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

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

Overview of TOEFL Writing

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

The Integrated Writing task requires you to use listening, reading, and writing skills. For this task, you will have three minutes to read a short passage, then you will listen to a short (approximately two-minute long) audio clip of a speaker discussing the same topic the written passage covers. You will have 20 minutes to plan and write a response that references both of these sources. You won’t discuss your own opinion.

For the Independent Writing task, you’ll receive a question on a particular topic or issue. You’ll have 30 minutes to plan and write a response to that topic that explains your opinion on it. You’ll need to give reasons that support your decision.

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

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

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

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

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

The Best TOEFL Writing Practice Materials

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

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

Official Prep Materials

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

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

TOEFL iBT Sampler

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

TOEFL iBT Sample Questions

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

TOEFL iBT Quick Prep

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

TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) Tests

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

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

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

Official TOEFL Prep Books

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

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

Unofficial Prep Materials

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

English Club

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

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

Good Luck TOEFL

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

Beat the Test

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

Unofficial Prep Books

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

Other TOEFL Writing Practice Materials

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

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

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

Free Writing

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

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

How to Get the Most Out of Your TOEFL Writing Practice

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

Practice Writing in English Regularly

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

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

Make Use of Official Materials

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

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

Time Yourself When Writing Practice Essays

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

Timing yourself when you write will help you be better prepared for test day because you’ll have practice planning and writing essays within a limited time frame. When you first begin writing practice essays, it can be easy to spend too much time preparing and run out of time before you finish writing. Taking timed practice essays will help you avoid this. You should also count how many words each of your essays contain after you’ve finished writing them. Integrated tasks should be 150-225 words and Independent tasks should be at least 300 words.

Review Your Practice Essays

After you write each TOEFL practice essay, you should also review it and think about how well it answered the question. This is easier to do if the practice question comes with sample answers that you can compare your answer to, but you should do this step for all practice essays you write, even if they don’t come with any answer explanation. You can also assign your essays a score or have a tutor or friend who’s also studying for the TOEFL score your essay.

It’s tempting to take a break from TOEFL studying as soon as you’ve finished your essays, but it’s important to do this step because it will get you thinking about what great essays look like and how yours can be improved. The ETS provides the rubric it uses to grade TOEFL writing tasks which you can use to evaluate your essays.

Conclusion: Getting the Most Out of Your TOEFL Writing Practice

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

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

What's Next?

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

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

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

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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13 toefl writing topics to help you practice for the exam.

 On the TOEFL Writing section, you’ll be expected to plan and write two essays. But what are those supposed to be about? What types of TOEFL Writing topics will you see?

In order to be well prepared and confident on test day, you’ll need thorough understanding of the types of TOEFL essay topics you could see on the exam.  This guide gives in-depth explanations of every type of TOEFL Writing topic you might see, how to approach different types of prompts, and what your essays are expected to include. We end with a set of 13 unique sample essay prompts, including both TOEFL Independent Writing prompts and Integrated Writing prompts so that you can prepare with high-quality practice problems.

An Introduction to the TOEFL Writing Topics

The TOEFL Writing section is 50 minutes long and contains two tasks: Integrated Writing and Independent Writing. It’s the fourth and final section of the exam. After this you’re done! You’ll type both essays on the computer, but you can use scratch paper to jot down notes and plan out your essays.

In the next two sections, we’ll explain the format of the two Writing tasks and give an official sample question, along with an analysis of the common types of topics and strategies for doing well on each task.

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

The Integrated Writing task requires you to use listening, reading, and writing skills. For this task, you’ll have three minutes to read a short passage, then you will listen to a short (approximately two-minute long) audio clip of a speaker discussing the same topic the written passage covers.  You’ll need to write an essay that references both of these sources in order to answer the question. You won’t discuss your own opinion for this essay.

During the writing time, you’ll be able to look at the written passage again, but you won’t be able to re-hear the audio clip. You’ll be able to take notes while you listen to it though.

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• Writing Time: 20 minutes
• Suggested Essay Length: 150-225 words

Official Integrated Writing Prompt Sample

Reading Time: 3 minutes

In an effort to encourage ecologically sustainable forestry practices, an international organization started issuing certificates 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.” 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 labelled as “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 this is not the case– American wood businesses sell most of their products in the United States, catering to a very large customer base that is satisfied with the merchandise.

Directions: Below is 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 point–of course it’s true that American consumers care a lot about price– who 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 the two products is small–say, 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, US 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 at 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.

Directions: Give yourself 20 minutes to plan and write your response. Your response is judged on the quality of the writing and 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

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

What to Expect From TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

The written passage and audio recording can be on pretty much any subject, but the good news is that all the prompts for the Integrated Writing Task are pretty similar. They usually ask you to summarize the points made in the lecture and compare/contrast them to points made in the reading passage.

You won’t be discussing your own opinion during this essay, instead you’ll be taking information from both the lecture and reading and analyzing it.

How to Approach the Integrated Writing Task

Before you even begin the essay, you should take good notes on the key points of the reading passage and the audio clip. Your notes should be especially good for the audio clip since you won’t be able to hear it again. Using your notes as reference, your essay should recap each of the main points made in the audio clip. For each point you should clearly describe how it contrasts with or challenges points from the reading passage.

Also, remember to use specific examples to strengthen your essay. Refer back to your notes and the reading passage if need be.  However, don’t just copy portions of the audio clip or passage into your essay; that doesn’t show your English skills. Always rewrite the main ideas in your own words. Again, remember that you shouldn’t be including your own opinion in this essay. Stick only to what the reading passage and audio clip cover.

TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

For the Independent Writing task, you’ll receive a question on a particular topic or issue. You’ll need to write a response to that topic that explains your opinion, and you’ll also need to give reasons and examples that support your opinion.

• Writing Time: 30 minutes
• Suggested Essay Length: At least 300 words

Official Independent Writing Prompt Sample

Directions: Read the question below. Give yourself 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise your essay. Typically, an effective response will contain a minimum of 300 words.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

Television advertising directed toward young children (aged two to five) should not be allowed.

Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

What to Expect From TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

TOEFL Independent Writing topics generally fit into one of three categories. There are example problems for each of these categories in the next section.

Type 1: Agree or Disagree

This is the most common prompt type for the Independent Writing Task, and the sample question above is an example of it. For this type of prompt, you’ll be presented with two sides of an argument. You’ll need to pick one side and give specific reasons and examples that support your opinion.

Type 2: Explain Both Sides

This is similar to the first type of prompt, except you’ll be discussing both sides, rather than choosing one you think is best.  Many times these types of prompts will ask you to compare the advantages and disadvantages of an issue and give examples to support your statements.

If the sample question above followed this type of format, the prompt would be something like this: “Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of allowing television advertising to be directed toward young children (aged two to five). Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.”

Type 3: Pick a Stance From Many Options

This category is rarer, but you still may see it on TOEFL Writing. The TOEFL Independent Writing topics give   you a broad topic with many possible opinions and ask for your stance on it.

If the sample question followed this type of format, the prompt would be similar to: “Which age group do you believe the majority of television advertising should be directed towards? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.”

How to Approach the Independent Writing Task

Depending on the type of prompt you receive, you’ll either choose an opinion (from two options or many options) or explain both sides of an issue. For this essay, each paragraph should be devoted to making one main point, and each point should be supported with specific reasons and examples to back it up. If you’re being asked to describe your opinion, make it clear within the first paragraph of your essay. There should be no doubt as to how you feel about the topic.

Also, even though ETS states that a 300-word essay is the “recommended minimum” length for this task, don’t feel like you need to write hundreds of words after you reach the 300 mark in order to get a high score. Longer isn’t always better. It’s very possible (and common) for Independent Writing essays that are only 300 words or slightly longer to receive high scores.

