TOEFL Essay Writing Tips

I. Before you begin:

I. Relax and feel confident.
II. Remember that you have 30 minutes to write your essay. Use your time wisely.
III. You may write your essay on the computer or on paper. Choose the one you are
M!" comfortable with.
I#. You can write an excellent essay if you remember all these tips$
II. Understanding the TOEFL question:
"here are different types of "%&' (uestions. You never )now which (uestion you will
receive* so you must be prepared to write on +'' the types of (uestions. It is very
important that you completely understand the (uestion ,%&R% you be-in to write.
,elow are some different essay (uestion types.
1. Choose a point of view and support that view.
%xample. !ome people believe that university students should be re(uired to attend
classes. thers believe that -oin- to classes should be optional for students. /hich point
of view do you a-ree with0 Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
"his type of (uestion as)s you to loo) at only 1% side of the issue2the side you a-ree
with. 314" write about both sides. You tell which side you a-ree with and support your
ideas with details and examples.
2. Describe something.
%xample. If you could invent somethin- 1%/* what product would you develop0 Use
specific details to explain why this invention is needed0
In answerin- this type of (uestion* you MU!" be creative. It as)s you to describe
somethin- 1%/* somethin- that does not exist. You must describe it in detail +13 tell
why it is necessary.
3. Compare two points of view and tell which one you agree with.
%xample. !ome people thin) that children should be-in their formal education at a very
early a-e and should spend most of their time on school studies. thers believe that
youn- children should spend most of their time playin-. Compare these two views. /hich
view do you a-ree with0 /hy0
In this type of (uestion* you must write about ,"5 sides of this issue and then tell
which side you a-ree with. You may 1" say that you a-ree with both sides. You MU!"
ma)e a choice. &irst* -ive support* details and examples of both sides of the issue. "hen*
tell which side you a-ree with and why.
4. Agree or disagree with something.
%xample. 3o you a-ree or disa-ree with the followin- statement. 1'Y people who earn
a lot of money are successful. 3o you a-ree or disa-ree with this definition of success0
Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
In this type of (uestion* you MU!" a-ree or disa-ree. You cannot be unsure or indecisive.
+fter you have said whether you a-ree or disa-ree* you must -ive convincin- reasons
and examples for your choice.
5. !plain why something is true.
%xample. 6eople remember special -ifts or presents that they have received. /hy0 7ive
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
In this (uestion* you should use lots of examples. 8&or this (uestion* you would use
examples of -ifts one mi-ht receive and tell why those -ifts are memorable9. 3o not
write in the first person* :I.; /rite in more -eneral terms.
". #upport an idea or plan.
%xample. It has recently been announced that a new restaurant may be built in your
nei-hborhood. 3o you support or oppose this plan0 /hy0 Use specific reasons and details
to support your answer.
In this (uestion* first tell whether you support or oppose the plan and then tell why.
!ince this (uestion is somewhat personal* it is o) to use personal pronouns such as. :I*
me* my; in your answer.
III. The parts of an essay:
In every essay* there should be an introduction* a body and conclusion.
A. $he introduction%
"he introduction restates the (uestion usin- different vocabulary and<or sentence
structure. "he introduction also includes your thesis statement2the most important
sentence in your essay.
&. $he body%
"he body of your essay is also the :heart; of your essay. It will include your main ideas
and details and examples to support those ideas. %ach new idea should be a new
para-raph. "ypically* a "%&' essay will have 3 = > body para-raphs.
C. $he conclusion%
"he conclusion will be your final para-raph. It will summari?e all the main ideas in your
essay and it may also include your opinion.
IV. Ho to rite a good introdu!tion:
'et4s loo) at some more essay (uestions to see how to restate the (uestion and how to
write your thesis statement.
"%&' essay (uestion @A.
!ome people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. ther people prefer to prepare
and eat food at home. /hich do you prefer0 Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.
Restatement B "hesis.
6eople have two options when decidin- where to eat. "hey can prepare meals and eat at
home or they can -o out to stands or restaurants. I prefer to -o out to eat because the
food is more varied and interestin-* it is less wor) for me and it saves time.
+nalysis.
"he restatement mentions the two types of options people have for eatin- and tells which
one the author prefers. In addition* it -ives three reasons for that preference. "hese
three reasons will ma)e up the three main idea para-raphs in the body of the essay.
"%&' essay (uestion @C.
Is it better for children to participate in team sports or individual sports0 /hy0 Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Restatement B "hesis.
It is better for children to participate in team sports rather than individual sports. In team
sports* children learn how to cooperate. "hey learn -ood sportsmanship and how to rely
on their teammates. "hese are important lessons that will benefit children throu-hout
their lives.
+nalysis.
"he first sentence clearly states the author4s opinion. "his is followed by three reasons for
the opinion. &inally* the author mentions life lessons. In the essay* the three reasons will
ma)e up the three main idea para-raphs in the body of the essay. In addition* the author
will mention how each main idea is useful throu-hout life.
"%&' essay (uestion @3.
!ome people prefer to live in a small town. thers prefer to live in a bi- city. /hich place
would you prefer to live in0 Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
Restatement B "hesis.
"here are many -ood reasons to live in a bi- city and an e(ual number of -ood reasons
to live in a small town. I* myself* prefer to live in a small town because it is more
personal and homeyD it is easier to -et around in and it is safer than a bi- city.
+nalysis.
