spice of life, and it’s no different in the world of academic writing. In the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task, it’s essential to exhibit a range of sentence structures to demonstrate your command of the English language. Mix simple, compound, and complex sentences to keep your writing engaging and effective. 

Here’s an example of how to incorporate variety in sentence structure:

“While some argue that stricter environmental regulations may hinder economic growth, I contend that they are essential for preserving our planet for future generations. Furthermore, the long-term benefits of sustainable practices far outweigh the short-term costs.”

By employing different sentence structures, you not only showcase your language skills but also make your response more engaging and convincing.

Consider writing sentences using the following structures:

Opinion+ example

Opinion + reasons

Listing (Firstly…secondly…)

Argument + counter argument

Tip 3: Show Contrast to What Others Have Said and Provide a Counterargument

In the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task, you are often presented with a topic that the professor introduces along with two different student viewpoints on a topic. To score well, you need to demonstrate your ability to critically analyze and synthesize these perspectives, but most importantly, defend a unique and new argument. One effective way to do this is by showing contrast and providing a counterargument.

For example, if Samuel suggests that environmental regulations are crucial for protecting the planet, you can incorporate this contrast into your response:

“While Samuel emphasizes the importance of stringent environmental regulations for safeguarding our planet, I firmly believe that it is essential that each citizen take small actions to recycle and plant trees.”

By acknowledging the differing viewpoints and providing a counterargument, you showcase your ability to critically assess complex issues—a skill highly valued in academic settings. 

Even so, it isn’t at all necessary to cite what others have said to get a high score.  In fact, you can simply be persuasive and argue your own point without mentioning what the others have said.  The key point is to back up your ideas with reasons and examples and provide a strong argument to ADD to the discussion. 

Tip 4: Work with a Teacher for Feedback

One of the most effective ways to improve your TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task performance is to seek feedback from a knowledgeable source. Engaging a teacher or tutor can provide invaluable insights into your writing skills and help you identify areas that need improvement. They can evaluate your responses, provide guidance on structure, grammar, and content, and suggest ways to enhance your writing.

Additionally, working with a teacher can help you understand the TOEFL scoring criteria and how to meet them effectively. They can also help you fine-tune your timing and test-taking strategies. Having a mentor or teacher is like having a personal coach to guide you toward success in the TOEFL.

SIGN-UP for a Discovery Call with me today

Tip 5: improve your grammar.

Grammar is the backbone of effective communication in any language. In the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task, grammatical errors can be a major roadblock to achieving a high score. Your writing should be clear, coherent, and error-free.

To improve your grammar, it’s essential to practice regularly. You can start by identifying common grammatical mistakes you make and working on them. Online resources, grammar books, and grammar-checking tools can be immensely helpful. 

Additionally, consider taking English courses or workshops specifically designed for TOEFL preparation. These resources can provide you with targeted grammar exercises and assessments to strengthen your skills.

Remember to proofread your response before submitting it. Correcting grammatical errors not only improves your score but also makes your writing more precise and persuasive.

In conclusion, the TOEFL Academic Discussion Board task is a critical component of the TOEFL iBT, and mastering it requires practice, strategy, and dedication. By following these five tips—providing a general statement, using a variety of sentence structures, showing contrast, seeking feedback, and improving your grammar—you can significantly enhance your performance in this task and work towards achieving a high score on the TOEFL. With persistence and the right approach, you can open doors to a world of opportunities for academic and professional success. Good luck!

Resources for self-study:

TOEFL IBT Writing Guide by Michael Goodine

TOEFL Resources blog and website  with sample essays

Watch Josh McPherson’s latest Youtube video about the new Writing task

Practice the Academic Discussion Board tasks on the ETS website

Use the Powerful Website, My SpeakingScore.Com to practice 

Practice Paraphrasing

Sign-up for my TOEFL Power-Up Speaking and Writing Course

Free Mind Map for Essay Templates by GitMind

Making an essay is a common piece of advice offered to you along with your writing assignment. In that case, this post will teach you how to make mind maps as well as how to use pre-made mind maps for essay models. Mind mapping organizes information in a way that mirrors how our brains truly operate, as opposed to standard note-taking or linear text that you’ve been taught or have grown accustomed to. It can also help you avoid the stumbling blocks and overload created by overt analytical thinking. It lets you view more than one notion at a time, which helps to clarify your thoughts.

Free Mind Map for Essay by GitMind

Effective essay writing, essay topic template, paragraph essay organizer, mind map for essay benefits, how to create a mind map for an essay.

A mind map for writing an essay is a written piece in which you convey a certain topic and then back it up with facts, claims, analyses, and explanations. The five-paragraph essay is the most common style of an essay, though an essay can have as many parts as necessary. A 5 essay is comprised of five paragraphs. An essay, on the other hand, is divided into 3 sections: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

According to the mind map essay example, an essay is a written piece in which you convey a certain topic and then back it up with facts, claims, analyses, and explanations. The five-paragraph essay is the most common style of an essay, though an essay can have as many parts as necessary. A 5 essay is comprised of five paragraphs. An essay, on the other hand, is divided into 3 sections: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

Plan essay mind map template with this paragraph organizer. The introduction should begin with a broad statement and end with a thesis statement that zooms in on the themes you will discuss in considerable depth. The proof of your idea should be included in the body paragraphs. Lastly, the conclusions affirm your topic and the key ideas of your work and then zoom out with an assessment or comment on the greater issue.

