most common essay topics in toefl

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80 TOEFL Writing Topics

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

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Agree/Disagree TOEFL Writing Topics (Most Common)

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

Mutiple-Choice Style TOEFL Writing Topics (Less common)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• An elementary or high school

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Long-distance running

44. Which politican would you most likely vote for?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Lethal injection
• A firing squad
• The electric chair

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

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

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

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

Preference Style (Less common)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good Idea (Less common)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOEFL Speaking Boot Camp Course: CLICK HERE

May the next TOEFFL exam you take be your last!

Michael Buckhoff ,  [email protected]

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the best toefl writing practice: 300+ topics to study with.

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

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

Overview of TOEFL Writing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Best TOEFL Writing Practice Materials

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

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

Official Prep Materials

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

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

TOEFL iBT Sampler

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

TOEFL iBT Sample Questions

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

TOEFL iBT Quick Prep

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

TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) Tests

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

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

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

Official TOEFL Prep Books

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

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

Unofficial Prep Materials

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

English Club

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

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

Good Luck TOEFL

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

Beat the Test

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

Unofficial Prep Books

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

Other TOEFL Writing Practice Materials

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

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

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

Free Writing

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

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

How to Get the Most Out of Your TOEFL Writing Practice

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

Practice Writing in English Regularly

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

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

Make Use of Official Materials

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

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

Time Yourself When Writing Practice Essays

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

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

Review Your Practice Essays

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

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

Conclusion: Getting the Most Out of Your TOEFL Writing Practice

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

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

What's Next?

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

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

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

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

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60 TOEFL Writing Topics to Help You Prepare

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

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

What Are TOEFL Tests?

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

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

The exam structure is as follows: 

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

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

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

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

Some other free TOEFL resources include: 

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

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

TOEFL Question Types, Sample Essays & Specific Examples

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

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

Do you agree with the following statement?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

18. Will more gun control protect or harm citizens? 

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

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

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

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

23. Do people have the right to affordable shelter? 

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

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

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

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

27. Which is better – handmade or machine manufactured? 

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

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

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

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

32. Do you think free internet access promotes cybercrime? 

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

34. Is prison overcrowding an issue in America?

35. Has the war on drugs been effective? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FAQs About TOEFL Writing Topics

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meet Rachael, the editor at Become a Writer Today. With years of experience in the field, she is passionate about language and dedicated to producing high-quality content that engages and informs readers. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her exploring the great outdoors, finding inspiration for her next project.

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TOEFL Writing Topics: Examples of TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

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

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

Table of Contents

Toefl writing topics: task 2 subject matter.

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

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

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

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

The Basic Structure of an Integrated Writing Prompt

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

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

A Note on Practicing TOEFL Writing Topics

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

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

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

TOEFL Writing Topic Type 1: Choose a Side

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Writing Topic Type 2: View Both Sides

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

Here are a couple of examples:

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

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

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

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

Writing Topic Type 3: Describe or Explain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ready For Some Practice?

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

Task 2 Sample Essays

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

Task 1 Sample Essays

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

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

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

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More from Magoosh

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hi Deepali,

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

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

You’re welcome!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hi Rakshya,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I think those will help a bit!

Thanks Lucas!

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

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

Hello, Lucas.

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

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

Hello Giovanna,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks, David 🙂 Really helpful 🙂

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

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

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

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

Lucas, I think you’re awesome!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy studying! 😀

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Many thanks,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hi Wesselmie,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you..

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

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• TOEFL Writing Topics

The lists of TOEFL Independent Writing topics below can help you gain a better understanding of the type of essay you could be asked to write on your exam. Rather than give you one long confusing list of topics, the essay topics have been divided into five categories. This is not an exhaustive list, but only a representative sample of essay topics. When practicing for your exam, make sure to write essays from each of the five categories so you will be ready for any kind of essay on exam day.

Types of TOEFL Essay Topics

• Agree or Disagree
• Description / Explanation
• If / Imaginary
• Compare & Contrast

1. TOEFL BASICS

Toefl overview.

• TOEFL Exam Details
• Registration
• Administration

TOEFL iBT Format

2. toefl skills, primary skills.

