topics for essays for toefl

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80 TOEFL Writing Topics

The 80 TOEFL writing topics on this web page focus on the most common question types found on the writing section of the TOEFL exam: agree/disagree, multiple choice, preference, and good idea.

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Agree/Disagree TOEFL Writing Topics (Most Common)

• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should be given a modest weekly allowance for doing household chores .  Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Video games are great ways to help children learn creativity . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Completing writing projects are more beneficial for students than taking multiple-choice exams . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Consumers should be forced to buy electric-powered vehicles . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Students should be given more options to learn in groups . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should consult with their parents when they are choosing a major in college . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Remote learning using techologies such as Zoom is just as effectice as in-person classroom learning . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People who toss trash out their car windows should be fined at least $500 . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should be encouraged to play sports such as soccer and basketball. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children between the ages of 5 and 18 should not be allowed to listen to sexually explicit songs. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Following China’s policy that originated in the 1970’s, families worldwide should only have one child per couple to prevent overpopulation. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Football involves too much physical contact and should be banned .  Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? English grammar is one of the easiest language systems to learn . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? When looking for a spouse, a person should date several people at the same time. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Middle class and rich citizens should pay at least 30% of their income to federal and state taxes so that governments can use this money to help the poor. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?  Consulting tutors when students are having dfficulty with course content will help them to succeed academically. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? All households should be required to conserve by using 30% less water each month. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?  All children should be required to get vacccinations from illnesses such as measles, small pox, coronavirus, and polio. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A diet with little or no meat is the most healthy . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should have part time jobs while attending high school . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is always good for people to have a hobby outside of work interests . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Not everyone will succeed in life on their first try. However, they should not give up. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Good listeners are much better friends that good conversationalists. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Eating 3-5 smaller meals daily is much better for the digestive system rather than eating 1-2 large meals. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? All children and able-bodied adults should exercise 45 minutes daily at least five times per week. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The current accepted work week is 40 hours a week, but it should be reduced to only 30 hours. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Companies that sell junk food and sugary drinks should be prohibited from advertising their products on television. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People who are arrested for selling drugs should not be imprisoned. Instead, they should be rehabilitated. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Employees should change jobs frequently in order to gain more experience . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? At Christmas and at birthdays, it is always better to give than it is to receive . Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.

Mutiple-Choice Style TOEFL Writing Topics (Less common)

31. Which of the following employee attributes are most important?

• Workers should be able to get along well with others.
• Workers who are honest will make the most contributions.
• Workers need to always show up on time and should never leave early.

Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.

32. Which of the following are most important  when choosing a house?

• Close to where you work
• Near where your children attend school
• In a safe neighborhood away from the city

33. Which of the following is most important when deciding on a university?

• An international reputation for research and teaching
• A reasonably priced institution that will not indebt its study body
• One which is located near a pristine beach

34. Which of the following is most important for someone suffering from depression?

• Having an affectionate pet such as a dog or cat
• Being able to interact with friends and family members regularly
• Having accurately prescribed medication to treat the mental illness

35. Which of the following is the most important part in maintaining an orderly society?

• A robust police department which builds relationships of trust with the public
• Having well-funded educational systems with trained and knowledgeable teachers
• Creating an environment in which churches have well-attended services

36.  Which of the following is most important in having an environmentally-friendly city?

• A city with a public transportation system so extensive that private cars are not needed
• A city which requires all residences to use solar power for at least 80% of their energy needs
• City whose residences are required to recycle at least 50% of all water used.

37. Which of the following is the most healthy part of a person’s lifestyle?

• Continuous cardiovascular exercise for 45 minutes daily 5 days a week
• Eating an adundance of fresh vegetables and fruits
• Getting 8-9 hours of deep sleep nightly

38. Who would you most likely fire if you were the CEO of a large company?

• An employee who often arrives late
• Someone who argues a lot with other co-workers
• A worker who doesn’t commplete his job tasks competently

39. You just received an inheritance of more than 50 million dollars, and you MUST donate 1/2 of the money to one of the following:

• An elementary or high school

Which organization would you donate the money to? Why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Do not use memorized examples.

40. You are going into the wilderness for two weeks. Which three objects would you bring with you?

• Matches, pocket knife, and a hat
• Sunglasses, poncho (rainsuit), and 1/2 pound of dried meat
• A compass, a shovel, and 2 liters of water

41. Which of the following measures would make a city safer?

• Hiring more police officers and getting them properly trained to serve the public
• Increasing the number of rehab facilities to help people quit using illegal drugs
• Improving educational facilties to prevent children from dropping out of school

42. Which of the following forms of social media are most harmful to children?

43. Which of the following is the most beneficial form of exercise for adults?

• Long-distance running

44. Which politican would you most likely vote for?

• A candidate who will make it a priority to help the poor
• One who lowers taxes and deregulates small businesses
• A politician who promises to serve only one term in government

45. Which of the following animals would win in a fierce fight?

• A 1000 kg Salt Water Crocodile
• A 1,500 kg African hippopatamus
• A 227 kg Siberian Tiger

46. Which of the following jobs appeal to you the most?

• A doctor who cures infectitious diseases
• A lawyer who represents the rights of the underpriveleged
• An engineer who designs bridges and skyscrapers

47. Which of the following will allure more tourists to a city?

• A mega-entertainment center such as Disneyworld
• An abundance of trails and paved paths for bikers, runners, and walkers
• Huge shopping complexes offering discounts on 100’s of items

48. If the death penalty were allowed in your country, which method of execution should be implemented?

• Lethal injection
• A firing squad
• The electric chair

49. Which strategy is most effective when you have a lot of homework assignments?

• Completing the assignments with other members from the class
• Setting aside two hour blocks daily to tackle all the assignments alone
• To prioritize by completing the most difficult assignments to the least difficult ones

50. Which of the following events would cause the most harm to our planet?

• An eruption from a super volcanoe
• Impact from an asteriod which is at least 10 km in diameter
• A full-scale nuclear exchange of weapons involving the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Iran, and North Korea

Preference Style (Less common)

51. Computers are becoming more and more acceptable as tools that educators are using in classrooms. Some believe that this type of technology is useful for student learning. Others, on the other hand, believe that computers are not a required part of student learning. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

52.  Some believe that food is becoming more and more scarce. Therefore, international laws should be passed that limit couples to having only one child. Others, on the other hand, believe that there will always be plenty of food for the world’s population. As a result, no laws are needed to restrict wordwide population growth. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

53. Some believe that all types of plastic should be banned since much of this material ends up polluting our oceans. Others, on the other hand, believe plastic should not be banned since it is an essential material. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

54. Some believe consumers should have vegetarian diets. Others, on the other hand, believe that these people should also eat meat in addition to healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

55. Some believe that success mostly depends on how hard someone works to achieve his goals. Others, on the other hand, believe that luck plays an important role in whether or not someone succeeds in life. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

56. Some believe that it is proper etiquette to kiss someone on a first date. Others, on the other hand, believe that a couple should not kiss the first time that they go out together. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

57. Some believe that licensed doctors should recommed herbal treatments for their patients. Others, on the other hand, believe that doctors should only be allowed to prescribe medication that has been approved by a governmental organization such as the Federal Drug Association. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

58. Some believe children should be given household chores appropriate to their age. For example, a 10-year old child could be given a chore of emptying the garbage on a daily basis. Others, on the other hand, believe children should not be given any chores so long as they spend enough time doing their homework assignments after coming home from school. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

59. Some believe that elementary and high schools should separate the genders. For instance, only boys study at some schools, whereas girls study at other schools. Others, on the other hand, believe the boys and girls should be allowed to study in the same classrooms at the same schools. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

60. Some believe that people should not marry outside of their culture and language. They believe that marriage is already difficult enough, and mixing cultures will only complicate matters further. Others, on the other hand, believe love matters more than a culture or language when it comes marriage. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

61. Some believe electric cars are viable alternatives to fossil-fuel vehicles. Others, on the other hand, believe fossil-fuel cars will always be superior in their quality and durable compared to electric cars. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

62. Some believe that action movies are the best movies to watch after a hard day’s work. Others, on the other hand, believe that they can relax more effectively by watching comedy movies. Which type of movie do you prefer? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

63. Some believe that politicians should only serve one term in office. Limiting how long politicians serve, they believe, will minimize corruption and conflicts of interest. Others, on the other hand, believe that politicians will more effectively serve their districts if they serve more than one term. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

64. Some believe that people should not be allowed to fart in public places since the offensive odor can really annoy others. Others, on the other hand, believe that there is no harm farting in public, even if people fart loudly. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

65. Some believe that goverments should allocate more money for space exploration. According to them, space exploration can lead to new discoveries and cures for infectitious diseases. Others, on the other hand, believe that govermments should reserve more money in their budgets for basic needs on Earth such as poverty, education, and healthcare. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

66. Some believe children should not be allowed to watch television since it has no educational value. Others, on the other hand, believe that television has educational value, so children should be able to watch it. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

67. Some believe human activities have caused irreversible effects of climate change. According to them, unless humans change their behaviors, the Earth could suffer an extinction level event for most animal and plant life. Others, on the other hand, believe that natural factors have had more of an effect on our climate. According to this belief, there is nothing that humans can do to alter this naturally occurring cycle that the Earth is going through. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

68. Some believe that cats make great pets by bringing comfort, compassion, and unconditional love to their owners. Others, on the other hand, believe that dogs make better pets than cats. Which pet do you think brings more satisfaction to their owners? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

69. Some believe that it is better to rent a home rather than buy one. Others, on the other hand, believe that buying a home represents a much better investment. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

70. Some important guests are coming to visit you. To get ready, some believe that the first thing to be cleaned should be the interior and exterior windows. Others, on the other hand, believe the guest bathroom and living room should be the first areas of the home to be cleaned. Which view do you support? Use reasons and examples to support your point of view. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

Good Idea (Less common)

71. Some schools do not allow high school students to bring their smartphones to class. They believe that students will excel academically and socially without relying on these popular gadgets. Do you think that it is a good idea? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

72. Some assert that children should be limited to one hour of electronics daily because the types of gadgets can harm children’s development. Do you think that it is a good idea to restrict how much time children spend on their electronics? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

73. Some say that all citizens of a country should be required to get vaccinated against the Coronavirus.  They believe that making everyone get vaccinated will help society to develop herd immunity, which will effectively end the pandemic. Do you think that everyone should be required to get vacccinated? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

74. Some educators believe that children should read about 45 minutes every day?  They believe that this type of extensive reading will help children to mature academically. Do you think that extensive reading is a good idea for children? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

75. Some believe that outdoor and indoor smoking should be banned everywhere. They believe that the secondhand smoke from cigarettes creates a health hazard. Do you think that it is a good idea to prohibit smoking? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

76. Some believe that countries worldwide should be forced to reduce their fossil fuel consumption by at least 20%. They believe that reducing fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas will counteract the dangerous effects of climate change. Do you think that it is a good idea for countries to limit their fossil-fuel consumption? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

77. Some say workers should have the same political views of the instutions for which they work.  For example, if the instution such as a school district supports the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, then educators under this organization should also support the BLM. If they do not, then they should be fired or forced to resign. Do you think it is a good idea for organizatons to fire employees who have opposing political views? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

78. Some administrators and teachers say children should be punished by being paddled with a wooden board.  They believe that this type of corporal punishment will curb undesirable behaviors. Do you think that it is a good idea to paddle children when they act out? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

79. Some say drugs such as marijuana, herione, and cocaine should be legalized. They believe that legalizing these drugs will significantly reduce crime. Do you think that it is a good idea to legalize drugs? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

80. To reduce fossil fuel consumption, some say governments should prohibit families from purchasing more than one automobile. They believe that if families have only one vehicle they will drive fewer miles, thereby slowing the emission of dangerous greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Do you think that it is a good idea? Use reasons and examples to support your opinion. Make sure that you do NOT use memorized examples.

While you practice writing responses to these 80 TOEFL writing topics, consider joining my TOEFL Speaking and Writing Feedback Service . That way you can get estimated TOEFL writing scores every time you complete a practice test.

TOEFL Speaking Boot Camp Course: CLICK HERE

May the next TOEFFL exam you take be your last!

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60 TOEFL Writing Topics to Help You Prepare

Learn about the TOEFL test for English as a Foreign Language, TOEFL preparation, sample questions, & TOEFL writing topics and tips for high school & beyond.

The TOEFL exam, also known as the Test of English as a Foreign Language, is typically taken by international students who want to study abroad in the United States. While students must pass the test to be admitted to the school of their choice, acceptable scores differ between educational institutions. If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips .

What Are TOEFL Tests?

Types of toefl tests, toefl resources, agree or disagree, description or explanation, compare & contrast, if & imaginary, what is a good score in toefl writing, how many words should you have in toefl writing, which is better, the toefl or the ielts, what is the ets.

TOEFL iBT exams are considered the most thorough assessment of understanding and communicating in English. It is essential for those who wish to study in America to achieve a high score so that they can be accepted into most colleges and universities. The test is also essential for those who want to work in an English-speaking country, either now or in the future.

The exam structure is as follows: 

• Reading 
• Listening 
• 10-minute break 
• Speaking 
• Writing 

The reading and speaking portions of the assessment are essential and count for a large portion of the overall test score. These exam sections are designed to assess how well a student can read and speak English in a classroom setting, both essential for acceptance to many colleges and universities. You might also be interested in our list of the best report writing topics .

There are different TOEFL tests, including  Paper-based Tests (PBT), Computer-based Tests, and Internet-based Tests (iBT). The most common type of TOEFL test is commonly the iBT. However, some universities require PBT testing to complete the application process successfully.

ETS courses, books, and other materials are available for purchase to help students study for their upcoming English exams. The TOEFL Go! app is also available for download on Android and iOS devices, allowing test takers to obtain access to sample questions, study guides, and more on the go.  

Some other free TOEFL resources include: 

• BestMyTest 
• Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL)

For more TOEFL practice questions and a sample test, TOEFL Practice Online offers multiple options for exam prep, including integrated essay practice, speaking practice, independent writing question exercises, and more. 

TOEFL Question Types, Sample Essays & Specific Examples

Test takers could be asked to write about five different types of TOEFL writing questions. We’ve included several TOEFL essay topics below, categorized by type, that can work as a practice test to help you prepare ahead of time to obtain a high score.

The following test questions will make a statement and ask you to offer an opinion. In your response, discuss whether or not you agree with the statement and provide the reasoning behind your argument. Test takers will be assessed on their English language usage to articulate their points of view.

Do you agree with the following statement?

