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TOEFL integrated writing task 2023 | Examples and sample essay.

Want to excel in the toefl writing task elevate your skills with the most up-to-date examples, carefully crafted sample essays, and insights in 2023. maximize your potential to succeed in the integrated writing task., table of contents, introduction, toefl integrated writing task structure and format , toefl writing task topics , toefl writing task sample , toefl writing task pdf and other resources , strategies for toefl integrated writing task , scoring criteria for toefl writing task , key tips for success , example 1: environmental conservation , example 2: technological advancements in medicine , introduction: , body: , key takeaways .

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is a critical stepping stone for students who aspire to study in English-speaking universities. The TOEFL writing task is one part of this examination that can often become a cause for concern. It not only tests your ability to understand English but also your ability to express thoughts, ideas, and opinions in a clear and precise manner. 

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various aspects of the TOEFL writing task, including topics, samples, format, and specific answers to common questions. The information provided is tailored to the 2023 edition of the test, ensuring relevance and applicability to your preparation. So, if you’re planning to take on this challenge in 2023, let’s begin by understanding the structure and requirements of the TOEFL writing task. 

The TOEFL integrated writing task is the first of the two writing tasks in the TOEFL exam. It’s designed to assess your ability to combine listening and reading skills to write a coherent and well-structured essay. Here’s a detailed breakdown: 

• Reading passage : A passage around 200-250 words long is provided. You’ll have three minutes to read it. 
• Listening clip : A short lecture related to the reading passage is played. You’ll be given time to take notes to remember the content better. 
• Writing task : You will have 20 minutes to write a response of about 150-225 words, summarizing the points made in the lecture and explaining how they relate to specific points in the reading passage. 

The topics for the TOEFL integrated writing task are generally academic and range from subjects like history, science, art, and social sciences. Here’s an example of how the topics will be given: 

• Reading passage : An excerpt will be provided about Renaissance art and its influence. 
• Listening clip : A lecture discussing a specific Renaissance painting. 
• Writing task : Compare and contrast the information in the reading passage and the lecture.

Practicing in advance by working on such topics will help you write and format your writing tasks better. Here’s a sample for you to practice: 

• Reading passage: Brief description of climate change and its effects. 
• Listening clip : A lecture discussing various solutions to combat climate change.
• Writing task : Summarize the solutions from the lecture and relate them to the problems mentioned in the reading passage. 

To support your preparation, TOEFL writing task PDF materials, containing practice questions and samples are available online. These resources often include: 

• Guides on TOEFL writing format 
• Collection of TOEFL writing samples with answers PDF 
• TOEFL writing task 1 sample answers and TOEFL writing task 2 sample answers 
• Practice tests for TOEFL writing task 2 

These materials are instrumental in understanding the pattern and honing your skills to succeed in the TOEFL writing task. 

• Understanding the structure : Familiarize yourself with the TOEFL writing format, including reading, listening, and writing phases. 
• Time management: Allocate time for reading, note-taking, and writing, keeping in mind the 20-minute time limit for the writing task. 
• Note-taking skills : Practice jotting down crucial points from both the reading passage and the listening clip. Focus on the main ideas, supporting details, and the relationship between the reading and listening parts. 
• Creating an outline : Before diving into writing, create a rough outline to organize your thoughts. This helps in maintaining coherence and connection between various sections of the essay. 
• Practicing with samples : Utilize the TOEFL writing task sample, TOEFL writing task 1 sample answers, and TOEFL writing task 2 sample answers for regular practice. 

Understanding the scoring can guide you in preparing effectively. The TOEFL integrated writing task is scored on a scale of 0-5 based on the following criteria: 

• Content : Accuracy, completeness, and connection between reading and listening. 
• Organization : Logical progression, clear introduction, body, and conclusion. 
• Language use : Grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and overall fluency.
• Use transitional phrases : Transitional words like “however,” “in addition,” and “therefore” can help in maintaining the flow. 
• Avoid repetition : While using keywords is vital, avoid unnecessary repetition. Make sure your content is varied and engaging. 
• Proofread : Reserve some time at the end for revising and correcting errors.
• Access Quality Resources : Consider TOEFL writing samples with answers PDF, TOEFL writing task PDF guides, and practice tests for well-rounded preparation.
• Tables, quizzes, and other interactive elements: Incorporating tables and quizzes can be an excellent way to enhance the learning experience. For instance, a table comparing different TOEFL writing task topics or a quiz testing understanding of TOEFL writing format can be included in online learning platforms or books. 

Examples of TOEFL integrated writing task 

The TOEFL integrated writing task presents a unique challenge to assess your ability to analyze information from both a reading passage and a lecture. In this task, you must demonstrate your comprehension of the material and your capacity to connect ideas between the text and the spoken content. To give you a clearer picture, let’s dive into a few illustrative examples of TOEFL-integrated writing tasks:

Reading passage : Description of deforestation and its impact on biodiversity.

Listening Clip : A lecture discussing various conservation methods employed globally. 

Writing task: 

• Reading: The passage highlights the critical loss of forests, leading to a decline in biodiversity and environmental balance. 
• Listening: The speaker introduces multiple conservation techniques such as reforestation, wildlife corridors, and legal enforcement. 
• Essay: The essay must summarise the conservation methods mentioned in the lecture and relate them to the problems of deforestation and biodiversity loss detailed in the reading passage. 

Reading passage: An overview of the traditional medical practices and their limitations. 

Listening clip: A lecture elaborating on recent technological advancements in medical diagnostics and treatments. 

Writing task : 

• Reading: The passage outlines traditional medical practices, emphasizing their limitations in accuracy and efficiency. 
• Listening : The lecturer elaborates on cutting-edge technologies like AI-powered diagnostics, robotic surgeries, and personalized medicine.
• Essay : The essay should connect the advancements discussed in the lecture with the limitations outlined in the reading passage, showcasing how technology is revolutionizing medical practice. 

In-depth Analysis of a Sample Essay | Environmental conservation 

The essay must have a good flow and cohesiveness. This makes it easier to understand and leave a good impression. Here is the in-depth analysis of an essay on environmental conservation.

“The loss of forests and biodiversity has long been a global concern. However, modern conservation methods, as described in the lecture, offer promising solutions to the challenges outlined in the reading passage.” 