• Reading Skills
• Listening Skills
• Speaking Skills
• Speaking Tips
• Free TOEFL Speaking Samples
• Writing Skills
• Free Sample TOEFL Essays

Secondary Skills

• Pronunciation

Support Skills

• Summarizing
• Paraphrasing
• Mind Mapping
• Synthesizing

3. TOEFL RESOURCES

Toefl books, in-class training.

• TOEFL Prep Centres
• ESL Schools

Online Training

Studying toefl abroad, 4. attitude, test anxiety.

• Types of Anxiety
• Causes of Anxiety
• Symptoms of Anxiety
• Reducing Anxiety

5. TOEFL Videos

6. toefl blog.

TOEFL iBT ®  Test

The premier test of academic English communication

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

TOEFL iBT Test Writing Section

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

There are two writing tasks.

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

You'll type your responses on a computer keyboard.

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

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

Practice Your Writing Skills

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

Writing videos

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

Question 1: Integrated Writing

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

View Transcript

Question 2: Writing for an Academic Discussion

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

Do you need to be an expert on the topics?

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

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TOEFL Writing Topics: Best TOEFL Essay Topics for Your Practice

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

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

Table of Contents

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

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Independent Writing Task

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

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

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

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

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

TOEFL Independent Writing Topics 

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

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Agree or Disagree Style

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

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

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

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

Explain Both Sides

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

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

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

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

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

Pick from Many Options

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

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

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

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

TOEFL Integrated Writing Tasks 

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

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

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

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

Integrated TOEFL Writing Prompt Sample 

Direction:  You have 3 minutes to read this passage.

Passage Sample:

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

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

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

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

Conclusion:

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

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Saket Kohli

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

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Toefl Essay Topics

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

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

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8 TOEFL essay topics to prepare for the TOEFL exam

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

• Sample TOEFL essay topics 

Part 2: The Integrated Writing task

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s take a look at them one by one.

Part 1: The Independent Writing task

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A few things to keep in mind-

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

Sample TOEFL essay topics  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Integrated Writing TOEFL essay topics

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

Give yourself 3 minutes to read the passage.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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

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

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

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

Read the transcript.

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

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

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

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

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

Response time: 20 minutes

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

Yes, just two-

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

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

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

All the best for your exam!

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3 thoughts on “8 toefl essay topics to prepare for the toefl exam”, see what others are saying.

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

Nice article, this will help test takers a lot, keep it up

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185 Official TOEFL IBT Writing Topics

• TOEFL , University Admissions
• September 25, 2020

We were going through some of the materials in our archives, stumbled on this gem, and thought we would share it with you. Here are 185 Official TOEFL iBT Writing Topics for the Independent Writing Task. Yup, this is all of them. Almost most all of our students have had a TOEFL writing topic that came from this list.

How to Use This TOEFL iBT Writing Topics List

The last thing you want to do with this list is start writing essays for 185 topics. Here’s our recommendation for how to boost your score with these official TOEFL topics:

Choose 20 hard ones to outline.

Outlining (jotting down your opinion and 2 supporting reasons or examples) takes about 3 minutes and if you outline about 5 or 6 every time you start studying for the writing section, you’ll finish 20 in no time. The point of this exercise is to get you thinking about what you would write about on test day. A bit of brainstorming never hurt anyone.

Read through the whole list. Yes, all 185. Reading the entire list will give you an idea of the flavor of topics you can expect on the real TOEFL.

Choose 5 different ones to write.

Of the 20 hard ones you outlined, choose 5 to write sample essays for. Ideally, you should start to develop a pattern for how you write each essay. In general, each essay should have an introduction, 2 body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Choose 10 different TOEFL iBT writing topics to use for the speaking section.

Many of these questions also have the exact same format as the first 2 independent speaking tasks. Choose some to practice your speaking with (15 seconds to prepare, 45 seconds to speak.) Here are our recommendations:

Speaking Task 1: # 6, 18, 42, 52, 62 Speaking Task 2: # 10, 14, 18, 30, 32, 45

Now that you know what to do, click here to download 185 TOEFL iBT writing topics.