Sample TOEFL Writing Topics

Completing practice essays and becoming more familiar with the types of questions you could be asked is a key part of preparing for TOEFL Writing. There numerous practice TOEFL questions available , but you’ll likely want more to practice with.

To help you out, we’ve come up with 13  practice TOEFL Writing topics for both the Integrated and Independent Writing Tasks.  Remember that on the real exam the conversations for the Integrated Writing Tasks would be audio recordings that you’d be listening to as opposed to reading.

TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

#1: agree or disagree prompt.

• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? When people solve problems as a group, they come up with better solutions that if they were to try to solve the problem individually. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? All children should be required to take a foreign language class from the time they start school until they begin university. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Technology has made it easier for people to connect on a deeper level. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people believe school cafeterias should stop selling soft drinks and other high-sugar drinks, while others think students should have a choice in what they drink. Which option do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

#2: Explain Both Sides Prompt

• Some high school students are delaying college for a year in order to take a gap year where pursue other opportunities such as work or travel. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of gap years. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Compare the advantages and disadvantages of requiring college freshman to complete at least a year of college classes before selecting a major versus having them choose right away. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living in a large city versus living in a small town. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Compare the advantages and disadvantages of studying on your own versus studying with a group of people. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

#3: Pick a Stance From Many Options

• Imagine that there is a large piece of vacant land in your town. What is the best way to make use of it? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• What do you believe is the most important problem facing the world today? Why is it the most important? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• If you could learn one new skill you’ve never had the opportunity to try before, what skill would it be? Explain your choice by using specific reasons and examples.
• What are the main qualities of a good boss? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topic

Directions: Read the following passage and the lecture that follows. On the real TOEFL, you’ll have three minutes to read the passage. Then, answer the question below.

Reading Passage

Driverless cars are increasingly being seen as the way of the future. They will eliminate many of the hassles and dangers associated with traditional driving and pave the way for this new technology to become commonplace.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of driverless cars is that they will drastically cut down on human error that results in millions of people being injured or killed every year in car accidents. Driverless cars won’t forget to notice a stop sign, get distracted while texting, not notice the car up ahead has slowed down, or any other of a myriad of driver errors that occur every day. Once driverless cars become commonplace on our roads, thousands of lives will be saved a year.

Another benefit is that driverless cars will cut down on driving time and make commutes shorter. Cars with automated driving will travel at a more consistent and efficient rate than cars with human drivers, who tend to use the brake and gas pedals more often than necessary. Driverless cars know the exact speed to go in order to get to the destination as quickly as possible, based on speed limits, traffic, and other conditions, and the more driverless cars there are on the road, the more travel time will be reduced.

Finally, driverless cars allow people who would normally be driving to focus their attention on a task that’s more interesting and important to them. They may choose to check their emails, get absorbed in an audiobook or podcast, or enjoy a snack, among other possibilities. Having a driverless car will help former drivers make better use of their time.

Lecture Transcript

Professor: Despite the recent attention this subject has gotten in the news and on social media, driverless cars are not the world-changing technology they are being advertised as. They have significant drawbacks, and even if those are ironed out, they will still not offer all the benefits that they are advertising. First and foremost, even if every car on the street became driverless, that does not mean automobile accidents would suddenly end. Automated driving technology, like all technology can and will fail at times. In fact, even though there are few driverless cars currently on the road, they have already been associated with multiple accidents, injuries, and deaths. Automated driving will always be an imperfect technology, and it will also lack the human mind’s ability to analyze a situation and make split-second decisions which are often necessary to avoid accidents.

Another falsehood is the belief that driverless cars will make commutes significantly shorter. Driverless cars may be able to reduce a lot of the speed up/hit the brakes patterns human drivers engage in, however, driverless cars cannot do anything to change speed limits, road conditions, traffic, or other factors that contribute to commute times. As such, any reductions in driving times will be small, at best.

And third, many people believe that, with driverless cars, drivers won’t need to pay attention to the road at all. They’ll be free to watch a movie or read a book while driving! However, this is completely false. The person sitting in the driver’s seat of an automated driving vehicle will still need to pay attention to the road at all times in order to be alert for any situations where they need to override the automated driving technology. This means that, not only will driverless cars mean drivers can do something else while in the car, they’ll have to suffer through the boredom of passively watching their car make all the decisions without taking their eyes off the road.

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Review: What Will You See on TOEFL Writing Topics?

Knowing what to expect from the TOEFL essay topics will go a long way towards helping you write high-scoring essays. There are two essays on this section, the Integrated Writing Task and the Independent Writing Task. Integrated Writing topics provide you with an article to read and a lecture or conversation to listen to and then ask you to combine information from the two. TOEFL Independent Writing topics simply give you an idea or theory and ask for your perspective on it.

Completing practice essays will help you become better at understanding and answering TOEFL Writing topics. You should practice writing appropriately long responses that clearly outline your thoughts and support them with specific details.

What’s Next?

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

Want more tips on how to prepare for TOEFL Writing questions? Check out our guide to the best ways to practice for TOEFL Writing!

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

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

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TOEFL Writing PDF

The Writing section is the last section you’ll face on the TOEFL. By the time you get to the essay portion, you’ll already have spent a couple of hours at the test center, and you’ll have completed the Reading, Listening, and Speaking sections. Understandably, you might be tired and losing your focus. So, how can you make sure you do as well as possible on your TOEFL essays? By being prepared, of course! That’s where this free resource comes in.

In this PDF , you’ll find in-depth information about the Writing section, including:

• the topics you’ll write about
• the differences between the 2 essays
• how to structure your essays (outline included!)
• how to brainstorm effective examples to support your opinions
• pacing strategies so you finish in time
• English grammar tips to help you write at an advanced level
• the most common writing difficulties

View or download the PDF here!

How to use this pdf.

This PDF can be used just like you would any book (or eBook, to be more accurate). 🙂 You can download it and print it out, or save it to your computer / phone / tablet, or read it online. For the most comprehensive help, try to read the book in order. But, if you’re short on time, you can use the links in the table of contents to skip to individual sections.

Once you’ve read through the entire document, we’d suggest checking out our TOEFL practice PDF to put your new skills to the test. And if you want the most complete guidance, including 500+ practice questions (each with an explanation video) and 150 video lessons, Magoosh TOEFL can help !

Happy studying, everyone!

Rachel helps eager students find out about Magoosh. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a super helpful double major in History and French. In her free time she can be found eating peanut butter, drinking five cups of tea per day, and playing with cats.

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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.

“Ready to excel in TOEFL Writing? Dive into our free Online Discussion practice tests. Elevate your skills and conquer the exam. Follow the link for the latest updated July 2023 version of the TOEFL iBT!”

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!

Michael Buckhoff ,  [email protected]

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TOEFL iBT ®  Test

The premier test of academic English communication

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

TOEFL iBT Test Writing Section

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

There are two writing tasks.

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

You'll type your responses on a computer keyboard.

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

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

Practice Your Writing Skills

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

Writing videos

Watch these videos to learn about the questions in the Writing section, plus helpful tips.

Question 1: Integrated Writing

Read a passage and listen to a lecture. Then write a response comparing them.

View Transcript

Question 2: Writing for an Academic Discussion

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

Do you need to be an expert on the topics?

The writing tasks measure your English proficiency, so you don't need deep knowledge on a specific topic to get a high score. Score raters recognize that each essay is a first draft, and you can receive a high score with an essay that contains some errors.

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Complete Practice Test for the TOEFL® Test

Complete Practice Test for the TOEFL Test (PDF Included)

Free practice test for the toefl (pdf).

Ready to download the PDF version of your complete TOEFL sample test?

Well here it is: Complete Practice Test #10 so you can know what to expect on test day.