1. You can’t learn from books; true knowledge only comes from personal experience. 

2. People from small towns have less life experience than those who grew up in big cities or larger metropolitan areas.  

3. Children should be taught the value of hard work as early as possible.  

4. The best teachers are the ones who discipline their students the most.  

5. All countries need to make environmental protection a priority. 

6.  Issuing the death penalty to convicted criminals is sometimes necessary depending on the crime committed. 

7.  Making friends gets more difficult as people get older. 

8.  Eating meat, dairy, and egg products is morally wrong. 

9.  Movies are more enjoyable when watched at the theater than when watched on television at home. 

10.  Being good at math is much more important than being good at English. 

11.  Healthcare and prescription medicine should be free to everyone since it is necessary for life. 

12.  Reading is an excellent way to learn new words and how to use them in the proper context. 

These questions require participants to write a description of something or an explanation of an event that happened in clear, concise language. Your reading passage should be concise and help paint a picture in the audience’s mind.

13. If you could invent new technology, what would it be, and why would you create it? 

14. Public transportation is a cornerstone of metropolitan living. What public transportation problems might big cities face, and how could they solve them? 

15. What do you think is the most important part of the human experience? 

16. What do you think draws people to dangerous activities like skydiving or bungee jumping? 

17. What are the potential negative impacts of a society that revolves almost solely around technology usage?

18. Will more gun control protect or harm citizens? 

19. Are mobile phones and tablets beneficial or detrimental to our society? 

20. Do you think growing and eating genetically modified foods will eventually cause health problems? 

21. Would restricting experiments without consent impede scientific advancements or even cause harm to the public good?

22. Does violence in movies, television, and music harm young people? 

23. Do people have the right to affordable shelter? 

Preference questions can be some of the most difficult on the TOEFL exam, as they require test takers to form and articulate an opinion even if they don’t have one or can’t relate to the topic. Students will write their essays using logic, emotion, and fact to make their main points, and the ETS will judge answers based on clarity, conciseness, and English writing skills.  

24. Some elementary schools take away recess as a punishment for disobedient students. Do you agree with this practice?  

25. School dress codes are standard, but many disagree with how they are implemented. Do you agree with school dress codes, or should they be phased out? 

26. Many people believe that putting family first is most important. Others think it’s best to put your own needs ahead of others. Which do you agree with?  

27. Which is better – handmade or machine manufactured? 

28. Is capital punishment preferable to being sentenced to life in prison? 

29. Is the millennial generation more prone to violence than previous generations? 

30. Do you think medicinal marijuana is helpful or harmful to society? 

31. Is the growth of artificial intelligence a good or bad thing? 

32. Do you think free internet access promotes cybercrime? 

33. Do you think students should refrain from working a job until they are out of school?

34. Is prison overcrowding an issue in America?

35. Has the war on drugs been effective? 

A compare-and-contrast writing prompt allows the student to find two or more topics, ideas, or situations that can be compared and contrasted. This question requires the writer to explore the pros and cons of a particular topic or situation and give specific reasons why each might be beneficial or problematic. 

36. Compare the benefits and drawbacks of becoming close friends with a coworker. Give examples of good and bad things that might come from forming such a friendship. 

37. Discuss the pros and cons of online learning compared to traditional in-classroom instruction. Give specific examples of times when you disliked or enjoyed each and why. 

38. Compare the risks of plane travel to the risks of car travel. Demonstrate the benefits and drawbacks of each with specific examples. 

39. Which makes a better pet, a dog or a cat? 

40. Is it better to listen to music while studying or not?  

41. Is it better for parents to have kids at a younger or older age? 

42. Explain the benefits and drawbacks of exercising first thing in the morning and at night. 

43. Discuss the pros and cons of driving a car versus riding the bus. 

44. Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the two religions. 

45. How are local and international tourism different, and why? 

46. Do you think a four or five-day workweek is better? 

47. Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between socialism and communism. 

If & imaginary writing prompts require the reader to use their imagination and a strong command of the English language to describe a hypothetical situation or event and how they might respond. These questions typically start with phrases like “Imagine you were…” or “If you had….” Test takers are assessed for sentence structure, syntax, word choice, and other critical factors. Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .

48. Imagine you could have dinner with anyone from history, alive or dead. Who would it be, and why would you choose them? 

49. If you were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, what would it be for, and what would you say in your acceptance speech?  

50. Imagine you are on a small boat in the ocean when a storm suddenly begins to approach. How does this make you feel, and what is your response to the potential danger ahead?  

51. If you were stranded on a desert island but could only take three things with you, what would they be and why?  

52. If you could live to be 150 years old, would you and why?  

53. If you could change one thing about your appearance, what would you choose to change and why? 

54. Imagine you can completely cure one disease for free with no consequences. Which disease or medical condition would you choose and why? 

55. If you could go back in time and relive a moment with someone from your past, who would it be, and what would you share with them again? 

56. What would you do if you woke up one morning and no one else was left on earth? 

57. Imagine you could be famous for any reason. What would you want to be remembered for and why?

58. If you found a way to get rich quickly without any consequences but knew it was illegal, would you still do it, and why?

59. What would you do, and how might you feel if you woke up tomorrow as the opposite gender from what you wanted to be? 

60. If you could decide how you would die, would you choose, and if so, what would you do?

If you still need help, our guide to grammar and syntax explains more.

FAQs About TOEFL Writing Topics

A good TOEFL score is above 100. The average TOEFL score ranges between 85 and 95.

Your TOEFL independent writing question answer should be around 150 words. The integrated essay should be around 300 words.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an exam that tests international students for their proficiency in English as a foreign language.

The TOEFL better assesses the full scope of English academic proficiency, while the IELTS is divided between academic and conversational English.

The IELTS test is usually taken by students who want to study at universities in English-speaking countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, or Canada.

The ETS, or the Educational Testing Service, is the organization that oversees the administration and scoring of TOEFL tests across the United States. The nonprofit organization works to advance quality and equity in education, providing opportunities for all people, regardless of their background or circumstances. 

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Sample Essays for the Writing Section of the TOEFL® Test

Sample Essays for the Writing Section of the TOEFL Test ( document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) )

Did you hear about the updated TOEFL iBT Writing section?

On July 26, 2023, ETS introduced a new TOEFL Writing question : Writing for an Academic Discussion.

That’s right. The Independent Writing question has been retired from the official TOEFL iBT test.

Before we get into the topics and sample essays for the new TOEFL Writing question, let’s start with the first task, which hasn’t changed, the Integrated Writing.

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

In the TOEFL Writing Section, there are two questions you must respond to. The first question is called the TOEFL Integrated Writing task. The second question is called the TOEFL Writing for an Academic Discussion task.

The integrated question presents a reading and listening passage, followed by a question, which is a bit more complicated.

Simple, right?

No? Still confused.

No worries. The best way to understand something better is through examples.

Let’s do one together.

This TOEFL integrated writing topic deals with the use of  Corn Ethanol .

Give yourself three minutes to read it:

The chemical compound, ethanol, has risen in recent years as the most viable alternative to fossil fuels. Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from crops, mainly from corn in the United States, which can power engines. There are many who argue that corn ethanol should replace fossil fuel gas as the primary source for running cars.

One major benefit of using corn ethanol is that it uses less energy than gasoline. Using less energy means that people can get better gas mileage while driving these more fuel-efficient cars. In the long-run, this will be cheaper for consumers because they can drive further than they do now with fossil-fueled cars. People will spend less money on gas because they won’t have to stop to fill up as frequently.

Another advantage of switching to corn ethanol is that it helps the American economy become less reliant on energy sources from other countries. Petroleum is not readily available in the U.S., so it must be imported from other countries. Depending on foreign relations with those countries, fuel becomes a political issue. Corn is a crop that America has in abundance. By using corn ethanol instead, the cost of gas will decrease because now the import taxes on fossil fuels are calculated into the price. This also means that we will be putting the money into our own economy, thus helping local corn farmers.

One of the most attractive aspects of corn ethanol is how environmentally friendly is when compared to current automobile gasoline. Fossil fuels release carbon that has been stored for years from the earth. Burning biofuels, like corn ethanol, is better for the environment because it releases less greenhouse gas emissions. Lessening the amount of carbon emissions will help prevent global warming and all of the other negative effects of climate change.

Once three minutes have ended, listen to a conversation about the same topic

Now, it’s time to write your TOEFL essay.

Stop reading.

Start writing.

Write your essay before you look at this TOEFL Writing sample. You will learn a lot more if you actually write the essay and then compare this to your own.

Here’s an expert TOEFL teacher’s sample essay to this particular TOEFL Writing topic.

The article introduces the topic of corn-based ethanol. More specifically, the writer discusses the advantages of switching from fossil fuels to this alternative energy source. The lecturer in the listening passage disagrees. He believes that the benefits the author mentions are misleading and attacks each of the claims made in the reading.

In the reading, the author begins by stating that drivers will get better gas mileage on corn ethanol than on fossil fuels, and therefore save money on gas. The speaker, however, disagrees. He states that the production of corn ethanol is very expensive. He says that in order to make for the costs to create and distribute this biofuel, the price of ethanol gas will increase.  Therefore, it will not be any cheaper for consumers in the long run.

The writer also claims that making the switch to corn ethanol will help the American economy because it will make the United States less dependent on foreign oil. Again, the lecturer believes there are flaws in the writer’s argument. He holds instead that mass use of corn-based ethanol will hurt the economy. He elaborates this by point out that the inevitable competition for corn by multiple consumers, including beef and dairy farmers, will drive the price of corn up.

Another reason why the author feels that moving from traditional gasoline to corn ethanol is a good idea is that they are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels. The professor in the listening passage is doubtful that this is accurate. He suggests that as more farmlands are created to support the demands for more corn, more carbon will be absorbed by the land. This means that these emissions will still be released to negatively affect the environment.

As you can see the author and speaker hold very different views about the use of corn ethanol.

The author here clearly defined the main idea, organized the supporting points from both the reading and listening passage, and showed how they differ from each other. 

I know it may seem a bit difficult, which is why I recommend that you start off with a TOEFL Writing template for both the Writing for an Academic Discussion task and Integrated essay.

Looking for more example essays?

Download our TOEFL Writing 24+ Guide if you would like more sample essays. It includes extra tips, tricks, and strategies you will not find anywhere else. Download it for free here

Too complicated? Don’t worry.

I will share TOEFL writing templates for the Integrated Writing question, which will make your life a whole lot easier.

We have to talk about the Writing for an Academic Discussion question.

Writing for an Academic Discussion Question

You will have 10 minutes to complete the Writing for an Academic Discussion question .

For this task, you will participate in an online discussion. After you read the question and student responses, you will have to write a response that adds to the conversation.

Here’s the breakdown:

This question is straightforward, but let’s do a sample together.

When the question appears on the screen, take two minutes to scan the passage and the student’s opinions.

Start to write your response. Be sure to add to the discussion and avoid repeating the same points as the other students.

Aim to write at least 120 words.

Get peace of mind with these TOEFL Writing Templates

Now that you have a few TOEFL Writing topics and sample essays to study from, you may want to use a writing template to help guide your writing.

A TOEFL template is basically a pre-organized set of words and phrases that you can use in almost any TOEFL Writing response.

Here’s TST Prep’s template for the integrated TOEFL Writing question (question one) :

The article introduces the topic of (general topic). More specifically, the writer discusses (stance of the author on the topic). The lecturer in the listening passage disagrees. He believes that (stance of the professor on the topic) and attacks each of the claims made in the reading.

In the reading, the author begins by stating that (first point made to support stance). The lecturer, however, disagrees. He states that (first counterargument by the professor). He goes on to say that (additional detail about first counterargument).

The author also claims that ( second point made to support stance). Again, the lecturer believes there are flaws in the writer’s argument. The speaker holds that (two sentences about the professor’s second counter-argument).

Another reason why the author feels that (restate stance of author ) is that ( third point made to support stance). The professor in the listening passage is doubtful that this is accurate. He suggests that (two sentences about the professor’s third counter argument ).

To sum up, both the writer and professor hold conflicting views about (general topic). It’s clear that they will have trouble finding common ground on this issue.

And here’s our template for the independent TOEFL Writing for an Academic Discussion (question two) :

You will notice that the sample essays in this article differ from the templates.

You do not have to use templates, it’s up to you. Some people prefer to write in their own unique fashion for the entire exam. However, you will notice that the structure of the templates is similar to the TOEFL example essays.

These templates follow the exact organization and structure you are expected to use on test day, so don’t hesitate to use them in your writing.

Also, don’t forget to download the free 24+ TOEFL Writing Guide if you would like more example essays, templates, and exclusive tips to help you earn the best possible TOEFL Writing score on test day.

If you read this far, it means you are serious about your TOEFL studies. Don’t hesitate to send us an email and let us know how we can help you earn the TOEFL score of your dreams – [email protected]

Did we forget anything? Please comment and let us know how we can improve our TOEFL Writing advice (or if you want to just say hi that would be great too).

Other articles

Ten Awsome Tips for the Writing Section of the TOEFL Test

100 Free Questions for the Listening Section of the TOEFL Test

Check other articles on TOEFL

111 Comments

Hi, Josh. I have a question about copying and pasting in TOEFL writing. I heard some TOEFL teachers say it should be avoided because ETS will consider it a potential form of plagiarism in future academic study.

Could you please provide some suggestions in terms of this issue? Is it ok to copy and paste, since it saves a lot of time in writing, especially on the test day. Thank you!

Great question. The copy-and-paste feature will not work at the test center, and I do not believe it works on the Home Edition either. Regardless, copying and pasting or manually copying the exact words should be avoided. You are always better off putting the answer into your own words.

Hello Josh, I have a question regarding how we can write an advanced writing that will be scored 25+?

Thanks very much for your question. We do have some templates that can help to increase your score. However, to give you a more detailed answer, I would suggest you consider doing an essay evaluation with us so we can help you determine specific areas for improvement. In the meantime, here are some articles that can help.

https://tstprep.com/articles/toefl/ten-awesome-tips-for-the-writing-section-of-the-toefl-test/

https://tstprep.com/articles/toefl/sample-essays-for-the-writing-section-of-the-toefl-test/

Hi Josh! For the academic writing, I only gave my reason for the topic, and I forgot to mention the opinion of the other student. I checked my word count. It is already past 100 words, and I do not want it to be too long. Do we really need to mention the other students’ opinion?

Hi Ireen. Great question! We often suggest mentioning one of the other students, but it is not required. As long as what you said was on topic, you “added to the discussion,” and gave specific reasons and examples, you should be okay with the 100 words you wrote.

Hello, I have a question about the independent writing: Is it a problem if I just give one reason in my essay (but detailed enough)? Thank you

Hi there and thank you for your question. There are no specific grading criteria that say you MUST give two reasons for your opinion, so, in theory, yes, you can just give one reason. I don’t think you will be marked down for it. If possible, try to give two though. It will make your word count higher.

Hello Josh, I was wondering if you have more integrated writing questions that we could do for practice, do you know where to find them?

Hi there and thank you for your question. If you search “TOEFL Writing Practice test” on Youtube you will find 2-3 TST Prep practice videos with an Integrated Writing practice question. I’m sure there will be tests from other providers as well.