185 Official TOEFL iBT Writing Topics

Directions: The TOEFL iBT writing topics in the following list may appear in your actual test. You should become familiar with this list before you take the computer-based TOEFL test. Remember that when you take the test you will not have a choice of topics. You must write only on the topic that is assigned to you.

• People attend college or university for many different reasons (for example, new experiences, career preparation, increased knowledge). Why do you think people attend college or university? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Nowadays, food has become easier to prepare. Has this change improved the way people live? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• It has been said, “Not everything that is learned is contained in books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?
• A company has announced that it wishes to build a large factory near your community. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this new influence on your community. Do you support or oppose the factory? Explain your position.
• If you could change one important thing about your hometown, what would you change? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
• How do movies or television influence people’s behavior? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television has destroyed communication among friends and family. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a big city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• “When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success.” Do you agree or disagree with the quotation above? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Universities should give the same amount of money to their students’ sports activities as they give to their university libraries. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Many people visit museums when they travel to new places. Why do you think people visit museums? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people believe that university students should be required to attend classes. Others believe that going to classes should be optional for students. Which point of view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
• Neighbors are the people who live near us. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a good neighbor? Use specific details and examples in your answer.
• It has recently been announced that a new restaurant may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• Some people think that they can learn better by themselves than with a teacher. Others think that it is always better to have a teacher. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons to develop your essay.
• What are some important qualities of a good supervisor (boss)? Use specific details and examples to explain why these qualities are important.
• Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways, or should governments spend more money on improving public transportation (buses, trains, subways)? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
• It is better for children to grow up in the countryside than in a big city. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to develop your essay.
• In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this phenomenon. Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
• We all work or will work in our jobs with many different kinds of people. In your opinion, what are some important characteristics of a co-worker (someone you work closely with)? Use reasons and specific examples to explain why these characteristics are important.
• In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do you think this is a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific reasons and details.
• A person you know is planning to move to your town or city. What do you think this person would like and dislike about living in your town or city? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
• It has recently been announced that a large shopping center may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• It has recently been announced that a new movie theater may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should sometimes do things that they do not enjoy doing. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television, newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the personal lives of famous people such as public figures and celebrities. Use specific reasons and details to explain your opinion.
• Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• It has recently been announced that a new high school may be built in your community. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details in your answer.
• Some people spend their entire lives in one place. Others move a number of times throughout their lives, looking for a better job, house, community, or even climate. Which do you prefer: staying in one place or moving in search of another place? Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion.
• Is it better to enjoy your money when you earn it or is it better to save your money for some time in the future? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• You have received a gift of money. The money is enough to buy either a piece of jewelry you like or tickets to a concert you want to attend. Which would you buy? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• Businesses should hire employees for their entire lives. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Attending a live performance (for example, a play, concert, or sporting event) is more enjoyable than watching the same event on television. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Choose one of the following transportation vehicles and explain why you think it has changed people’s lives: automobiles, bicycles, airplanes. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree that progress is always good? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Learning about the past has no value for those of us living in the present. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? With the help of technology, students nowadays can learn more information and learn it more quickly. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• The expression “Never, never give up” means to keep trying and never stop working for your goals. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or disagree with this point of view? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• What is a very important skill a person should learn in order to be successful in the world today? Choose one skill and use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• Why do you think some people are attracted to dangerous sports or other dangerous activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people like to travel with a companion. Other people prefer to travel alone. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• Some people prefer to get up early in the morning and start the day’s work. Others prefer to get up later in the day and work until late at night. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• What are the important qualities of a good son or daughter? Have these qualities changed or remained the same over time in your culture? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