Or are you looking for Practice Questions for the TOEFL Reading ? Well, we have 100 of those for free right here. 100 Practice Questions for the TOEFL Reading Section

G etting a complete TOEFL practice test is only half the battle. You also need to learn the structure of the test and how to study effectively. 

By the end of this short article, you will be able to distinguish the difference between the Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing sections of the TOEFL . You will also discover  five TOEFL study tips to help organize your study schedule and improve your TOEFL score.

Here is the TOEFL Exam structure and some helpful tips:

• The TOEFL Structure

The TOEFL Reading Section

The toefl listening section, the toefl speaking section, the toefl writing section.

• Five tips to improve your TOEFL Score
• Tip #1:  Get used to the clock
• Tip #2:  Type without spellcheck
• Tip #3:  Take notes like a TOEFL pro
• Tip #4:  Study like an American!
• Tip #5:  Prepare for a noisy TOEFL iBT Test

The TOEFL Exam Structure

The first part of the exam is the TOEFL Reading section. As of the latest TOEFL update on July 26, 2023, there are two academic passages of approximately 700 words each. The subjects will consist of texts found in a typical university textbook. Following each passage are ten questions about the reading passage. You will have 36 minutes to read the two passages and answer the 20 questions in total.

There are ten types of questions in the Reading section of the TOEFL. The frequency of each question type varies. Here is a helpful chart of the question types with examples of the question phrasing.

For more information about the TOEFL Reading section, check out this post   by Professional ESL Test Prep 

After the Reading section, you will have to complete the Listening section, which will take about 36 minutes . The Listening section is divided into two identical parts. In each part, you will have three listening passages: one conversation between a student and campus employee and two academic lectures. The conversations last 2-4 minutes, and the academic lectures are approximately five minutes each.

You will be asked five questions after the conversation, ten in total, and six questions after each of the four academic lectures, 24 in total. The question types, like in the Reading section, vary. This chart explains the question types, with examples of phrasing, and the frequency of the question type:

Curious what these conversations and lectures sound like? Exam English provides some audio samples here .

There used to be a 10-minute break during the TOEFL test but not anymore. As of July 26, 2023, the TOEFL test was shortened to take just two hours to complete, and the break time was retired.

After the listening comes the TOEFL Speaking section. The structure of this section is different from the reading and listening. In the speaking section, you will encounter four questions. The first is an independent question, and the next three are integrated questions. Let’s take a closer look at each since they all follow a different structure.

The first question is usually a paired-choice question, which means you must decide between two choices. For example:

“Do you agree or disagree: all high school students should wear school uniforms.”

The questions range in subject matter, so there is no way to prepare a specific answer before the exam. You might be asked a question about business, travel, education, family, friendship, and so on. After the question is asked, you will be given 15 seconds to prepare a response and 45 seconds to speak.

Question two is the first of three integrated speaking questions. This is probably the easiest of all the integrated speaking questions.

First, you will read a short announcement about a new rule or policy on campus. Like question two, question three will begin with a short reading passage.

In task four, you are expected to listen to an academic topic for two to three minutes and then report on the information you heard. You will be given 20 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. In your response, you must be able to identify the topic of the lecture and the most important details.

Here you can find some TOEFL Speaking topics for the independent speaking task with sample answers .

Finally, you have arrived at the last section, the TOEFL Writing section. The Writing section lasts about 30 minutes. Here, you will be expected to write an essay in response to two separate writing tasks.

The first is an integrated writing task, and the second is called Writing for an Academic Discussion. The integrated writing is almost identical to question #4 in the TOEFL Speaking section. You will read a passage, listen to a lecture, and then write about the two.

The last question on the exam was introduced on July 26, 2023, Writing for an Academic Discussion. You will be asked to contribute to an online discussion where a professor will pose a question, and two students offer their opinions. You will be expected to write at least 100 words that contribute to the discussion. Check out an example below:

Here is a breakdown of the tasks and the time allocations for the TOEFL Writing section:

Looking for more information on the Writing section? Check out this link from the ETS website .

Hi Josh, I took my TOEFL 10 days ago, and my score was 86: reading 24, listening 20, speaking 22, and writing 20. I want to take the next TOEFL in 1.5 months, and I want above 100.

So, how should I plan for preparation?

Hi Kinjal, Thanks for your question. There is no perfect way to study for the test. The best advice I can offer is to take practice tests, try to pinpoint the areas where you are weakest, and then focus your efforts on those specific questions. If you have any questions about specific parts of the test, please let me know

Hi Josh, I am taking my TOEFL exam in 3 days time and I have done all the free practice papers from #8 to #13. Do you have any more free model paper, especially for 2024 toefl ibt standards Thank you

Hi there, John, and thank you for your comment. If you do not wish to pay, I suggest trying one of the free practice tests again to remind yourself of what you learned, especially if you only have a few days until your test. If you would like more practice, you would have to enroll in one of our paid services, like the Score Builder Program or the TOEFL Practice Test package.

Happy to hear you found our resources helpful and good luck with your exam.

I am about to write my essay for a CSC scholarship, I don’t have the TOEFL, what is your advice?

The best thing would be to take the test or a practice test to get an idea of your level and where you need to improve. If you have a more specific question, I am happy to answer it.

Hi to everyone! Taking TOEFL tomorrow, from September 2022, I started preparing for TOEFL about 2-3 hours per week, and the last two weeks were saturated. However, I do not feel super ready and know why, but I am feeling anxious. How can I relax a little and calm down?

The best thing to do the night before the test is to not study, instead get a good night’s sleep and eat a big breakfast in the morning. Remember it is ok to feel anxious, but know that you can still feel that way and get a good score.

Hi Josh. I took a TOEFL exam last week, and I got a 72 score. However, my listening and reading were the worst, like 14 reading and 18 listening section. I need some advice for improving because after two weeks, again I will take an exam and I need at least 85. Additionally, I wanna add that I am a foreign student, and I only worked a month for getting this score.

I would be happy to offer some suggestions. First, when it comes to listening unless you have a very high degree of fluency, it might be worth trying a couple of practice tests without taking any notes. This is because when you write notes, you are using half your attention to write and the other half to listen. Sometimes this means you only write down half of what you need and other times you miss important information because you are busy writing. It may be you do better by only listening. This is not a perfect solution as you will likely get some detail questions wrong. However, many of my students who were scoring below a 20, found that no notes were a little easier.

As for reading, without meeting you, I really can’t tell you what the exact issue is. However, I can suggest that you not to try read everything. Learn how to scan for keywords and avoid reading large blocks of text as this will drain your time. I would really recommend taking one of our reading classes so we can show you strategies specific to each question type. For now, here are some tips you can use right away. 🙂

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

Hello Josh My question is, what tips and tricks will you give me about the listening and writing sections? Thank you in advance

I would be happy to help. For the listening, I would try doing practice tests both with and without notes to see which style is better. Notes can be helpful, but if you are more of an audio learner you might want to put your energy into just listening to make sure you get the most crucial information. With regard to writing, it is hard to give specific advice without knowing what your current level of writing is. A couple of things to keep in mind: the writing section will change in July and become, I think, a little easier. The independent question is being replaced with another task, so if you can wait until July, it might be worth it. We will be publishing more about the changing of the writing section as we get closer to July.

As far as the integrated essay, here are some helpful tips. You can also find a guide for TOEFL Writing® 24+ in the Free TOEFL PDF resources section in your profile.

https://tstprep.com/articles/toefl/taking-notes-for-the-listening-section-of-the-toefl-test/

Hello Josh, I am an international pharmacist, and I need to take the license here in the state; I did the Toefl exam once last month, and my scores are 10,11,14,23 for reading, listening, writing and speaking. Obviously, my score is very low, and I am very stressed about it. I don’t have much time, but I need to pass the TOEFL with 21, 22, 24, 26. What do you advise me to do?