Hey Josh, I have been following your YouTube channel for my TOEFL preparation, where I learned a lot. My question is that I got stuck between 15-17 scores in the reading section and could not figure out what I would do to enhance my scores. Any suggestions?

Hi there Ashina, and thank you for your question.

It is, indeed, a difficult question to answer. Here are two pieces of advice on how to practice at home and how to improve time management:

HOW TO DO A PASSAGE

I am going to breakdown the process you should go through when you do a TOEFL Reading passage:

1. Copy the test conditions (set a timer to complete the passage and all the questions in 18 minutes)

2. Check your answers

3. Identify the reason you got a specific question wrong (or didn’t understand why you were correct) and write down what you can do to avoid the same mistake next time. Step #3 is the most important and the one often overlooked because most test-takers are pretty tired after reading and answering questions. This will help you notice patterns in incorrect choices and apply what you have learned later.

4. (Optional) Do the same passage again two weeks later. (You will remember much of what you did before, but it should help remind you of what you have learned)

TIME MANAGEMENT

My advice is pretty simple here, practice with LESS TIME. If it is not too stressful, try to complete a passage and all of the questions in 16 minutes (instead of 18). This usually does the trick for most students over time.

I hope you find some of this helpful. Good luck, and let me know if you need anything.

Hey Josh, in the Reading section the last question holds two marks where we are asked to pick three choices. I have always have a hard time getting the perfect score here. any suggestions, please…

Hi Kiba, this is a popular complaint. I posted a video about summary questions here. You might find it helpful.

Hey Josh, I have a question. If the question is saying a good essay is between 200 and 300, and I wrote more than 300, is this okay? Or should I make it only as maximum as they are saying?

Hi Joud and great question. Definitely write MORE. There is a direct correlation between test scores and word count, so the more you write the better. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should write as much as possible as fast as possible, but anything between 350-450 words would be great.

Hey Josh, I think I do well in my writing section, but my score doesn’t improve. Is there anything that I can do to know my mistakes from the ETS?

Hi Aziz, good question, and unfortunately, no, they do not release that information. The best you can do is work with an experienced teacher who can point out your weaknesses and work on them at home before test day.

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TOEFL Writing Topics: Examples of TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

While the TOEFL is generally a very different type of test from the GRE, the GMAT, and the SAT, there are a few similarities, and the nature of the TOEFL Writing topics (specifically TOEFL Independent Writing topics) is one of them. As with most standardized tests, the TOEFL asks you to write an essay.

Well, it asks for two essays. For a quick summary of the two Writing tasks (Independent Writing and Integrated Writing) and how they fit into the Writing section as a whole, see Kate’s breakdown of the TOEFL Writing section. And for TOEFL Integrated Writing topics, jump down to this part of the post .

Table of Contents

Toefl writing topics: task 2 subject matter.

• The Basic Structure of TOEFL Independent Writing Topics
• Practicing TOEFL Independent Writing Topics with Magoosh
• Choose a Side
• View Both Sides
• Describe or Explain
• Integrated TOEFL Writing Task
• Further Practice With TOEFL Writing Topics

Let’s look at the TOEFL Writing topics that you might see for that second TOEFL essay, the “ independent task .” (Also note that the TOEFL Independent Writing task is particularly similar to the GRE issue AWA task , something to bear in mind if you are prepping for the TOEFL and GRE at the same time .)

On the one hand, there are a LOT of different TOEFL Writing topics. You might be asked to write an essay about any of the following: technology, education, media, family, small towns vs. big cities, the benefits of constructing something such as a large factory or new movie theater, the qualities of a good neighbor, life for university students, the way people should work, social media, the impact of human activity on the environment, education (the education of young children, high school students, young adults, etc.), different kinds of people you’d want to work with, important characteristics of a co-worker, cell phones, the traits of the best teachers, the attitudes of young people, traveling to new places, use of free time, etc., etc…

You get the idea. There are many different topics for the test-taker to think about and give a personal opinion on.

The Basic Structure of an Integrated Writing Prompt

But on the other hand, there are only a few different types of Independent Writing tasks. And even with those different types, the tasks are very similar: give your main points, use reasons to support them, include specific points and specific examples in your reasoning, etc…. Since these tasks involve expressing your point of view, sharing your personal experiences is also a common practice across the different types of the Independent TOEFL Writing task. Essentially, you express your opinion in a thesis statement, add related main ideas to each paragraph, and support your thesis and main ideas in a variety of ways.

ETS does provide a list of TOEFL independent essay questions in the 4th edition of the TOEFL Official Guide , and it’s a good idea to look over those sample questions. But there’s an excess of information there—we want to know some more useful generalities! So let’s divide those subjects into types. ( Click here to jump ahead to the first of those three types! )

A Note on Practicing TOEFL Writing Topics

If you practice writing the essay before test day (a good idea!), then you can use an essay prompt from the ETS list mentioned above. This is a great option.

For more customized practice, sign up for Magoosh’s 7-day free trial , select “Practice –> Custom Practice –> Writing Section”, and then try one of our premium TOEFL Writing prompts. You can also choose to only practice the independent task if that’s what you want to focus on. The trial lasts 7 days and you don’t need a credit card to sign up.

Let’s talk about the TOEFL “independent task” Writing topic types I mentioned above!

TOEFL Writing Topic Type 1: Choose a Side

This is by far the most common Independent Writing question type. These TOEFL prompts ask you to choose A or B then explain your decision. There is no “wrong” decision here. You can side with the first or second point, as long as your argument is well-supported and you give an effective response. There are a couple of different approaches to writing this type of essay, but the simplest form is the “five-paragraph essay.” Usually, this is only four paragraphs, because you don’t have that much time—the test only gives you 30 minutes to complete your Independent essay.

So if you choose A, you might write an essay that looks like this:

• A is better
• Reason 1 and examples of why A is better
• Short contrast with B
• Reason 2 and examples of why A is better
• Why this is significant in the real world

Of course, there are other ways to write an essay, but it’s a good idea to use a relatively simple structure for clarity; this tends to be the best, easiest path to a high score. This is more true for the TOEFL than it is for essays on other tests, like the GRE , because the TOEFL is really a test of communication and how well you can write in the English language.

Here are some examples of the “choose a side” Writing topics:

“Some would say it is more important to have an enjoyable job than to have a job with a high salary. Do you feel this is true or not true? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

“Opinion: It is better to have a low-stress job than a job with lots of responsibility. Do you hold this opinion, or disagree with it? In your essay, include supporting details.”

“Apartment buildings are the preferred living space for many people. But many individuals prefer living in a house. Which do you prefer ? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

“It could be argued that technology makes our lives easier and simpler. But there are certainly people who feel life has become more complicated due to modern inventions. Which opinion do you agree with? In your essay, include supporting details.”

“This week, your government announced plans to invest significant amounts of money in the exploration of outer space. Write an essay explaining why you are either for this new plan or against it. Explain your thoughts using examples.”

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Modern life is easier than life in the past. Use specific details and examples to support your answer.

Would you rather live in a large city or the countryside? Explain your choice, giving specific reasons and examples.

You might also get a slightly more complicated version of the “choose a side” prompt that asks you to compare sides, like these:

“Many workers change jobs a few times in their career. However, a number of workers instead do the same type of work throughout their career. Of these two career paths, which is a better option? In your essay, include supporting details.”

Which of these two is preferable for you: a high-paying job that you didn’t enjoy, or a lower-paying job that you did enjoy? Explain your reasoning, using specific reasons and examples.

Some students prefer to study many different subjects at once, while others prefer to focus on one topic at a time. Would you rather take a semester of classes in different subjects or a semester of classes in the same subject? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and examples.

In that case, you could still use the structure I showed above, but you would emphasize the contrasts with “B” and write a bit more about them.

Writing Topic Type 2: View Both Sides

This is very similar to the “choose a side” type of essay subject, but it’s a little bit more complicated because you have to think from two different standpoints. Thankfully, it’s also not as common.

Here are a couple of examples:

“Your family and friends are encouraging you to buy a new car. What are some benefits and downsides of purchasing a brand new vehicle? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

“What are some good things and bad things about remaining in your hometown as an adult? In your essay, include supporting details.”

There are a couple of different ways you might structure an essay like, but the simplest one may be the best.

• General statements about issue
• Advantages and examples
• Disadvantages and examples

Writing Topic Type 3: Describe or Explain

In a way, this is the most difficult type of Independent essay question because it doesn’t give you an A or B situation. Instead, you have to think of your own subject from a very big pool of possibilities.

“ If you could choose any place to live in the world, where would you live? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

“How was your grandparents’ life different than yours? In your essay, include supporting details.”

“ What is your favorite movie and why? In your essay, include supporting details.”

“What is your favorite place to visit near your home? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

Because these Writing topics don’t give you a yes-no or A-B choice, it’s easy to get stuck in the planning phase. (By the way, planning is incredibly important for writing any standardized test essay; don’t skip it!)

The structure doesn’t have to be very different, though. Here’s a rough idea of how you might organize a descriptive essay:

• Your choice/subject
• Reason 1 and examples
• Reason 2 and examples
• Reason 3 and examples

Notice I added one more body paragraph. Because there’s no “other side” to deal with, you have more time to explain the one topic you chose. So why not use that time for another paragraph!

This Is Only Half of TOEFL Writing (the Other Half is the Integrated Task)

Remember that the Independent essay is only half of the TOEFL Writing section. There’s also the integrated task . Although the TOEFL Integrated Writing Task is not the main focus of this post, let’s go through some basics of the first half of the TOEFL Writing section.

First off, know that TOEFL Writing Task 1 has a reading passage and a listening passage. The listening passage features part of a lecture. The speaker in the lecture will disagree with or challenge the claims in the reading. As you navigate the reading and listening for this first task, you don’t need to pay much attention to the written portion. The focus of your essay will be summarizing what the speaker said, so the reading is merely background information.

The context of the reading and speaking in TOEFL Integrated Writing tends to be based on the United States. So, for example, if you see a passage related to business or economics, any amount of money described would probably be in American dollars, and examples would involve American consumers or American companies. Still, other non-American contexts may come up. You could encounter a topic about an important influence on a European art movement, or deal with a science topic; science topics in this task are typically international or culturally neutral.

Want more help with TOEFL Integrated Writing? Magoosh has you covered! See our complete guide to the TOEFL Integrated Writing task , which includes a free TOEFL Integrated Writing practice task from Magoosh. And you can find a second free Magoosh TOEFL Integrated Writing practice task in our complete guide to TOEFL Writing samples .

Ready For Some Practice?

Sample essays are another great resource for practice. You can review sample TOEFL essays for both Independent Writing and Integrated Writing in the aforementioned Magoosh’s complete guide to TOEFL Writing samples and in our TOEFL Writing Templates . And partial or complete sample essays can also be found in the following posts:

Task 2 Sample Essays

• TOEFL Independent Writing: Unsupported Claims
• TOEFL Independent Writing: Correcting Disorganized Answers
• Examples of Counter-Arguments
• TOEFL Writing Task 2 Model Answer
• Prewriting for TOEFL Writing Task 2
• How to Use Transitions in Your Writing

Task 1 Sample Essays

• How to Revise TOEFL Writing
• Paraphrasing in TOEFL Integrated Writing
• The Complete Guide to TOEFL Integrated Writing

Last but certainly not least, I’ve written a quick summary of the best ways to practice TOEFL Writing . You can use that as a guide to tie all of your TOEFL Writing topic practice together!

Lucas is the teacher behind Magoosh TOEFL. He’s been teaching TOEFL preparation and more general English since 2009, and the SAT since 2008. Between his time at Bard College and teaching abroad, he has studied Japanese, Czech, and Korean. None of them come in handy, nowadays.

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More from Magoosh

64 responses to “TOEFL Writing Topics: Examples of TOEFL Independent Writing Topics”

Do you have a template for writing task 2 in TOEFL?

We don’t yet have any blog post fully explaining the structure of the independent writing task, but Kate has written some related articles:

https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/writing-essay-introductions/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/writing-a-five-paragraph-essay/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/the-toefl-essay-structure/

Our more complete explanations of the independent writing task are only in our premium TOEFL product lesson videos at the moment. Check that out if you’re interested!

can u just tell me can i complete my prepration for toefel exam in one month by daily practicing 5 to 6 essays as per your suggestion?

Hi there. I wouldn’t recommend writing 5 or 6 essays daily, no—I’m not sure where that idea came from, but that’s too many essays and not enough review! You need to spend time looking at good essays, good structures, and useful phrases, and revise your own essays to be better. Writing many essays helps, but you have to analyze them. And preparing for the TOEFL is more than just writing essays. There’s also reading, listening, and speaking. 🙂

Does the essay in toefl exam come from the list given by ETS (containing 185 topics). Is it a good idea to prepare for the topics given beforehand????

Hi Deepali,

While it’s possible that the essay topic will come from that list, you may also get a topic from outside the list. It’s a good idea to read through it, but you definitely should not prepare for every topic on that list . That would take too long even if it was a complete list of possible topics—it would be over 90 hours of essay writing, just for one of the two essays! It’s more important to learn the general themes and write your practice essays using that list.

Thanks for this useful info. This will surely help me to organize my essay properly.

You’re welcome!

I have question regarding TOEFL ESSAY writing . I have given TOEFL test several tome to meet criteria for Pharmacy. Only problem is with my writing , i need 24 score, while i always get 22. I tried so hard and still trying. Please suggest me how i can improve my sscore.

That’s tough, Vandy! You’re so close! Well, there’s no single way to improve your writing score: there are a few different things that might help you, personally. Without knowing you much better than I can through blog comments, it would be hard for me to say. But you can definitely identify your own weak areas and what you need to work on! Here are a couple of posts that explain generally how you can practice for the test.

I really recommend reading a lot , too. The more you read, the better you can imitate native speakers in your writing. And pay careful attention to grammar when you read! The writing part of the TOEFL is time to let your grammar skills show. 🙂

Can u plz help me, how i can score in my reading section??? actually its too difficult for me and i dont know how to improve this. if you have any tips regarding READING SECTION plz help me out.

Absolutely! We have plenty of blog posts about the reading section which will help guide you through. 🙂

I think these posts will be especially helpful: https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/lucas-takes-the-toefl/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/synonyms-in-the-toefl-reading-section/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/common-toefl-reading-difficulties/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/identifying-the-main-ideas-in-toefl-reading-passages/

I really appreciate your help… Thanks Lucas..:)

The aftermath of the information that you provided was that it got me thinkng as to how would one clear the test if not into reading that much? I do not specifically mean only books and novels; though daily newspaper reading’s done. Would common way of speaking the language work in writing as well or does it have to be formal as always?

But for what its worth, that was some very useful content up there. Thank you for the information.