• People work because they need money to live. What are some other reasons that people work? Discuss one or more of these reasons. Use specific examples and details to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication, such as letters, email, or telephone calls. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people prefer to try new things and take risks. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• Some people believe that success in life comes from taking risks or chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning. In your opinion, what does success come from? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• What change would make your hometown more appealing to people your age? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The most important aspect of a job is the money a person earns. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? One should never judge a person by external appearances. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person should never make an important decision alone. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• A company is going to give some money either to support the arts or to protect the environment. Which do you think the company should choose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Businesses should do anything they can to make a profit. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
• Some people are always in a hurry to go places and get things done. Other people prefer to take their time and live life at a slower pace. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Games are as important for adults as they are for children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents or other adult relatives should make important decisions for their older (15 to 18 year-old) teenage children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• What do you want most in a friend — someone who is intelligent, or someone who has a sense of humor, or someone who is reliable? Which one of these characteristics is most important to you? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your choice.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Most experiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable lessons for the future. Use reasons and specific examples to support our answer.
• Some people prefer to work for themselves or own a business. Others prefer to work for an employer. Would you rather be self-employed, work for someone else, or own a business? Use specific reasons to explain your choice.
• Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Classmates are a more important influence than parents on a child’s success in school. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• If you were an employer, which kind of worker would you prefer to hire: an inexperienced worker at a lower salary or an experienced worker at a higher salary? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• Many teachers assign homework to students every day. Do you think that daily homework is necessary for students? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• If you could study a subject that you have never had the opportunity to study, what would you choose? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.
• Some people think that the automobile has improved modern life. Others think that the automobile has caused serious problems. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Which would you choose: a high-paying job with long hours that would give you little time with family and friends or a lower-paying job with shorter hours that would give you more time with family and friends? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Grades (marks) encourage students to learn. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Some people say that computers have made life easier and more convenient. Other people say that computers have made life more complex and stressful. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some universities require students to take classes in many subjects. Other universities require students to specialize in one subject. Which is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Boys and girls should attend separate schools. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Is it more important to be able to work with a group of people on a team or to work independently? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
• Your city has decided to build a statue or monument to honor a famous person in your country. Who would you choose? Use reasons and specific examples to support your choice.
• Describe a custom from your country that you would like people from other countries to adopt. Explain your choice, using specific reasons and examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Technology has made the world a better place to live. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Advertising can tell you a lot about a country. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Modern technology is creating a single world culture. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Some people say that the Internet provides people with a lot of valuable information. Others think access to so much information creates problems. Which view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• A foreign visitor has only one day to spend in your country. Where should this visitor go on that day? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
• If you could go back to some time and place in the past, when and where would you go? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
• What discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people in your country? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Telephones and email have made communication between people less personal. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• If you could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history, what person would you like to meet? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• If you could meet a famous entertainer or athlete, who would that be, and why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• If you could ask a famous person one question, what would you ask? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• Some people prefer to live in places that have the same weather or climate all year long. Others like to live in areas where the weather changes several times a year. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• Many students have to live with roommates while going to school or university. What are some of the important qualities of a good roommate? Use specific reasons and examples to explain why these qualities are important.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Dancing plays an important role in a culture. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people think governments should spend as much money as possible exploring outer space (for example, traveling to the Moon and to other planets). Other people disagree and think governments should spend this money for our basic needs on Earth. Which of these two opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. Some read; some exercise; others work in their gardens. What do you think are the best ways of reducing stress? Use specific details and examples in your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers should be paid according to how much their students learn. Give specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• If you were asked to send one thing representing your country to an international exhibition, what would you choose? Why? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.
• You have been told that dormitory rooms at your university must be shared by two students. Would you rather have the university assign a student to share a room with you, or would you rather choose your own roommate? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
• Some people think that governments should spend as much money as possible on developing or buying computer technology. Other people disagree and think that this money should be spent on more basic needs. Which one of these opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• Some people like doing work by hand. Others prefer using machines. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Schools should ask students to evaluate their teachers. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic (for example, honesty, intelligence, a sense of humor) that a person can have to be successful in life? Use specific reasons and examples from your experience to explain your answer. When you write your answer, you are not limited to the examples listed in the question.