Thank you for your question. Obviously, we want you to get your target as soon as possible. It’s hard for us to know why your scores are lower than what you need since we haven’t met you. The scores you need reflect a student who is basically fluent in English. The scores you have earned so far suggest that perhaps your level is more intermediate and you may prefer to study core English skills such as general reading and listening comprehension before trying to take the TOEFL. Again, there could be many other reasons for these scores so you might want to get consider a 30-minute trial lesson with one of our teachers.

Hi Josh, one of my biggest struggles with TOEFL is how I go over the time frame for nearly every speaking question I have done. For the first question, I keep going around and around on one idea (I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself!), and the timer beeps as I began talking about the next idea. And for the next three, I spend too much time in the introduction (the problem and the definitions) and end up running out of time for the explanations. I know in theory what to do, but I think it’s just a built-in habit for me. Would you give me some suggestions, please? Thank you.

Hi there Nara and thank you for taking the time to leave this comment. Clearly, you know a lot about this test and have an advanced level of English, you just need to learn how to fit it into a TOEFL Speaking question response. Well, it seems like you need someone to help guide you and give specific feedback while you are speaking. In other words, you need someone to be there to help you break the habit. So, at this point, since you know about the test, how to practice how to strategize, and how to answer, I believe you now need to talk to someone who can provide you with feedback, practice, and a schedule designed around your specific needs. If you are nervous about the idea, you can try a trial lesson at this link – https://tstprep.com/toefl-store/toefl-trial-lesson/ – Hope that helps.

Hi, I want to take some help. I am planning to taking the Tofel score about 5 month and I want more than 80 score. As well as I am not good at reading very well, sometime I taking 20 out of 30 and sometimes 25 out of 30 and sometime 15 or 13 out 30. I do not know why this is happening to me, even though I practicing more and more. Do you have any advise! If you have thanks.

Hi Rezwan and thank you for the question. It sounds like you need to focus on building your vocabulary for the reading section. The more you understand, the better you will be able to answer the questions. The best way to do this is through reading a lot. In general, I actually recommend reading things you enjoy and studying flashcards with some difficult vocabulary. This will help expose you to more vocabulary. Spend about 25-50% of your time on TOEFL-related content and the rest on the material you enjoy along with some flashcards. I hope that helps!

I want to pass the TOEFL test successfully

Hi Hamid, that’s great. Do you have a specific question that I can try and answer for you?

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Test Resources

TOEFL® Resources by Michael Goodine

Toefl independent writing topics, toefl essay practice questions.

This list is from an old version of the Official Guide to the TOEFL.  I want to emphasize that these questions are quite old, and the questions on the real test are quite different.  I’m leaving it online, though, since people seem to want it.

If you want some REAL questions, please visit my modern collection of sample TOEFL independent writing questions .

(Links are to some sample essays based on modified versions of some questions)

1.  People attend college or university for many different reasons (for example, new experiences, career preparation, increased knowledge). Why do you think people attend college or university? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

2.  Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

3.  Nowadays, food has become easier to prepare. Has this change improved the way people live? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

4.  It has been said, “Not everything that is learned is contained in books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?

5.  A company has announced that it wishes to build a large factory near your community. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this new influence on your community. Do you support or oppose the factory? Explain your position.

6.  If you could change one important thing about your hometown, what would you change? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

7.  How do movies or television influence people’s behavior? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

8.  Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television has destroyed communication among friends and family. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

9.  Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a big city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

10.  “When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success.” Do you agree or disagree with the quotation above? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.

11.  Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Universities should give the same amount of money to their students’ sports activities as they give to their university libraries. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

12.  Many people visit museums when they travel to new places. Why do you think people visit museums? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

13.  Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

14.  Some people believe that university students should be required to attend classes. Others believe that going to classes should be optional for students. Which point of view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.

15.  Neighbors are the people who live near us. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a good neighbor? Use specific details and examples in your answer.

16.  It has recently been announced that a new restaurant may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

17.  Some people think that they can learn better by themselves than with a teacher. Others think that it is always better to have a teacher. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons to develop your essay.

18.  What are some important qualities of a good supervisor (boss)? Use specific details and examples to explain why these qualities are important.

19. Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways, or should governments spend more money on improving public transportation (buses, trains, subways)? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.

20.  It is better for children to grow up in the countryside than in a big city. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to develop your essay.

21.  In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this phenomenon. Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.

22.  We all work or will work in our jobs with many different kinds of people. In your opinion, what are some important characteristics of a co-worker (someone you work closely with)? Use reasons and specific examples to explain why these characteristics are important.

23.  Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Sometimes it is better not to tell the truth. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

24. In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do you think this is a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific reasons and details.

25. A person you know is planning to move to your town or city. What do you think this person would like and dislike about living in your town or city? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.

26.  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.

27. It has recently been announced that a new movie theater may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

28. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should sometimes do things that they do not enjoy doing. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

29. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television, newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the personal lives of famous people such as public figures and celebrities. Use specific reasons and details to explain your opinion.

30.  Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

31. It has recently been announced that a new high school may be built in your community. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details in your answer.

32. Some people spend their entire lives in one place. Others move a number of times throughout their lives, looking for a better job, house, community, or even climate. Which do you prefer: staying in one place or moving in search of another place? Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion.

33. Is it better to enjoy your money when you earn it or is it better to save your money for some time in the future? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

34. You have received a gift of money. The money is enough to buy either a piece of jewelry you like or tickets to a concert you want to attend. Which would you buy? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

35. You must select a person to teach others to do a job. Which one of the following is the most important for you to consider in making your selection?

the person’s education the person’s work experience the quality of the person’s previous work

Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

36. Businesses should hire employees for their entire lives. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

37. Countries, businesses, and schools are three areas that need good leaders. Choose one of these three areas and describe the most important qualities of a leader in that area. Explain why these qualities are important, using specific examples and details.

38. Choose one of the following transportation vehicles and explain why you think it has changed people’s lives.

Automobiles Bicycles Airplanes

39. Do you agree or disagree that progress is always good? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

40. Learning about the past has no value for those of us living in the present. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

41. The expression “Never, never give up” means to keep trying and never stop working for your goals. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

42. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? With the help of technology, students nowadays can learn more information and learn it more quickly. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

43. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Games are as important for adults as they are for children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

44. Awards and prizes are given for excellence in various fields. Do these awards and prizes serve a useful purpose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

45. Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or disagree with this point of view? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

46. What is a very important skill a person should learn in order to be successful in the world today? Choose one skill and use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

47. Resolving problems between individuals or groups is important. What should be considered or kept in mind in resolving problems between individuals or groups? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

48. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Self-confidence is the most important factor for success in school or at work. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

49. Why do you think some people are attracted to dangerous sports or other dangerous activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

50. Which is more important for success: the natural ability you are born with or hard work? Explain your opinion, using specific reasons and examples.

51. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents or other adult relatives should make important decisions for their older (15 to 18 year-old) teenaged children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

52.  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.

53. Some people prefer to get up early in the morning and start the day’s work. Others prefer to get up later in the day and work until late at night. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

54. What are the important qualities of a good son or daughter? Have these qualities changed or remained the same over time in your culture? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

55. Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

56.  People work because they need money to live. What are some other reasons that people work? Discuss one or more of these reasons. Use specific examples and details to support your answer.

57. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication, such as letters, e-mail, or telephone calls. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

58. Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people prefer to try new things and take risks. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

59. Some people believe that success in life comes from taking risks or chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning. In your opinion, what does success come from? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

60. What change would make your hometown more appealing to people your age? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

61. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The most important aspect of a job is the money a person earns. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

62. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? One should never judge a person by external appearances. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

63.  Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person should never make an important decision alone. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer .

64.  A company is going to give some money either to support the arts or to protect the environment. Which do you think the company should choose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

65. Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

66. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Businesses should do anything they can to make a profit. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

67. Some people are always in a hurry to go places and get things done. Other people prefer to take their time and live life at a slower pace. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

68. Some people think governments should spend as much money as possible exploring outer space (for example, traveling to the Moon and to other planets). Other people disagree and think governments should spend this money for our basic needs on Earth. Which of these two opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

69. People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. Some read; some exercise; others work in their gardens. What do you think are the best ways of reducing stress? Use specific details and examples in your answer.

70. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers should be paid according to how much their students learn. Give specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

71. If you were asked to send one thing representing your country to an international exhibition, what would you choose? Why? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

72. You have been told that dormitory rooms at your university must be shared by two students. Would you rather have the university assign a student to share a room with you, or would you rather choose your own roommate? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.

73. Some people think that governments should spend as much money as possible on developing or buying computer technology. Other people disagree and think that this money should be spent on more basic needs. Which one of these opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

74. Some people like doing work by hand. Others prefer using machines. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

75. Schools should ask students to evaluate their teachers. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

76. In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic (for example, honesty, intelligence, a sense of humor) that a person can have to be successful in life? Use specific reasons and examples from your experience to explain your answer. When you write your answer, you are not limited to the examples listed in the prompt.

77. It is generally agreed that society benefits from the work of its members. Compare the contributions of artists to society with the contributions of scientists to society. Which type of contribution do you think is valued more by your society? Give specific reasons to support your answer.

78. Students at universities often have a choice of places to live. They may choose to live in university dormitories, or they may choose to live in apartments in the community. Compare the advantages of living in university housing with the advantages of living in an apartment in the community. Where would you prefer to live? Give reasons for your preference.

79. You need to travel from your home to a place 40 miles (64 kilometers) away. Compare the different kinds of transportation you could use. Tell which method of travel you would choose. Give specific reasons for your choice.

80. Some people believe that a college or university education should be available to all students. Others believe that higher education should be available only to good students. Discuss these views. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.

81. Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by listening to the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of these two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable? Use specific examples to support your preference.

82. When people move to another country, some of them decide to follow the customs of the new country. Others prefer to keep their own customs. Compare these two choices. Which one do you prefer? Support your answer with specific details.

83. Some people prefer to spend most of their time alone. Others like to be with friends most of the time. Do you prefer to spend your time alone or with friends? Use specific reasons to support your answer.

84. Some people prefer to spend time with one or two close friends. Others choose to spend time with a large number of friends. Compare the advantages of each choice. Which of these two ways of spending time do you prefer? Use specific reasons to support your answer.

85. Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age and should spend most of their time on school studies. Others believe that young children should spend most of their time playing. Compare these two views. Which view do you agree with? Why?

86. The government has announced that it plans to build a new university. Some people think that your community would be a good place to locate the university. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a new university in your community. Use specific details in your discussion.

87. Some people think that the family is the most important influence on young adults. Other people think that friends are the most important influence on young adults. Which view do you agree with? Use examples to support your position.

88. Some people prefer to plan activities for their free time very carefully. Others choose not to make any plans at all for their free time. Compare the benefits of planning free-time activities with the benefits of not making plans. Which do you prefer-planning or not planning for your leisure time? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your choice.

89. People learn in different ways. Some people learn by doing things; other people learn by reading about things; others learn by listening to people talk about things. Which of these methods of learning is best for you? Use specific examples to support your choice.

90. Some people choose friends who are different from themselves. Others choose friends who are similar to themselves. Compare the advantages of having friends who are different from you with the advantages of having friends who are similar to you. Which kind of friend do you prefer for yourself? Why?

91. Some people enjoy change, and they look forward to new experiences. Others like their lives to stay the same, and they do not change their usual habits. Compare these two approaches to life. Which approach do you prefer? Explain why.

92. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People behave differently when they wear different clothes. Do you agree that different clothes influence the way people behave? Use specific examples to support your answer.

93. Decisions can be made quickly, or they can be made after careful thought. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The decisions that people make quickly are always wrong. Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion.

94. Some people trust their first impressions about a person’s character because they believe these judgments are generally correct. Other people do not judge a person’s character quickly because they believe first impressions are often wrong. Compare these two attitudes. Which attitude do you agree with? Support your choice with specific examples.

95. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People are never satisfied with what they have; they always want something more or something different. Use specific reasons to support your answer.

96. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should read only those books that are about real events, real people, and established facts. Use specific reasons and details to support your opinion.

97. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is more important for students to study history and literature than it is for them to study science and mathematics. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

98. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? All students should be required to study art and music in secondary school. Use specific reasons to support your answer.

99. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? There is nothing that young people can teach older people. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

100. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Reading fiction (such as novels and short stories) is more enjoyable than watching movies. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.

101. Some people say that physical exercise should be a required part of every school day. Other people believe that students should spend the whole school day on academic studies. Which opinion do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

102. A university plans to develop a new research center in your country. Some people want a center for business research. Other people want a center for research in agriculture (farming). Which of these two kinds of research centers do you recommend for your country? Use specific reasons in your recommendation.

103. Some young children spend a great amount of their time practicing sports. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

104. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Only people who earn a lot of money are successful. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

105. If you could invent something new, what product would you develop? Use specific details to explain why this invention is needed.

106. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person’s childhood years (the time from birth to twelve years of age) are the most important years of a person’s life. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

107. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should be required to help with household tasks as soon as they are able to do so. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

108. Some high schools require all students to wear school uniforms. Other high schools permit students to decide what to wear to school. Which of these two school policies do you think is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

109. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Playing a game is fun only when you win. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

110. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? High schools should allow students to study the courses that students want to study. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

111. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is better to be a member of a group than to be the leader of a group. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

112. What do you consider to be the most important room in a house? Why is this room more important to you than any other room? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

113. If you could make one important change in a school that you attended, what change would you make? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

114. A gift (such as a camera, a soccer ball, or an animal) can contribute to a child’s development. What gift would you give to help a child develop? Why? Use reasons and specific examples to support your choice.

115. Some people believe that students should be given one long vacation each year. Others believe that students should have several short vacations throughout the year. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

116. Would you prefer to live in a traditional house or in a modern apartment building? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

117. Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things we really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

118. Some people prefer to spend their free time outdoors. Other people prefer to spend their leisure time indoors. Would you prefer to be outside or would you prefer to be inside for your leisure activities? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your choice.

119. Your school has received a gift of money. What do you think is the best way for your school to spend this money? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

120. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Playing games teaches us about life. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

121. Imagine that you have received some land to use as you wish. How would you use this land? Use specific details to explain your answer.

122. What is the most important animal in your country? Why is the animal important? Use reasons and specific details to explain your answer.

123. Many parts of the world are losing important natural resources, such as forests, animals, or clean water. Choose one resource that is disappearing and explain why it needs to be saved. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

124. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A zoo has no useful purpose. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

125. In some countries, people are no longer allowed to smoke in many public places and office buildings. Do you think this is a good rule or a bad rule? Use specific reasons and details to support your position.

126. Plants can provide food, shelter, clothing, or medicine. What is one kind of plant that is important to you or the people in your country? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

127. You have the opportunity to visit a foreign country for two weeks. Which country would you like to visit? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

128. In the future, students may have the choice of studying at home by using technology such as computers or television or of studying at traditional schools. Which would you prefer? Use reasons and specific details to explain your choice.

