This article consists of sample questions for TOEFL Writing section and it also provides tips on how to answer these questions. For more details on TOEFL writing sample questions check over this page.

TOEFL Writing Sample Questions

TOEFL writing sample questions aids in developing an effective communication in Standard English, with vital tools known as language and organization of thoughts. Those sample questions are detailed under respective parts in the following.

Sample Questions and Essays for TOEFL Writing Section

Writing section in TOEFL tests the writing skills of individual in the form of essay writing. Sample questions for TOEFL writing section are divided into two parts for internet based writing and as one part for a paper based writing. A Paper based (PBT) writing section is comprised of one independent task; while an internet based (iBT) writing consists of:

A. One Integrated task

B. One Independent task

Below the sample questions are given in detail along with tips on how to write an essay in Standard English.

Reading Passage on Academic Topic (Integrated)

In many organizations, perhaps the best way to approach certain new projects is to assemble a group of people into a team. Having a team of people attack a project offers several advantages. First of all, a group of people has a wider range of knowledge, expertise, and skills than any single individual is likely to possess. Also, because of the numbers of people involved and the greater resources they possess, a group can work more quickly in response to the task assigned to it and can come up with highly creative solutions to problems and issues. Sometimes these creative solutions come about because a group is more likely to make risky decisions that an individual might not undertake. This is because the group spreads responsibility for a decision to all the members and thus no single individual can be held accountable if the decision turns out to be wrong.

Taking part in a group process can be very rewarding for members of the team. Team members who have a voice in making the decision will no doubt feel better about carrying out the work out the work that is entailed by that decision than they might doing work that is imposed on them by others. Also, the individual team member has a much better chance to “shine,” to get his or her contributions and ideas not only recognized but recognized as highly significant, because a team’s overall results can be more far-reaching and have greater impact than what might have otherwise been possible for the person to accomplish or contribute working alone.

 A narrator then says, “Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.”

Then examinees listen to and can take notes on the following lecture, the script of which is given below.

Audio Lecture on Academic Material (Integrated)

(Professor) Now I want to tell you about what one company found when it decided that it would turn over some of its new projects to teams of people, and make the team responsible for planning the projects and getting the work done. After about six months, the company took a look at how well the teams performed.

On virtually every team, some members got almost a “free ride” ... they didn’t contribute much at all, but if their team did a good job, they nevertheless benefited from the recognition the team got. And what about group members who worked especially well and who provided a lot of insight on problems and issues? Well...the recognition for a job well done went to the group as a whole, no names were named. So it won’t surprise you to learn that when the real contributors were asked how they felt about the group process, their attitude was just the opposite of what the reading predicts.

Another finding was that some projects just didn’t move very quickly. Why? Because it took so long to reach consensus...it took many, many meetings to build the agreement among group members about how they would move the project along. On the other hand, there were other instances where one or two people managed to become very influential over what their group did. Sometimes when those influencers said “That will never work” about an idea the group was developing, the idea was quickly dropped instead of being further discussed. And then there was another occasion when a couple influencers convinced the group that a plan of theirs was “highly creative.” And even though some members tried to warn the rest of the group that the project was moving in directions that might not work, they were basically ignored by other group members. Can you guess the ending to *this* story? When the project failed, the blame was placed on all the members of the group.

Sample Essay Response

The lecture that followed the paragraph on the team work in organizations, gave some negative views of the team work itself.

Firstly, though it was said in the paragraph that the whole team idea would probably be faster than the individual work, it was said in the lecture just the opposite: it could actually be a lot slower. That is because team members would sometimes take more time than needed just to reach the same conclusions, or just even to simply decide where to go from certain point to the next on.

Secondly, paragraph suggests that by doing work as a team might give you an “edge”, the lecture suggests that that might also be a negative thing as well. The people who made themselves leaders in the group may just be wrong in certain decisions, or just simple thing something is so creative, when in reality it is not and it would not work, but the rest of the people would nevertheless still follow them, and end up not doing well at all.