Hi Shreya! Daily reading is important, but make sure it’s formal or academic English. News articles are great as long as they’re from a reputable news source. Examples include BBC, NY Times, The Economist, and similar publications. Spoken language can definitely help, especially on the Listening and Speaking sections, but when it comes to Reading, academic English is important.

My toefl exam is after 2 weeks and i have not yet started to prepare for it.Would you please help me?How can i get a better score in such a less time?I need a great score. 🙁 And,now i am really in dilemma.Please,help me out!

Hi Rakshya,

Don’t panic! But it’s time to get to work. 🙂 First, buy a copy of the official guide. You will want that practice material. 🙂 Take a full test so you can find out your weaknesses. Then, spend the next two weeks trying to improve those weak areas (for example, speaking more fluently) by reading the relevant blog posts here at Magoosh. Keep practicing and keep reading more about how to best answer questions, and you’ll do your best on test day.

I never took the TOEFL experience before.. Well, I eager to learn english many more, so give me advice to take study hard day by day, actually my english is not bad, but sometimes i always feeling not confident to say with someone, can you show me some friends to share with me, and tell me how to speak better than now?

The most important thing to improve your English is simply experience. Your goal should be to speak, write, listen, and read in English as often as possible! The best way to improve confidence is to use English regularly. Check out this blog post for some helpful resources:

– https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/best-free-toefl-resources/

And these posts gives some advice on improving your speaking for the TOEFL:

– https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/toefl-speaking-practice/ – https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/how-to-practice-toefl-speaking/

If you’re going to take the TOEFL, then Magoosh can help you learn the test. 🙂 Start reading our TOEFL blog regularly for more advice on improving your English and your TOEFL score.

Hi there. So I have a question regarding the whole choosing sides thing. Do I have to choose between options A or B or could I agree with both sides? My exam is tomorrow so it would be awesome if I could get a quick reply. Thanks!

I’m sorry we weren’t able to get back to you sooner! I hope your test went well. 🙂 In case you’re still wondering, though, it’s best to choose a side: the prompt asks you do make a decision, and your essay will be much clearer if you choose a single side. Trying to argue both sides often makes an essay hard to follow, and that hurts your score. It’s possible to write a good essay that considers both sides, but we don’t recommend it for the TOEFL.

Hello Lucas, Can you provide some sample essays that would get a 5 on writing? Thanks !

We don’t have many public samples of our own at the moment, but ETS provides free sample essays for all scores: https://www.ets.org/s/toefl/pdf/writing_practice_sets.pdf

I think those will help a bit!

Thanks Lucas!

Hello, my questions are about the independent task. It is possible to only have 4 paragraph essay with more then 350 words and still score very high? thanks in advance!!! very helpful site!!

It’s absolutely possible to score very high with only four full paragraphs in the essay! Your grade isn’t based on the number of paragraphs, but on how completely you answer the question and how well you communicate your line of reasoning. I actually advise most students to write 4-paragraph essays so that they can fully explain two reasons in the body of the essay, rather than rushing to explain three reasons and switching topics too quickly/unnaturally.

Hello, Lucas.

Do you think it is possible reaching the maximum score with an independent essay of four paragraphs?

I am really having difficulties with time management and I would like to know if I have to focus on practicing to write less words AND correctly rather than just writing a longer essay.

Hello Giovanna,

Very good question! According to the writing guide on the official TOEFL website ( https://www.ets.org/s/toefl/pdf/writing_practice_sets.pdf ), an independent essay usually needs at least 300 words to be “effective.” This means that essays of less than 300 words are less likely the maximum score. (But it’s not impossible!)

Word count is not the same as amount of paragraphs, of course. It’s possible for someone to write a five paragraph essay that only has about 250 words, a three paragraph essay that has 400 words, and so on.

In some cases, an essay with as little as three or even two paragraphs can receive good marks. Remember though, paragraphs help you organize your ideas and connect them to each other. More connections (rather than fewer connections) can help you create a better organized essay. TOEFL scorers like to see that.

To make sure you earn full points (or something close to it), carefully read the official TOEFL Independent Writing Task Rubric ( https://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEFL/pdf/Independent_Writing_Rubrics_2008.pdf ). You’ll notice that the rubric itself doesn’t grade test takers on word count or number of paragraphs. But as you practice writing based on the rubric, you’ll find that a certain word count or certain number of paragraphs allows you to reach level 5 on the rubric. Some of this depends on your own writing style.

My practice essays are about 315-330 words. What can I so increase the length without diluting the content of my essay?

Length isn’t really a goal—it’s more important that you clearly explain all of the main ideas, using specific details and clear connections between thoughts. If you do that well, it’s possible that 315 words is enough. 🙂 Don’t focus on length; focus on explaining fully and clearly!

Hi Lucas, The link you provided on this blog for “a list of TOEFL independent essay questions” on ETS website is not working. Can you please provide the link here? I have Toefl in 2 weeks and need it asap. Thanks!

Actually, it appears that ETS has removed that link since Lucas originally wrote this post. Luckily, someone has archived the list publicly on Google Docs. 🙂 Link here:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-EPRItMr6VtOGU4NzBiMjMtMmYzNi00YjBmLTkyZTUtY2FhMTljY2RhMTYx/edit

Thanks, David 🙂 Really helpful 🙂

I am mostly confused ,because some of the books are saying that it is okay to have 4 bp and some recommend have 5 bd. Which one is more acceptable on the test ?

I think by “BP” you mean body paragraphs—is that right? If it is, then nobody is correct or incorrect, really. The most important aspects of your essay are the number or shape of your paragraphs. We recommend 4 paragraphs for both essays: 1 intro and 3 body paragraphs for the integrated essay, and 1 intro, 2 body paragraphs, and one conclusion for the independent essay. But the independent essay could very easily be 5 paragraphs total, with 3 body paragraphs.

But again, the numbers aren’t the important thing. What’s more important is that within those paragraphs , you clearly explain the main idea of that paragraph and then support the main idea with details or examples. Making a clear statement and explaining is the key for TOEFL writing. That also means using clear, conventional language. That means correct vocabulary, clear grammar, and logical transitions.

It is possible to write too many or too few paragraphs, but only because of the EFFECT that those have—in a short paragraph, you don’t have enough room to fully explain your reasons. In a too-long paragraph, you run the risk of repeating yourself. Because TOEFL essays are short, it makes sense to use only a few paragraphs total, and focus instead on the content of those paragraphs. 🙂

Lucas, I think you’re awesome!

I teach Advanced English for a non-profit organization in Arkansas. One of the classes I teach is a TOEFL preparation class.

I just thought you should know you’re awesome and appreciated.

You sound pretty awesome yourself. 🙂 Thank you for the kind words, and I’m really glad to hear we’ve been helping!

i need some sample integrated writing questions, where can i find it?

Sample Integrated Writing tasks are definitely harder to find compared to Integrated writing ones. There are some out there though.

You’ll find two practice Integrated Writing questions in the TOEFL’s official Quick Prep practice sets, available online for free here . Unfortunately, the Integrated Writing task in Quick Prep Volume 1 has no audio— just a reading passage and a transcript of the related lecture.

A few other sources of Integrated Writing practice are available through ETS for a fee. Volumes one and two of Official TOEFL iBT Practice Tests contain a total of 10 Integrated Writing practice questions, as part of the 10 complete practice tests found in these two volumes. And there are 4 practice tests/4 Integrated Writing questions with audio in the Official Guide for the TOEFL. The OG also has one additional practice Integrated Writing question that is transcript only, no audio, like the one in Quick Prep Volume 1. You can purchase these and a few other TOEFL resources with Integrated Writing practice though the official materials catalog for the exam.

It’s also worth mentioning that we have one Integrated Writing practice task (with audio) here on the Magoosh TOEFL Blog. We even have a model answer for it. And of course, you can get many additional full Integrated Writing task questions with a Magoosh TOEFL subscription.

Hello Lucas, I’m currently preparing for TOEFL and I’m right now only focussing on the speaking section since I have to get good score on that. I’m very excited about the test though I feel it’s relatively harder than IELTS. I have taken IELTS and I have 7 band score in that. Now comes the question that I have from you, so basically I haven’t taken a date yet and I’ll most probably give my TOEFL in December because I want to be fully prepared and I want to do it in one go. I’m making smart strategies that works for me but still I feel I lack that confidence of talking to a machine (considering I like talking to a person more) I need you to provide me with some very common topics if you have any so I can constantly practice my speaking.

I’d suggest you read over our resources TOEFL Speaking Topics and TOEFL Speaking TIPS and PDF , which includes where to find practice questions and resources.

Happy studying! 😀

How can write complete essay in 30 min! It is very difficult

It definitely is difficult, Raed. Writing is one of the biggest challenges for many test-takers, but the writing section can be beat. One key skill is prewriting. You’ll want to get very comfortable with organizing your ideas and making outlines, so that you can do it quickly. And you’ll want to do some revision to organizaiton even while you write. (I’ve posted some additional thoughts on that here .

It also helps to strategize ways to minimize word count.Remember, ETS’s recommended length for Writing Task 1 (Integrated) is only 150 to 225 words. And their suggested length for Task 2 is 300 words. That’s really not that much. But the trick is learning to express your ideas within that word count, without having to revise and edit out extra stuff that you wrote.

In a nutshell, you’ll master the tricky skill of writing an essay in just 30 minutes if you can do the following:

1) Do all major prewriting in just the first few minutes. 2) Fall within the recommended word count on the first try, with no revisions. 3) Be able to edit for content as you write and shortly after you write.

I’ve been praticing TOEFL writing for a few weeks and had a native speaker review my essays for me. My reviewer’s pointed out a problem among my Independent essays which is that I don’t really choose a side sometimes on certain topics. For example, when I was asked to agree or disagree with the statement that “It is better to have broad knowledge of many academic subjects than to specialize in one specific subject”, I argued that diversification in knowledge and specialization in knowledge are simply different, sometimes overlapping, approaches to acquiring knowledge instead of being a rival to each other. My reviewer said he agrees with my essay, but he could only give me a C in regard to the criteria of the test since I didn’t really write in favor of a given side.

So my question is that: would it really harm my TOEFL writing score if I don’t choose a side, even when the essays are well reasoned and well organized?

Many thanks,

That is an excellent question, Lexi. It is definitely possible to get a good score by writing an essay in this way. Not choosing a side won’t automatically hurt your TOEFL score.

However, not choosing sides can still harm your TOEFL Writing score in another way. A more complicated opinion makes for a more complicated essay. And it’s harder to finish a more complicated essay– and do it truly well– in the time limit on the exam. Even if you can do a pretty good essay where you don’t take sides, a simpler essay where you do take sides can be written even more clearly and completely within the allotted time. Doing a simpler essay that focuses just on agreeing or disagreeing will leave you more time and energy to make good word choices, organize your ideas well, and check for mistakes at the end.

Of course, this may mean that you’ll need to write an opinion that isn’t truly yours. But as long as you’re comfortable doing that, taking a side is the best path to the highest score possible in TOEFL Independent Writing.

Aslam o alikum i just wanted to know how we can say specific sentences? what is specific sentences mean? and what is the different between specific and general sentences?

“Specific reasons and examples” (as they are described in TOEFL Writing topics) are pieces of evidence that reference unique ideas and evidence. Suppose, for example, that you answered this quesiton (seen in the post above): “It has recently been announced that a large shopping center may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer”

If you support the plan, you don’t want your evidence for why you support a shopping center to be too general. A very general support might be “I think this would be good for the neighborhood’s economy.” This is too general, because the statement doesn’t include the reasons why the shopping center would boost the economy. So if you make a general statement like this in your written response, you need to follow it up with more specific statements such as “The shopping center will require a lot of workers, and people in my neighborhood can get jobs and spend more money in the neighborhood.” This is a specific reason. You could follow that sentence up with “For example, the shopping center’s food court will probably have a lot of jobs that younger people can qualify for.” This is a specific example.

Thank you very much for all those useful informations! I have one question according to choise of words. Is it better to choose simple words or very professional words? Such as organization VS company, harm VS Damage etc…

On the TOEFL Writing section, more “formal” academic words can help boost your score. But what’s most important is vocabulary variety— little repetition of words, and word choices that are creative and appropriate to meaning and tone.

is it important to go through each and every part of grammar so as to excel in toefl writing.

Yes and no. You should certainly have good general grammar skill, and a fluency with all the most important parts of English grammar. But the TOEFL only takes away points for grammar mistakes if the mistakes are frequent and interfere with the reader’s ability to understand your writing.

hello there.in case i was faced with a topic im not familiar with or got nothing to say about,,how am i supposed to react???

This is a common problem on TOEFL Independent tasks. Our blog has already touched on this problem a little with TOEFL Independent Speaking rather than TOEFL Independent Writing. In general, the trick to doing well when you get an unfamiliar TOEFL Independent topic is learning how to think fast and have enough to say.

To build this skill, you need to practice going with the first idea that pops into your head when you’re presented with an unfamiliar subject. If you have no opinions or experiences of your own, you also need to get good at making stuff up— yes, it’s OK to lie on the TOEFL !

Above all, you should practice with as many TOEFL Independent Writing topics as you can. You don’t necessarily need to write out a full essay for every Independent Writing questions you look at. But you should be able to brainstorm ideas and come up with an outline for any topic, even an unfamiliar one. A good resource for drilling yourself in this skill is this list of 155 TOEFL Independent Writing topics . Go through that list, and selectively look for topics where you feel like you have nothing to say. Then, through practice, learn to think quickly and say something.

Hi! Would it be advisable to put titles in the essays? Since it s answering to a given question, I would feel it s needed, is.it? Tks a lot.

No, you definitely don’t need to add a title to your TOEFL essay. It’s not a requirement in the official TOEFL Writing rubrics . In addition, if your title is misspelled or confusing, that might actually hurt your score.

So I would avoid adding a title, to make a long story short. 🙂

My problem with independent writing that a lot of times my essays are very short because I am not too familiar with certain topics. For example – DO you think video games are beneficial or harmful to children. Explain your opinion/reasons. I personally have very minimal experience with video games, not too familiar with them. I never thought too much about this issue and as a result I do not have too much too say. How you would recommend to deal with a topic that is not very familiar to you, or if you do not have any particular opinion about? Thank you

When you say short, how long do you mean? The independent task really only needs to be ~300 words to be scored well. In any case, you can flesh out your points by adding examples or hypothetical situations to follow up your points. You can also imagine a counterpoint and refute it, giving your argument more length. 🙂

there are many templates explaining how to write independent writing in IBT but I find less examples or templates for first writing which related to passage and lecture , can you please provide some more information at this point as well?

Examples for TOEFL Writing Task 1 (Integrated) are less common because they’re a lot harder to make. And I should know, because I made a Writing Task one sample prompt and answer for this blog. 🙂

Here is the sample TOEFL Integrated Writing Task , along with its corresponding TOEFL Writing Task 1 sample response .