129. When famous people such as actors, athletes and rock stars give their opinions, many people listen. Do you think we should pay attention to these opinions? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

130. The twentieth century saw great change. In your opinion, what is one change that should be remembered about the twentieth century? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

131. When people need to complain about a product or poor service, some prefer to complain in writing and others prefer to complain in person. Which way do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

132. People remember special gifts or presents that they have received. Why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

133. Some famous athletes and entertainers earn millions of dollars every year. Do you think these people deserve such high salaries? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

134. Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

135.  People do many different things to stay healthy. What do you do for good health? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

136. You have decided to give several hours of your time each month to improve the community where you live. What is one thing you will do to improve your community? Why? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

137. Your school has enough money to purchase either computers for students or books for the library. Which should your school choose to buy- computers or books? Use specific reasons and examples to support your recommendation.

138. Many students choose to attend schools or universities outside their home countries. Why do some students study abroad? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.

139. People listen to music for different reasons and at different times. Why is music important to many people? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

140. Groups or organizations are an important part of some people’s lives. Why are groups or organizations important to people? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

141. Imagine that you are preparing for a trip. You plan to be away from your home for a year. In addition to clothing and personal care items, you can take one additional thing. What would you take and why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

142. When students move to a new school, they sometimes face problems. How can schools help these students with their problems? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

143. It is sometimes said that borrowing money from a friend can harm or damage the friendship. Do you agree? Why or why not? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.

144. Every generation of people is different in important ways. How is your generation different from your parents’ generation? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

145. Some students like classes where teachers lecture (do all of the talking) in class. Other students prefer classes where the students do some of the talking. Which type of class do you prefer? Give specific reasons and details to support your choice.

146. Holidays honor people or events. If you could create a new holiday, what person or event would it honor and how would you want people to celebrate it? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

147. A friend of yours has received some money and plans to use all of it either to go on vacation to buy a car Your friend has asked you for advice. Compare your friend’s two choices and explain which one you think your friend should choose. Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

148. The 21st century has begun. What changes do you think the new century will bring? Use examples and details in your answer.

149. What are some of the qualities of a good parent? Use specific details and examples to explain your answer.

150. Movies are popular all over the world. Explain why movies are so popular. Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

151. In your country, is there more need for land to be left in its natural condition or is there more need for land to be developed for housing and industry? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

152. Many people have a close relationship with their pets. These people treat their birds, cats, or other animals as members of their family. In your opinion, are such relationships good? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

153. Films can tell us a lot about the country where they were made. What have you learned about a country from watching its movies? Use specific examples and details to support your response.

154.  Some students prefer to study alone. Others prefer to study with a group of students. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

155. You have enough money to purchase either a house or a business. Which would you choose to buy? Give specific reasons to explain your choice.

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185 TOEFL essay topics

001: People attend college or university for many different reasons (for example, new experiences, career preparation, increased knowledge). Why do you think people attend college or university? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

002: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

003: Nowadays, food has become easier to prepare. Has this change improved the way people live? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

004: It has been said, “Not everything that is learned is contained in books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?

005: A company has announced that it wishes to build a large factory near your community. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this new influence on your community. Do you support or oppose the factory? Explain your position.

006: If you could change one important thing about your hometown, what would you change? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

007: How do movies or television influence people’s behavior? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

008: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television has destroyed communication among friends and family. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

009: Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a big city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

010: “When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success.” Do you agree or disagree with the quotation above? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.

011: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Universities should give the same amount of money to their students’ sports activities as they give to their university libraries. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

012: Many people visit museums when they travel to new places. Why do you think people visit museums? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

013: Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

014: Some people believe that university students should be required to attend classes. Others believe that going to classes should be optional for students. Which point of view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.

015: Neighbors are the people who live near us. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a good neighbor? Use specific details and examples in your answer.

016: It has recently been announced that a new restaurant may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

017: Some people think that they can learn better by themselves than with a teacher. Others think that it is always better to have a teacher. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons to develop your essay.

018: What are some important qualities of a good supervisor (boss)? Use specific details and examples to explain why these qualities are important.

019: Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways, or should governments spend more money on improving public transportation (buses, trains, subways)? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.

020: It is better for children to grow up in the countryside than in a big city. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to develop your essay.

021: In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this phenomenon. Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.

022: We all work or will work in our jobs with many different kinds of people. In your opinion, what are some important characteristics of a co-worker (someone you work closely with)? Use reasons and specific examples to explain why these characteristics are important.

023: In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do you think this is a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific reasons and details.

024: A person you know is planning to move to your town or city. What do you think this person would like and dislike about living in your town or city? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.

025: 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.

026: It has recently been announced that a new movie theater may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

027: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should sometimes do things that they do not enjoy doing. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

028: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television, newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the personal lives of famous people such as public figures and celebrities. Use specific reasons and details to explain your opinion.

029: Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

030: It has recently been announced that a new high school may be built in your community. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details in your answer.

031: Some people spend their entire lives in one place. Others move a number of times throughout their lives, looking for a better job, house, community, or even climate. Which do you prefer: staying in one place or moving in search of another place? Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion.

032: Is it better to enjoy your money when you earn it or is it better to save your money for some time in the future? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

033: You have received a gift of money. The money is enough to buy either a piece of jewelry you like or tickets to a concert you want to attend. Which would you buy? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

034: Businesses should hire employees for their entire lives. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

035: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Attending a live performance (for example, a play, concert, or sporting event) is more enjoyable than watching the same event on television. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

036: Choose one of the following transportation vehicles and explain why you think it has changed people’s lives. *automobiles; *bicycles; *airplanes. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

037: Do you agree or disagree that progress is always good? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

038: Learning about the past has no value for those of us living in the present. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

039: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? With the help of technology, students nowadays can learn more information and learn it more quickly. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

040: The expression “Never, never give up” means to keep trying and never stop working for your goals. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

041: Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or disagree with this point of view? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

042: What is a very important skill a person should learn in order to be successful in the world today? Choose one skill and use specific reasons and examples to support your choice. 043: Why do you think some people are attracted to dangerous sports or other dangerous activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

044: 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.

045: Some people prefer to get up early in the morning and start the day’s work. Others prefer to get up later in the day and work until late at night. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

046: What are the important qualities of a good son or daughter? Have these qualities changed or remained the same over time in your culture? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

047: Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

048: People work because they need money to live. What are some other reasons that people work? Discuss one or more of these reasons. Use specific examples and details to support your answer.

049: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication, such as letters, email, or telephone calls. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

050: Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people prefer to try new things and take risks. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

051: Some people believe that success in life comes from taking risks or chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning. In your opinion, what does success come from? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

052: What change would make your hometown more appealing to people your age? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

053: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The most important aspect of a job is the money a person earns. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

054: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? One should never judge a person by external appearances. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

055: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person should never make an important decision alone. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

056: A company is going to give some money either to support the arts or to protect the environment. Which do you think the company should choose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

057: Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

058: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Businesses should do anything they can to make a profit. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

059: Some people are always in a hurry to go places and get things done. Other people prefer to take their time and live life at a slower pace. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

060: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Games are as important for adults as they are for children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

061: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents or other adult relatives should make important decisions for their older (15 to 18 year-old) teenage children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

062: What do you want most in a friend — someone who is intelligent, or someone who has a sense of humor, or someone who is reliable? Which one of these characteristics is most important to you? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your choice.

063: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Most experiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable lessons for the future. Use reasons and specific examples to support our answer.

064: Some people prefer to work for themselves or own a business. Others prefer to work for an employer. Would you rather be self-employed, work for someone else, or own a business? Use specific reasons to explain your choice.

065: Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

066: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Classmates are a more important influence than parents on a child’s success in school. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

067: If you were an employer, which kind of worker would you prefer to hire: an inexperienced worker at a lower salary or an experienced worker at a higher salary? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

068: Many teachers assign homework to students every day. Do you think that daily homework is necessary for students? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

069: If you could study a subject that you have never had the opportunity to study, what would you choose? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.