• Paragraph 1: Discuss reforestation, its importance, and how it directly addresses deforestation. 
• Paragraph 2: Explore wildlife corridors and their role in preserving biodiversity. 
• Paragraph 3 : Explain legal enforcement, international agreements, and their impact on conservation efforts. 
• The TOEFL-integrated writing task involves reading, listening, and writing. Understand the flow and practice each part. 
• Make use of TOEFL writing samples with answers PDF, TOEFL writing task PDF guides, and various other materials for practice. 
• Your essay should logically connect the reading and listening parts, maintaining a clear and concise structure. 

The innovative conservation techniques described in the lecture provide a comprehensive approach to combating the grave issues of deforestation and biodiversity loss mentioned in the reading passage. These methods signify hope and progress in environmental preservation. 

We hope you found this article insightful. If you have any more queries please reach out to us and get them solved quickly!

Liked this blog? Read: TOEFL requirements 2023 | Documents and minimum requirements guide. 

1. How much time do I have for the TOEFL Integrated Writing Task? 

Ans. You have 3 minutes to read the passage, a listening time for the clip, and 20 minutes to write the essay. 

2. Can I take notes during the listening part of the TOEFL Writing Task? 

Ans. Yes, taking notes is allowed and advisable during the listening portion.

3. What types of topics are covered in the TOEFL Writing Task Topics? 

Ans. Topics are typically academic, ranging from history, science, art to social sciences. 

4. Where can I find TOEFL Writing Task 1 sample answers and TOEFL Writing Task 2 sample answers? 

Ans. Various online platforms, prep books, and official TOEFL guides provide these samples.

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Ultimate guide to toefl integrated writing: tips and practice.

Writing English essays can be difficult for non-native speakers—especially on TOEFL Integrated Writing. For this task, you must compose a short essay comparing a lecture with a reading passage. And to get a high Integrated Writing score, you’ll need to know which resources to use as well as how to prepare effectively for the task.

In this guide, we’ll explain what TOEFL Integrated Writing entails and go over the best resources you can use for quality TOEFL Integrated Writing topics and practice. In addition, we give you six key tips to help you get the Integrated Writing score you deserve.

What Is TOEFL Integrated Writing?

There are two Writing tasks on the TOEFL: an Integrated Writing task and an Independent Writing task. The Integrated Writing task, which comes first, requires you to combine multiple skills. You must not only be able to write in English but also be able to read and listen to it. By contrast, the Independent Writing task only requires you to read a brief prompt and then write an essay explaining your opinion on the topic.

So what exactly does the Integrated Writing task entail? You’ll start by reading an academic passage. This passage is about 300 words long, and you’ll have  three minutes to read it.

Next, you’ll listen to an audio clip of a professor giving a lecture on the same topic as that of the passage. This lecture will usually be about two minutes long and will either agree or disagree with points made in the passage.

Finally, you’ll have 20 minutes to plan and compose a short essay of about 150-225 words. This essay must summarize the points made in the lecture and explain how they support or challenge what’s written in the passage. You will not write about your own opinion for this task (though you will for the Independent Writing task).

As you write, you’ll be able to look at the reading passage again if you need to. (You can also finish reading it during this time if you didn’t get to do so before.) However, you may not listen to the audio clip again. This is why it’s best to take notes while you listen to the audio clip (we’ll talk more about how to do this later).

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Now, let’s turn our attention to scoring. The Integrated Writing task—like the Independent Writing task—is scored on a scale of 0-5. According to the official rubric , a 5 response “successfully selects the important information from the lecture and coherently and accurately presents this information in relation to the relevant information presented in the reading.”

On the other hand, a 1 response “provides little or no meaningful or relevant coherent content from the lecture.” (Note that a score of 0 means you did not fulfill the prompt correctly—for example, you copied sentences from the passage, wrote in a foreign language, or didn’t write anything at all.)

After, your Integrated and Independent scores are combined and converted to a scaled Writing score on a scale of 0-30 (i.e., the same scale used for all sections of the TOEFL).

Here is an example of a complete TOEFL Integrated Writing task :

Read the following passage and the lecture which follows. In an actual test, you would have 3 minutes to read the passage. Then, answer the question. In the test, you would have 20 minutes to plan and write your response. Typically, an effective response will be 150 to 225 words. Test takers with disabilities may request additional time to read the passage and write the response.

READING PASSAGE

LECTURE TRANSCRIPT

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

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

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

14 Resources for TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice

Now that you understand what a TOEFL Integrated essay entails, let’s take a look at some of the best resources you can use for TOEFL Integrated Writing topics and practice.

Note that most of these resources are geared toward the entire TOEFL test and therefore will contain practice questions and tips for other TOEFL sections as well.

Official Prep Materials

Official resources (i.e., those created by ETS) are far and away the best resources to start with when you want to find quality TOEFL Integrated Writing practice questions. All official TOEFL resources offer authentic test questions and prompts similar to those you’ll see on test day. And the best part is that many of these resources are entirely free!

TOEFL Online Practice (TPO) Tests

By far the most authentic TOEFL Integrated Writing practice you can get is through official TPO tests. These full-length TOEFL practice tests are real, retired exams and thus offer a highly realistic TOEFL Integrated Writing test-taking experience.

Once you finish a test, your Integrated essay is immediately graded by a computer. However, I’m not a huge fan of this scoring system since it isn’t clear why the computer grader assigns certain scores.  By contrast, on the actual TOEFL, your Integrated Writing task will be graded by a combination of human raters and a computer .

Unfortunately, each TPO test is quite costly:  45.95 USD.  So don’t buy one of these tests unless you’re 100 percent sure it’ll help you on the Integrated Writing task and other sections of the exam as well.

TOEFL iBT Interactive Sampler

One of the best TOEFL practice resources you can use is the TOEFL Interactive Sampler. This free, downloadable software contains an abbreviated TOEFL test, complete with a full Writing section.

What’s especially great is that the Integrated Task comes with  three sample responses: a high-level response, a mid-level response, and a low-level response. These are helpful in that they show you what kinds of details, structures, grammar, and vocabulary you’ll be expected to use in your own essay.

There are a couple of downsides to this resource, though. For one, the sampler doesn’t work with Macs. Another issue is that you can’t write your essay directly in the program. Rather, once the prompt is shown, all you’re given are the three sample responses. But you can still complete the task by opening Microsoft Word or another writing program and typing your essay there.

Once you’ve finished writing your essay, I suggest either using the TOEFL Integrated Writing rubric to score your response or asking a native English speaker to grade your essay for you.