And lastly, paragraph says that everyone feels responsible for their own part, and all together they are all more effective as a team. The lecture suggests quite the opposite in this case as well. It suggests that some team members are there only for the “free ride”, and they don’t do much of anything to contribute, but still get the credit as a whole.

The essay which is written for integrated part will explain the relation between the audio and the reading material and would show how the relevant details in both are connected with each other. These samples for integrated task will help an individual to process information from two different sources. The guidelines to combine two different sources are to find the main idea, relating facts, progression of ideas, chronological order of events and conclusion.

Question on a General Issue and its Essay Response (Independent)

Question:

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:

Only people who earn a lot of money are successful.

Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

Essay Response:

 It is said that money makes the world go round. We spend the majority of our waking hours at work - earning a living, providing for our families and saving for our retirement. Although money no doubt plays a critical role in determining the quality and nature of our lifestyles, in my opinion, the size of one’s pay cheque is not a measure of one’s success in life. The bases of my views are philosophical, social and personal.

Philosophically, success can be defined in myriad ways. For some, success is an external concept to be measured in terms of high income, huge bank balances, fancy cars, expensive mansions, and luxurious holidays and so on. However, in my view, success is a reflection of internal human qualities, such as compassion, kindness, honesty, understanding and more. By this definition, the mere fact of earning a high income does not determine or define success.

Socially, success depends on how we treat other human beings. Do we regard others with respect or do we impose our will on them? Are we mindful of their needs and desires or do we behave selfishly? Do we encourage and support our friends, family and communities or do we insist they only follow the path we think best? It is clear that a critical aspect of success lies in the answers to such questions for they reveal the quality of relationships we share with our fellow human beings.

Personally, success can only be self-defined. My idea of success may not be the same as another person’s vision. This is as it should be. Each of us is a product of diverse social, cultural, economic, political, religious and ideological influences. When we add to that mix the free will that each of us exercises, we can understand clearly how each of us fashions his / her own aspirations for what we consider to be success in our own lives.

In an independent essay student will express their personal views on the given general issue or experience.

In conclusion, success is a concept which can be interpreted in a million different ways. Each individual’s version adds to the richness of our world and makes our planet a more delightful, amazing and colourful place to live.

This sample essay for independent part of writing section explains the personal views of the test taker. It also shows how the individual does supports his/her views on the issue presented to them. And the tips to write an essay on one’s personal views include , developing a topic on the issue, organizing the ideas in an order, and to deliver it with a new style.

The elaboration of sample essays demonstrates a systematic way to write an essay. TOEFL sample writing questions shows that an essay should be structured with a relevant introduction (purpose, topic development), body (key facts, supporting opinion) and conclusion.


More in TOEFL

  • Identification Documents for TOEFL Registration

    TOEFL tests the proficiency of a person in Standard English. Please go through the details on the identification documents for TOEFL registration.

  • TOEFL Reading Test Structure

    The contents of this page expatiates the details in TOEFL reading and test structure. Read on for more details on the same.

  • TOEFL FAQs

    TOEFL FAQs gives answers for commonly asked questions that are concerned with TOEFL test structure, fee structure, scoring range, TOEFL syllabus and other information on TOEFL. It may be defined as an aspect to widen your knowledge base about TOEFL.

  • TOEFL Writing Test Structure

    The purpose of writing section in TOEFL is to test the ability of a student to write Standard English in an academic environment. The tasks in TOEFL writing test structure is elaborated in this page.

  • TOEFL Speaking Test Structure

    This page presents the facts about TOEFL Speaking Test Structure. This information will be obliging for the test takers who want to know everything about the speaking section TOEFL.

  • Internet Based TOEFL Vs Paper Based TOEFL

    This article highlights the differences between internet Based TOEFL Vs Paper based TOEFL. Read on to know the differences between the available formats of the test.

  • TOEFL Preparation Books and Material

    The article below gives a detailed list of TOEFL Preparation Books. Having proper study materials is very important for preparation. Read on to know the best study materials and guides available for TOEFL.

