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TOEFL integrated writing

TOEFL integrated writing task 2023 | Examples and sample essay.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOEFL integrated writing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOEFL integrated writing

Examples of TOEFL integrated writing task 

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

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

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

Writing task: 

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

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

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

Writing task : 

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

In-depth Analysis of a Sample Essay | Environmental conservation 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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TOEFL Integrated Writing Task 2023: Examples & Sample Essays

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

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

Table of Contents

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

TOEFL integrated writing

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

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

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

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TOEFL Integrated Writing Task 2023: Examples & Sample Essays

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

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

TOEFL Writing Integrated Task Exercises

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

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

Sample Reading Passage:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOEFL Integrated Writing Template to Follow for Better Score

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

Introduction Paragraph 1

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

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

Body Paragraph 2 + 3 + 4

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

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

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

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

Tips for TOEFL Writing Tasks

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

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

TOEFL integrated writing

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

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TOEFL Writing Task 1: The TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice Task

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The TOEFL Integrated Writing Task requires you to read a passage that is about 250-300 words long. You then must listen to a lecture that is 2 to 2.5 minutes long. The lecture will challenge or disagree with the ideas in the reading passage for TOEFL Writing Task 1.

Because this task is so test-specific, it’s difficult to find authentic practice with TOEFL Integrated Writing topics, outside of official TOEFL prep materials that take questions from the real test. But you can find reading passages and audio for TOEFL Integrated Writing in the official TOEFL Writing practice sets . Additional free prep for this task can be found in TOEFL Quick Prep (the tasks all come with reading passages, but some of them have transcripts rather than audio).

You can also find practice for this TOEFL Writing task in the official TOEFL books from ETS . Last but not least, you can sharpen your TOEFL Writing skills by practicing a TOEFL Integrated Writing task from Magoosh, free of charge, right here in this post! Near the bottom of this page there is a TOEFL Writing Task 1 practice exercise with a sample answer.

Before we get to that mock test, though, let’s talk about a few basics of TOEFL Integrated Writing. Click the table of contents below to navigate these basics, and hop down to the practice exercise.

Table of Contents

  • TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics: What to Expect
  • Structuring Your TOEFL Integrated Writing Task
  • Difficult Integrated Writing Tasks: What to Do
  • Free TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice Task
  • Model Answer for the Free TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice Task
  • Additional Practice and Resources for TOEFL Writing Task 1

What should you expect from TOEFL Integrated Writing topics?

Since you’ll still be wearing headphones after the Speaking section, the Writing section begins with the integrated task, for which you’ll need to keep your headphones on.

So what do TOEFL Integrated Writing topics look like? Well, the materials you’ll be using to answer the question are a reading passage and a lecture excerpt. Both of these will be longer than the ones you encountered in the Integrated Speaking questions—the reading passage will give you three minutes to read, and it will go into more detail than the one in the Speaking section did.

Whereas other integrated reading samples have served mainly to define a key concept, the one in the Writing section will describe a process or defend a position. The lecture (actually, it will be a short part of a lecture) will then expand on this information by offering examples, explaining in greater detail, or, most likely, describing conflicting viewpoints on the topic introduced in the reading passage. The author will use reasons that respond directly to the ideas in the reading passage.

The question will follow one of several formulas. The question you answer will probably be almost identical to one of these:

  • Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast doubt on specific points made in the reading passage.
  • Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they challenge specific claims/arguments made in the reading passage.
  • Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to specifically explain how they answer the problems raised in the reading passage.
  • Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to specifically explain how they support the explanations in the reading passage.
  • Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to specifically explain how they strengthen points made in the reading passage.
  • Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to include specific reasons that they strengthen points made in the reading passage.

The first two are by far the most common; usually, you will hear a lecture that contrasts with the reading.

Altogether you will have 20 minutes to plan and write your TOEFL Integrated Writing essay. The essay will not be long—most responses are between 150 and 225 words—but there’s still no time to waste, and you’ll want to keep your writing skills sharp. Remember that your organization and content are just as important as your language use. Your essay needs to have a clear structure with separate points and specific examples that transition smoothly. Most of all, it’s very important to draw from both the reading passage and the listening passage. If you only reference the written passage, the very best score your essay can get is a 1. In many ways, the integrated essay is a summary of the lecture that you heard, but be sure to mention both sources.

You can take notes as you read and listen. With enough practice you will be able to identify the important points in the reading passage that will most likely be discussed in the lecture, and your notes should reflect that. Then, when you listen, it will be easy to take notes that relate to the ones that are already on your paper. Make as many connections between the two as possible while listening. If you have trouble with this, it’s okay—you can take a minute to connect information before you start writing, after the lecture is finished.

Typical TOEFL Writing Task 1 topics will be scholarly, the kinds of things that you’d read about or hear lectures about in an academic setting. Typical topics include things such as the spending habits of American consumers, lectures on history or classic literature, scientific debates, and so on. Topics will seldom be contemporary. For example, you are unlikely to see TOEFL Integrated Writing topics that focus on social media, cell phone use, contemporary popular culture, etc. These more modern topics are far more common in the TOEFL Independent Writing task that follows this one.

As you can see, success in TOEFL Integrated Writing is not just a matter of writing, but also comes down to reading and listening. For additional tips on these two skills in TOEFL Writing Task 1, read the following blog posts:

  • Good Reading Practice for TOEFL Integrated Writing
  • Listening Practice for TOEFL Writing Task 1

Back to top

How should you structure your TOEFL Integrated Writing task?

Even though the 20 minutes you have to write the integrated essay will fly by, it’s still worth taking a minute or two to write an outline of your own prior to beginning your response (the test proctor will provide as much scratch paper as you need). Even jotting just a few lines that connect parts of your notes and circling the main examples you want to cover will give you the guidance you need to stay on task when writing your response.

Below I’ve written an outline that demonstrates an effective structure to use on the exam when responding to TOEFL Integrated Writing topics. I highly recommend that you practice writing with this outline as your guide, at least at first. Once you’ve gotten some feedback and have some good practice under your belt, you can deviate from it. At first, though, it’s good to know the rules before you break them, and to have a structure you can rely on when test day comes.

Note that this outline template involves a lot of paraphrasing. Before you get started on making a practice outline of your own, be sure to check out Magoosh’s tutorial on paraphrasing in TOEFL Integrated writing .

A. General statement about the relationship between the resources you heard and read.

B. Short description of the structure of the lecture

A. Paragraph on first point

1. Paraphrase the professor’s point

2. Contrast/compare with the reading

Practice for your TOEFL exam with Magoosh.