TOEFL iBT Quick Prep

This free set of four PDFs offers a ton of high-quality sample TOEFL questions, including two Integrated Writing tasks (in Volume 1 and Volume 3 ).

Volume 1 provides you with a transcript of the lecture instead of an audio clip, so it’s not the most realistic test-taking experience you can get. But Volume 3’s TOEFL Integrated Writing task uses an MP3 for the lecture, making it far more similar to what you’ll get on the actual test.

Since these volumes are both PDFs and not software programs, you’ll once again need to use a separate computer program to type out your responses.

TOEFL iBT Writing Sample Responses

Another free resource by ETS, this PDF presents  a number of TOEFL Integrated Writing sample responses, from low- to high-scoring ones.

With this resource, you’ll get one TOEFL Integrated Writing task  with a passage and lecture transcript. And as for sample essays, you’ll get:

• Two level-5 essays
• Three level-4 essays
• Three level-3 essays
• Three level-2 essays
• Two level-1 essays

What I particularly love about this PDF is that it includes  detailed feedback on why certain essays received the scores they got.  Therefore, I strongly suggest reading these explanations to learn more about how ETS expects you to write and organize your Integrated essay on test day.

Official TOEFL Prep Books

Another solid option is to buy an official TOEFL prep book. Official books are excellent, comprehensive resources for TOEFL Integrated Writing practice, as well as Reading, Listening, and Speaking practice.

The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test  is perhaps your best bet. This resource offers a CD-ROM with three full-length practice tests in addition to 600 practice questions.

However, its Integrated Writing information isn’t all new. For example, many of its sample scored responses are the same as those in the TOEFL iBT Writing Sample Responses PDF above. Moreover, its first practice test uses the same Integrated Writing prompt contained in the free TOEFL Interactive Sampler.

Other official prep books include Official TOEFL iBT Tests Volumes 1 and 2 . Each volume contains five unique full-length practice tests, giving you a grand total of 10 Integrated Writing tasks  to practice with. Unlike The Official Guide, though,   which offers several sample responses for each scoring level,   each Writing task here comes with just one high-scoring sample response.

Official TOEFL prep books are usually reasonably priced at around 25 USD a piece.

TOEFL iBT Sample Questions

This free, handy PDF is similar to Quick Prep but contains far fewer practice questions. With this resource, you get one Integrated Writing task  (which we used above as an example).

Unfortunately, this PDF doesn’t contain any audio files, so you’ll need to read a transcript for the lecture. This, along with the lack of additional TOEFL Integrated Writing practice questions, ultimately makes this resource less realistic and less useful than some of the other ones on this list.

Unofficial Prep Materials

While official materials are hands down your best bet for quality TOEFL Integrated Writing practice, some unofficial resources offer a solid array of TOEFL Integrated Writing practice questions as well.

The problem, however, is that most unofficial TOEFL resources are low quality, so you’ll need to learn how to distinguish the ones that are worth using from the ones that aren’t. Generally speaking, a solid TOEFL resource is one that offers realistic practice questions, comprehensive answer explanations, and useful test-taking strategies.

Below are our top picks for the best unofficial resources for TOEFL Integrated Writing topics. Like our list above, the majority of resources here are completely free to use!

Unofficial TOEFL Prep Books

There are many high-quality unofficial TOEFL prep books available on the market. The key is to know which ones are worth buying—that is, which ones will offer you the most authentic TOEFL Integrated Writing tasks you can practice with. Our guide to the best TOEFL prep books  includes three unofficial TOEFL prep books to consider incorporating into your prep.

As with any dense resource, unofficial TOEFL prep books come at a price. However, they’re not normally that expensive, with prices typically hovering around  10-30 USD.  (That’s cheaper than one TPO test!)

Strictly English

This website offers one free Integrated Writing task as well as several additional tasks you can only access if you are a paid member. Both the passage and audio clip for the free task are extremely high quality, making it an ideal resource to include in your prep.

Strangely,  the free Integrated task doesn’t include a prompt.  That said, you don’t actually need a prompt to write an Integrated essay anyway, as the prompt is always the same: compare a lecture with a passage.

Another convenient feature of this website is a box that you can type your essay in. Once you finish typing, though, ignore the “Submit My Essay” button below. This feature only works for paid members, so nothing will happen if you click it.

Like Strictly English, BestMyTest offers one free Integrated Writing task, though you can access many more Integrated Writing tasks with paid membership. The free task is high quality and consists of a decent reading passage and a clear, easy-to-follow audio clip.

One especially helpful feature is the timer,  which makes it easier to keep track of how much time you have left for each part of the task.

A solid choice, Magoosh offers one TOEFL Integrated Writing task that’s fairly high quality. The reading passage is very similar to those on the TOEFL, especially in length, and the audio clip is crisp and easy to understand.

While you won’t get a lecture transcript, you will get  a sample level-5 essay  with an in-depth analysis of what makes this essay strong.

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English Club

This free website offers one TOEFL Integrated Writing task with a passage, audio clip, and sample response. You’ll also get a transcript of the lecture, which is helpful if you’re struggling to understand any parts of it (though you won’t get a transcript on test day).

There are two drawbacks to this website, however. First, the reading passage, though good quality, is quite short.  Integrated Writing passages are generally around 300 words, but the passage here is only about half that length, making it not as realistic as it could be.

In addition, the audio clip quality isn’t particularly good. The voice often sounds muffled, making it difficult to understand at times.

PrepScholar

At PrepScholar, we offer   an original TOEFL Integrated Writing task,  complete with a reading passage, lecture transcript, and prompt similar to what you’ll get on test day.

As with any TOEFL task, make sure to abide by the official time limits so that you’re getting as realistic practice as possible. For Integrated Writing, this means you’ll have:

• Three minutes to read the passage
• About two minutes to read the lecture transcript
• 20 minutes to plan and write a response

After you finish typing your essay on a computer, use our analysis of two high-scoring essays to grade your response and give yourself a rough idea as to how you can improve your spelling, grammar, organization, time management, and overall writing skills for the test.

Study.com offers one TOEFL Integrated Writing task, which you can access (mostly) via a free lesson preview. Included is an entire reading passage and lecture transcript—but no prompt, as that’s where the preview gets cut off.

In reality, though,  you don’t actually need a prompt  since all Integrated tasks require you to do the same thing: compare a lecture with a passage. Nonetheless, if you’d like to see the full TOEFL Integrated Writing lesson, you can make an account by signing up for a free five-day trial.