In addition to this, you can find more free, full TOEFL Integrated Writing sample tasks by using ETS TOEFL Quick Prep , as well as Magoosh’s additional unofficial audio for TOEFL Quick Prep Volume 1 and TOEFL Quick Prep Volume 2 .

Hi, is it possible that i can come up with a 3-5 polished paragraphs with in 20 minutes? Including the preparation and organization of thoughts? Because i am doubting myself, do you have any suggestions that i could do? Thanks!

Hi Wesselmie,

I know it sounds difficult, but it is absolutely possible to improve your writing and craft a strong essay in 20 minutes! The best thing you can do to improve is to write as much as possible. You should be writing in English every single day–this will allow you to build your writing skills and confidence so that the essay becomes easier 😀

If you want to practice writing in English, it helps to have material to respond to. So why not get reading or listening practice at the same time?

This blog pos t has some great resources to use for listening or reading practice that’s similar to TOEFL material.

After listening to a presentation in English or reading an article from an English news site, summarize it in writing. Summarizing is an incredibly important skill for the TOEFL. Try to write as much as possible, and be very careful to use your own words. DO NOT COPY ANYTHING from the original text or presentation—instead, use synonyms and different sentence structures to convey the same information. Ideally, after reading or listening, you won’t go back to the material at all. Instead, you will only write what you remember (taking notes is a good idea!).

And you can go beyond just summarizing! Write reaction paragraphs, too. Act like you are writing back to the author or speaker with your opinion on the topic, although you are not really talking to them.

When you finish writing a response, save it for later. You should always come back to your writing a week later (or more), and edit it. Be very careful with the grammar when you edit, and add extra sentences that you need to make it clearer. Then, if you have the time, it can be a great help to write the same response (or essay) again a second time, with all of your edits in mind. 🙂

And check our the entire writing section of our blog for more tips and ideas for how to improve!

Hello, Can you please help me with some useful tips on all the four sections of toefl.. Now it is just a weeks’ time for my examination and i am not understanding what to excatly focus on and put my efforts into.

I am using magoosh for my prepartion, of vocabulary, speaking, listening to audios & watching videos..

Thank you..

I recommend that you check out our 2 week TOEFL Study Schedule. You may not have time to complete all of it, but it will give you a good idea of what you should focus on in your last week. I recommend that you take a practice test, analyze your answers and performance, and then do some targeted review to ensure that you have a basic understanding of the methods and strategy for each section of the test. Good luck!

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• Essay Examples

Toefl Essay Topics

All of the topics we’ll list out in this article are included in the Official Guide to the TOEFL (fourth edition). The Official Guide to the TOEFL is a book that enjoys a distinguished reputation. In our opinion, anyone who wants to take this exam should get their hands on it! That said, take a look at our list of questions for the TOEFL.

• Question no. 1 In our modern society, due to the overwhelming utilization of the internet, it is much easier for us to acquire information in comparison to the previous generations. In which way does this expand the accessibility of data? How does this impact our everyday existence?
• Question no. 2 A large number of students feel more excited about classes in which they can openly talk to the teacher, and the lectures are at a minimum. On the other hand, some students believe that a class that includes more lectures and less open discussions is a better idea. In your opinion, which of the two alternatives is the best? To substantiate your response, utilize precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 3 Take a look at the following assertion: Research is better conducted by utilizing printed sources, like publications or articles, rather than internet websites. Do you approve or disapprove of such judgment? To substantiate your response, utilize precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 4 Take a look at the following assertion: grades urge students to study. Do you approve or disapprove of this? To advocate your point of view, make use of precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 5 The individuals who live in our proximity are referred to as neighbors. From your perspective, what are the traits that define a good neighbor? When providing your response, utilize precise details and instances.
• Question no. 6 Do you believe that people who reside in North America have become too reliant on cars for locomotion?
• Question no. 7 Imagine that you have the possibility of staying abroad of your own choice for a period of 2 weeks. Which foreign state would you prefer traveling to? To justify your option, offer precise motivations and details.
• Question no. 8 While some individuals prefer traveling with other people, others enjoy traveling by themselves. Into which category do you fall? To justify your option, make use of precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 9 Think of the following situation: A firm needs to choose between spending a certain amount of money on supporting artists and allocating those funds to environmental protection. In your opinion, which of the two alternatives should the firm opt for? To substantiate your response, utilize precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 10 What is your strategy when it comes to fixing issues? In what way does this accomplish the desired results? To substantiate your answer, utilize precise details.
• Question no. 11 Make a comparison and pinpoint the similarities and differences between your lifestyle and that of your parents. In your opinion, which of the two lifestyles would be more gratifying for the generations to come?
• Question no. 12 As a rule, nowadays humans have lengthier lives. Talk about the factors that generate this phenomenon. When drafting your paper, utilize precise motivations and details.
• Question no. 13 Some people prefer spending their money on things they like right after they receive it, while others think it’s a better idea to save it for the future. In your opinion, which of the two is the best approach? To substantiate your perspective, utilize particular motivations and details.
• Question no. 14 Individuals become college or university students due to a lot of distinct motives (for instance, to experience new things, to train for a career or to gain new skills). In your opinion, what is the reason for which individuals become students?
• Question no. 15 In what way are one's actions shaped by films or TV shows? To substantiate your response, utilize motivations and precise instances.
• Question no. 16 What significant aspect regarding your hometown would you like to change, provided that you had that possibility? To substantiate your response, make use of motivations and precise instances.
• Question no. 17 Ponder on the following assertion: The popularization of television is responsible for ruining communication between people. Do you approve or disapprove of such judgment? To substantiate your perspective, utilize precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 18 While some individuals wish to reside in a tiny settlement, others enjoy big city life the most. Into which category do you fall? To substantiate your response, utilize precise motivations and details.
• Question no. 19 Take a look at the following statement: Humans can only be successful as a result of hard work. Success cannot be achieved by luck. Do you approve or disapprove of this idea? To justify your standpoint, make use of precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 20 Take a look at the following assertion: Colleges ought to allocate the same percentage of their funds to sports activities as they grant their college libraries. Do you approve or disapprove of the statement? To substantiate your viewpoint, utilize precise motivations and examples.
• Question no. 21 A lot of individuals go to museums every time they find themselves in new locations. In your opinion, what are the reasons why people like museums? To substantiate your response, utilize precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 22 Do you approve or do you disapprove of the following statement? It is preferable to raise kids in a village, rather than in a large urban area. When drafting your paper, utilize precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 23 A large number of individuals think that our endeavors are destroying our planet. On the other hand, others believe that our endeavors are on the whole beneficial to our planet. Which of the two standpoints do you embrace? To substantiate your response, make use of particular motivations and instances.
• Question no. 24 People usually get jobs because they require money to sustain themselves. Can you identify other motives for which individuals get jobs? Talk about one or more of these motives. To substantiate your response, utilize precise instances and details.
• Question no. 25 People engage in a lot of distinct actions to preserve their health. What actions do you undertake to stay healthy? To substantiate your response, utilize precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 26 Imagine the following scenario: you have recently found out that a big mall may be constructed in your district. Do you approve of this project or do you not? Explain why, and utilize precise motivations and details to substantiate your response.
• Question no. 27 While some students find it better to study with other people, others are more productive when they study by themselves. Which of the two perspectives do you adopt? To justify your response, use precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 28 While some individuals enjoy dining out at restaurants or fast food joints, others feel better when they cook and eat their own meals at home. Which of the two categories do you fall under? To substantiate your response, utilize precise motivations and instances.
• Question no. 29 While some individuals think that class attendance ought to be mandatory for college students, others share the belief that it ought to be facultative. Which of the two viewpoints do you embrace? To justify your response, utilize precise motivations and details.
• Question no. 30 A large number of individuals believe that studying is best done alone as opposed to having a professor. On the other hand, other people think that studying with a professor is a much better idea. Which of the two points of view do you agree with? When drafting your paper, make use of precise motivations.
• Question no. 31 In your opinion, which would be some of the most significant traits that a good overseer (employer) should have? To justify the significance of these traits, utilize precise details and instances.
• Question no. 32 As a rule, humans enjoy longer lives nowadays. Talk about the reasons behind this. Utilize particular motivations and details in your paper (second version).
• Question no. 33 When we get a job, we inevitably need to collaborate with a lot of distinct types of individuals. From your point of view, what are the most significant traits a work colleague (a person you collaborate closely with) should possess? To justify the significance of these traits, use motivations and precise instances.
• Question no. 34 Take a look at the following assertion: In two decades, people will own a smaller number of vehicles than they do today. Do you approve or disapprove of this opinion?
• Question no. 35 Take a look at the following assertion: nowadays humans tend to spend more time on entertaining themselves rather than doing what needs to be done. Do you approve or disapprove of this statement?
• Question no. 36 Take a look at the following assertion: Life nowadays is considerably simpler and more pleasant in comparison to the lives our grandparents had when they were young. Do you approve or disapprove of this statement?
• Question no. 37 Take a look at the following assertion: We can draw more valuable lessons from individuals who are at a superior level compared to us (such as professors) than from our peers. Do you approve or disapprove of this statement?
• Question no. 38 Take a look at the following assertion: One should never adopt a significant measure by themselves. Do you approve or disapprove of this opinion?
• Question no. 39 Consider the following situation: you have recently found out that a new restaurant may be constructed somewhere in your area. Do you approve or disapprove of this? Explain your viewpoint and utilize precise motivations and details to substantiate your response.
• Question no. 40 Take a look at the following assertion: In some situations, it is preferable to lie. Do you approve or disapprove of this statement? To substantiate your response, use precise motivations and details.

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TOEFL Writing Topics: Best TOEFL Essay Topics for Your Practice

• Updated On December 20, 2022
• Published In TOEFL 📚

In the fourth and last exam of TOEFL, candidates have to prove their ability to understand the English language at a university level. For this, they need to clear two tasks. One is Integrated Writing Task, and the other is Independent Writing Task which individuals must complete within 20 and 30 minutes, respectively. 

Table of Contents

However, since there is limited time, many students get nervous despite this exam being fairly easy. Therefore, it is best to practice samples before appearing in the exam by setting a timer to overcome it. For reference, one can find some common  TOEFL writing topics  below. 

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Independent Writing Task

Before looking into  TOEFL writing independent topics , individuals must first understand what it is. Under the Independent writing task, candidates are given a question regarding a topic they must present their opinions on. In addition, candidates will also have to provide reasonable points to support their answers, along with examples. 

One must remember to keep his or her essay to a minimum of 300 words. Also, the approach to presenting it will depend on the question type. Broadly categorising, there are three types of questions asked:

Agree or disagree:  This is the most common prompt that holds a 50% chance of appearing in the Independent Writing Task. Here individuals must pick a side and give a reason with examples why they chose the particular side. 

Explain both sides:  Here, candidates must talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both sides, provide their personal view on them, and support it with facts. 

Pick from many options:  In this section, individuals will find multiple possible answers to one question. They must pick one and share their opinion with examples to express why. 

TOEFL Independent Writing Topics 

Topics for TOEFL Independent Writing  will be different depending on the type of question. This is why, here, we have divided the suggested topics according to respective categories.

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Agree or Disagree Style

The following are the  TOEFL essay topics  that candidates can practice under agree or disagree style:

Question 1:  ‘When carrying out research, it is best to refer to printed articles and books than to use an online mode of information.’ Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Provide specific reasons with examples to support your answer. 

Question 2:  In our country, young people are enjoying a better life than the ones that their parents had when they were young. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Provide specific reasons with examples to support your answer.

Question 3:  Movies and dramas strongly influence the way people think. Do you agree or disagree with it? State reasons to support your answer, along with some examples. 

Explain Both Sides

To understand the types of questions that a candidate may face under explain both sides prompt, refer to the following  TOEFL Independent writing  topics:

Question 4:  Provide the advantages and disadvantages of living in a metropolitan city versus a small town. Use supportive reason to justify your answer, along with examples. 

Question 5:  Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of studying in a group versus studying independently. Use reasons with supportive examples to explain your thought.

Question 6:  Provide the advantages and disadvantages of keeping college freshmen for one year before letting students pursue majors for further specialisation. Support your answer with reasons along with examples.

Question 7:  Some colleges let school students take a one year gap after passing 12th for work and travel purposes. What are your views on this? Express advantages and disadvantages of this one-year gap, along with reasons and examples. 

Pick from Many Options

Question 8:  What are the qualities that make a person leader? Incorporate specific reasons with examples to support your view. 

Question 9:  Take a scenario where you have a vacant piece of land in your town. How will you make the best use of it? Support your answer with appropriate reasons and examples. 

Question 10:  What is the biggest problem the world is facing in today’s world, in your opinion? Explain why you think it is the biggest problem with reasons and examples. 

Question 11:  If you get an opportunity to learn a new skill that you always wanted to but never got the chance to, what will it be? Use specific reasons to support your answer, along with examples. 

TOEFL Integrated Writing Tasks 

TOEFL Integrated writing is a test of how one can read, listen and write English. As candidates face the task, they have three minutes to read the paragraph and listen to a short audio clip. Then, using these sources, they have to write an essay of 150 to 225 words that contains both the content of the audio clip and passage. 

Here, there is no requirement to give an opinion just to summarise the topic. However, the catch is once an applicant starts writing, he or she cannot listen to the audio again. 

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

It is essential to refer to  TOEFL writing topics examples to train oneself in TOEFL integrated writing. Therefore, one sample has been provided for candidates’ reference below:

Integrated TOEFL Writing Prompt Sample 

Direction:  You have 3 minutes to read this passage.

Passage Sample:

An international organisation recently took an initiative to promote ecologically sustainable forestry practices. For this purpose, it started issuing certificates to companies dealing in wood while meeting all ecological standards, including recycling materials and conserving resources. Companies can use this certificate as their promotional agenda by claiming their products to be ‘eco-certified.’ While many companies worldwide make an effort to carry out the certification process, many US companies do not have any interest in it for many reasons. 

Firstly, as many American products use ‘improved’ or ‘new’ labels, customers now do not trust the advertisement claims in general. Also, they are so exposed to advertising that people will not even pay attention to the eco-certification label. 

The second reason is customers, in general, are highly motivated by price. However, since companies have to pay extra to get authorities to examine their products for certification, it increases the cost per product, which later is borne by the customers. So, they may choose to buy uncertified wood products for a cheaper option. 

Thirdly, some people claim that it is always progressive for companies to keep up with worldwide development. So, it would make sense to get wood certification when producers marketed their products abroad. However, as most products are sold within the country, there’s no need for certification.  

Conclusion:

Candidates looking for TOEFL writing topics  for practice can find the exact sample in the above section. However, to train oneself in the perfect ways, individuals must follow all the regulations set by the exam authorities and complete the task within time. 

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Saket Kohli

An International Higher Ed professional with 7+ years of experience studying, working, and living across three geographies, currently on a mission to share his journey as an International Student.