• It is generally agreed that society benefits from the work of its members. Compare the contributions of artists to society with the contributions of scientists to society. Which type of contribution do you think is valued more by your society? Give specific reasons to support your answer.
• Students at universities often have a choice of places to live. They may choose to live in university dormitories, or they may choose to live in apartments in the community. Compare the advantages of living in university housing with the advantages of living in an apartment in the community. Where would you prefer to live? Give reasons for your preference.
• You need to travel from your home to a place 40 miles (64 kilometers) away. Compare the different kinds of transportation you could use. Tell which method of travel you would choose. Give specific reasons for your choice.
• Some people believe that a college or university education should be available to all students. Others believe that higher education should be available only to good students. Discuss these views. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.
• Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by listening to the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of these two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable? Use specific examples to support your preference.
• When people move to another country, some of them decide to follow the customs of the new country. Others prefer to keep their own customs. Compare these two choices. Which one do you prefer? Support your answer with specific details.
• Some people prefer to spend most of their time alone. Others like to be with friends most of the time. Do you prefer to spend your time alone or with friends? Use specific reasons to support your answer.
• Some people prefer to spend time with one or two close friends. Others choose to spend time with a large number of friends. Compare the advantages of each choice. Which of these two ways of spending time do you prefer? Use specific reasons to support your answer.
• Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age and should spend most of their time on school studies. Others believe that young children should spend most of their time playing. Compare these two views. Which view do you agree with? Why?
• The government has announced that it plans to build a new university. Some people think that your community would be a good place to locate the university. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a new university in your community. Use specific details in your discussion.
• Some people think that the family is the most important influence on young adults. Other people think that friends are the most important influence on young adults. Which view do you agree with? Use examples to support your position.
• Some people prefer to plan activities for their free time very carefully. Others choose not to make any plans at all for their free time. Compare the benefits of planning free-time activities with the benefits of not making plans. Which do you prefer — planning or not planning for your leisure time? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your choice.
• People learn in different ways. Some people learn by doing things; other people learn by reading about things; others learn by listening to people talk about things. Which of these methods of learning is best for you? Use specific examples to support your choice.
• Some people choose friends who are different from themselves. Others choose friends who are similar to themselves. Compare the advantages of having friends who are different from you with the advantages of having friends who are similar to you. Which kind of friend do you prefer for yourself? Why?
• Some people enjoy change, and they look forward to new experiences. Others like their lives to stay the same, and they do not change their usual habits. Compare these two approaches to life. Which approach do you prefer? Explain why.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People behave differently when they wear different clothes. Do you agree that different clothes influence the way people behave? Use specific examples to support your answer.
• Decisions can be made quickly, or they can be made after careful thought. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The decisions that people make quickly are always wrong. Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion.
• Some people trust their first impressions about a person’s character because they believe these judgments are generally correct. Other people do not judge a person’s character quickly because they believe first impressions are often wrong. Compare these two attitudes. Which attitude do you agree with? Support your choice with specific examples.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People are never satisfied with what they have; they always want something more or something different. Use specific reasons to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People should read only those books that are about real events, real people, and established facts. Use specific reasons and details to support your opinion.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is more important for students to study history and literature than it is for them to study science and mathematics. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? All students should be required to study art and music in secondary school. Use specific reasons to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? There is nothing that young people can teach older people. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Reading fiction (such as novels and short stories) is more enjoyable than watching movies. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.
• Some people say that physical exercise should be a required part of every school day. Other people believe that students should spend the whole school day on academic studies. Which opinion do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• A university plans to develop a new research center in your country. Some people want a center for business research. Other people want a center for research in agriculture (farming). Which of these two kinds of research centers do you recommend for your country? Use specific reasons in your recommendation.
• Some young children spend a great amount of their time practicing sports. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Only people who earn a lot of money are successful. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• If you could invent something new, what product would you develop? Use specific details to explain why this invention is needed.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person’s childhood years (the time from birth to twelve years of age) are the most important years of a person’s life. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should be required to help with household tasks as soon as they are able to do so. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some high schools require all students to wear school uniforms. Other high schools permit students to decide what to wear to school. Which of these two school policies do you think is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Playing a game is fun only when you win. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? High schools should allow students to study the courses that students want to study. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is better to be a member of a group than to be the leader of a group. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• What do you consider to be the most important room in a house? Why is this room more important to you than any other room? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Some items (such as clothes or furniture) can be made by hand or by machine. Which do you prefer — items made by hand or items made by machine? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your choice.
• If you could make one important change in a school that you attended, what change would you make? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
• A gift (such as a camera, a soccer ball, or an animal) can contribute to a child’s development. What gift would you give to help a child develop? Why? Use reasons and specific examples to support your choice.
• Some people believe that students should be given one long vacation each year. Others believe that students should have several short vacations throughout the year. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• Would you prefer to live in a traditional house or in a modern apartment building? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
• Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things we really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people prefer to spend their free time outdoors. Other people prefer to spend their leisure time indoors. Would you prefer to be outside or would you prefer to be inside for your leisure activities? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your choice.
• Your school has received a gift of money. What do you think is the best way for your school to spend this money? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Playing games teaches us about life. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Imagine that you have received some land to use as you wish. How would you use this land? Use specific details to explain your answer.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Watching television is bad for children. Use specific details and examples to support your answer.
• What is the most important animal in your country? Why is the animal important? Use reasons and specific details to explain your answer.
• Many parts of the world are losing important natural resources, such as forests, animals, or clean water. Choose one resource that is disappearing and explain why it needs to be saved. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A zoo has no useful purpose. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
• In some countries, people are no longer allowed to smoke in many public places and office buildings. Do you think this is a good rule or a bad rule? Use specific reasons and details to support your position.
• Plants can provide food, shelter, clothing, or medicine. What is one kind of plant that is important to you or the people in your country? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.
• You have the opportunity to visit a foreign country for two weeks. Which country would you like to visit? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.
• In the future, students may have the choice of studying at home by using technology such as computers or television or of studying at traditional schools. Which would you prefer? Use reasons and specific details to explain your choice.
• When famous people such as actors, athletes and rock stars give their opinions, many people listen. Do you think we should pay attention to these opinions? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• The twentieth century saw great change. In your opinion, what is one change that should be remembered about the twentieth century? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.
• When people need to complain about a product or poor service, some prefer to complain in writing and others prefer to complain in person. Which way do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• People remember special gifts or presents that they have received. Why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some famous athletes and entertainers earn millions of dollars every year. Do you think these people deserve such high salaries? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• People do many different things to stay healthy. What do you do for good health? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• You have decided to give several hours of your time each month to improve the community where you live. What is one thing you will do to improve your community? Why? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.
• People recognize a difference between children and adults. What events (experiences or ceremonies) make a person an adult? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
• Your school has enough money to purchase either computers for students or books for the library. Which should your school choose to buy –computers or books? Use specific reasons and examples to support your recommendation.
• Many students choose to attend schools or universities outside their home countries. Why do some students study abroad? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
• People listen to music for different reasons and at different times. Why is music important to many people? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
• Groups or organizations are an important part of some people’s lives. Why are groups or organizations important to people? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
• Imagine that you are preparing for a trip. You plan to be away from your home for a year. In addition to clothing and personal care items, you can take one additional thing. What would you take and why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
• When students move to a new school, they sometimes face problems. How can schools help these students with their problems? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
• It is sometimes said that borrowing money from a friend can harm or damage the friendship. Do you agree? Why or why not? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.
• Every generation of people is different in important ways. How is your generation different from your parents’ generation? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
• Some students like classes where teachers lecture (do all of the talking) in class. Other students prefer classes where the students do some of the talking. Which type of class do you prefer? Give specific reasons and details to support your choice.
• Holidays honor people or events. If you could create a new holiday, what person or event would it honor and how would you want people to celebrate it? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
• A friend of yours has received some money and plans to use all of it either to go on vacation or to buy a car. Your friend has asked you for advice. Compare your friend’s two choices and explain which one you think your friend should choose. Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
• The 21st century has begun. What changes do you think this new century will bring? Use examples and details in your answer.
• What are some of the qualities of a good parent? Use specific details and examples to explain your answer.
• Movies are popular all over the world. Explain why movies are so popular. Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
• In your country, is there more need for land to be left in its natural condition or is there more need for land to be developed for housing and industry? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Many people have a close relationship with their pets. These people treat their birds, cats, or other animals as members of their family. In your opinion, are such relationships good? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Films can tell us a lot about the country where they were made. What have you learned about a country from watching its movies? Use specific examples and details to support your response.
• Some students prefer to study alone. Others prefer to study with a group of students. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• You have enough money to purchase either a house or a business. Which would you choose to buy? Give specific reasons to explain your choice.

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The TOEFL Writing Section Essay Topics: What They Are and How to Approach Them

The TOEFL Writing Section is the fourth and final section of the exam. It is 50 minutes long and contains two tasks: The Integrated Writing Task and The Independent Writing Task. But, what does this mean? What are these two tasks? They are basically two essays that you have to type on your laptop. In this guide, you will get an overview of these two essays, information about what topics can appear on each essay, and suggestions on how to approach each essay.

INTEGRATED ESSAY OVERVIEW

Of the two tasks, the Integrated Writing comes first. In this task, you will have to read a passage and listen to a speaker before writing your essay . The first part is the reading passage which is approximately 250-300 words long. You will have 3 minutes to read this passage. Next, you will listen to a lecture related to the information from the passage you have just read. This audio clip is typically 2-3 minutes long. Then you will have 20 minutes to write about the information from both the reading and listening passages. The TOEFL suggests an Integrated Writing that is 150-225 words, but we recommend writing 250-300 words.

Writing Time: 20 minutes Recommended Length: 250-300 words

TOPICS TO EXPECT ON THE INTEGRATED ESSAY

Your Integrated essay will always be about what you read and listen to in the passages. You should cover the main points of the author in the reading passage, and the lecturer’s response to the author’s main points. You should also include details that support their points. Never write about your own opinion in the Integrated Task!

The topics of the reading and listening passages are typically related to an academic subject, such as science or history. The author will state his or her opinion about a subject, and then provide three main points that support it. The lecturer will state his or her opinion about the same subject with three counterpoints to the author’s points. The lecturer is almost always going to offer views which conflict with the author is some way. For example, the lecturer may cast doubt on, disprove or debunk the author’s points. For examples of Integrated Essay topics, click here.

Before you start writing, it is very important to take good notes. You should write down as much as you can, especially from the audio clip because you will only get to hear it once. The reading passage will reappear for you to refer to while you are writing, but it is also important not to copy the points in the reading word for word, as this does not show your writing skills. It is better to paraphrase and rewrite the author’s main points in your essay.

INDEPENDENT ESSAY OVERVIEW

The last task you will have to do in the TOEFL exam is write your independent essay. You will be given a question relating to a topic which asks for your opinion. You will have 30 minutes to plan and write your opinion on the topic, including providing reasons for your opinion. The TOEFL suggests an Independent Writing that is 300-325 words long, but we recommend writing 350-400 words.

Writing Time: 30 minutes Recommended Length: 350-400 words

TOPICS TO EXPECT ON THE INDEPENDENT ESSAY

Unlike the Integrated Writing, your Independent Writing essay should be all about your opinion. Often these questions are designed for you to discuss a controversial topic, and can appear in three forms:

1. Agree or Disagree

This question form is by far the most common questions on the TOEFL Independent Tasks . For this question type, you will usually be given a statement and then will be asked if you agree or disagree with that statement. It is important to only choose one side. Don’t try to write about both sides.

For examples of “Agree or Disagree” Independent Essay topics, click here.

2. Pick a Side

Also often called the “preference” question, this prompt is asking what you would prefer or choose. Most often the choices, typically two or three, are provided, but sometimes they are not. It is important to only choose one option and stick with it.

For examples of “Pick a Side” Independent Essay topics, click here.

3. Advantages and Disadvantages

Finally, the rarer question type is where you have to write about both sides of a topic. This most often appears as a question asking you to explain the advantages and disadvantages of an issue. Unlike the other two forms, you should cover both sides for this question type. For examples of “Advantages and Disadvantages” Independent Essay topics, click here.

HOW TO APPROACH THE INDEPENDENT ESSAY

For the first two question types, you need to strongly you express opinion. This means that even if you don’t have a strong opinion on the topic, or if you could go either way on the choices, choose a side and stick to it. It is better for your score to pretend to be passionate about your position. So, make sure your position is clear in the very first sentence (or two) of your essay. Then, provide at least two supporting reasons for your opinions with detailed personal experiences.