TOEFL Resources

Though TOEFL Resources doesn’t offer any original Integrated Writing tasks for you to practice with, it does contain a large assortment of sample Integrated Writing essays,  which you can compare with your own responses to get a better understanding of what a high-scoring TOEFL essay looks like.

Many of this website’s sample essays are based on Integrated tasks from popular TOEFL prep books, including The Official Guide and Official TOEFL iBT Tests, so if you’ve got any of these and want to see more high-scoring sample responses, this resource is definitely helpful!

What’s more, all sample essays were written by native English speakers, so you can be sure they’re grammatical and structurally solid.

How to Prepare for TOEFL Integrated Writing: 6 Tips

So far, we’ve gone over all of the major resources you can use to strengthen your TOEFL Integrated Writing practice. Now, let’s take a look at our top six tips to help you get the Integrated Writing score you want.

#1: Strengthen Your Reading & Listening Skills

Since you must read a passage and listen to an audio clip for the TOEFL Integrated Writing task, it’s important to hone your reading and listening skills in addition to your writing skills.

To get better at reading, make sure you have a broad knowledge of  English vocabulary , particularly academic vocabulary.  I recommend reading real-life newspapers and magazines, such as The New York Times  and  The Atlantic .  Additionally, try reading introductory notes and paragraphs in university-level textbooks. For more tips on what to read, take a look at  our guide to TOEFL Reading resources .

As for listening practice , take time to listen to spoken English by watching  YouTube videos and English news channels or listening to English podcasts. Some free, helpful resources for English-listening practice include VOA Learning English and EnglishClass101 .

#2: Keep a Journal

To do well on TOEFL Integrated Writing, you need to be a good writer. And to be a good writer, you need to write!

One great way to practice writing in English is to write in a journal (almost) every day. This allows you to consistently practice your writing skills and learn how to write more quickly and with better grammar.

Because you’ll be typing your Integrated essay on a computer, I recommend keeping a digital journal. You can do this online through a free website called Lang-8 . On this website, users write diary entries and other notes in their target languages. These entries are then posted and corrected by native speakers of the target language.

I myself have used Lang-8 many times while studying Japanese. All in all, it’s an incredibly fun and supportive resource that also offers a convenient way to connect with others studying English like you.

#3: Memorize Useful Transitions

The best writers are those who can effectively connect their thoughts to make their writing compelling. And one of the easiest ways to do this is to use transitions.

Transitions are words and short phrases that connect ideas in writing (as well as in speech). They often come at the beginning of paragraphs and sentences and can be used to:

• Link similar ideas
• Contrast different ideas
• Emphasize ideas

We’ve compiled an extensive list of 54 transitions  to use in your Integrated and Independent Writing essays. Briefly, though, here are some of the most common transitions you should know:

• In addition
• Additionally
• For example
• For instance
• In conclusion

#4: Do Timed Writing Exercises

You can’t expect to do well on TOEFL Integrated Writing unless you actually sit down and practice. This is why you should use the resources above (particularly the official ones) to  carve out time to practice answering TOEFL Integrated Writing questions.

Each time you practice,  time yourself using the official time limits for Integrated Writing. In other words, give yourself:

• About two minutes to read the lecture transcript (if not available as an audio clip)
• 20 minutes to plan and type your response

Once you’ve finished reading the passage and listening to the audio clip, begin to type your response on a computer. Although you may write out your response on paper, a computer is preferable, as it more accurately recreates the TOEFL test-taking experience. After you’ve completed a task, use the official Integrated Writing rubric to score yourself and determine what you did well—and what you could improve.

If your Integrated task comes with any sample essays, use these to help score your response. High-scoring essays can help you understand what specific details to include in your essay and what stylistic or structural features ultimately make an essay more compelling.

If possible, ask a native English speaker to offer feedback on your practice essays as well. This will give you a more objective view of the overall strength and quality of your writing.

#5: Use Scratch Paper Wisely

You’ll have scratch paper to use throughout the exam, so make sure to use it wisely on the Integrated Writing task, too.

Since you’ll only get to hear the audio clip once, use your scratch paper to  take notes as you listen. (You can reread the passage, so you don’t need to take notes on it.)   As you listen,   write down the main point of the lecture and any important terms, concepts, steps, or examples the professor mentions.

Then, once your writing time begins,  spend the first three minutes or so outlining your essay on your scratch paper. Try to jot down the three main points you want to discuss as well as any key details or examples you can use to illustrate them. Don’t get too elaborate with your outline—just get the main points down and let the rest of the details come naturally as you write.

We cover more TOEFL note-taking tips in our in-depth guide (coming soon).

#6: Follow a TOEFL Writing Template

Finally, if you’re worried about your ability to coherently structure an essay, consider practicing with a TOEFL Writing template . A template offers you a basic framework to start with, which you can then modify to suit any Integrated Writing prompt.

The benefits of a template are numerous. For one, you’ll always have a sentence opener or transition to fall back on in case you’re unsure what to write next, giving you more confidence on test day. You’ll also have a clearer idea as to how to structure your thoughts and will therefore spend less time worrying about your essay’s organization and flow.

Recap: What Is TOEFL Integrated Writing?

The TOEFL Integrated Writing task is the first of two Writing tasks. For this task, you must combine your reading, listening, and writing skills to produce a compelling essay that compares a passage with a lecture on the same topic.

In order to get a high score on TOEFL Integrated Writing, try to practice with high-quality resources. Several official resources are free and offer a broad assortment of Integrated Writing prompts. Unofficial TOEFL resources, too, can be helpful, though you’ll need to be careful with what you choose since most unofficial materials are not as reliable as official ones.

As you prepare for TOEFL Integrated Writing, be sure to do many timed writing exercises and  get feedback on your practice essays. You should also:

• Strengthen your reading and listening skills
• Keep an English journal to further hone your writing skills
• Memorize transitional words you can use in your essays
• Use scratch paper to take notes on the audio clip and to outline your essay
• Consider practicing with an Integrated Writing template to help you feel more prepared for test day

What’s Next?

Want more TOEFL Writing practice? Then check out our original list of 13 TOEFL Writing topics  as well as  our picks for the best TOEFL Writing resources .

Aiming for a high TOEFL Writing score?  Read our guide to learn what a good TOEFL Writing score is (coming soon), and then get a rundown of everything you need to know in order to ace the TOEFL Writing section .