Mind map for essay may be an excellent method for you to try if you want to attain higher levels of attention and creativity, as well as the improved organization and more succinct communication. The advantages of concept maps are numerous and diverse. In essence, they include: presenting an overview of a vast subject/broad issue and enabling you to portray it in a more compact manner and also creating a more appealing and entertaining structure for your ocular to look at, ruminate over, and remember.

Creating a mind map essay example is always challenging, even if you are a superb writer and are well-versed in the subject. In contrast to other types of writing, you need to cultivate an interesting way of thinking in order to persuade readers of your point of view. In this instance, a program like GitMind might be useful. It will enable you to write essays that need ordered thought. While there are various strategies for arranging the thoughts you want to include in your essay, many people connect using a mind map for essay writing to utilizing a mind map. This program makes it easy to brainstorm, convey your ideas, and clarify your position.

• To get started, go to the GitMind official website. and then press the “Get Started” button.

• Start designing your mind map for writing an essay by clicking the “Create MindMap” button.

• Select your favorite layout and begin entering data into each node.

• When you’re finished, just click the “Save” button to save your changes.

In summary, making a mind map for essay writing is a basic yet very efficient method of brainstorming and outlining your thoughts. A mind map represents your topic by using a primary thought and branches that explain the center notion. Terms and keyphrases, color codes for phrases and branching, and visual materials like doodles or symbols are all used in well-drawn mind maps. On a single page, you may generally summarize all of your essay’s main points.

Related posts:

• Best 8 Free Online UML diagram tools in 2024
• What is A Probability Tree Diagram and Real Life Uses

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TOEFL Essay Skills - Mind-Mapping

The following are some ideas to improve a mind mapping: gather all the information you need, * Draw an easy image or symbol to represent your central idea in the centre of the page, * Think of the major points or topics of your mind map, radiate your key topics of the central image as branches adding a key word that represents that topic, * Explore your key branches with sub-branches or thoughts by adding single words to each sub-branch, * Use your colored pens and add images to make your map vibrant and exciting, * Produce your mind map using the new and exciting mind mapping software. Are you still using rote memorization to recall ideas and vocabulary? Are you still leaving things until the last minute? Are you still finding TOEFL Writing worrisome? TOEFL Skills - Mind-Mapping will introduce you how to brainstorm, organize your points and write in response to the question. In addition, brainstorming diagrams, map, will guide you to broaden your mind.

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MindMap Gallery Seven ways to memorize TOEFL words

Seven ways to memorize TOEFL words

This is a mind map about the seven methods of TOEFL word memory. The main contents include etymology memory method, form memory method, sound memory method, comprehensive memory method, homophonic memory method, etc.

• Recommended to you

memory palace reading notes

Harvard long term memory method

etymology mnemonics

amity, Latin amicus=friend, Spanish amigo=friend, French ami=friend so amity=friendly relationship

intangible tangent comes from tange contact intangible inaccessible

felicity, from Latin felix=happy, felix the cat happy cat---felicity happy

memory method

Shaped like a candle, lit candle

The probe problem is similar to probe in that it asks puzzles so it needs to be explored.

sinister is similar to sisiter you have an evil sister sinister evil

near-sound memory

opague is incomprehensible and opaque. It is similar to OPEC, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Oil is opaque or Opac, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. It is difficult to understand the rise and fall of oil prices.

austere, oh, still. What kind of person is he now? Oh, he is still a very strict person.

The pronunciation of castigate is similar to cast the gate, throw the door out and reprimand

comprehensive memory method

Use various clever ideas to help memorize words

amnesia forgets i am from indonesia Later, he got amnesia and could only say i am nesia

The combustion combustion process is similar to come and add the bus. Next time you see the bus coming (here comes the bus), its power source is an internal combustion engine that continuously burns gasoline.

elapse time passes, elapse letters reorganize into asleep, and the time passes when you fall asleep

homophone memory method

Antipathy is a homophone for people who don’t put out cigarette butts. Antipathy means they don’t put out cigarette butts.

recess rest experience recess homonym you rest

Intuition is homophonous to Indian medicine, which relies on intuition to treat diseases.

split word mnemonics

When you encounter a long word, you can break it apart. If it doesn't help much, start with the etymology and then look for semantic connections. You can usually memorize it.

cantankerouscantankerouscantanktankerousCans and tanks both make a lot of noise

flamboyant, exaggerated, gorgeous, showing off, flame is similar to flame, boy, ant, ant. A certain rock star's clothes are patterned with flames, boys, and ants. It's really very colorful. facetious, funny, funny, facetious, thinking of the ambitious clown. He has a very ambitious expression on his face, which makes the audience look very funny and facetious.

mnemonic syntax

exude is homophonic to Yixiu. Sentence: master ikkyu exude wisdom spreads

asylum mental hospital asylum homophonic a silent place asylum is a silent place

asset property asset asset pronunciation is similar to essay essay Montaigne’s work of essays is an valuable asset to human being