For the last question type, you will need to write about both sides equally. Make sure you use your time wisely and don’t dedicate too much of your essay writing about only one side.

Finally, regardless of the kind of question you are asked, it is always a good idea to spend a few minutes before you start writing outlining you answer.

SAMPLE TOEFL ESSAY TOPICS

The best advice is to practice writing TOEFL essays in advance. There are numerous sample writing topics out there for you to practice before test day. For more samples, click here.

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12 toefl speaking topics for realistic practice.

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

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

An Introduction to TOEFL Speaking Topics

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

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

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

TOEFL Independent Speaking Tasks

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

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

Official Sample Question

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

• Task 1: Choose From One Option

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

• Task 2: Choose From Two Options

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

How to Approach the Tasks

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

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

TOEFL Integrated Speaking Tasks With Reading and Listening

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

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

• Task 3: Explain an Opinion on a Campus Issue

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

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

• Task 4: Explain a Lecture Topic

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

HOW TO APPROACH THE tasks

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

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

TOEFL Integrated Speaking Tasks With Listening Only

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

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

• Task 5: Explain a Campus Life Problem

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

• Task 6: Explain a Lecture

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

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

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

Sample TOEFL Speaking Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Recap: The 6 TOEFL Speaking Tasks

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

There are six TOEFL Speaking topics:

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

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

What’s Next?

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

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

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

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Author: Christine Sarikas

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

Test Resources

TOEFL® Resources by Michael Goodine

Toefl vocabulary – four golden rules.

Updated May 12, 2022

I get a lot of questions about TOEFL vocabulary and what words should be used in the independent TOEFL essay. Vocabulary is tricky, but there are four golden rules I always give my students.

TOEFL Vocabulary Rule One: Do Not Repeat Words

You should not repeat words too many times.  I think you may reduce your score if you repeat a word more than two or three times in the same essay.  If you are writing an essay about children , don’t repeat the word “children” ten times.  Use synonyms like “young people” or “youths” or “teenagers” or “adolescents.”  Sometimes it will be impossible to avoid this problem, but do your best.

TOEFL Vocabulary Rule Two: Don’t Repeat Words from the Question

According to ETS publications, you will not get vocabulary credit for using words that appear in the question prompt.  This means that you should avoid leaning too heavily on them in your essay.  If the question prompt is about “ coworkers ,”  you should write your essay about “colleagues.” You don’t have to  completely  avoid repeating words from the prompt, but keep this golden rule in mind as a general guideline.

TOEFL Vocabulary Rule Three: Avoid Vague Words… Be Specific!

According to ETS publications, each TOEFL essay prompt is assigned a list of “high scoring” words that students will be rewarded for using in their essays.  Basically, these are words that were commonly used in essays that received high scores the last time the prompt was used.  You have no way of knowing what these words are, but by expanding the range of your vocabulary, you are more likely to “hit” them.  Moreover, you should try to avoid using boring and vague words like:

These words will never be on the list, so you should replace them with something more specific to the topic you are writing about.

Since the essay questions often revolve around the same kinds of topics, it will be easier to meet this requirement if you have looked at some targeted vocabulary lists.  For example:

• Words about education and campus life
• Words about employment
• Words about children and growing up  
• Words about neighborhoods and communities

I don’t think you should waste  too much time studying vocabulary lists, but it could be worthwhile to spend a few hours going over the above words.

TOEFL Vocabulary Rule Four: Use Transitional Words

You need to use discourse words.  These are also referred to as “Transitional Words” by many teachers.  They include things like:

• As a result
• For this reason
• Consequently
• In addition
• In contrast

There are many more of these ( link ). Basically, they serve to link ideas together in a sophisticated way.  The e-rater is programmed to look for these.  Moreover, the human rater will probably reward you for using them.  If you don’t use these you risk getting a low score, even if your grammar is otherwise strong.

Final Thoughts

That’s about it for vocabulary.  Keep in mind that this is a general guide.  You will also get points for using “hard” words, but sadly the acquisition of “hard words” takes years and there are no shortcuts.  In contrast, the above tips might help you increase your score in a shorter amount of time.

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