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8 TOEFL essay topics to prepare for the TOEFL exam

Worried about your performance in the toefl writing section follow the instructions, tips, and methods in this blog, and practice on one of the 10 toefl essay topics to nail your exam., table of contents, what is the toefl writing section, 5 authentic tips on how to ace the toefl independent writing question.

• Sample TOEFL essay topics 

Part 2: The Integrated Writing task

How to nail the toefl integrated writing question, any last-minute tips.

A lot of students find the Reading, Listening, and Speaking sections of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam fairly easy. It’s the TOEFL Writing section that gives everybody a run for the woods. To reduce your nervousness and help you prepare for the TOEFL Writing section, I have included in-depth details about each question and shared tips on how to nail it. Along with that, you will also find 8 TOEFL essay topics to help you get started. So, what are you waiting for? Dive in!

The fourth and the last section of the TOEFL exam, the Writing Section measures your ability to write in English at a university level. Its aim is to test how you structure your thoughts and see if you can present them clearly (without any grammatical mistakes).

The Writing Section of TOEFL takes 50 minutes to complete and comprises of 2 questions-

• Independent Writing task, which takes 30 minutes
• Integrated Writing task, which takes 20 minutes

While the Independent task tests your ability to organize your thoughts and express them, the Integrated task focuses on how well you can use English in class.

Let’s take a look at them one by one.

Part 1: The Independent Writing task

For this task, you will be asked a question on a personal topic or an issue. Depending on what the question is, you will either have to share a personal experience or give your opinion on the topic. In case it’s an issue-based topic, you will also have to give reasons and examples that support your opinion.

The question you will get will fall into one of these three broad categories-

• Agree or Disagree – pick one side on the issue and provide arguments that support it
• Explain both sides – talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both the sides of an issue, express your opinion, and support it with arguments
• Pick from many opinions – choose one answer from several possible ones and share examples that support your opinion

The first two appear more commonly in exams than the third.

But no matter what the question or the question type, I have a one-stop solution for you (so excited to share this)!

1) Let’s dive straight into it – the first thing you need to do is structure your essay. And this is something you can (and should) do even before the exam begins.

2) Choose to have a limited number of paras. Start by stating the topic and your opinion, use the second and the third paragraphs to support your opinion with 2 strong points. Use examples to support these points if needed.

3) In the fourth paragraph, acknowledge that your opinion is not perfect (because it’s an opinion and not fact) and talk about the strengths of the opinion you did not pick.

4) Use the fifth paragraph to say that even though the other side has its own advantages, you prefer yours. This is a good place to add a third point in favor of your own argument.

5) Conclude with the sixth paragraph by tying up everything you have said so far and restate your opinion.

There! The perfect structure to nail your TOEFL Independent Writing task.

A few things to keep in mind-

• Do not limit your essay to 300 words, try to reach 600-700 words if possible
• Spend the first 2 minutes to come up with 3 strong points to support your argument
• In case you don’t get enough time, skip the suggestion for the third paragraph and save yourself a few minutes
• Finish writing your essay in 25 minutes and spend the last 5 minutes checking for any grammatical errors

Sample TOEFL essay topics  

Now that you know how to go about the Independent Writing task and have also looked at a sample answer, it’s time to practice with some TOEFL Writing samples!

I’m sharing a few TOEFL essay topics given by ETS (the official TOEFL test-takers) for you to choose from-

• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? When people succeed, it is entirely because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with their success. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Human activity is making the earth a worse place to live. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• When you face a difficult problem in life, what do you feel is the best way to solve it? -asking someone with more experience for advice about the problem  -finding information about the problem using the Internet  -taking a long time to think about the problem Use specific details and examples in your answer.  Do not use memorized examples. 
• Some people like to travel with a companion. Other people prefer to travel alone. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• It is important to improve our skills and knowledge as much as possible. Some people prefer to learn from individuals who have more experience than they do – like teachers and supervisors – instead of learning from peers, like their colleagues and classmates.  Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not?
• Television advertising directed toward young children (aged two to five) should not be allowed.  
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? ‘A teacher’s ability to relate well with students is more important than excellent knowledge of the subject being taught.’ Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. 

For this task, you will have to read a short passage, listen to a 2-minute lecture about the same topic, and write a response to what you read and listened to.

The question tests your listening, reading, and writing chops and evaluates how you would do in a real classroom. So, answer it in a way that includes the content of both the passage and the audio recording.

Here, you do not need to provide an opinion. You just have to summarize what you learned from the essay and the recording. And while you will have the passage in front of you as you write the answer, you will not be able to listen to the audio recording again. But this should not affect you in any way. Let’s see why.

The ideal way to solve this problem is to take notes. Start by reading the passage, slowly. Since it’s a short passage, the amount of time allotted will be more than enough. As you read each para, write down one sentence (of 4-5 words) describing what you learned from that paragraph. Do this for the entire passage.

When you’re listening to the audio, again make notes. Write down the primary points leading the argument in the recording.

When it’s time to start writing, take a few seconds. Collate all your points and structure your answer.

Split it into 4 paragraphs. Use the first para to state the topic, and the second one to talk about what the passage states. In the third paragraph, use points from the audio recording. And conclude with a sentence or two in the fourth para.

That’s it – you’ll have close to 250 to 300 words and you’ll have presented a clear, concise answer!

• Find what works for you – writing more notes, or less
• To save time while making notes, don’t write sentences but one-worded points
• Finish writing your essay in 15 minutes and spend the last 5 minutes checking for any grammatical errors

Integrated Writing TOEFL essay topics

Here are TOEFL essay topics I borrowed from ETS, the official TOEFL test-takers-

Give yourself 3 minutes to read the passage.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

In an effort to encourage ecologically sustainable forestry practices, an international organization started issuing certifications to wood companies that meet high ecological standards by conserving resources and recycling materials. Companies that receive this certification can attract customers by advertising their products as “ecocertified.” Around the world, many wood companies have adopted new, ecologically friendly practices in order to receive ecocertification. However, it is unlikely that wood companies in the United States will do the same, for several reasons.

First, American consumers are exposed to so much advertising that they would not value or even pay attention to the ecocertification label. Because so many mediocre products are labeled “new” or “improved,” American consumers do not place much trust in advertising claims in general.

Second, ecocertified wood will be more expensive than uncertified wood because in order to earn ecocertification, a wood company must pay to have its business examined by a certification agency. This additional cost gets passed on to consumers. American consumers tend to be strongly motivated by price, and therefore they are likely to choose cheaper uncertified wood products. Accordingly, American wood companies will prefer to keep their prices low rather than obtain ecocertification.

Third, although some people claim that it always makes good business sense for American companies to keep up with the developments in the rest of the world, this argument is not convincing. Pursuing certification would make sense for American wood companies only if they marketed most of their products abroad. But that is not the caseAmerican wood businesses sell most of their products in the United States, catering to a very large customer base that is satisfied with the merchandise.

Read the transcript.

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

Professor Well, despite what many people say, there’s good reason to think that many American wood companies will eventually seek ecocertification for their wood products. First off, consumers in the United States don’t treat all advertising the same. They distinguish between advertising claims that companies make about their own products and claims made by independent certification agencies. Americans have a lot of confidence in independent consumer agencies. Thus, ecologically minded Americans are likely to react very favorably to wood products ecologically certified by an independent organization with an international reputation for trustworthiness.

Second pointof course it’s true that American consumers care a lot about pricewho doesn’t? But studies of how consumers make decisions show that price alone determines consumers’ decisions only when the price of one competing product is much higher or lower than another. When the price difference between two products is smallsay, less than five percent, as is the case with certified wood Americans often do choose on factors other than price. And Americans are becoming increasingly convinced of the value of preserving and protecting the environment.

And third, U.S. wood companies should definitely pay attention to what’s going on in the wood business internationally, not because of foreign consumers, but because of foreign competition. As I just told you, there’s a good chance that many American consumers will be interested in ecocertified products. And guess what, if American companies are slow capturing those customers, you can be sure that foreign companies will soon start crowding into the American market, offering ecocertified wood that domestic companies don’t.

Give yourself 20 minutes to plan and write your response. Your response is judged on the quality of the writing and on how well it presents the points in the lecture and their relationship to the reading passage. Typically, an effective response will be 150 to 225 words. You may view the reading passage while you respond.

Response time: 20 minutes

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

Yes, just two-

• Remember that there’s no spell-checking tool that will help you during the test. So, when you’re practicing and preparing for the writing section, disable Grammarly or the spell-check tool in Word (depending on where you’re practicing).
• Don’t lose your cool. If you see a question that might be difficult to answer or notice a grammatical error just as the timer is going off, don’t panic. Take a deep breath, rethink your writing plan, and get back to the test. Worrying won’t help.

A bonus tip is this – practice, practice, practice. It will help you stay prepared for whatever question may come your way.

And if you need any help, you know where to find me! Drop a comment and let me know what I can do to help with your TOEFL essay topics. I would be more than happy to help.

All the best for your exam!

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Nice article. Very helpful for students who are preparing for TOEFL . Good work. Keep it up.

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TOEFL Sample Essays

• Updated on  
• Jul 14, 2023

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) conducts the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and those planning to study abroad undertake this esteemed language proficiency exam. Among the English proficiency tests TOEFL is a widely accepted one. It aims to assess candidates on four parameters, i.e. Reading , Writing, Speaking and Listening.

Essays are a part of the Writing section of the exam. Also, according to the recent changes in the TOEFL exam pattern, the most fundamental change has happened in the writing section. Therefore, for all the aspirants preparing to get their dream score in this exam, here is a blog to providing with various TOEFL sample essays and preparation tips for the updated writing section of the test.

This Blog Includes:

Toefl exam changes in the writing section, toefl writing samples- task 1, toefl sample essays: writing task 2, toefl sample essay type, toefl sample essay list, toefl writing tips .

The TOEFL exam section is now only 1 hour 56 minutes long in duration. Hence, the exam sections underwent several developments to incorporate such a change, except for the Speaking Section, which remained the same. The writing section of the exam received some changes as well. Here are the changes that were made.

• The duration of the writing section is reduced to 29 minutes .
• The sections still contain 2 tasks. One is an integrated task but the other independent writing task has been transformed into a writing for academic discussions .
• The new task is also a single writing task for which the candidates are given a lecture excerpt from a professor accompanied by some opinions by other students.
• The candidates have to write their own opinion and give supporting arguments for the same.
• The task will be evaluated for the candidate’s ability to understand the classroom environment and ability to understand along with other parameters.
• Other factors such as allotted scores will remain the same.

Recommended Read: TOEFL Registration

TOEFL Writing Task 1- TOEFL Integrated Writing Task

The first TOEFL Writing task is Integrated Writing. This task expects you to use your reading, writing and listening skills. In this, you first read a short passage for three minutes, then you listen to an audio clip of the speaker discussing the same passage. Now you get 20 minutes to respond to the question with reference from these two sources.

During your answer, you can read the passage again but cannot listen to the clip again. The examiners mark this section from 0-5 and they judge you not only on your writing skills but also on your reading and listening skills.

The following Sample is from the official website of TOEFL iBT :

Were Dinosaurs Endotherms?

Reading passage: .

Endotherms are animals such as modern birds and mammals that keep their body temperatures constant. For instance, humans are endotherms and maintain an internal temperature of 37°C, no matter whether the environment is warm or cold. Because dinosaurs were reptiles, and modern reptiles are not endotherms, it was long assumed that dinosaurs were not endotherms. However, dinosaurs differ in many ways from modern reptiles, and there is now considerable evidence that dinosaurs were, in fact, endotherms. Polar dinosaurs One reason for believing that dinosaurs were endotherms is that dinosaur fossils have been discovered in polar regions. Only animals that can maintain a temperature well above that of the surrounding environment could be active in such cold climates. Leg position and movement There is a connection between endothermy and the position and movement of the legs. The physiology of endothermy allows sustained physical activity, such as running. But running is efficient only if an animal’s legs are positioned underneath its body, not at the body’s side, as they are for crocodiles and many lizards. The legs of all modern endotherms are underneath the body, and so were the legs of dinosaurs. This strongly suggests that dinosaurs were endotherms. Haversian canals There is also a connection between endothermy and bone structure. The bones of endotherms usually include structures called Haversian canals. These canals house nerves and blood vessels that allow the living animal to grow quickly, and rapid body growth is a characteristic of endothermy. The presence of Haversian canals in bone is a strong indicator that the animal is an endotherm, and fossilized bones of dinosaurs are usually dense with Haversian canals. 

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

[Professor] Many scientists have problems with the arguments you read in the passage. They don’t think those arguments prove that dinosaurs were endotherms. Take the polar dinosaur argument. When dinosaurs lived, even the polar regions where dinosaur fossils have been found were much warmer than today—warm enough during part of the year for animals that were not endotherms to live. And during the months when the polar regions were cold, the so-called polar dinosaurs could have migrated to warmer areas or hibernated as many modern reptiles do. So the presence of dinosaur fossils in polar regions doesn’t prove the dinosaurs were endotherms. Well, what about the fact that dinosaurs had their legs placed under their bodies, not out to the side, like a crocodile’s? That doesn’t necessarily mean dinosaurs were high-energy endotherms built for running. There’s another explanation for having legs under the body: this body structure supports more weight. So with legs under their bodies, dinosaurs could grow to a very large size. Being largely had advantages for dinosaurs, so we don’t need the idea of endothermy and running to explain why dinosaurs evolved to have their legs under their bodies. OK, so how about bone structure? Many dinosaur bones do have Haversian canals, that’s true, but dinosaur bones also have growth rings. Growth rings are a thickening of the bone that indicates periods of time when the dinosaurs weren’t rapidly growing. These growth rings are evidence that dinosaurs stopped growing or grew more slowly during cooler periods. This pattern of periodic growth—you know, rapid growth followed by no growth or slow growth and then rapid growth again—is characteristic of animals that are not endotherms. Animals that maintain a constant body temperature year-round, as true endotherms do, grow rapidly even when the environment becomes cool. 

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

Life on Mars 

For years, scientists have been trying to discover whether life exists on Mars. Most have concluded that the Martian environment today is too harsh to support living organisms. However, three recent discoveries lend support to the idea that there may very well be life on Mars after all. First, large amounts of methane have been detected in the Martian atmosphere. This suggests the presence of living methanogens, tiny organisms that release methane into the atmosphere as a by-product of their life processes. Methanogens get their energy from hydrogen in rocks and do not need oxygen or sunlight to live, so they can survive in harsh environments like Mars. Since methane can remain in Mars’ atmosphere only for a few centuries after it’s created, these methanogens must be present and producing methane today.             