3. Give extra detail and additional specific examples on the professor’s point (optional)

B. Paragraph on second point

C. Paragraph on third point

III. Conclusion

Note that you don’t have a conventional essay structure here. There is no thesis statement, and the difference between a body paragraph and introductory paragraph is less pronounced. When responding to TOEFL Integrated Writing topics, you also don’t have a concluding paragraph per se. If you’re having trouble picturing exactly what this looks like, you can see an example task and model answer at the bottom of this post. You can also see some sample essays for this task in the official TOEFL Writing practice set PDF from ETS . (And this PDF contains TOEFL Writing samples for task 1 as well!)

Above all, remember that the key to a good essay here is simply to take good notes on what you read and hear, and translate those notes into a full essay. For more info on the best ways to do that, see my post on note-taking and organizing your answer in TOEFL Integrated writing . Those tips can help you even when you encounter a particularly challenging Independent Writing task. And for more advice to help you through harder prompts, see the section immediately below.

Dealing with an Extra Hard TOEFL Writing Task

In all of the years that I’ve been tutoring the TOEFL, the part of the test that seems to inspire the most extreme reactions in students is the TOEFL Integrated Writing task. Students either happily breeze right through it or get very stressed out. Why? Because the difficulty levels on this task can vary so much! This, combined with the general complexity of the task, makes TOEFL Integrated Writing challenging for the average TOEFL test taker.

Ultimately, the TOEFL Integrated Writing task may be the hardest part of the TOEFL. This task requires not only keen English language skills, but also good analytical abilities. You need to bring together different, opposing ideas from the lecture and passage. This is a complicated job. And to make things even harder, the task comes almost at the very end of the test, when most test-takers are exhausted.

Some TOEFL Integrated Writing topics are harder than others. And if you get a hard Integrated Writing Task, you could be in danger of “blowing” your whole TOEFL IBT Writing section—doing badly on both tasks! An unusually difficult Integrated Writing task can leave you so tired and frustrated that you aren’t able to focus on the easier second TOEFL Writing Task.

So if you come across a harder-than-usual Integrated Writing Task on test day, make sure you handle it carefully. With the right strategies, a really tough TOEFL Writing Task 1 doesn’t need to hurt your TOEFL score at all.

Early detection of hard TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

The worst thing you can do is not notice how hard an Integrated Writing Task is. If you mistakenly think an Integrated Writing task is relatively easy, you won’t plan for it correctly.

So try to immediately notice how complicated a task is. You should be able to tell just by looking at the reading passage, since the passage is the basis for the lecture. If the passage seems unusually complex, make note of this and proceed carefully. Don’t miss anything important, and don’t lose track of time. It’s really easy to leave out key facts or run down the clock in TOEFL Integrated Writing.

When you come across a potentially hard Integrated Writing Passage, start trying to mentally paraphrase the passage right away. Figure out whether you are able to paraphrase the passage effectively. Paraphrases should be shorter than their source, and should change the original wording significantly. If you are having a lot of trouble doing this, the passage may be too difficult for you to paraphrase.

Strategies once you’ve found a hard TOEFL Integrated Writing Task

If the ideas in the passage are really hard to paraphrase and shorten, don’t panic. For these more difficult Integrated Writing passages, there’s a simple solution: put less of the passage information into your essay. If necessary, put nothing directly from the passage into your essay.

This advice may sound strange. After all, the official TOEFL Writing Rubrics , which are used for scoring on the real test, say it’s important to include all the big ideas from the passage and the reading. But for a harder Integrated Writing Task, it really does pay to adjust your approach in this way.

Think about it. If the passage is really complex, then the lecture that follows will also be complex. And if the passage and the lecture are both very complicated, it can become almost impossible to correctly summarize them both. You won’t have enough time, and it’ll be too hard to focus on absolutely everything in the prompt. The lecture will need to be the main focus, since the task itself asks you to focus on the way that the lecture challenges the passage.

The lecture will of course contain ideas from the passage, since the lecturer is challenging the key points from the reading. So paying attention to what the lecturer says will allow you to indirectly use parts of the passage. And with this approach, you run less of a risk writing an unfocused or incomplete essay.

How this strategy can affect your score

Also remember how the TOEFL scoring system works . If you get a task that is harder-than-average, the TOEFL will adjust your task score upwards at least a little. Relying only on lecture content might hurt your score a bit. But you have a good chance of recovering those lost points when ETS adjusts your score. On the other hand, if you try to take on all of the complicated content in the task and fail, your score could really suffer, even with ETS’s score adjustments for difficulty. Ultimately, getting a high score on TOEFL Integrated Writing is a matter of balancing your priorities and focus, regardless of the difficulty level of a given individual task.

A Free TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice Task

I have written and recorded a task for you that closely follows the real TOEFL Integrated Writing Task in length, content, and format. Read the passage, listen to my lecture and follow the instructions for an (almost) authentic TOEFL writing practice experience. To prepare, you may want to read some of Magoosh’s advice on this task. The official TOEFL Integrated Writing Rubric (page 2 of the linked document) may also be useful. And at the bottom of this post, you’ll be able to view a sample response to this task.

TOEFL Integrated Writing Task Practice

Directions: Give yourself 3 minutes to read the passage.

The “comics medium” includes newspaper comic strips such as Dennis the Menace and comic books such as Spider-Man. Scholars around the world agree that comics are a uniquely American art form.

The first commercially successful comic strip was Hogan’s Alley , a comic strip from the 1890s. Hogan’s Alley featured the Yellow Kid, the world’s first popular cartoon character. This strip and its character marked the beginning of comics and was American in every respect. Set in a low-income neighborhood in New York City, Hogan’s Alley dealt with the lives of ordinary Americans. It was written and drawn by American cartoonist R.F. Outcault. Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, two famous and influential American publishers, printed the comic strip in their newspapers.

The first popular comic book in the world was also American. Action Comics , a series that is still in print today, was initially released in 1938. It featured Superman, the world’s first superhero. Like Hogan’s Alley , Superman was American-created.

Americans invented comic strips, and Americans have exported their unique art form to the rest of the world. Japanese comics, called manga , were inspired by the comics that Americans brought to Japan after World War II. Popular European comics series such as Smurfs and Asterix are influenced by Disney comic books. Today, American-created Disney comic characters are more popular in Europe than ever.

The comics medium started in America. While it has spread around the world, even comics that aren’t created by Americans have an undeniable American influence. This is why so many art and literature scholars recognize the comic strip as a truly American art form.

Directions: Summarize the main points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they challenge the specific points made in the reading passage. You have 20 minutes to plan and write your response. Your response will be judged on the basis of the quality of your writing and how well your response presents the points in the lecture and their relationship to the reading passage.

Listen to the lecture here:

  Once you’ve completed the practice task, you can assess the quality of your answer by comparing it to this sample answer . Good luck!

Ready for a Full Writing Test?

If you’re ready to try the independent and integrated tasks together under test-like conditions, check out our full-length video Writing Test!

And if you want more writing practice, download the FREE TOEFL Practice Test PDF .

Plus, Magoosh TOEFL online prep has six practice tests with sample answers, video explanations, strategies and tips for the every TOEFL speaking question!

TOEFL Integrated Writing Task: Model Answer

I have written a level 5 answer, which you can read below. This answer is followed by some commentary on why this response would earn the full five points.

Model level 5 TOEFL Integrated Writing answer

In the passage, the author argues that comics are an art form that is very unique to the United States, but has been borrowed by other countries. The speaker corrects many things the author wrote about comics being an American art form. Although the writing says all scholars agree that comics are uniquely American, the lecturer says that in modern times, very few scholars agree with that.

The speaker then points out that, contrary to the writing, the first popular comic strips were not American. According to the speaker, 100 years before the first American comic strip, there were popular comic strips in Europe. The lecture also states that Hogan’s Alley , the 1890s comic strip described as American in the article, is not completely American because the comic characters were not Americans. Moreover, the publisher and creator of the comic were immigrants from other countries.

Additionally, the speaker disagrees with the article’s claim that American comic book Superman was the first popular comic book. Instead, the lecturer says the Belgian comic book Tintin was popular before Superman. Also, the author points out that Superman’s creator is Canadian, not American as the article says.

Finally, the speaker disagrees that American cartoon art influenced international comics, as claimed in the writing. He says that popular European comics have a uniquely European style. He also argues that Japanese comics are influenced more by traditional Asian art. Finally, the speaker notes that even American Disney comics characters are drawn by European artists.

Per the official TOEFL Integrated Writing rubric , this answer would get a score of 5. It outlines all the main points from the lecture. It explains how each main point contradicts or challenges the main ideas from the reading. It is organized well, with good transition words for each paragraph. It has no major errors, using correct grammar and vocabulary . Look at this model answer and the rubric linked above as you write your own answer to the sample task . If you need some extra help, you can find a writing template for your own response here .

I also have some resources specific to this essay prompt. For a guide on how to paraphrase as you respond to this specific prompt, see my article “ How to Paraphrase in TOEFL Integrated Writing .” And for advice on how to reise your TOEFL writing, using this model Integrated task as a specific example, see “ How to Revise TOEFL Writing .” All of this advice is applicable to other TOEFL Integrated Writing essays as well! (And it can also be applied to Task 2!)

Follow-up TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice

For more TOEFL Integrated Writing tasks from Magoosh, check our the additional free TOEFL Integrated writing practice task found in Magoosh’s complete guide to TOEFL Writing samples . You may also want to consider signing up for Magoosh TOEFL (you can try a free trial of Magoosh TOEFL prep without entering any payment info, and then “go premium” if you like what you see).

You can also go to “the source”—official TOEFL Integrated Writing practice from ETS. This free TOEFL Integrated Writing task , which focuses on the ecological practices of American companies (a typical Integrated Writing topic) is a good place to start if you’re looking for some quick official practice that you don’t have to pay for. Unfortunately, this readily accessible official practice task is flawed: it has a transcript of a lecture, rather than lecture audio. The only free official TOEFL Integrated Writing task with an actual sound clip for the lecture is the one in the official online TOEFL mock test .

David Recine

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

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TOEFL Writing Topics: Examples of TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

45 responses to “TOEFL Writing Task 1: The TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice Task”

rabia Avatar

u shud have atleast given a sample answer for us to compare our answers to.

Ita Avatar

Really that you are complaining? This is a great exercises. Just be grateful!

Sarah Avatar

They have given it under the audio. Can’t you see that?

David Recine Avatar

Hello Rabia,

That’s a good point and an excellent request. To meet your request, I’ll write up an example answer ASAP and make a blog post about it. My post will include an explanation of my writing approach, and reference to the TOEFL Integrated writing rubric. As soon as my example is up and posted, I’ll link it to the comments here.

Have a great day, David

무하마드 Avatar

Still waiting for the example answer.

Rachel Wisuri

You can find the sample answer here: https://magoosh.com/toefl/2015/toefl-integrated-writing-practice-task-model-answer/ 🙂

undefined doel Avatar

thanks for share.it helps me.

NOOR SIDIQI Avatar

Thank you so much, I found a PDF file that was so useful.

Magoosh Expert

You’re welcome! 😀

K.C. Avatar

This is a very helpful integrated writing practice, especially with the sample answer. However, I can’t seem to figure out what question the essay should answer. The directions just say to write a response, but they don’t give any direction as to what is expected in this response. Is this typical of TOEFL integrated writing questions?

David Recine

Hi K.C. The essay question is in this post, but I think I know why you can’t see it— I’ve just realized it’s kind of oddly placed. Or rather, the lecture track is oddly placed in this post. The lecture audio link appears right below the directions and right above the question, so that the question itself is easy to miss. But look carefully below the audio and you’ll see:

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

This specific task is typical of the TOEFL, but the confusing screen layout is not. The layout was likely my mistake when I wrote and uploaded this. I’ll check with my editor about fixing that. Thanks for bringing this to our attention!

Zehera Avatar

Hmm…And now I do not see an audio link. Thank you for making the task more visible, though.

Hmm, indeed. I seemed to be having some issue with the external link. I just hosted the file locally, and the sound file should be playable now.

toefl test taker Avatar

hello sir/Mam I have a question regarding the integrated writing task….will the passage reappear even after the listening part?

Yes, the passage reappears on the screen after you listen to the audio track, and the passage remains available the whole time that you write your response.

Mazdak Avatar

Hello Can you please introduce a good source for practicing integrated writing task.

Sadly, there aren’t a lot of good materials out there for TOEFL Integrated Writing tasks, compared to Independent Writing. This is because it’s a lot harder to create an Integrated Writing Task— it requires writing a complete passage and recording a lecture. Still, you get one Integrated Writing Practice task in each and every exam in ETS’s official TOEFL books and materials. And Magoosh TOEFL subscribers get access to quite a few of these practice tasks too.

I’m also happy to tell you that I’ll be putting up a few more Integrated Writing Practice tasks in the next few weeks! Watch this space, Mazdak. 🙂

Pratiksha Rijal Avatar

how to download the given audio? I need to download and copy it in the pen drive so as i can practice when internet connection is not available.

There’s a version of this track on Soundcloud that’s available for download. You can find the link to the track here: https://soundcloud.com/david-recine-1/comics . You’ll need to create a SoundCloud account if you don’t already have one. ( Registering for SoundCloud is fast, easy and free.)

dhani Avatar

i m not good listening practice and also i have problem in matching and choosing the correct point to reading passage how can i improve score

OK, if I understand correctly, you’re having trouble with the questions that come at the very end of a reading passage question set? The text insertion and prose summary ones? I recommend checking out our blog’s tutorials on those two question types. Here is our guide to TOEFL Reading prose summary strategy , and here’s our tutorial on TOEFL Reading text insertion . 🙂

Sanjay Paudel Avatar

The reading and the lecture are both about comic medium, which includes newspaper comic strips. The author of the reading believes that the comics are of unique American art form and that scholars all over the globe agree on this. The lecturer casts doubts on the claim made in the article. He thinks that when more study was done, scholars realized that the comic mediums were not uniquely American.

First of all, the author of the reading claims Hogan’s Alley to be the first commercially successful comic strip having first popular cartoon character. He believes that Hogan’s alley focused mainly on the lives of ordinary Americans and that the people involved in making it were all Americans. This point is challenged by the lecturer. He says that Hogan’s Alley was not the first successful comic strip with first famous cartoon character. He adds that during 1790’s many popular comic strips and popular comic character were from Europe, especially from Britain and Switzerland. He adds that the characters and publisher were not uniquely American but were immigrants as well. The publisher of Hogan’s Alley, Joseph Pulitzer was himself an immigrant from Hungary.

Secondly, the author states that the first popular action book comic was American which involved Superman – The first Superhero. He argues that the first popular action comic was American. The lecturer rebuts this argument. He suggests that 16 years before action comic was prevalent, Adventure of Tintin comic from Belgium was popular and it predates superman. He elaborates on this by mentioning that the artist of Superman was not from America but from Canada.

Finally, the author mentions that Americans devised and transferred the art form all around the world. He is of the opinion that Japanese comic strips were influenced by comic from America and that Americans created Disney character that was popular in Europe. The lecturer, on the other hand, feels that Japan and Europe were influenced by various other art forms. He says that Japan was highly influenced by the traditional Asian art and that the Disney characters popular in Europe were drawn in European style and art. He puts forth the idea that the comic strip is from all around the world and not only America.

Normally I don’t approve comments like this, since there isn’t time to review every sample essay that students try to post here. However, in this case, I’ve decided to approve this essay and give some feedback. Sanjay, I think this essay of yours can help other students who read the comments, for two reasons: First, it’s fairly well-written overall. Second, the mistakes you make are common ones. So let’s look at your strengths and weaknesses of this essay.

This essay is incredibly well organized! Sanjay, you did a great job of moving through both the lecture and the essay point-by-point. Also, the grammar and spelling is quite good— you do have a few mistakes in these errors, but the mistakes are so minimal, they’d have little or no impact on your TOEFL score.

WEAKNESSES Your biggest weakness is paraphrasing. Sometimes your wording was way too close to the original source material, so much so that your writing might be judged as plagiarism. This is especially noticeable in the second paragraph. (For more info, see my post on avoiding plagiarism on the TOEFL .) At other times, you misinterpreted information from the sources. For example, Superman was not the first successful action comic; “Action Comics” is the name of a publication, not a description of a kind of comic book.

Your transitions are a bit weak as well. Ideally, TOEFL scorers want to see transitions that are more descriptive— not just numerical words like “first” and “second.” For examples of more varied transitions, see the Magoosh TOEFL Writing Templates ebook, and check out Kate’s tutorial on TOEFL Writing transitions , and mine .

All in all, I’d put this essay in the 3.5-4 point range, per the official TOEFL Writing rubrics . Address those weak points, and you could get your score all the way up to a 5.

6666 Avatar

how many words should this part have?

The TOEFL doesn’t set any strict, official rules for word count in the TOEFL Integrated Writing Essay. However, ETS reports that most top-scoring Integrated Writing responses are between 150 and 225 words long.

Yash Avatar

Hey there David or Rachel….I don’t know with who am I talking with …:-) 🙂 But I wanted to ask you about the listening and reading sections. Do paragraphs appear while attending the question ?

Yes, you should be able to see the text (or a relevant portion of the text) when answering questions. 🙂

Aakash Avatar

The passage claims the idea that the comic medium is popularly American, However professor refutes each of the claims by saying that comic medium is not popularly American it is influenced by the whole world.

The passage claims that Hogan Alley the most popular comic of 1890’s was the first successful comic and was developed by Americans, However professor refutes this claim by saying that Hogan Alley was not the first successful comic , In 1970 many comic strips were originated in Europe which were popular and successful.

The passage states that Action comic series which introduced superman as a character was the first popular comic series developed by Americans in 1938, However professor refutes the claim by saying that in 1922 Tin-Tin published in Belgium was the most popular comic ever.

The passage posits that The Japanese comics which are popular throughout Europe are influenced by American art and literature, however professor refutes the claim of the passage by stating that Asterics the most popular Japanese comic was influenced by Canada not from US.

Thus the professor refutes the reading by illustrating some facts and states that the Comic medium is influenced by al over the world it is not popularly American.

Can you please rate this answer

Hi Aakash! Unfortunately, at the moment, we don’t offer a TOEFL essay review service. However, to help you evaluate your response, I recommend the following. First, check out David’s sample essay here . You can compare your structure and the points you make with what David wrote in his essay 🙂 Also, I highly recommend that you check out this page , where we provide some guidelines on how to evaluate your own essays. I hope this helps, at least a little!

Sebastian Avatar

One question regarding scoring: although the TOEFL OG recommends essays of 150-225 words for the Integrated Essay, do you think that length correlates with score?

My point is all things being equal (coherency, grammar, vocabulary), would a longer essay tend to score higher than an average one?

In other words, do you think it is worth it to push it to the 250+ words in order to try to get a higher score?

Thank you so much!

Hi Sebastian,

Once again, my statements regarding your identical question for the independent essay apply. In addition, on the integrated essay, including too much (say writing 350 words and covering 6 main points) can demonstrate a lack of concision and an inability to distill the most important points from many. As this test is aimed at demonstrating your ability to handle academic-style writing, you want to showcase this in addition to grammar, argumentation and organization.

I hope that helps! 🙂

Great! I will follow your piece of advice! Apologies for repeating the question. I jut thought that since they were two different tasks, they could yield two different tactics and maybe scoring system. I just wanted to post each question in the appropriate post.

Have a great week and thank you as usual!

No worries, Sebastian! I’m sure these comments will be useful for future students 🙂

Best of luck as you continue studying!

Jeffrey R Goddard Avatar

Call me petty, but I would just appreciate Americans like you being totally accurate with facts that you feel you can confidently, expertly provide as subject matter for something that should feel as authoritative as a “lecture”. Joe Shuster was Canadian half by birth and grew up in Canada right into his teens. This time also included his first exploits as a writer for a publication. So it would be nice not to see folks like you casually whitewashing Superman as a wholly American creation. If I tried to claim conversely that Superman was actually just a Canadian creation in basically the exact same way, I’m sure there’d be no end to the uproar. We also helped to give the world the phone and basketball, just in case you planned on overAmericanizing those facts in other tasks too…

Jeffrey, I definitely hear you on that, and I tried to touch on that in the lecture. FYI, although I wrote both the passage and the lecture script, the lecture– which refutes the idea that comics are a purely American art form– reflects my own personal opinions a bit more. On an additional personal note, many of my favorite comic books– and many comics I feel have had some of the greatest influence on the medium worldwide– are made by creators from Canada and other places not in the USA. 🙂

Denis Avatar

This example has made my day, I’ve spent all evening trying to understand the difference between the lecture and the reading and it has made it more clear than all materials i consulted . Thank you so much, Very helpful.

So glad this tutorial and sample lecture helped, Denis. I had fun putting it all together too. 🙂

Jimmy Avatar

Thank you so much Mr. Recine! This example was spot-on! 🙂

Paris Avatar

Thanks for this sample test. Where can i get more task 1 practice test for my students?

TOEFL Writing Task 1 practice can be a little hard to come by, since it takes a lot of time to put together a proper Writing Task 1 (a passage and a recorded audio lecture). For fast, free TOEFL Writing Task 1 prompts, I recommend TOEFL Quick Prep . The first volume of TOEFL Quick Prep has a Writing Task 1s that come with transcript only, and no actual audio. Fortunately, Magoosh has made unofficial audio for all of the transcript-only lectures in both Volume 1 and Volume 2 of Quick Prep. (See our unofficial audio for TOEFL Quick Prep Vol. 1 and TOEFL Quick Prep Vol. 2 .) You can also get access to some additional free Task 1s if you enroll in ETS’s free official online TOEFL course .

Beyond those resources, there are some good paid resources out there, such as ETS’s official TOEFL books: Official TOEFL iBT Tests Vol. 1 , Official TOEFL iBT Tests Vol. 2 , and The Official Guide to the TOEFL . TOEFL Preparation Online (TPO) is another potential source of high quality official ETS Writing Task 1 practice, although it’s a bit expensive.

Last but certainly not least, consider a subscription to Magoosh TOEFL , if you haven’t already. 🙂 We offer six practice TOEFL Writing Task 1s to our Premium students, as well as many other practice questions and video lessons for the test as a whole.

Shruti Avatar

The lecture challenges the points made in reading passage that comics strips and comics books are original art form from America, they started in America and comics created around the world are influenced by American comics.The lecture disputes the following claims made in the passage. First claim made in the passage is that the first famous comics strip was Hogan Alley and was published in 1890, however the lecture claims that it was not the first and further gives example for a comics published in 1790 in Europe. The characters in the Hogan Alley were immigrants and cartoonist RF Outcalt himself was an immigrant which means that the origin of the comics comes from another country. Second claim in the passage is that the first adventure comics published was in 1938 and was about Superman, lecture refutes the argument by giving example of comic book “Adventures of Tin Tin” which as Belgium origin and it predates Superman. Third claim made in the reading passage is that Japanese comics manga was influence by American, but the lecture contradicts it by claiming that it was influenced traditional Asian comics The last claim made in the passage is that European comics is also influenced by American comics, the lecture clarifies that by the example that even though the disney characters are famous in Europe but these characters are written as European disney characters by the Europeans. In conclusion, the lecture says that comics art were not first originated in America but they did exist in the world much before the comics became famous in America and that the comics around the globe is not influenced by American comics.

kumar Avatar

The passage and the lecture are both about the originality of comics. The author of the text states that all comics have been influenced by early American art forms. The lecturer, however, strongly disagrees with this idea. To begin, the text points out that the Japanese version of comics, called ‘manga’ were derived from the American comics. They had been taken to Japan after World War two. The lecturer contradicts this claim. He says that the manga relates more to Asian arts than American . Secondly, the author details how Disney inspired the many famous European comic series. He gives examples of Smurfs and Asterix, and how they are very popular. To this, the lecturer differs explaining how the writings, like hash-tag are European styled. Finally, detailing the studies made by scholars on America’s role in early comic industry, the author stamps comics as America’s undeniable creations. Despite this, the professor shuts down these data as rubbish. He explores the history of comics, and how there were many European comics before the start of American ones. In addition, he says that many original American comics were created by immigrants.

Maxime Avatar

Both the reading and the lecture discuss the real origin of comic books and their history. The auther of the reading suggests that comics originally are an amercican art. However the proffesor explains that comics medea is an art actually shared by the whole world. First of all, according to the reading hongn’s aley is the fist popular strip figure disigned by an american. But the lecture opposes to this statement and explains that in fact alley was not the firt influencial strip caracter know world wild but actually lots of caracters made by imigrants from switserland had been there befoor him Secondly, the reading states that popular action comics books were invented by americans. Though the lecture points out that exion comics such as tintin, written in 1922 predated befoor the outcomming of for example spiderman. Finally, the author suggests that american comic strips as for example disney inspiered the creation of mangas on the other side of the world. Oposing to this, the speaker explains that disney had american caracters but the comics are actually made by europeens and traditional asian art developd on its own

Rk Avatar

Hi, would like to have some feedback. Here’s my response: The reading and the lecture are about comics. The reading as well as the lecture have specific mentions and opposing views about the origin and spread in popularity of comics The writer of the passage puts forth the point that comics are a purely American art form. In contrast, the lecture provides proofs against this idea. Firstly, the passage mentions the first commercially successful comic strip Hogan’s Alley. According to the passage, it dealt with ordinary Americans, was set in New York and published by American publishers. However, the lecture mentions that it was not the first commercially popular comic strip and that its publisher was an immigrant from Hungary. Second, the passage refers to “Action comics”, which featured Superman, as the first popular comic book in the world. The lecture refutes this point by saying that “Action comics” was not the first popular comic book. Tintin was published in Belgium 16 years before it and it is still popular. Also, even the artist of Superman was from Canada. Lastly, the passage mentions that comics were invented in America and then exported to the rest of the world. But the lecture opposes this idea by saying that traditional Asian art has more influence on comics than any other art has. Moreover, though the Disney characters were written in America, they were written and drawn by European creators. Thus, they were not truly American. This is how the lecture refutes the key points in the passage.

Hi Rk! Unfortunately, at the moment, we don’t offer a TOEFL essay review service. However, to help you evaluate your response, I recommend the following. First, check out David’s sample essay here . You can compare your structure and the points you make with what David wrote in his essay 🙂 Also, I highly recommend that you check out this page , where we provide some guidelines on how to evaluate your own essays. I hope this helps, at least a little!

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example of integrated essay toefl

This is TestGlider blog discussing TOEFL and IELTS.

How to Write a TOEFL Integrated Essay

example of integrated essay toefl

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

TOEFL Writing Integrated Reading Passage

Despite the worldly fame of William Shakespeare’s literary works, little is known about his life. Most of the facts we know are simply theories and rumors. The lack of specific records created many doubts about Shakespeare’s existence. Some have been arguing that there were other people who actually wrote the works under Shakespeare’s name. The first candidate is Francis Bacon, who was a famous scientist, theorist, and philosopher in the 16th century. This theory gained support because of the legal references indicated in Shakespeare’s plays and poems. For example, some of Shakespeare’s poems such as “Venus and Adonis” and “The Rape of Lucrece” imply legal ideas that Francis Bacon was known to support. The second candidate is Christopher Marlowe, who was a playwright and poet that lived in the same period as Shakespeare. Marlowe’s death is thought to be linked to the birth of the Shakespeare name. Some people believe that his death was faked to allow him to escape religious trials. He is then thought to have used the name of William Shakespeare to continue writing. The third candidate is Edward de Vere, an English nobleman who worked as a courtier in the 16th century. Back then, the writings of the authors that were from the noble class were restricted to a private audience. Edward de Vere was also one of those authors. Since he wasn’t able to take credit for his writing publically, many claim that Edward de Vere used a false name, William Shakespeare, to reach a broader audience. This enabled him to receive the spotlight and create famous masterpieces.
Although there is no clear historical evidence that proves William Shakespeare’s existence, the theories in the reading about the identity behind the Shakespeare name are full of errors. First of all, even though Francis Bacon and Shakespeare shared similar legal ideas, Francis Bacon’s academic background contradicts some of the scientific ideas in Shakespeare’s works. For instance, certain parts in Shakespeare’s canon and plays show a misunderstanding of the mainstream scientific beliefs of the time that Francis Bacon would not have had. Especially about astronomy beliefs, we can know that the ideas of these two figures don’t match. Next, Christopher Marlowe’s death has nothing to do with Shakespeare. All the plays Marlowe wrote were published under his own name after his death in 1593, which was very unlikely to happen for a person who was regarded as a religious criminal. Meanwhile, 37 other plays and 154 sonnets were published under the name of William Shakespeare. This theory doesn’t make sense because there was no reason for Marlowe to use a different name. And lastly, Edward de Vere couldn’t have used the name of Shakespeare because he died before the time some of Shakespeare’s works were newly published. Evidence clearly shows that many of Shakespeare’s plays and poems such as Macbeth, King Lear, and Tempest were written and revised in 1621, which is long after Edward de Vere died in 1604. Even if someone else had given the works to the publishers instead, revising them would have been quite impossible because no one would know what kind of stories Shakespeare wanted to publish.

Model Answer:

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

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

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

example of integrated essay toefl

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

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

Moving on to the body paragraphs:

example of integrated essay toefl

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

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

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

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

example of integrated essay toefl

Last is the conclusion paragraph:

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

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

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

example of integrated essay toefl

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

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Sample TOEFL Integrated Writing Task

TOEFL-Integrated-Writing-Task

The TOEFL test consists of four sections – Reading , Listening , Speaking and Writing . In the Writing Section, you will need to do two tasks – an Integrated Task and an Independent Task . The time to complete both tasks is 50 minutes and you are advised to spend 20 minutes on the Integrated Task and 30 minutes on the Independent Task. Let’s take a look at a sample question for the Integrated Task in the TOEFL Writing Section .

For the Integrated Task , you will have to read a passage and listen to an audio recording first before you start writing. The reading passage and the audio recording will be on the same topic but will have differing views. You task is to summarize and compare these two prompts. You will be able to refer to the reading passage as you write your essay, but you will only hear the audio recording once. The time given to write your essay is 20 minutes and you will need to write a minimum of 150 words.

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Reading passage        Critics say that current voting systems used in the United States are inefficient and often lead to the inaccurate counting of votes. Miscounts can be especially damaging if an election is closely contested. Those critics would like the traditional systems to be replaced with far more efficient and trustworthy computerized voting systems.        In traditional voting, one major source of inaccuracy is that people accidentally vote for the wrong candidate. Voters usually have to find the name of their candidate on a large sheet of paper containing many names—the ballot—and make a small mark next to that name. People with poor eyesight can easily mark the wrong name. The computerized voting machines have an easy-to-use touch-screen technology: to cast a vote, a voter needs only to touch the candidate’s name on the screen to record a vote for that candidate; voters can even have the computer magnify the name for easier viewing.        Another major problem with old voting systems is that they rely heavily on people to count the votes. Officials must often count up the votes one by one, going through every ballot and recording the vote. Since they have to deal with thousands of ballots, it is almost inevitable that they will make mistakes. If an error is detected, a long and expensive recount has to take place. In contrast, computerized systems remove the possibility of human error, since all the vote counting is done quickly and automatically by the computers. Finally some people say it is too risky to implement complicated voting technology nationwide. But without giving it a thought, governments and individuals alike trust other complex computer technology every day to be perfectly accurate in banking transactions as well as in the communication of highly sensitive information.

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

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

TIME : 20 minutes RECOMMENDED ESSAY LENGTH : 150-225 words

Changes-TOEFL-Writing-Section

4 thoughts on “Sample TOEFL Integrated Writing Task”

the reading and lecture comparing about the voting system by using a computer or traditionally. in the passage author prefers the computerized voting system. in contrast, the speaker refuses the claim made in the passage. first, according to the speaker, casting the vote by using a computer is not easy for those who have no idea to operate the computer. those who have no computer are discouraged from voting. which is challenged to the author who emphasizes the computer voting is easier for anyone since it has overcome the difficulties of searching the name of the candidate in the huge name list. the passage also claims there might be a potential mistake while casting vote on paper since there is a small tick mark which might be confusing to the people having poor sight. second, the lecture corrects the author’s opinions about the effective counting capability of computing than counting manually. the speaker claims that the computer is programmed by human and there might be human error associates with. the error made in manual counting is less significant than the error in counting by computing. manual counting may alter a few balots whereas counting by machine alters thousands of balots. If there is a mistake in the counting of balot, the situation will be complex because there is no record of balot in the computer voting system. third, people use computing banking and other financial activity daily. they trust the computing system. the author claims. in another hand, the lecture casts doubt on this. the speaker says that the use of computer paying system is done daily and the error associating can find out and eliminate as soon as possible. but the election is done every 2 years so the error associates with the computer vote-counting system can’t be detected and avoided.

This reading and lecture are comparing the voting system by using a computer or traditionally. In the passage, the author said the traditional voting should be replaced by a far more efficient and trustworthy computerized voting because the Voters usually have to find the name of their candidate on a large sheet of paper containing many names—the ballot—and make a small mark next to that name. People with poor eyesight can easily mark the wrong name. But the lecturer said computerized voting may seem easy but not everyone has the luxury of using a computer or even affording one but does that mean they can’t vote? and these voters can cast the vote wrong or get discouraged because of the fear of technology. Every citizen has the right to vote, and the only way that makes everyone on the same level is by voting traditionally. Furthermore, people indeed make mistakes while counting the votes, but does that mean computers are perfect? After all, computers are programmed by humans, so human error can occur in the program and that can be far more serious. Errors in computers can result in miscounted votes or remove all records of votes and a computer recount in the case of a suspected error is impossible! but if there is a discount in the traditional voting system, the tellers can just recount them. Finally, the author said it is too risky to implement complicated voting technology nationwide. But without giving it a thought, governments and individuals alike trust other complex computer technology every day to be perfectly accurate in banking transactions as well as in the communication of highly sensitive information. but the lecturer said these systems are used daily and they are used heavily. They didn’t work flawlessly when they were first introduced. They had to be improved on and improved on until they got as reliable as they are today. But voting happens only once every two years nationally in the United States and not much more than twice a year in many local areas. This is hardly sufficient for us to develop confidence that computerized voting can be fully trusted.

The author and the lecturer both express about the computerized voting systems. The reading explains that the use of computers will simplify the way of counting votes and take little time to accomplish the work. The speaker in the lectures opposes this idea in three different ways. The reading argued that the use of computers will be easier and help the votes not to be destroyed at the end of the work. The lecturer sees this in different ways as he says that the use of compurers will be difficult for those who are technophobic and have the problem of eysesight. Second, the reading explains that the use of a computer will reduce counting errors. This idea was opposed by the lecturer when he explain that computers were made by humans so they can make the same errors as other people do. Finally, the writers express that it’s better to belives in traditional ways of counting votes because is the way which is safe more than computers from banks because it needs to be changed always while voting was mad once in more than three years

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Sample Essays for the Writing Section of the TOEFL® Test

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

Did you hear about the updated TOEFL iBT Writing section?

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

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

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

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

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

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

Simple, right?

No? Still confused.

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

Let’s do one together.

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

Give yourself three minutes to read it:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stop reading.

Start writing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

example of integrated essay toefl

Looking for more example essays?

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

Too complicated? Don’t worry.

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

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

Writing for an Academic Discussion Question

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

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

Here’s the breakdown:

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

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

example of integrated essay toefl

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

Aim to write at least 120 words.

example of integrated essay toefl

Get peace of mind with these TOEFL Writing Templates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other articles

Ten Awsome Tips for the Writing Section of the TOEFL Test

100 Free Questions for the Listening Section of the TOEFL Test

Check other articles on TOEFL

109 Comments

Abdul Siyar Azizi

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

Josh

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

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

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

Ireen

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

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

Sarah

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

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

Lobna

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

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

Ashina

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

Hi there Ashina, and thank you for your question.

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

HOW TO DO A PASSAGE

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

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

2. Check your answers

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

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

TIME MANAGEMENT

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

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

Kiba

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

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

Joud

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

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

Aziz

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

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

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TOEFL Prep Online Guides and Tips

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

example of integrated essay toefl

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

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

An Introduction to the TOEFL Writing Topics

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

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

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

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

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

By the way: we have built the world's best online TOEFL course . Get online practice (TPO-sytle!) and individual grading and feedback on Speaking and Writing.

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

Official Integrated Writing Prompt Sample

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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

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

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

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

Directions: Below is the transcript.

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

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

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

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

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

RESPONSE TIME: 20 minutes

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

What to Expect From TOEFL Integrated Writing Topics

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

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

How to Approach the Integrated Writing Task

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

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

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TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

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

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

Official Independent Writing Prompt Sample

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

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

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

Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

What to Expect From TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

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

Type 1: Agree or Disagree

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

Type 2: Explain Both Sides

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

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

Type 3: Pick a Stance From Many Options

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

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

How to Approach the Independent Writing Task

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

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

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Sample TOEFL Writing Topics

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

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

TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

#1: agree or disagree prompt.

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

#2: Explain Both Sides Prompt

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

#3: Pick a Stance From Many Options

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

TOEFL Integrated Writing Topic

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

Reading Passage

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

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

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

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

Lecture Transcript

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

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

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

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Review: What Will You See on TOEFL Writing Topics?

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

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

What’s Next?

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

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

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

Ready to improve your TOEFL score by 15 points?

example of integrated essay toefl

Author: Christine Sarikas

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

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TOEFL Sample Essays

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  • Updated on  
  • Jul 14, 2023

TOEFL Sample Essays

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) conducts the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and those planning to study abroad undertake this esteemed language proficiency exam. Among the English proficiency tests TOEFL is a widely accepted one. It aims to assess candidates on four parameters, i.e. Reading , Writing, Speaking and Listening.

Essays are a part of the Writing section of the exam. Also, according to the recent changes in the TOEFL exam pattern, the most fundamental change has happened in the writing section. Therefore, for all the aspirants preparing to get their dream score in this exam, here is a blog to providing with various TOEFL sample essays and preparation tips for the updated writing section of the test.

This Blog Includes:

Toefl exam changes in the writing section, toefl writing samples- task 1, toefl sample essays: writing task 2, toefl sample essay type, toefl sample essay list, toefl writing tips .

The TOEFL exam section is now only 1 hour 56 minutes long in duration. Hence, the exam sections underwent several developments to incorporate such a change, except for the Speaking Section, which remained the same. The writing section of the exam received some changes as well. Here are the changes that were made.

  • The duration of the writing section is reduced to 29 minutes .
  • The sections still contain 2 tasks. One is an integrated task but the other independent writing task has been transformed into a writing for academic discussions .
  • The new task is also a single writing task for which the candidates are given a lecture excerpt from a professor accompanied by some opinions by other students.
  • The candidates have to write their own opinion and give supporting arguments for the same.
  • The task will be evaluated for the candidate’s ability to understand the classroom environment and ability to understand along with other parameters.
  • Other factors such as allotted scores will remain the same.

New TOEFL writing task sample by ETS

Recommended Read: TOEFL Registration

TOEFL Writing Task 1- TOEFL Integrated Writing Task

The first TOEFL Writing task is Integrated Writing. This task expects you to use your reading, writing and listening skills. In this, you first read a short passage for three minutes, then you listen to an audio clip of the speaker discussing the same passage. Now you get 20 minutes to respond to the question with reference from these two sources.

During your answer, you can read the passage again but cannot listen to the clip again. The examiners mark this section from 0-5 and they judge you not only on your writing skills but also on your reading and listening skills.

The following Sample is from the official website of TOEFL iBT :

Were Dinosaurs Endotherms?

Reading passage: .