070: Some people think that the automobile has improved modern life. Others think that the automobile has caused serious problems. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

071: Which would you choose: a high-paying job with long hours that would give you little time with family and friends or a lower-paying job with shorter hours that would give you more time with family and friends? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.

072: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Grades (marks) encourage students to learn. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

073: Some people say that computers have made life easier and more convenient. Other people say that computers have made life more complex and stressful. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

074: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

075: Some universities require students to take classes in many subjects. Other universities require students to specialize in one subject. Which is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

076: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

077: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Boys and girls should attend separate schools. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

078: Is it more important to be able to work with a group of people on a team or to work independently? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

079: Your city has decided to build a statue or monument to honor a famous person in your country. Who would you choose? Use reasons and specific examples to support your choice.

080: Describe a custom from your country that you would like people from other countries to adopt. Explain your choice, using specific reasons and examples.

081: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Technology has made the world a better place to live. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

082: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Advertising can tell you a lot about a country. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

083: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Modern technology is creating a single world culture. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

084: Some people say that the Internet provides people with a lot of valuable information. Others think access to so much information creates problems. Which view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

085: A foreign visitor has only one day to spend in your country. Where should this visitor go on that day? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

086: If you could go back to some time and place in the past, when and where would you go? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

087: What discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people in your country? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

088: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Telephones and email have made communication between people less personal. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

089: If you could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history, what person would you like to meet? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

090: If you could meet a famous entertainer or athlete, who would that be, and why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

091: If you could ask a famous person one question, what would you ask? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

092: Some people prefer to live in places that have the same weather or climate all year long. Others like to live in areas where the weather changes several times a year. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

093: Many students have to live with roommates while going to school or university. What are some of the important qualities of a good roommate? Use specific reasons and examples to explain why these qualities are important.

094: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Dancing plays an important role in a culture. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

095: Some people think governments should spend as much money as possible exploring outer space (for example, traveling to the Moon and to other planets). Other people disagree and think governments should spend this money for our basic needs on Earth. Which of these two opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

096: People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. Some read; some exercise; others work in their gardens. What do you think are the best ways of reducing stress? Use specific details and examples in your answer.

097: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers should be paid according to how much their students learn. Give specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

098: If you were asked to send one thing representing your country to an international exhibition, what would you choose? Why? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

099: You have been told that dormitory rooms at your university must be shared by two students. Would you rather have the university assign a student to share a room with you, or would you rather choose your own roommate? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.

100: Some people think that governments should spend as much money as possible on developing or buying computer technology. Other people disagree and think that this money should be spent on more basic needs. Which one of these opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

101: Some people like doing work by hand. Others prefer using machines. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

102: Schools should ask students to evaluate their teachers. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

103: In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic (for example, honesty, intelligence, a sense of humor) that a person can have to be successful in life? Use specific reasons and examples from your experience to explain your answer. When you write your answer, you are not limited to the examples listed in the question.

104: It is generally agreed that society benefits from the work of its members. Compare the contributions of artists to society with the contributions of scientists to society. Which type of contribution do you think is valued more by your society? Give specific reasons to support your answer.

105: Students at universities often have a choice of places to live. They may choose to live in university dormitories, or they may choose to live in apartments in the community. Compare the advantages of living in university housing with the advantages of living in an apartment in the community. Where would you prefer to live? Give reasons for your preference.

106: You need to travel from your home to a place 40 miles (64 kilometers) away. Compare the different kinds of transportation you could use. Tell which method of travel you would choose. Give specific reasons for your choice.

107: Some people believe that a college or university education should be available to all students. Others believe that higher education should be available only to good students. Discuss these views. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.

108: Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by listening to the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of these two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable? Use specific examples to support your preference.

109: When people move to another country, some of them decide to follow the customs of the new country. Others prefer to keep their own customs. Compare these two choices. Which one do you prefer? Support your answer with specific details.

110: Some people prefer to spend most of their time alone. Others like to be with friends most of the time. Do you prefer to spend your time alone or with friends? Use specific reasons to support your answer.

111: Some people prefer to spend time with one or two close friends. Others choose to spend time with a large number of friends. Compare the advantages of each choice. Which of these two ways of spending time do you prefer? Use specific reasons to support your answer.

112: Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age and should spend most of their time on school studies. Others believe that young children should spend most of their time playing. Compare these two views. Which view do you agree with? Why?

113: The government has announced that it plans to build a new university. Some people think that your community would be a good place to locate the university. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a new university in your community. Use specific details in your discussion.

114: Some people think that the family is the most important influence on young adults. Other people think that friends are the most important influence on young adults. Which view do you agree with? Use examples to support your position.

115: Some people prefer to plan activities for their free time very carefully. Others choose not to make any plans at all for their free time. Compare the benefits of planning free-time activities with the benefits of not making plans. Which do you prefer — planning or not planning for your leisure time? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your choice.

116: People learn in different ways. Some people learn by doing things; other people learn by reading about things; others learn by listening to people talk about things. Which of these methods of learning is best for you? Use specific examples to support your choice.

117: Some people choose friends who are different from themselves. Others choose friends who are similar to themselves. Compare the advantages of having friends who are different from you with the advantages of having friends who are similar to you. Which kind of friend do you prefer for yourself? Why?

118: Some people enjoy change, and they look forward to new experiences. Others like their lives to stay the same, and they do not change their usual habits. Compare these two approaches to life. Which approach do you prefer? Explain why.

119: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People behave differently when they wear different clothes. Do you agree that different clothes influence the way people behave? Use specific examples to support your answer.

120: Decisions can be made quickly, or they can be made after careful thought. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The decisions that people make quickly are always wrong. Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion.

121: Some people trust their first impressions about a person’s character because they believe these judgments are generally correct. Other people do not judge a person’s character quickly because they believe first impressions are often wrong. Compare these two attitudes. Which attitude do you agree with? Support your choice with specific examples.

122: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People are never satisfied with what they have; they always want something more or something different. Use specific reasons to support your answer.

123: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should read only those books that are about real events, real people, and established facts. Use specific reasons and details to support your opinion.

124: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is more important for students to study history and literature than it is for them to study science and mathematics. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

125: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? All students should be required to study art and music in secondary school. Use specific reasons to support your answer.

126: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? There is nothing that young people can teach older people. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

127: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Reading fiction (such as novels and short stories) is more enjoyable than watching movies. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.

128: Some people say that physical exercise should be a required part of every school day. Other people believe that students should spend the whole school day on academic studies. Which opinion do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

129: A university plans to develop a new research center in your country. Some people want a center for business research. Other people want a center for research in agriculture (farming). Which of these two kinds of research centers do you recommend for your country? Use specific reasons in your recommendation.

130: Some young children spend a great amount of their time practicing sports. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

131: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Only people who earn a lot of money are successful. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

132: If you could invent something new, what product would you develop? Use specific details to explain why this invention is needed.

133: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person’s childhood years (the time from birth to twelve years of age) are the most important years of a person’s life. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

134: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should be required to help with household tasks as soon as they are able to do so. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

135: Some high schools require all students to wear school uniforms. Other high schools permit students to decide what to wear to school. Which of these two school policies do you think is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

136: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Playing a game is fun only when you win. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

137: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? High schools should allow students to study the courses that students want to study. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

138: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is better to be a member of a group than to be the leader of a group. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

139: What do you consider to be the most important room in a house? Why is this room more important to you than any other room? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

140: Some items (such as clothes or furniture) can be made by hand or by machine. Which do you prefer — items made by hand or items made by machine? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your choice.