"he first statement says that both a city and town have positive aspects. "he next
sentence tells the author4s preference and reasons for that preference. "hese reasons will
ma)e up the body of the essay.
V. Ho to rite good body paragraphs:
%ach para-raph in your essay introduces a new idea. It should include a thesis statement
followed by support and examples. ,e sure to use '"! of examples. /ithin and between
para-raphs be sure to use transition words li)e. on the other hand* however* thou-h* for
example* in contrast* li)ewise* in addition* first* finally. "he para-raph should end with a
concludin- sentence which briefly summari?es the ideas in the para-raph.
VI. The e"e#ents of a good !on!"uding paragraph:
+ -ood concludin- para-raph should include a summary of your main points. It may also
include the author4s opinion. It should 1" introduce any new ideas. + -ood concludin-
para-raph often leaves an impression on the reader. It may ma)e the reader thin) more
deeply about the topic.
VII. $reparing to rite and riting your anser:
I. Read and understand the essay (uestion. 8C minutes9.
II. r-ani?e your ideas on paper by writin- a short outline of the introduction* body and
conclusion. 8E minutes9.
III. /rite your essay. Remember to restate the (uestion in your introduction. Use clear
details and '"! of examples in the body of your essay. &inally* summari?e the main
ideas in the concludin- para-raph of your essay. 8AF minutes9.
I. Reread your essay and ma)e any chan-es in spellin-* verb tense* word choice or
sentence structure. 8F minutes9.
VIII. % sa#p"e TOEFL out"ine:
"%&' Guestion. In some countries* teena-ers have Hobs while they are still students. 3o
you thin) this is a -ood idea0 !upport your opinion by usin- specific reasons and details.
I. It is a -ood idea for teena-ers to have Hobs while they are students because they can
learn about responsibilityD they can learn the value of money and they can learn how to
wor) as a member of a team.
II. !tudents can learn responsibility
a. "hey have to come to wor) on time every day
b. "hey must serve customers in a friendly manner
c. "hey have to maintain the store shelves with inventory
III. !tudents can learn the value of money
a. !tudents will learn that it ta)es a lot of time and effort to ma)e money
b. !tudents will ma)e wiser choices when buyin- thin-s with their own money
I#. !tudents will learn how to wor) as a member of a team
a. !tudents will learn how to compromise with other employees 8helpin- out when
someone is sic)* etc.9
b. !tudents will learn about the friendship that comes from teamwor) 8feelin- li)e you
can trust others9
#. Conclusion
It is a valuable experience for teena-ers to have Hobs while they are students because
they will learn to be responsible adults. "hey will have an appreciation for money and
they will learn about wor)in- with others. +ll of these traits will benefit them throu-hout
their lives.
I&. % sa#p"e TOEFL essay 'based on the out"ine abo(e)
It is a -ood idea for teena-ers to have Hobs while they are students because they can
learn about responsibilityD they can learn the value of money and they can learn how to
wor) as a member of a team.
/hen teena-ers have Hobs while they are students* they can learn how to be responsible.
+s an employee* you must follow a wee)ly schedule. "his means* you have to come to
wor) on time. If you are scheduled to be-in wor) at E a.m. on a !aturday mornin-* you
have to be there at E a.m. It doesn4t matter if you went to a party the ni-ht before and
do not want to -et up. You have to -et up. Your boss is relyin- on you to do your Hob. +s
an employee* you also learn that you must serve the customer in a friendly manner. If
you are not friendly* the store may lose business and you may lose your Hob. &inally* an
employee is responsible for maintainin- the store shelves with inventory. If you wor) in a
department store* you have to )eep the shelves filled with merchandise. "he products
have to be priced and placed on the shelves. If the shelves loo) empty* customers may
-et a bad impression of the store and may not continue to shop there. It is -ood for
students to learn responsibility when they are youn- because it will benefit them as they
-et older.
+nother benefit to teena-ers wor)in- is that they will learn the value of money. ften
students -et money from their parents* but they do not reali?e how hard their parents
wor) for that money. /hen students wor)* they be-in to appreciate how difficult it can
be to ma)e money. "hey also reali?e that :money doesn4t -row on trees; as some
students seem to believe when as)in- their parents for money. +nother reason it is -ood
for students to wor) is that they will ma)e wiser choices when they use their own money
to buy thin-s. &or example* if students wor) C0 hours per wee) at IJ.00 per hour* they
will ma)e IA>0 per wee). In one month* that is about IF>0. 6erhaps a student will thin)
twice about spendin- IAC0 for a pair of tennis shoes or I3F0 for a stereo system when
s<he has had to wor) very hard for that money. n the other hand* when students do
spend money for personal obHects* they will appreciate them more than if they had
-otten the money from their parents.
&inally* wor)in- teena-ers learn from bein- members of a team. +s employees* students
learn to wor) with others and help one another. &or example* if someone is sic)* you may
be as)ed to help out. In addition* other employees will depend on you to do your share of
the wor). If one person does not do his<her Hob* other employees may have to do extra
wor) to compensate. !tudents will learn very (uic)ly that it is not -ood teamwor) to
expect others to do your wor). &inally* students will develop friendships with other
employees because they have learned to count on each other. /or)in- as a member of a
team will build stron- character in students.
"o conclude* it is a valuable experience for teena-ers to have Hobs while they are
students because they will learn to be responsible adults. "hey will have an appreciation
for money and they will learn about wor)in- with others. "hese experiences will help
them -row into adulthood and benefit them throu-hout their lives.