Preparing for TOEFL – Tips for the Independent Writing Task, Part 2
Submitted by: Kimi
The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam, consisting of four parts, is a grueling four hour test that is internationally respected. Schools and businesses in English speaking countries around the world use test results from TOEFL as their benchmark for English proficiency; therefore, it should come as no surprise that thousands of people take the test every day. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills are put to the test. TOEFL is a surprisingly difficult exam to take, even for native English speakers; in fact, even native speakers of English have had trouble taking the test. This is because the requirements in each section are very strict and require students to be aware of what is expected of them. It is not just as simple as proving that you understand English; TOEFL is designed to prove that not only can you read, write, listen and speak English, but that you can also apply your own points of view as well as critical thinking and how you express these in English.
The writing component in the TOEFL exam is broken into two categories: Integrated Writing Task and Independent Writing Task; the former requires you to listen and read a passage dealing with an academic course, while the latter requires students to express their point of view on a general issue, such as travel, studying, food, fashion, and a myriad of others. Previously, I explained what the Independent Writing Task deals with and examples of potential questions. Here, I will explain how to prepare for the Independent Writing Task and what is expected from the student.
Taking notes and managing your time
As with every section in the TOEFL exam, taking notes should be considered mandatory. They help you organize your thoughts and ideas while giving you a guideline for all of your answers. The same is true for the writing tasks, specifically the Independent Writing Task. But proper note taking skills means more than simply writing down everything you can think of. Your notes should be organized, concise and most of all, informative. Before you start taking notes, you must first know how to. When you take notes, never write in complete sentences; this just takes too much time to do and considering that you have limited time to prepare for each answer (less than 30 seconds in most cases), you have to use your time wisely. Don’t waste time with points that are not necessarily important. Here is an example of how to take notes:
The Independent Writing Task question comes in two forms: one requires you to choose between Choice A and Choice B, while the other asks you to agree or disagree with a statement. For example:
“It is better to have a big breakfast before going to school rather than having a big lunch. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Please provide details and examples to support your answer.”
This is an Agree/Disagree type question, and remember that you have to answer the question directly (more on that later). Your notes should look something like this:
- Agree
- Gives energy for the day
- Morning classes = more productive
- Hunger = lack of concentration
- Big lunch = makes you tired
- Big lunch = more satisfying
- Big breakfast = need to wake up earlier
As you can see, I expressed why I agree with having a big breakfast rather than having a big lunch. I have four supporting arguments for this and when it comes time to write my answer, I will supply examples for each point. For the first point – gives energy for the day – I use examples such as protein from eggs and bacon will help me wake up and give me what is needed to complete my duties before lunch. However, as you will notice, I have also included why the opposite is also a good choice. When it comes to writing my answer, I would include why “disagree” is a reasonable answer.
Use of key phrases in your answer
In your answer, the judges will expect you to include key phrases; these are phrases that help express your point of view, illustrate your level of vocabulary and help organize and separate each of your points. Here are some key phrases that you should consider as mandatory in your Independent Writing Task:
- “I agree/disagree with…”: This should be your opening sentence. It clearly expresses what your personal essay is going to be about.
- “For example”: Use this key phrase after you have made an argument and before providing examples. These examples can be personal or generic. This key phrase helps clarify to the judges that you are providing specific examples for each point.
- “Furthermore”: This key phrase is a perfect bridge between one idea (and its examples) and the next idea. Without this key phrase the judge may become confused about what you are trying to say.
- “On the other hand”: This key phrase should be used when you are about to begin why the opposite point of view is still a valid choice. Since you are essentially explaining why both ideas are valid, you need to show that you are moving on to another issue, an issue that is separate from your main argument.
- “In conclusion”: this key phrase should be your last sentence and should summarize your answer. Although some people believe you shouldn’t give a concluding sentence, I feel that it wraps up your essay and give closure to your ideas. This last sentence should read something like this: “In conclusion, although having a big lunch can help…, I believe starting the day with a big breakfast is more beneficial.”
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3: Preparing for TOEFL – Explaining the Independent Writing Rubrics
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5: TOEFL Test Score: How the test is scored
Word Count: 1024 Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 Time: 12:51 AM
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