Looking for more general TOEFL tips?  Learn how to prepare for the TOEFL with our eight expert tips.

Ready to improve your TOEFL score by 15 points?

Author: Hannah Muniz

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

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How to Write a TOEFL Integrated Essay

The writing section is the final section of the TOEFL test. It has 2 different question types, and you get one question from each question type in your test. You only get 20 minutes for question 1 and 30 minutes for question 2 , so it can be difficult at first to come up with a high-scoring essay within such a short time. To help you with that, here are the structure templates that can help you write a high-scoring TOEFL Integrated essay.

This blog post is a part of a series where I post templates for all TOEFL Speaking and Writing questions. As a part of this series, I will introduce you to structure templates for 4 speaking and 2 writing tasks, along with model answers written based on those templates.

This is the second post: How to write a TOEFL integrated essay.

I will include the reading passage and the lecture script just so you have an idea of what the topic is about when I am explaining the structure using the model essay.

Table of Contents

TOEFL Writing Integrated Reading Passage

Despite the worldly fame of William Shakespeare’s literary works, little is known about his life. Most of the facts we know are simply theories and rumors. The lack of specific records created many doubts about Shakespeare’s existence. Some have been arguing that there were other people who actually wrote the works under Shakespeare’s name. The first candidate is Francis Bacon, who was a famous scientist, theorist, and philosopher in the 16th century. This theory gained support because of the legal references indicated in Shakespeare’s plays and poems. For example, some of Shakespeare’s poems such as “Venus and Adonis” and “The Rape of Lucrece” imply legal ideas that Francis Bacon was known to support. The second candidate is Christopher Marlowe, who was a playwright and poet that lived in the same period as Shakespeare. Marlowe’s death is thought to be linked to the birth of the Shakespeare name. Some people believe that his death was faked to allow him to escape religious trials. He is then thought to have used the name of William Shakespeare to continue writing. The third candidate is Edward de Vere, an English nobleman who worked as a courtier in the 16th century. Back then, the writings of the authors that were from the noble class were restricted to a private audience. Edward de Vere was also one of those authors. Since he wasn’t able to take credit for his writing publically, many claim that Edward de Vere used a false name, William Shakespeare, to reach a broader audience. This enabled him to receive the spotlight and create famous masterpieces.

Although there is no clear historical evidence that proves William Shakespeare’s existence, the theories in the reading about the identity behind the Shakespeare name are full of errors. First of all, even though Francis Bacon and Shakespeare shared similar legal ideas, Francis Bacon’s academic background contradicts some of the scientific ideas in Shakespeare’s works. For instance, certain parts in Shakespeare’s canon and plays show a misunderstanding of the mainstream scientific beliefs of the time that Francis Bacon would not have had. Especially about astronomy beliefs, we can know that the ideas of these two figures don’t match. Next, Christopher Marlowe’s death has nothing to do with Shakespeare. All the plays Marlowe wrote were published under his own name after his death in 1593, which was very unlikely to happen for a person who was regarded as a religious criminal. Meanwhile, 37 other plays and 154 sonnets were published under the name of William Shakespeare. This theory doesn’t make sense because there was no reason for Marlowe to use a different name. And lastly, Edward de Vere couldn’t have used the name of Shakespeare because he died before the time some of Shakespeare’s works were newly published. Evidence clearly shows that many of Shakespeare’s plays and poems such as Macbeth, King Lear, and Tempest were written and revised in 1621, which is long after Edward de Vere died in 1604. Even if someone else had given the works to the publishers instead, revising them would have been quite impossible because no one would know what kind of stories Shakespeare wanted to publish.

Model Answer:

Both the reading passage and the lecture discuss three theories regarding the real identity of William Shakespeare. The reading passage mentions three people who could have used the name William Shakespeare as an alias, while the lecture contradicts the reading passage on all three points. First, the reading passage talks about the possibility of Francis Bacon being the person behind the name of Shakespeare. This theory is based on the idea that the legal references that appear in Shakespeare’s works are also known to be supported by Bacon. However, the lecture refutes this claim by stating that although the two people shared the same legal ideas, Shakespeare’s works also included scientific ideas that would not be supported by Bacon. Bacon’s academic background would contradict such ideas. Since Shakespeare’s works did not follow the mainstream scientific beliefs, his ideas on astronomy significantly differed from Bacon’s. Second, the reading passage suggests Christopher Marlowe as the second candidate. According to the passage, Marlowe faked his death to escape from religious trials and used the name of Shakespeare to publish his work. The lecture refutes this by asserting that Marlowe’s death had nothing to do with Shakespeare. Since some of Marlowe’s works were published under his own name after his death, it does not make sense for Marlow to also use a different name. The final theory in the reading is about Edward de Vere, an English nobleman who might have used the name of Shakespeare to receive credit publically. The lecture opposes this theory as well by stating that de Vere could not have used the name of Shakespeare since he died before some of Shakespeare’s works were revised and published. Even if someone else had given the works to a publisher, there is no way that the publisher would have known how to revise the work. In conclusion, while the reading passage introduces three different candidates who might have used the name of William Shakespeare, the lecture refutes all of the theories.

Before moving on to individual paragraphs, you should be aware of the general structure of TOEFL integrated essays. Your essay should include an introduction, 3 body paragraphs(one for each point), and a conclusion(optional). Since you need to show that you understood the connection between the reading passage and the lecture, each body paragraph should include one point from the reading and the related point from the lecture.

Now let’s take a look at how each paragraph is structured, starting with the introduction paragraph.

Main Topic: In this part, you explain the topic that is being discussed in both the reading passage and the lecture. This shows that you understood what the reading passage and the lecture were talking about.

Link between the reading passage and the lecture : This is where you explain the connection between the two sources. Most of the time, the lecture goes against whatever the reading says, so keep that in mind.

Moving on to the body paragraphs:

Transition Word: Make sure you start your body paragraphs with appropriate transition words. This makes your essay look coherent and easy to read. You can also include transitions between your explanation of the reading passage and the lecture.

Reading Passage: This part is where you paraphrase the information you got from the reading passage. Make sure you do not copy the sentences word by word from the reading passage. You should always rephrase the sentences in your own words because copying them will lead to point deductions. Also, notice how in all 3 body paragraphs, the explanation of the reading passage is 2 sentences or less? Some students tend to include a lot of details from the reading passage because they can always read the passage while writing the essay. However, your explanation of the lecture should be longer and more detailed than your explanation of the reading passage. This means you should not waste your time trying to explain ALL the details mentioned in the reading passage. Use the passage as a guide to help you organize the key points in case you miss anything while trying to take notes for the lecture part.

Lecture: This is the most important part of your body paragraph. In order to get this part right, you need to have solid note-taking skills. So assuming you have taken good notes, the lecture part should be fairly easy to write. Just connect the information that you noted down to the information you got from the reading passage. Make sure you include appropriate details to support the key points mentioned in the lecture. And always keep in mind that you should try to include more information about the lecture than the passage.

Here is an example of a note-taking table that you can use to match key points from the two sources.

Last is the conclusion paragraph:

In conclusion, while the reading passage introduces three different candidates who might have used the name of William Shakespeare, the lecture refutes all of the theories.

In TOEFL integrated essays, the conclusion paragraph is totally optional. If you have enough time left, go ahead, but if you do not have enough time, focus on the body paragraphs and skip the conclusion. If you do write one, your conclusion should restate the information in the introduction paragraph. Here, the author rephrases the “Link between the reading passage and the lecture” part.

The final structure of your integrated essay should look like this:

This concludes today’s post. Please look forward to upcoming posts on the speaking section!

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TOEFL Integrated Writing Task 2023: Examples & Sample Essays

• Updated On January 17, 2024
• Published In TOEFL 📚

The Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL is an esteemed English proficiency exam divided into four sections. Under TOEFL writing, candidates must show how skilled they are in reading, writing, and listening to the language. 

Table of Contents

There are two tasks that candidates need to face when writing this section. Task 1 is  TOEFL Integrated Writing Task,  and Task 2 is TOEFL Independent Writing Task. Combinedly, it is an exam of 50 minutes, but here individuals will find detailed information on Task 1 and its sample question.

What is TOEFL Writing Task 1? – TOEFL Integrated Writing Task 

Integrated Writing TOEFL  expects its candidates to use their reading, listening and writing skills to complete this task. In this, these candidates get three minutes to prepare for an essay by reading a short passage and listening to an audio clip relating to a single topic. 

After preparing, they have 20 minutes to provide an essay providing their response to these two sources. There are two scenarios which applicants can encounter under this exam:

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• Contradictory: An audio clip that contradicts what is mentioned in the passage.
• Supportive:  An audio clip that supports what the passage says. 

However, no matter the nature of these cases, applicants need to summarize their topic in 150 to 225 words. Also, they must establish a connection between the passage and the audio clip. 

TOEFL Writing Integrated Task Exercises

Students aspiring to study abroad must take the initiative to sharpen their skills by practising sample papers. For this purpose, candidates can refer to the below questions on  integrated task writing TOEFL . 

Question 1:  Summarise the essential points mentioned in this passage and give inputs according to what is mentioned in the lecture. 

Sample Reading Passage:

The water on the west coast of North America used to contain several Sea Otters (small mammals), starting from California to Alaska. However, in these few years, the population of Sea Otters on this Alaskan coast has rapidly declined. Moreover, this has started directly affecting its coastal ecosystem because of its important role in maintaining a balance. With several concerns rising now, many investigators have started investigating this matter. They found it was mainly because of two reasons. One is due to attacks by predators, and the second is environmental pollution. 

Environment pollution formed one of the reasons because of the fact that there is a pollution source on the Alaskan coast, i.e., oil rigs. Also, investigators took water samples to test the chemical content in it. The result was high enough to affect the immune system of water creatures, which may result in death. 

Another piece of evidence pointing out water pollution as its main culprit was a similar case of decline in other sea mammals, like the seal. This proved that whatever was causing the death of Sea Otters was also taking the lives of other sea mammals. Two things can affect an entire species. It can either be water pollution or a large water predator like orcas. 

Finally, researchers also blamed the pollution hypothesis for explaining the uneven decline of Sea Otter. In other words, due to ocean currents and other natural factors, the pollution may have concentrated unevenly along the coast resulting in the death of mammals in that part. 

Question 2:  Summarise the belief of the lecturer and how they relate to this reading passage given below. 

The International Astronomical Union Conference declared the inexistence of Pluto planet on 24th August 2006. It was initially discovered by scientists in 1930. It is when they were searching for the cause of what was interfering with the orbit of Uranus planet. At first, researchers believed Pluto was of the same size as the earth but later found it was even smaller than our earth’s moon and other moons as well. 

Now there are thousands of planetary objects found in space similar to Pluto, like Eris, which is even a bit larger than Pluto. So, choosing to reclassify Pluto as one of the dwarf planets acknowledges that science is making progress. While it is disheartening news for Pluto planet lovers, people at large have accepted its lost status. Moreover, when it comes to today’s generation of students, they will know that currently, there are only eight planets, and Pluto was never a part of them. 

TOEFL Integrated Writing Template to Follow for Better Score

To complete this above exercise with sheer perfection, candidates should know about the recommended  TOEFL integrated writing template . It is as follows:

Introduction Paragraph 1

Here, candidates must begin  writing integrated task TOEFL  with a sentence like:

The lecture and the reading passage both talk about (topic). The articles support the thought that (thought) and/but the lecturer feels that (sayings). The lecturer and the author agree/disagree on points 1/2/3, which I have discussed in detail in the following essay. 

Body Paragraph 2 + 3 + 4

As per this reading passage (statement 1), the point of discussion of this article is that (discussion). This point is (challenged/affirmed) by the lecturer in the audio clip. He or She states that (statement). 

Secondly, the author talks about (statement 2). The article says that (point of discussion). The lecturer agrees/claims that (audio content) in its response. He or She goes on to say that (discussion). 

Finally, the author suggests that (statement 3). He or She means that (explanation). The lecturer agrees/disagrees with this point stating (statement). He or She notes that (explanation). 

Candidates may or may not give a one-line conclusion at the end. 

Tips for TOEFL Writing Tasks

The writing section of the TOEFL exam forms an integral part of the English language proficiency exam. To clear it, here are some crucial tips for candidates to consider. It can help them perform better in their  TOEFL writing integrated task  and secure a seat in a foreign university:

• Candidates must divide the time taken to complete a paragraph according to the total time given, i.e., 20 minutes. 
• Also, if possible, students must keep their last 5 minutes for revision purposes and correcting grammatical errors.
• Applicants should practice a concise writing style from the beginning to make it a natural habit.
• While listening to the audio, individuals must always note important points, so the essay contains all necessary information.
• Individuals must use transitional words to create a better flow of their content. 
• When candidates take notes of important points, they must write one or two words to remember. This saves time. 