Second, the existence of life on Mars is also strongly supported by a meteorite discovered in Antarctica in 1996. The particular chemical composition of this meteorite indicates that it is a rock from the surface of Mars. The meteorite also contains chemically pure and flawless crystals of the compound magnetite. Such magnetite crystals are produced in nature only by bacteria. Third, observations of hydrogen on Mars made in 2001 by NASA’s Mars Odyssey spacecraft suggest the presence of liquid water there that could support organisms. The spacecraft detected the hydrogen in the top layer of Martian soil. This hydrogen is just what one would expect if there were liquid water under the surface. A subterranean reservoir of liquid water is an extremely suitable environment for microscopic life. 

Listening: 

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

[Professor] Mars is a very unfriendly place for life. The evidence that has been put forward as supporting there being life on Mars is actually very ambiguous. The facts as we know them can easily be accounted for without supposing life on Mars. First, methanogens are not necessarily the source of methane. Methane can be produced by non-biological processes like volcanic eruptions. The same experiments that detected the atmospheric methane also indicated recent volcano activity. Moreover, unlike methanogens, volcanoes have actually been found on Mars. So since no methanogens have been found yet, it’s more likely that volcanoes are the source of Mars’s methane. Second, while the magnetite crystals found in the meteorite from Mars were probably made by bacteria, there is no indication that the bacteria themselves originated on Mars. The meteorite arrived on Earth about 13,000 years ago, which means it has had thousands of years to become exposed to bacteria on Earth. So it could have been bacteria on Earth that formed the crystals we now observe. Indeed, recent research performed on the meteorite found that, in fact, it has become contaminated by Earth bacteria. Since the sample has been contaminated, the magnetite crystals on the meteorite cannot be used as evidence of life on Mars. Third, what about the supposed existence of liquid water near enough to the surface of Mars to support life? The recent investigations of Mars detected hydrogen; they didn’t detect liquid water per se. It’s actually much more likely that if there’s any water close to the Martian surface, it’s frozen; in other words, it’s ice, not liquid water. And that’s not a great environment for life. 

Prompt: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast doubt on the specific points made in the reading passage.

TOEFL Writing Task 2- TOEFL Writing on Academic Discussion

The second task of writing for an academic discussion is the independent writing task. In this, you will be asked a question on a particular topic or issue. You will get around 10 minutes to write your views on the topic and explain your opinion. You must give reasons for your opinion with logical arguments.

Also Read: TOEFL Sample Test

Now that you know the key tips and tricks, take a look at the following TOEFL sample essays to understand the format, structure and style of writing that will get you a higher score: 

Exploring TOEFL Sample Essays? You must also check out IELTS Sample Essays!

Here is a type of Questions that can be asked in the Independent Writing Task:

• Motion For or Against a Topic
• Explaining both sides of a topic
• Choosing your stance from different options
• What are your observations on the effects of widespread use of the internet?
• Movies and television tend to create certain notions of a perfect lifestyle/human being. How would you elucidate that?
• Do you agree or disagree with the idea that young people can teach older people?
• What do you think is the impact of the place in which a person spends his/her childhood?
• Parents are the best teachers. What’s your take on that?
• Do you believe that technology is helping people connect on a deeper level?
• What do you think brings out better solutions? A group or an individual?
• If you could change one thing about your family what would it be and why?
• At some point or other, you’ll have a co-worker in your life. What measures will you take to bring out the best in both of you?
• If your school announced that students with low GPAs will be kicked out of the school. What will you do in response to the situation?
• What’s your take on the compulsion for traditional schooling? What do you think will happen if we start studying whatever we want by ourselves?

The writing section is an integral part of language proficiency assessments. Thus, it becomes important to work on your writing skills as well as vocabulary and grammar before appearing for the exam. Here are the best TOEFL preparation tips for the writing section which will surely help you gain your desired score:

• You must wisely utilize your time and keep in mind that you only have 20 minutes to draft a 250-word essay.
• Take precise notes of the audio passage which will help you while writing the essay.
• Do not construct long and complex sentences but adhere to a simpler and concise style of writing.
• While writing the essay where you are asked to present your views on one side of an argument, do not dwell on both sides. Stick to one opinion and elaborate on the same.  
• Conclude each body paragraph with a precise sentence. 
• Using transitional words will help you connect better with the situation. 

Also Read: TOEFL Preparation Tips

• TOEFL Speaking Topics
• Common Mistakes Made in TOEFL Listening Section and How to Avoid Them
• All you Need to Know About TOEFL
• IELTS vs TOEFL
• TOEFL Sample Speaking Questions
• TOEFL Reading Practice
• TOEFL Test Centres
• TOEFL iBT Vs TOEFL PBT
• Top Universities Accepting TOEFL Scores

There are a few things to keep in mind as you write the body paragraphs: Use a mix of simple, compound and complex sentences. Emphasize the examples. … Avoid very short sentences (less than seven words) and very long sentences (more than 60 words). Don’t start sentences with coordinating conjunctions.

The introduction is the most important paragraph of your TOEFL essay. The first paragraph of the essay. Usually 3 to 5 sentences long. Introduces the essay topic. Clearly gives your opinion. Has a strong thesis statement.

You can use percentiles to determine what a “good” TOEFL Writing score is. You might define “good” as anything that’s above average, or the 50th percentile. Using that definition, any scaled Writing score higher than 22 would be a good score.

Candidates who want to prepare for TOEFL or any other language proficiency test, can Build a plan with Leverage Edu‘s Leverage Live classes and our top trainers and strengthen your English score as well as your application so that you can secure your spot in your dream college.

Fulfil your dreams of studying abroad with Leverage Edu , to get a free counselling session, reach us at 1800572130 . 

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TOEFL Prep Online Guides and Tips

12 toefl speaking topics for realistic practice.

The TOEFL Speaking section can be intimidating: You have to record yourself talking for an exam? What kinds of TOEFL Speaking questions will you be asked? How many questions are there? What will you need to talk about? How long will you need to speak?

In this guide, we answer all those questions and more so you’ll know exactly what to expect from this challenging section and how to do well on it.  We explain every type of question you’ll see on TOEFL Speaking and how you should answer it, plus offer 12 TOEFL Speaking topics for you to practice with as you study for the exam.

An Introduction to TOEFL Speaking Topics

The TOEFL Speaking section lasts 20 minutes and includes six tasks. You’ll be able to take notes during this entire section. In TOEFL Speaking, there are two independent speaking tasks and four integrated tasks. For integrated tasks, test-takers will need to use more than one skill when responding.  The individual tasks will be described in more detail in the next sections.

Also, it’s important to know that you won’t be speaking to a real person during this section. Instead, you’ll hear recorded conversations and respond by speaking into a microphone. After your exam, TOEFL graders will then listen to your responses. This section tests your ability to speak effectively in academic settings. You’ll be graded on how completely you answer each question, your ability to speak clearly and coherently, and your vocabulary and grammar.

The following three sections explain the three format types you’ll see on the Speaking section . There are two tasks for each format type, and for each format type I’ll give an official sample question, explain the format of the tasks, and end with tips on how to approach the tasks.

TOEFL Independent Speaking Tasks

The first two TOEFL iBT Speaking topics are independent speaking tasks that draw on the student’s own ideas, opinions, and experiences when responding.

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.

Learn how you can improve your TOEFL score by 15 points today .

• Preparation Time: 15 seconds
• Speaking Time: 45 seconds

Official Sample Question

There are two main types of independent speaking tasks you’ll see on the TOEFL.

• Task 1: Choose From One Option

For the first task, you’ll be given a situation where there are many possible answers, and you’ll need to choose one option. The above question is an example of this type of task. After making your decision (which you’ll need to do quickly since you only have 15 seconds to prepare!), you’ll then need to support that choice.

• Task 2: Choose From Two Options

For the second task, you’ll be presented with two options and need to make a choice between the two of them. You may be choosing which one you prefer, which you think is a better idea, or something similar.  Like the first task, after making your choice you’ll need to support that decision with specific examples.

How to Approach the Tasks

The two independent speaking questions will ask a question on a familiar topic you can speak about without the help of outside materials. You’ll be giving your opinion or describing information you know.  Many students find these two to be the least challenging of the Speaking tasks, but that doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to be easy or that you can just talk about whatever you want.

The most important part of these questions is the “why”. You’ll always be asked to support your answer, whether by explaining why you feel a certain way or by giving examples that justify your answer.  The key to answering these questions well is to give specific examples and details to support your main idea. Don’t be vague or wishy-washy with your answers; make a strong argument for your opinion and let the grader know exactly why you feel the way you do.

TOEFL Integrated Speaking Tasks With Reading and Listening

Tasks 3 and 4, the first two integrated TOEFL iBT Speaking topics, require students to read a short passage, listen to an audio recording, then answer a question based on material from both the written passage and the audio recording.

• Reading Time: 45 seconds
• Listening Time: Varies, but about 60 seconds
• Preparation Time: 30 seconds
• Speaking Time: 60 seconds

• Task 3: Explain an Opinion on a Campus Issue

The third Speaking task will be based on a topic similar to one you’d likely encounter in class or on campus. It could be related to campus dining, transportation, extracurriculars, sports, or course requirements, among other topics.

First, you’ll have a short passage to read, which will likely be an announcement or clip from a newspaper. You’ll then hear an audio clip of two people discussing the written passage. They will usually disagree with each other.  In general, the question will ask you to summarize and explain the opinion of one of the speakers. For this task, you’ll be explaining someone else’s opinion, not giving your own opinion on the issue.

• Task 4: Explain a Lecture Topic

Task 4 follows the same format as Task 3, but it focuses on a lecture rather than a campus issue.  The written passage typically comes from a textbook and explains a term or concept. The audio recording is usually of a professor giving a lecture on that topic, along with students in the class asking and/or answering questions. The question will then ask you to explain a concept discussed in the lecture.

HOW TO APPROACH THE tasks

These tasks can be challenging because there’s a lot going on–listening, reading, and speaking–in a short amount of time.  For both tasks, the spoken conversation is more important than the written passage. The passage is generally only used to give background information while the spoken conversation contains information key for answering the question well. The questions will often ask about something specific from the audio recording.

Also, in your response, you should back up any statements you make with evidence from the audio clip or written passage in order to show you were able to understand the information they included and can create a strong argument.

TOEFL Integrated Speaking Tasks With Listening Only

Tasks 5 and 6 are the final two integrated tasks. For these TOEFL iBT Speaking topics, students will listen to an audio recording then answer a question on it.

• Listening Time: Varies, but about 60-120 seconds
• Preparation Time: 20 seconds

• Task 5: Explain a Campus Life Problem

For this task, you’ll hear a conversation between two people about a problem relating to campus life, similar to the topics discussed in Task 3. The two speakers, who are usually students, will discuss possible ways to solving the problem. The question will ask you to summarize what the problem is and the solutions each of the speakers recommended. You’ll then need to state which solution you think is best and explain why.

• Task 6: Explain a Lecture

For the final Speaking task, you will hear a short portion of an academic lecture. This is similar to the audio clip you hear in Task 4, except for this task only the professor will be talking, no students.  The lecture will be at about the difficulty level of a first-year university class. T he question will ask you to summarize a particular part of the lecture, and you’ll often need to include specific examples the speaker mentioned.

The final two tasks are often seen as easier than Tasks 3 and 4 since there are only audio recordings and no reading to do.  However, the audio recordings for Tasks 5 and 6 are often the longest you’ll hear in the Speaking section and will contain numerous details.

To answer the questions well, you’ll usually need to refer to specific points mentioned in the recording, so listening well and taking good notes is very important. Task 5 is also the only integrated speaking task where you’ll be asked to give your own opinion on a topic.

Sample TOEFL Speaking Questions

Practicing with sample TOEFL Speaking topics is an important part of preparing for the exam. There are some official practice questions available , but you’ll likely want more to practice with. Fortunately, we’ve come up with 12 practice TOEFL speaking questions (10 independent and 2 integrated) to help with your studying.

Remember that on the real exam, the conversations for the Task 3 and Task 6 sample questions would be audio recording clips; you won’t be reading them.

• Who is the best teacher you’ve had? What qualities make him/her such a good teacher?
• What is your favorite holiday? Describe what you normally do on this holiday and why it is your favorite.
• Where would you like to travel for your next vacation? Describe what the place is like and why you want to visit it.
• What is your ideal career? Describe what it would be like and why it appeals to you.
• What is an activity you like to do with your friends? Describe it and explain why you find it enjoyable.
• Some people believe students should attend gym classes in school to improve their health and fitness, while others believe school should only focus on academic subjects. Do you think students should have gym classes in school? Why or why not?
• Some people prefer to travel with other people, while others like to travel on their own. Which method of traveling do you prefer and why?
• Do you prefer living in an urban or rural area? State your preference and give reasons as to why you feel that way.
• Is it better to save the money you earn for future expenses or spend it now on things you enjoy? Give reasons to support your choice.
• Some people believe that students should spend more time in math and science classes rather than humanities and social science classes. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons to support your choice.

Read the following text and the conversation that follows it. Then answer the question.

The following text is an excerpt from the Great Plains University student newspaper.

The student dean announced yesterday afternoon that, due to professor preferences and changing academic schedules, starting next semester, more classes will now be held on Fridays. Classes that were previously held for 90 minutes on Mondays and Wednesdays will now be held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for 60 minutes each. Tuesday and Thursday classes will keep their original schedule.

(Female student): Did you see the announcement in the student newspaper that we’re going to have more Friday classes?

(Male student): I did, and I think it’s great news.

(Female student): Why do you feel that way? I was really disappointed to read that.

(Male student): I think it will be helpful to see your professor more often during the week. For some of my classes, if I have a question on a Thursday, I need to wait all the way until Monday to see the professor again.

(Female student): Don’t your professors have office hours when you can stop by and ask them a question?

(Male student): Some of them do, but they’re not always at a good time for me. With Friday classes, I’m guaranteed to see them. Also, I think shorter classes will make it easier to learn new information without feeling overwhelmed like I sometimes did with longer classes.

(Female student): I suppose that’s true. I’m still disappointed about it though because I usually spend my Fridays at my job.

(Male student): You can’t work with Friday classes?

(Female student): No, even one class in the afternoon would mean I couldn’t work a full shift, so it really messes up my work schedule, and I’m using that money to help pay for tuition.

(Male student): Yeah, Friday classes may make it harder for me to go home on the weekends since I can’t leave on Thursday, but I still think it’s a good decision overall.

Question: The man expresses his opinion on the announcement in the student newspaper. State his opinion and explain the reasons he gives for holding that opinion.

Read part of a lecture in an art history course and then answer the question.

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(Male Professor): Beginning in the 1400s, Western Europe began to undergo numerous changes. People were coming out of a time filled with disease, warfare, and turmoil in the Catholic church. As their fortunes began to improve, people began to focus more on cultural movements, eventually leading to a cultural rebirth known as the Renaissance. The Renaissance lasted approximately two hundred years and resulted in many changes. Today we’re going to be focusing on artwork created during the Renaissance period.