  • TOEFL Strategies for Listening Section

    This page contains information and tips on TOEFL strategies for listening section. Each strategy in listening section is detailed, to show how to answer each question within the given time.

  • Checklist and Test Day Essentials For TOEFL

    This article portrays the checklist of test day essentials for TOEFL. The importance of having a checklist is explained in a detailed manner along with the key points. Read on to know the easy tips for the test day.

  • TOEFL General Tips

    This article elucidates some of the most successful TOEFL general tips for preparing for the exam. These tips are handy and very necessary for succeeding in the test. Check out the various tips in this page to crack TOEFL.

  • TOEFL Strategies For Speaking Section

    This article states the important TOEFL Strategies For Speaking Section. Read on to know the detailed information on various tips and strategies useful for speaking section in TOEFL.

  • TOEFL Advantages

    This article describes the TOEFL advantages. It is very important to know the benefits of the test before you plan to take it. Read below to know the key points on how TOEFL can be advantageous.

  • Paper Based TOEFL

    TOEFL is a test for English as a foreign language. It is offered in paper based format only in few test centers. Read on for more to know the steps to register for paper based TOEFL and to score in the test.

  • How To Prepare For TOEFL

    TOEFL aims at measuring the ability of non native English speakers who desire to study in English speaking countries. Here are some guidelines and easy tips on how to prepare for TOEFL. Read on to know more about TOEFL preparation.

  • Next Generation TOEFL

    The purpose of next generation TOEFL is to show its evolutionary history and to provide tips on how to prepare for the next generation TOEFL which is nothing but internet based TOEFL (iBT) test. Further details are expatiated in this page.

  • TOEFL Speaking Syllabus

    This page contains the complete information on TOEFL speaking syllabus. Browse through the article to know the different sections in the speaking section of TOEFL.

  • TOEFL Writing Syllabus

    The contents of this page contains detailed information on the structure of TOEFL writing syllabus. Read on more to know each and every section in TOEFL writing syllabus.

  • TOEFL Listening Syllabus

    The main purpose of TOEFL listening syllabus is to help candidates in their preparation for listening test. The complete details in each part of the test are given in detail in this article.

  • TOEFL Reading Syllabus

    The contents of this page gives a complete structure of TOEFL reading syllabus. Every section of TOEFL reading syllabus is elaborated in detail in this page.

  • Internet Based TOEFL

    This page describes the key points about internet based TOEFL. Read on to know about the facts of internet based TOEFL which is preferred by millions of candidates vying for studies abroad.

  • Top Institutions And Programs That Accept TOEFL Scores

    This article highlights on who accepts TOEFL score. TOEFL is an international level test and it is important to know the best top list of universities that accept TOEFL score. Read on to know the details.

  • TOEFL Reading Practice Questions

    Practice questions in reading section proposes to provide tips for those who take up the test, and to get familiar with the types of questions and how to answer them within the given time. Read on for more details on TOEFL Practice Questions.

  • TOEFL Listening Practice Questions

    Listening skills are important to take up TOEFL tests. TOEFL listening practice questions provides tips on how to understand the subject matter and a detailed picture on the types of listening questions in TOEFL.

  • How To Score High in TOEFL

    This page explores few important key points on how to score high in TOEFL/ Test of English as a Foreign Language.

  • Eligibility Criteria for Disabled TOEFL Test Takers

    This article provides detailsed information on eligibility criteria for disabled TOEFL Test Takers. Read on to know the key points and provisions made for disabled test takers in TOEFL.

  • Identification Proof for TOEFL Test Takers with Disabilities

    This article elaborates on the important identification proof for TOEFL test takers with disabilities. Browse through the article to know the detailed information on the documents required for TOEFL test takers with disabilities.

  • TOEFL Reading Sample Questions

    The objective of TOEFL reading sample questions is to provide an idea on the types of questions in the reading section of the test. Along with the questions there are also directions on how to answer which are also elaborated in this article.

  • TOEFL Listening Sample Questions

    TOEFL listening sample questions will help in providing a real time experience in listening test section. The main purpose of this document is to give guidelines on how to answer all the questions in listening section.


Top