141: If you could make one important change in a school that you attended, what change would you make? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

142: A gift (such as a camera, a soccer ball, or an animal) can contribute to a child’s development. What gift would you give to help a child develop? Why? Use reasons and specific examples to support your choice.

143: Some people believe that students should be given one long vacation each year. Others believe that students should have several short vacations throughout the year. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

144: Would you prefer to live in a traditional house or in a modern apartment building? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

145: Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things we really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

146: Some people prefer to spend their free time outdoors. Other people prefer to spend their leisure time indoors. Would you prefer to be outside or would you prefer to be inside for your leisure activities? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your choice.

147: Your school has received a gift of money. What do you think is the best way for your school to spend this money? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

148: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Playing games teaches us about life. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

149: Imagine that you have received some land to use as you wish. How would you use this land? Use specific details to explain your answer.

150: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Watching television is bad for children. Use specific details and examples to support your answer.

151: What is the most important animal in your country? Why is the animal important? Use reasons and specific details to explain your answer.

152: Many parts of the world are losing important natural resources, such as forests, animals, or clean water. Choose one resource that is disappearing and explain why it needs to be saved. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

153: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A zoo has no useful purpose. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

154: In some countries, people are no longer allowed to smoke in many public places and office buildings. Do you think this is a good rule or a bad rule? Use specific reasons and details to support your position.

155: Plants can provide food, shelter, clothing, or medicine. What is one kind of plant that is important to you or the people in your country? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

156: You have the opportunity to visit a foreign country for two weeks. Which country would you like to visit? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

157: In the future, students may have the choice of studying at home by using technology such as computers or television or of studying at traditional schools. Which would you prefer? Use reasons and specific details to explain your choice.

158: When famous people such as actors, athletes and rock stars give their opinions, many people listen. Do you think we should pay attention to these opinions? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

159: The twentieth century saw great change. In your opinion, what is one change that should be remembered about the twentieth century? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

160: When people need to complain about a product or poor service, some prefer to complain in writing and others prefer to complain in person. Which way do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

161: People remember special gifts or presents that they have received. Why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

162: Some famous athletes and entertainers earn millions of dollars every year. Do you think these people deserve such high salaries? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

163: Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

164: People do many different things to stay healthy. What do you do for good health? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

165: You have decided to give several hours of your time each month to improve the community where you live. What is one thing you will do to improve your community? Why? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

166: People recognize a difference between children and adults. What events (experiences or ceremonies) make a person an adult? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

167: Your school has enough money to purchase either computers for students or books for the library. Which should your school choose to buy — computers or books? Use specific reasons and examples to support your recommendation.

168: Many students choose to attend schools or universities outside their home countries. Why do some students study abroad? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.

169: People listen to music for different reasons and at different times. Why is music important to many people? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

170: Groups or organizations are an important part of some people’s lives. Why are groups or organizations important to people? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

171: Imagine that you are preparing for a trip. You plan to be away from your home for a year. In addition to clothing and personal care items, you can take one additional thing. What would you take and why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

172: When students move to a new school, they sometimes face problems. How can schools help these students with their problems? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

173: It is sometimes said that borrowing money from a friend can harm or damage the friendship. Do you agree? Why or why not? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.

174: Every generation of people is different in important ways. How is your generation different from your parents’ generation? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.

175: Some students like classes where teachers lecture (do all of the talking) in class. Other students prefer classes where the students do some of the talking. Which type of class do you prefer? Give specific reasons and details to support your choice.

176: Holidays honor people or events. If you could create a new holiday, what person or event would it honor and how would you want people to celebrate it? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

177: A friend of yours has received some money and plans to use all of it either: *to go on vacation; *to buy a car. Your friend has asked you for advice. Compare your friend’s two choices and explain which one you think your friend should choose. Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

178: The 21st century has begun. What changes do you think this new century will bring? Use examples and details in your answer.

179: What are some of the qualities of a good parent? Use specific details and examples to explain your answer.

180: Movies are popular all over the world. Explain why movies are so popular. Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

181: In your country, is there more need for land to be left in its natural condition or is there more need for land to be developed for housing and industry? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

182: Many people have a close relationship with their pets. These people treat their birds, cats, or other animals as members of their family. In your opinion, are such relationships good? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

183: Films can tell us a lot about the country where they were made. What have you learned about a country from watching its movies? Use specific examples and details to support your response.

184: Some students prefer to study alone. Others prefer to study with a group of students. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

185: You have enough money to purchase either a house or a business. Which would you choose to buy? Give specific reasons to explain your choice.

TOEFL listening lectures: Why are red crosses erected on Tanna Island?

You got the topics. Here is how you write 'em.

How to Improve Your Writing Skills for the TOEFL iBT by Michael Buckhoff

Do you fear college level writing assignments more than you fear the dentist? Is the writing section of TOEFL iBT bringing your overall score down? Would you like to improve your academic writing skills? If you have answered yes to one of these questions, pay close attention to the following tips for both the independent and integrated writing tasks for the TOEFL iBT.

Five Successful Habits for the Independent Writing Section of the TOEFL iBT

Create a list of familiar topics and practice writing about them: “Describe your favorite vacation destination,” and “Describe an important person who has influenced you” are representative of familiar Independent Writing topics for the iBT

You could also practice by stating an opinion or a preference and then by presenting reasons clearly and in detail. “Which do you think is better: living on campus in dorms or off campus in apartments?” is representative of an opinion-preference Independent Writing topic for the iBT.

Practice planning and writing an essay for each topic. Practice planning, writing, and revising each essay within the 30 minute time limit.

Practice prewriting techniques in you which you think about and list ideas related to a topic. Practice this BEFORE you begin writing your essay.

Identify one main idea and some main supporting points to support that main idea.

Create a sharply focused thesis statement and use it as a blueprint for the ideas presented in each developmental paragraph of the essay.

Use sufficient explanation and detail to develop the main supporting points of the essay.

• Aim to write a minimum of 300 words for the Independent Writing section.

Five Successful Habits for the Integrated Section of Writing Section of the TOEFL iBT

Find a college textbook that includes discussion questions at the end of the chapter. Read the chapter, take notes, and practice writing answers to these questions.

Read a 300 to 400 word article and then create an outline of the major points and important details. Using the outline, write a summary of the information and ideas of the article.

Understand how to write an effective summary.

Distinguish among quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, three methods of citing material you use from other sources. Keep in mind when writing papers in university courses that whether you quote, paraphrase, or summarize, you will need to cite the author and page or date in your text and include a list of works cited at the end of a paper.

Locate listening and reading materials on the same topic. The material, located on the Internet, in the library, or in your TOEFL book, can present different or opposing views.

Take notes on the information in the listening and in the reading passage, especially discussing how both materials relate.

Synthesize (combine) the information in the listening and in the reading passage, especially discussing how the materials relate.

Explain how the ideas in the listening and reading materials are similar, how one idea expands upon another, how the ideas are different, or how ideas contradict one another.

Michael Buckhoff is an ESL and English Professor at California State University, San Bernardino California, in the United States and has been teaching TOEFL preparation courses since 1994.

Hey pennyyeoh, I have a brief question for you. Um…I hate to break it to you, but your post…it’s a bit confusing. I mean, too long for me to check the whole thing and find the topic I’m looking for: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Watching television is harmful for children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.” Can you find it for me? I’m only a new member, and I’m not very used to this website…so can you just post it anywhere where I can find it? Thanks.

Oh yeah, here’s another thing, only it’s a suggestion this time. You should create links for any of the topics you did so everyone can see your essay too. If you can, try doing that. I’m only suggesting.

Juliana (jukieoo2000)

185: You have enough money to purchase either a house or a business. Which would you choose to buy? Give specific reasons to explain your choice. [/quote]

Thanks for sharing.

Nice job. Thanks for sharing. All the best.