Individuals looking for TOEFL Integrated Writing task  samples for practice can find some references above. Along with it, there is information about the time one gets to complete this task, how many words they have to produce within this period and the recommended template to follow. Also, one can refer to these above tips while writing to make sure they score the highest marks possible. 

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Saket Kohli

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

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How to Score a 5/5 on the TOEFL Essay: Integrated Task

For many students taking the TOEFL, scoring a 5 out of 5 on each of the two TOEFL essays—which would lead to a perfect score of 30 in the writing section—is the ultimate goal. Getting there takes a lot of practice , but it pays off nicely! Scoring so high in one section can counterbalance slightly lower scores in other sections, helping you to get to your total target score with more ease (be sure to check your institution’s requirements, however; some universities will require a minimum score per section).

Because the two essays require slightly different skills, the ETS (the organization that administers the TOEFL) provides two separate rubrics for how to obtain a top score on the TOEFL essays. For those of you who are curious about the criteria for other scores, you can find that information here: at the test maker’s website . For those of you aiming to get a five, let’s keep going! Let’s start where the TOEFL writing section itself begins: with the integrated task.

The integrated essay will provide you with a lecture and a written passage on different aspects of the same topic. According to the ETS, the criteria for a top score on this essay include:

• Correctly selecting all important information
• Accurately and clearly representing the information.
• Showing good organization
• Having minimal errors in language use. If there are errors, they must not cause the information itself to become inaccurate or unclear.

Breaking that down, the first important task in getting that top score is going to be selecting the relevant information from the lecture, and then the reading. Good note-taking is vital here, and good note-taking takes practice! Listen to the emphasis that the speaker places on keywords, and look out for the thesis statement and supporting examples in the reading. Circle them in your notes.

The second important task is relating the lecture to the reading. Look at what you’ve circled. Does one contradict the other? Build on the other? Elaborate on a different aspect of the other? Figure out how they relate before you go on to the next important step: writing a well-organized response. To do this, you’ll want to create an outline.

Make sure that your outline has your thesis statement clearly defined. This thesis statement should explain how the lecture and the reading relate to one another. You’ll also want to have a brief summary of the lecture and the reading (one to two sentences is sufficient for this!) Then, build your body paragraphs around your main examples, which you’ll already have circled in your notes.

As you write, don’t worry about everything being perfect. That said, leave 2-3 minutes at the end of the exam to proofread what you’ve written. Because these essays are graded holistically, you won’t lose points for minor errors as long as they don’t change the meaning of your ideas. However, a lot of errors can add up to a confusing essay, which will definitely lead to a lower score.

The integrated task is only one of the two essays you’ll write on test day. Next time, we’ll take a look at the independent task, and how that differs from the integrated task you’ve mastered!

Rachel is one of Magoosh’s Content Creators. She writes and updates content on our High School and GRE Blogs to ensure students are equipped with the best information during their test prep journey. As a test-prep instructor for more than five years in there different countries, Rachel has helped students around the world prepare for various standardized tests, including the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT, and she is one of the authors of our Magoosh ACT Prep Book . Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from Brown University, an MA in Cinematography from the Université de Paris VII, and a Ph.D. in Film Studies from University College London. For over a decade, Rachel has honed her craft as a fiction and memoir writer and public speaker. Her novel, THE BALLERINAS , is forthcoming in December 2021 from St. Martin’s Press , while her memoir, GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND , co-written with Jessica Pan, was published in 2014 by Penguin Random House. Her work has appeared in over a dozen online and print publications, including Vanity Fair Hollywood. When she isn’t strategically stringing words together at Magoosh, you can find Rachel riding horses or with her nose in a book. Join her on Twitter , Instagram , or Facebook !

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Test Resources

TOEFL® Resources by Michael Goodine

Master the new toefl writing section in 2024.

The writing section is the final part of the TOEFL ® test.  You’ll have about 30 minutes to answer two writing questions. They are known as the TOEFL Integrated essay , and the TOEFL Writing for an Academic Discussion Task.   You’ll be graded based on your content, organization, grammar and language use. Below are links to my best stuff, or read on for descriptions of each task.

• Complete TOEFL Essay Templates
• A Guide to the Integrated Essay
• A Guide to the Writing for an Academic Discussion Task
• A Complete Practice Test (Video)
• The Most Common Grammar Mistakes in TOEFL Essays
• Many Sample TOEFL essays
• Blog: How Long Should a TOEFL Essay Be?
• Video Lesson: The new TOEFL Writing Question (Writing for an Academic Discussion)
• Video Lesson: The TOEFL Integrated Essay
• Service: TOEFL Essay Evaluation

The TOEFL ® Integrated Essay

The first writing question is the Integrated Essay Task.  For this task, you’ll first read a short article on an academic topic.  Next, you will listen to a short lecture on the same topic. Finally, you’ll have 20 minutes to write an essay that includes details from both sources.  You should write about 280 to 300 words in total.

The Reading

The article will be about 300 words long. It can be about any academic topic that might appear in a first-year university course, but topics related to history and zoology seem to be most common. You’ll be given three minutes to read it and then it will disappear (don’t worry, you’ll be able to see it again when you write the essay). Remember that the article will always have a main argument and three supporting points.  This is almost a guarantee, as the TOEFL rarely changes.

The Listening

Next, you will listen to a lecture on the same topic.  It will be about two or three minutes long.  You can only listen once, so try to take detailed notes.  Remember that the lecture will always challenge the article.  This means, for instance, that if the article claims that the pyramids were built in Egypt to store grain, the lecture will explain that they were not built to store grain.  If the article mentions three problems with using bacteria to clean up oil spills, the lecturer will mention three solutions to these problems. This adversarial relationship is another guarantee!

Writing Your Essay

Finally, you will be given twenty minutes to write an essay that compares the reading and the lecture.  The question will look something like this: 

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

You can see the article as you write, but you cannot hear the lecture again (or look at a transcript). I recommend that you write between 280 and 300 words in total.  Ignore the “suggested length” mentioned in the instructions for this section.

Master Guide

For more help with this task, check out my master guide to the integrated writing task .  It’s got a complete sample question, a sample essay, and a template you can use.

The TOEFL ® Writing for an Academic Discussion Task

The second writing question is the Writing for an Academic Discussion Task.

Right away, you’ll see four things on your test screen – instructions for the task, a question written by a university professor about a specific subject, and two student responses to the question.  

The question could be about any subject a student might study at university (sociology, business, political science, education) but subjects in the liberal arts seem most common.  The questions don’t require any background knowledge, however, and can be answered by any test-taker.

You will have ten minutes to read the instructions, read the question, read the responses and write your own response to the question.  There is just one clock for all of this!

A word counter will be displayed as you write. You should write at least 100 words.  I recommend writing a bit more than that. 

For more help with this task, check out my master guide .  It contains sample questions, sample responses and a detailed essay template.

How are you Graded?

Your grades come from two separate systems: 

• First, a human grader checks your essays based on the official ETS rubrics .  They give you a holistic score from 0 to 5.  “Holistic” means that they consider the essay as a whole rather than looking at specific parts.  The human score is based on your content, organization and language use .  ETS is secretive, but research indicates that the human rater contributes 50% of the score in the independent task, and 66% of the score in the integrated task.
• Next, the ETS “e-rater” software checks your essays.  It mostly focuses on structure, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary .  Again, ETS is secretive, but research indicates that it contributes 50% of your score in the independent task, and 33% of your score in the integrated task.

In the end, you will have two human scores (one for each essay) and two e-rater scores (one for each essay).  These will be combined and converted into a whole number from 0 to 30, which will be included on your score report.  Each essay has equal weight.

Get Help – TOEFL Essay Evaluation

• Sign up today to have your practice essays evaluated by a TOEFL writing expert (that’s me).  I’ll check your essays line by line and comment on your grammar, development, argument and vocabulary. I’ll even give them a score.  More importantly, I’ll tell you what you need to do better next time.  Check it out .

Sign Up for an Essay Evaluation Today!

To learn how to beat the toefl, sign up for our essay evaluation service.  in 48 hours, a toefl expert will check your essays line-by-line and tell you how you can do better next time..

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Sample Essays for the Writing Section of the TOEFL® Test

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

Did you hear about the updated TOEFL iBT Writing section?

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

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

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

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

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

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

Simple, right?

No? Still confused.

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

Let’s do one together.

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

Give yourself three minutes to read it:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stop reading.

Start writing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looking for more example essays?

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

Too complicated? Don’t worry.

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

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

Writing for an Academic Discussion Question

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

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

Here’s the breakdown:

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

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

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

Aim to write at least 120 words.

Get peace of mind with these TOEFL Writing Templates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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109 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hi there Ashina, and thank you for your question.

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

HOW TO DO A PASSAGE

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

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

2. Check your answers

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

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

TIME MANAGEMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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TOEFL Independent Writing Universal Template

You have probably heard by now that one way to succeed on the TOEFL Writing Section is to use templates. There are many templates out there for the Integrated Writing Task , but did you know there is also one for the Independent Writing Task?

What is the TOEFL Independent Writing Task?

The very last task you have on the TOEFL exam is the TOEFL Independent Writing. For this task, you will be given a question relating to topic which asks for your opinion. Often these questions are designed for you to pick a side of a controversial argument, state your preference between two or three conflicting options, or explain why you agree or disagree with a given statement. You will have 30 minutes to plan and write about your opinion on the topic, including providing reasons for your opinion and a personal experience to support each reason. The TOEFL suggests an Independent Writing that is 300-325 words, but we recommend writing 350-400 words.

How to structure your TOEFL Independent Writing Task Essay?

The best structure for the Independent Writing Task is to write four paragraphs: an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. The introduction paragraph should be short – only two to four sentences. In these sentences, you should very clearly and passionately state your opinion on the question (don’t copy the language from the question word for word), and your two supporting reasons.

In the conclusion paragraph, write one or two sentences summarizing your opinion on the topic from the question and your two supporting reasons.

The TOEFL Independent Writing Task TEMPLATE

Using a template on the TOEFL exam will save you valuable time and keep you from losing track of yourself in your answer. While there is no way to predict what kind of opinion question you will get, there is a template you can follow no matter the question type.

1. Introduction

Your introduction paragraph has 3 parts: a) the general background statement on the topic, b) your opinion on the topic, and c) your two supporting reasons.

a) General background statement on the topic

In the very first sentence of your Independent Writing, it is best to start the general background of the topic question. For example, if you are asked about your opinion on the use of cell phones by teenagers, your first sentence can be something general like: “Nowadays, cell phones play an increasingly important role in teenager’s lives.” This is not stating your opinion, but generally mentioning the background on this topic. Here are some other phrases you can use to start:

Time phrases:              General knowledge phrases:

Here are some phrases you can use to end your first sentence:

  Expressing Concern         Continuing Controversy

b) Your opinion on the topic

After making a general statement on the background of the topic, next you will state your opinion. The phrase will depend on the kind of question you are asked: start the general background of the topic question: pick a side, state your preference, or explain why you agree or disagree. Here are some other phrases you can use to state your opinion:

Pick a Side

Preference                       Agree/Disagree

c) Your two supporting reasons

The last part of your introduction is to state your two supporting reasons for your opinion. Here are some other phrases you can use to introduce your supporting reasons:

2. Body paragraphs

You will write two body paragraphs, one for each of your supporting reasons. Each body paragraph has 3 parts a) supporting reason, b) personal experience, and c) linking sentence.

a) Supporting Reason

To start, use a signpost word or phrase to begin each of your body paragraphs.

First paragraph                             Second paragraph

b) Personal Experience

You should spend most of your body paragraph telling a personal story that supports or illustrates your reason. While this is the most free-flowing part of your essay, there are some helpful phrases to help you get started:

c) Linking Sentence

At the end of each of your body paragraphs, you should link your personal experience back to your opinion. To do this, use one of these signpost words and phrases:

3. Conclusion

The end of your Independent Writing is a short conclusion sentence. All you need to do is restate your opinion, and your two supporting reasons. Here are some concluding signpost words and phrases to get you started:

Putting some of these phrases all together, here is an example Independent Writing Task Template:

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• TOEFL Writing
• TOEFL Integrated Writing
• TOEFL Independent Writing
• TOEFL Writing Practice
• TOEFL SAMPLE ESSAYS
• TOEFL Reading
• TOEFL Speaking
• TOEFL Listening
• TOEFL Grammar