Renaissance art began in Italy, and, even though it eventually spread to other areas, Italy remained the epicenter of this art style. One of the biggest innovations of Renaissance art was that human emotions were depicted much more in art. Most of the art produced in the Middle Ages, the time period before the Renaissance, was commissioned by the Catholic church and was used mainly for religious purposes. The point of the art was to further religious devotion, not to contemplate emotions of human still on Earth. That changed drastically with Renaissance art. During this time, there was a much larger emphasis on how humans lived life on Earth and how they felt. While most figures in art produced during the Middle Ages had flat, expressionless faces, the emotions of figures were often very clear in Renaissance art. If someone in a painting was sad, there might be tears falling from their eyes. If they were angry, their face might be contorted in a grimace, if they were happy, they might be smiling.

One example of this is Michelangelo’s Pietà, a sculpture completed in 1499 that depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother, Mary. In the sculpture, Mary is looking downcast while Jesus’ outstretched body suggests pain and suffering. Another is da Vinci’s Mona Lisa with her famous, mysterious smile. Generations of people have wondered what she was thinking while her portrait was painted.

Another defining feature of Renaissance art was how realistic the art appeared. Previous works of art often appeared flat and stylized and didn’t depict people or the world very realistically. During the Renaissance, there were many new patrons willing to pay for art, and since they had different tastes, artists had more flexibility to study new techniques and create more realistic art. Perspective, vanishing points, shadows, and light began to be used frequently to create more lifelike figures and landscapes. A famous painting that shows the rules of perspective is Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, painted in 1498. Even though it was painted on a flat surface, you get the sense that Jesus and the twelve apostles are actually in a three-dimensional room.

Question: Using points and examples from the lecture, describe two ways Renaissance art differs from art in the Middle Ages.

Video: Full-Length Practice Test With Answers

Want more TOEFL Speaking practice? Check out the  full-length TOEFL Speaking Practice Test on our TOEFL YouTube Channel .

Use this video to practice answering a realistic TOEFL speaking test across all 6 TOEFL Speaking tasks under realistic time limits. Visit the video’s YouTube page to read sample answers with perfect scores.

Ready? Click play to start your full-length TOEFL Speaking Practice Test.

Want to watch more TOEFL videos including another TOEFL Speaking practice test? Head over to PrepScholar’s TOEFL YouTube page  for our complete collection of videos!

Recap: The 6 TOEFL Speaking Tasks

Knowing what to expect from TOEFL Speaking questions will go a long way to helping you do well on this section of the exam.

There are six TOEFL Speaking topics:

The first two tasks are referred to as independent speaking tasks. You’ll read the question then answer it. The final four tasks are integrated speaking tasks. For tasks 3 and 4, you’ll read a short text, hear an audio recording, then answer a question based on that information. For tasks 5 and 6 you’ll hear an audio recording then answer a question. For some questions, you’ll be asked to give your opinion, while for others you’ll instead be summarizing what you heard and read.

Pay careful attention to what the question asks for and complete practice TOEFL Speaking topics in order to be well prepared for this section.

What’s Next?

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

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.

Want more resources to help you prepare for TOEFL Speaking?  We’ve compiled the best TOEFL Speaking practice materials for you to use during your studying.

Ready to improve your TOEFL score by 15 points?

Author: Christine Sarikas

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. View all posts by Christine Sarikas

• TOEFL writing topics
• TOEFL eligibility criteria
• TOEFL iBT home edition
• TOEFL reading practice
• TOEFL speaking practice
• TOEFL listening practice
• TOEFL speaking topics
• TOEFL writing samples
• TOEFL Validity

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standard assessment conducted by the Educational Testing Services (ETS) to assess the level of English proficiency in international students. The TOEFL exam pattern assesses a person’s fluency in the English language by testing their reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills. Over 11,500 educational institutions in 160 countries accept the TOEFL exam as proof of English proficiency.

• What are the TOEFL writing topics 2024?

The TOEFL writing topics are designed to analyse your ability to deliver your opinion in English through writing. The topics can be general or academic-based. Your views should be clear and error-free to score high in the exam. Your writing ability is tested through an Independent and Integrated essay.

Table of Contents

Toefl writing topics 2024: an overview, toefl writing topics: key highlights, toefl writing tasks, toefl writing topics: task 1 (integrated), toefl writing topics: task 2 (independent), can you get 30 in writing in toefl, what is the first task of toefl writing, what are the toefl writing topics, how do you structure toefl writing, can we give personal examples in toefl writing, explore university options for your post-exam future.

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• The TOEFL writing test determines your ability to express your ideas and opinions through writing.
• There are two writing tasks in the TOEFL exam pattern , lasting for 50 minutes. The maximum score you can obtain in the TOEFL writing section is 30.
• This section analyses your writing skills, as well as your reading and listening skills.
• The TOEFL writing section has two types of tasks: Independent and Integrated.
• The tasks are scored between 0-5. The marks are then added together and converted out of 30 to obtain your final score.

TOEFL writing tasks 2024

The TOEFL writing tasks are structured to measure your ability to express your ideas through writing in a coherent manner. The tasks are based on common academic and general situations students face in their daily life abroad. There are several TOEFL writing topics with answers pdf online for you to understand the tasks and practice effectively for the exam. You can also make use of TOEFL study material to help you better prepare.

Also read: Best books for TOEFL exam preparation

The Integrated task from the TOEFL writing section includes a passage and an audio lecture on an academic topic. You have three minutes to read the passage and two minutes to listen to the lecture. The task requires you to obtain the key points and write an essay according to the question. 

The TOEFL writing topics for this task are mostly taken from subjects like science, social science, psychology, and others. You can expect these types of questions below in task 1 of the TOEFL writing test:

• Summarise the main necessity of the Atkins diet and explain how the speaker described his opinion on its benefits and rising popularity.
• The lecturer has expressed their opinion about the American Civil War. Explain the thoughts and the reasons they have put forth in the lecture.
• Summarise the main points of the lecture, and explain how the professor justifies his idea of humans coexisting with bears.

Also Read: Tips to prepare for the TOEFL Exam

The independent task includes a question on a personal topic, where you are required to share your opinion or provide your personal experience on the topic. You should provide valid details and examples to support your answer. The types of questions you can expect are agree or disagree, explain both sides, or pick from the opinions. The word limit for your answer is a minimum of 300-400 words. 

The TOEFL independent writing topics include real-life issues like work-life balance, family, finances, travel, life decisions, and others. Here are some example questions you can refer to:

• Do you agree or disagree with the below statement? A mother plays a vital role in taking care of the child compared to the father. Use examples to support your opinion.
• Some people choose to travel in groups, while others like to explore alone. Which one do you prefer? Use examples to support your choice.
• When you face an issue in life, what do you think is the best decision: ask an experienced person for advice, find possible solutions from the internet, or take time to think about the issue?

Also read: 10 tips to help prepare for the TOEFL exam

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Frequently asked questions

The maximum score one can obtain in the TOEFL writing section is 30. With regular practice and preparation, one can work on their writing skills and score 30 in TOEFL writing. There are many TOEFL writing topics with answers pdf available for international students to practice and prepare for the exam.

The first task in TOEFL writing is the Integrated task, where you are given a passage and an audio lecture. You have three minutes to read the passage and two minutes to listen to the lecture on an academic topic. You should note the key points and write an essay as per the question.

Here are the writing topics for the TOEFL writing test.

Task 1 (Integrated) - Academics

Task 2 (Independent) - Social issues

The essay structure is a major criterion scored in the TOEFL writing section. Make sure to split the content into paragraphs and deliver your opinion. Make sure to include an introduction and then proceed with three paragraphs.

Yes, you can give personal examples in the Independent task under TOEFL writing. You can include these ideas in the agree or disagree type of questions.

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Complete toefl essay templates (2023 update).

TOEFL essay templates can help you answer both of the TOEFL writing questions.  To write a strong TOEFL essay just fill in the blanks with the required information from your notes (in the integrated essay) or from your ideas (the writing for an academic discussion task). Note that I also have a set of TOEFL speaking templates . If you want more personalized help with your essays you can sign up for our TOEFL essay evaluation service .

Integrated Essay Template (Writing Question One)

The introduction.

No matter what question style is used, write your introduction using the following template:

• The reading and the lecture are both about _____. 
• While the author of the article argues that ____, the lecturer disputes the claims mentioned in the article.
• His position is that _____.

The Body Paragraphs

Use the following templates for the body paragraphs:

• According to the reading  _____.
• The article mentions that _____.
• This lecturer challenges this argument.
• He claims that _____.
• Additionally, he points out that ______.
• Secondly, the author suggests ______.
• The article notes that _____.
• The lecturer, however, asserts that ______.
• He goes on to say that ______.
• Finally, the author puts forth the idea that _____.
• The author contends that _____.
• In contrast, the lecturer’s stance is  _____.
• He says that _____.

You don’t need a conclusion.

Your TOEFL integrated essay should be about 280 to 300 words. To see this template in use, check out my collection of sample essays .

Writing for Academic Discussion (Writing Question Two)

Here’s a template that focuses on expanding on and challenging the points mentioned by the other students.

• This is a challenging topic, but I think that  [respond directly to the question].
• I strongly agree with  [student]’s  idea that  [mention one point made by the student]. 
• I’d add that  [expand on the point with your own idea].
• While  [other student]  raised the relevant point that  [mention one point made by the other student],  he/she didn’t mention that  [challenge that point].
• For example  [elaborate on your challenge with your own ideas].

Here’s a template that focuses on giving an entirely new answer and ignoring the other student responses.

• While I appreciate the points mentioned by both  STUDENT 1  and  STUDENT 2 , I think that …
• [elaborate on your idea for a few sentences]
• Remember that  [elaborate on your point],  so  [elaborate on your point].
• Some people may feel that  [mention a potential challenge],  but  [respond to this challenge].

Your response should be a little more than 100 words.  You can also check out my collection of sample questions .

Demonstration Video

Further reading – need more help need speaking templates.

We also have in-depth guides to the academic discussion  and integrated writing tasks.  Check them out!  We also have TOEFL speaking templates . 

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Submit your practice TOEFL 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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‘Disability Intimacy’ starts a long-overdue conversation

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Book Review

Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire

Edited by Alice Wong Vintage: 384 pages, $19 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org , whose fees support independent bookstores.

To whom does desire belong? How about love and care? These are the questions at the heart of “Disability Intimacy,” a new book of essays and ephemera collected by the San Francisco activist Alice Wong, and the answers are painfully obvious: Those human experiences are for everyone. What’s less obvious to many, and acutely painful to some of us, is that those questions needed to be asked and answered. This book needed to exist.

It is a longstanding and unfortunate truth that disabled people are often seen as undesirable and even as unable to experience desire, love or care in the ways that all individuals do. As disabled people we understand how false that notion is and how harmful it can be. Giving and receiving love — physically or verbally, in a context of romance, sex, close friendship or family bonds — is as much our right to experience as anyone else’s, and our stories of intimate connections and losses are worth telling as much as anyone else’s. So I commend Wong and the collection’s 40 contributors for taking on this topic.

“Disability Intimacy” is not an extended lament. Many of its standouts are downright celebratory, as well as lessons in engaging storytelling. “The Last Walk” by Melissa Hung explores the grief of losing a beloved friend while simultaneously cherishing their last moments together and the sling bag that became a physical memory of her friend Judy. In “Hi, Are You Single?” by Ryan J. Haddad, one of the standout poems in the collection, Haddad explores the messy, awkward and welcome way a hookup can support their collective desire for pleasure.

Having contributed to and read Wong’s anthology from 2020, “Disability Visibility,” I thought I knew what I was getting into, but the two collections are quite different. It was disappointing to come away from “Intimacy” without a theme as clear as that of “Visibility,” perhaps in part reflecting the older collection’s more straightforward subject matter. Love is complicated. And 40 contributors is a lot.

As one of the first of its kind to attempt what it is attempting, “Disability Intimacy” has the unfair expectation to be everything for everyone, to answer the question of desirability for an entire community that is not monolithic. Wong refuses to shut out the “other” in favor of the conventionally digestible. This collection shines in its entries that take big swings, discussing topics such as BDSM, queer love and intergenerational relationships — and even laziness, a concept that one essay reclaims and celebrates as a purposeful act of rest, epitomized by the love between a father and son who connect over turning out the light and climbing in bed to take naps. In these pieces, the authors seem to be living as unapologetically on the page as they do in life.

Tucked among the essays, readers will be delighted to also discover poems and even a conversation between two disabled people of color about redefining intimacy for themselves, ableism and what they refuse to call intimacy. It’s a refreshing and effective shakeup of the anthology form. It’s also a lot to take in.

I had to reread certain sections as some of the points got lost along the way, and sometimes I found myself mentally rearranging the book because entries felt misplaced. Although many of the pieces could have been shorter, none should have been left out. Might the cause have been better served with these many entries divided between two volumes? This could have encouraged the reader to sit with the thoughts and feelings that come up rather than rushing onward.

There is often a lot of pressure placed on books of this kind that amplify marginalized voices or tackle taboo topics, but remember: Sometimes a book does the world a service not because it is encyclopedic or full of answers but simply because it raises questions and starts conversations.

In the end, what we readers ask of ourselves is what counts. Whom do we allow ourselves to desire, and why? Toward whose stories do we gravitate, and whom do we leave in the margins? How will we expand our own worldview?

Keah Brown , a journalist, activist, actor and screenwriter, is the author of “ The Pretty One ” and “ The Secret Summer Promise .”

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NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias

A senior business editor at National Public Radio has resigned after writing an essay for an online news site published last week accusing the outlet of a liberal bias in its coverage.

In a Wednesday post on X , Uri Berliner included a statement in what he said was his resignation letter to NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher.

"I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years," Berliner wrote in the post. "I don't support calls to defund NPR. I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism. But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay."

On Friday, Berliner was suspended for five days without pay, NPR confirmed Tuesday , a week after his essay in the Free Press, an online news publication, where he argued the network had "lost America's trust" and allowed a "liberal bent" to influence its coverage, causing the outlet to steadily lose credibility with audiences.

Berliner's essay also angered many of his colleagues and exposed Maher, who started as NPR's CEO in March, to a string of attacks from conservatives over her past social media posts.

Dig deeper: NPR suspends senior editor Uri Berliner after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias

NPR reported that the essay reignited the criticism that many prominent conservatives have long leveled against NPR and prompted newsroom leadership to implement monthly internal reviews of the network's coverage.

Neither NPR nor Maher have not yet publicly responded to Berliner's resignation, but Maher refuted his claims in a statement Monday to NPR.

"In America everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen," Maher said. "What matters is NPR's work and my commitment as its CEO: public service, editorial independence, and the mission to serve all of the American public. NPR is independent, beholden to no party, and without commercial interests."

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY.