TOEFL WritingTemplate

Broadly speaking, you’ll get a TOEFL independent writing question based on one of the following styles:

• Agree/Disagree
• Multiple Choice
• Paired Choice
• “Good Idea”

The most common is the agree/disagree style, which is used about 50% of the time. The multiple choice and paired choice styles are each used about 20% of the time. The “good idea” style appears about 10% of the time. Samples of each question type are below. Each sample question includes a complete essay.

Note that the questions aren’t about just any topics. Mosts of the time, they are about education, working and lifestyle preferences.

At the bottom of the page you will find some sample integrated TOEFL essays. I can’t provide the reading and lectures for those, but you might find the structures used in the essays helpful

Integrated

Template

Integrated Essay Template (Writing Question One)

The Introduction

• The reading and the lecture are both about _____.
• The author of the reading feels that __.
• The lecturer challenges the claims made by the author.
• He is of the opinion that _____.

The Body Paragraphs

• To begin with, the author argues that _____.
• The article mentions that __.
• This specific argument is challenged by the lecturer.
• He claims __.
• Additionally, he says __.

–

• Secondly, the writer suggests __.
• In the article, it is said that _____.
• The lecturer, however, rebuts this by mentioning __.
• He elaborates on this by bringing up the point that __.

–

• Finally, the author posits that _____.
• Moreover, it is stated in the article that __.
• In contrast, the lecturer’s position is _____.
• He notes that _____.

You don’t need a conclusion.

Sample

The reading and the lecture are both about whether monarch butterfly populations are declining, and whether herbicides should be banned in order to save them. The author of the reading believes that herbicides should not be banned. The lecturer casts doubt on the claims made in the article. She thinks that herbicides pose a serious threat to the butterflies and should be outlawed.

​ First of all, the author claims that no overall decline in monarch butterfly populations has been observed in North America. He notes that populations in certain areas have dropped, but that these have been offset by gains in other locations. This point is challenged by the lecturer. She says because the butterflies are extremely territorial, it is very easy for biologists to count them. Furthermore, she points out that a very clear drop in monarch butterfly populations has, in fact, been measured.

​ Secondly, the author states that herbicides kill the milkweed that butterflies consume, but that plenty of it still remains in the wild for them to feed on. He argues that herbicides have not caused a general decline in milkweed availability, but just a decline on commercial farmland. This argument is rebutted by the lecturer. She suggests that it is a well-known fact that America is rapidly losing rural land because of urban sprawl. She notes that this effect has led to a very real decline of milkweed availability in rural areas.

​ Finally, the author mentions that the attempt to ban herbicides is based on emotion rather than evidence and research. He is of the opinion that people only want to ban the herbicides because they affect the food of their beloved butterflies. The lecturer, on the other hand, feels that the move to ban herbicides is based on a rational examination of the evidence available. She puts forth the idea that we know the herbicides affect milkweed and we know that butterflies consume milkweed, so we can logically assume that the herbicides are detrimental to the insects.

Independent

Template

Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

• Sentence One: The “Hook” This is an interesting sentence that introduces the general theme or topic of the essay.
• Sentence Two: The Main Point This is your main argument and direct answer to the question. Start with “Personally, I believe __.“
• Sentence Three: The Transition Just use: “I feel this way for two reasons, which I will explore in the following essay.”

Paragraph Two (Body 1)

• Sentence One: A Topic Sentence This summarizes your first supporting reason. Begin with “First of all ____“.
• Sentences Two to Four: The Explanation Explain what you mean, without talking directly about a personal experience. Shorten if necessary.
• Sentence Five: The Transition Just use: “My personal experience is a compelling example of this.“
• Sentence Six to End: The Personal Example An example from your life that illustrates this argument. Make it longer than the explanation part.

Paragraph Three (Body 2)

• Sentence One: A Topic Sentence This summarizes your second supporting reason. Begin with “Secondly ___“.
• Sentence Two to Four: The Explanation Explain what you mean, without talking directly about personal experience. Shorten if necessary.
• Sentence Five: The Transition Just use: “For instance, ____“
• Sentence Five to End: The Personal Example An example from your life (or someone else’s life) that illustrates this argument. Make it longer that the explanation part.

Paragraph Four (conclusion)

• Sentence One: Restate the Thesis Paraphrase your thesis. Begin with “In conclusion, I am of the opinion that…“.
• Sentence Two: Restate the Two Reasons Just use: “This is because ______, and _______.“

Sample

​ The world is changing at a rapid pace nowadays due to the actions of human populations. I am of the opinion that humanity has had a mostly negative effect on the planet. I feel this way for two reasons, which I will explore in the following essay.

​ To begin with, industrial development has caused major air pollution, which has a terrible effect on our health. Every week we can hear news reports about how horrible air quality is in major cities all over the world. Additionally, it is often reported that chronic lung diseases are on the rise and that there is a connection between these two trends. I am reminded of the years I spent living in Beijing, which is home to many massive factories. After having spent most of my life living in the Canadian countryside where the air is mostly clean, I immediately noticed the smog and pollution of urban China. Within months I began suffering from a variety of respiratory illnesses and had difficulty breathing. As a result, I spent quite a few afternoons at a local hospital being treated for various throat and lung infections. A majority of the population of the Earth now resides in cities, and they often suffer from similar consequences of industrial development.

​ Secondly, human development has led to a massive accumulation of trash, which spoils the natural beauty of the planet. While in the past products were often made of biodegradable materials like paper and wood, today most manufactured goods are made of plastic that never breaks down. Such materials sometimes find their way into permanent landfills, but often they just end up as litter. When I traveled to the island of Borneo last summer I was impressed by the beauty of the place, but I also noticed that the natural environment was marred by an accumulation of plastic bags and water bottles that were strewn everywhere. Had I visited the island a century ago I would not have found it tainted in such a way.

​ In conclusion, I strongly believe that human activity has made the planet a less pleasant place to live. This is because people are more likely to suffer from the effects of pollution than in the past, and because humans create garbage which has destroyed the natural beauty of our world.