Endotherms are animals such as modern birds and mammals that keep their body temperatures constant. For instance, humans are endotherms and maintain an internal temperature of 37°C, no matter whether the environment is warm or cold. Because dinosaurs were reptiles, and modern reptiles are not endotherms, it was long assumed that dinosaurs were not endotherms. However, dinosaurs differ in many ways from modern reptiles, and there is now considerable evidence that dinosaurs were, in fact, endotherms. Polar dinosaurs One reason for believing that dinosaurs were endotherms is that dinosaur fossils have been discovered in polar regions. Only animals that can maintain a temperature well above that of the surrounding environment could be active in such cold climates. Leg position and movement There is a connection between endothermy and the position and movement of the legs. The physiology of endothermy allows sustained physical activity, such as running. But running is efficient only if an animal’s legs are positioned underneath its body, not at the body’s side, as they are for crocodiles and many lizards. The legs of all modern endotherms are underneath the body, and so were the legs of dinosaurs. This strongly suggests that dinosaurs were endotherms. Haversian canals There is also a connection between endothermy and bone structure. The bones of endotherms usually include structures called Haversian canals. These canals house nerves and blood vessels that allow the living animal to grow quickly, and rapid body growth is a characteristic of endothermy. The presence of Haversian canals in bone is a strong indicator that the animal is an endotherm, and fossilized bones of dinosaurs are usually dense with Haversian canals. 

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

[Professor] Many scientists have problems with the arguments you read in the passage. They don’t think those arguments prove that dinosaurs were endotherms. Take the polar dinosaur argument. When dinosaurs lived, even the polar regions where dinosaur fossils have been found were much warmer than today—warm enough during part of the year for animals that were not endotherms to live. And during the months when the polar regions were cold, the so-called polar dinosaurs could have migrated to warmer areas or hibernated as many modern reptiles do. So the presence of dinosaur fossils in polar regions doesn’t prove the dinosaurs were endotherms. Well, what about the fact that dinosaurs had their legs placed under their bodies, not out to the side, like a crocodile’s? That doesn’t necessarily mean dinosaurs were high-energy endotherms built for running. There’s another explanation for having legs under the body: this body structure supports more weight. So with legs under their bodies, dinosaurs could grow to a very large size. Being largely had advantages for dinosaurs, so we don’t need the idea of endothermy and running to explain why dinosaurs evolved to have their legs under their bodies. OK, so how about bone structure? Many dinosaur bones do have Haversian canals, that’s true, but dinosaur bones also have growth rings. Growth rings are a thickening of the bone that indicates periods of time when the dinosaurs weren’t rapidly growing. These growth rings are evidence that dinosaurs stopped growing or grew more slowly during cooler periods. This pattern of periodic growth—you know, rapid growth followed by no growth or slow growth and then rapid growth again—is characteristic of animals that are not endotherms. Animals that maintain a constant body temperature year-round, as true endotherms do, grow rapidly even when the environment becomes cool. 

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

Life on Mars 

For years, scientists have been trying to discover whether life exists on Mars. Most have concluded that the Martian environment today is too harsh to support living organisms. However, three recent discoveries lend support to the idea that there may very well be life on Mars after all. First, large amounts of methane have been detected in the Martian atmosphere. This suggests the presence of living methanogens, tiny organisms that release methane into the atmosphere as a by-product of their life processes. Methanogens get their energy from hydrogen in rocks and do not need oxygen or sunlight to live, so they can survive in harsh environments like Mars. Since methane can remain in Mars’ atmosphere only for a few centuries after it’s created, these methanogens must be present and producing methane today.             

Second, the existence of life on Mars is also strongly supported by a meteorite discovered in Antarctica in 1996. The particular chemical composition of this meteorite indicates that it is a rock from the surface of Mars. The meteorite also contains chemically pure and flawless crystals of the compound magnetite. Such magnetite crystals are produced in nature only by bacteria. Third, observations of hydrogen on Mars made in 2001 by NASA’s Mars Odyssey spacecraft suggest the presence of liquid water there that could support organisms. The spacecraft detected the hydrogen in the top layer of Martian soil. This hydrogen is just what one would expect if there were liquid water under the surface. A subterranean reservoir of liquid water is an extremely suitable environment for microscopic life. 

Listening: 

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

[Professor] Mars is a very unfriendly place for life. The evidence that has been put forward as supporting there being life on Mars is actually very ambiguous. The facts as we know them can easily be accounted for without supposing life on Mars. First, methanogens are not necessarily the source of methane. Methane can be produced by non-biological processes like volcanic eruptions. The same experiments that detected the atmospheric methane also indicated recent volcano activity. Moreover, unlike methanogens, volcanoes have actually been found on Mars. So since no methanogens have been found yet, it’s more likely that volcanoes are the source of Mars’s methane. Second, while the magnetite crystals found in the meteorite from Mars were probably made by bacteria, there is no indication that the bacteria themselves originated on Mars. The meteorite arrived on Earth about 13,000 years ago, which means it has had thousands of years to become exposed to bacteria on Earth. So it could have been bacteria on Earth that formed the crystals we now observe. Indeed, recent research performed on the meteorite found that, in fact, it has become contaminated by Earth bacteria. Since the sample has been contaminated, the magnetite crystals on the meteorite cannot be used as evidence of life on Mars. Third, what about the supposed existence of liquid water near enough to the surface of Mars to support life? The recent investigations of Mars detected hydrogen; they didn’t detect liquid water per se. It’s actually much more likely that if there’s any water close to the Martian surface, it’s frozen; in other words, it’s ice, not liquid water. And that’s not a great environment for life. 

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

TOEFL Writing Task 2- TOEFL Writing on Academic Discussion

The second task of writing for an academic discussion is the independent writing task. In this, you will be asked a question on a particular topic or issue. You will get around 10 minutes to write your views on the topic and explain your opinion. You must give reasons for your opinion with logical arguments.

Also Read: TOEFL Sample Test

Now that you know the key tips and tricks, take a look at the following TOEFL sample essays to understand the format, structure and style of writing that will get you a higher score: 

Exploring TOEFL Sample Essays? You must also check out IELTS Sample Essays!

Here is a type of Questions that can be asked in the Independent Writing Task:

  • Motion For or Against a Topic
  • Explaining both sides of a topic
  • Choosing your stance from different options
  • What are your observations on the effects of widespread use of the internet?
  • Movies and television tend to create certain notions of a perfect lifestyle/human being. How would you elucidate that?
  • Do you agree or disagree with the idea that young people can teach older people?
  • What do you think is the impact of the place in which a person spends his/her childhood?
  • Parents are the best teachers. What’s your take on that?
  • Do you believe that technology is helping people connect on a deeper level?
  • What do you think brings out better solutions? A group or an individual?
  • If you could change one thing about your family what would it be and why?
  • At some point or other, you’ll have a co-worker in your life. What measures will you take to bring out the best in both of you?
  • If your school announced that students with low GPAs will be kicked out of the school. What will you do in response to the situation?
  • What’s your take on the compulsion for traditional schooling? What do you think will happen if we start studying whatever we want by ourselves?

The writing section is an integral part of language proficiency assessments. Thus, it becomes important to work on your writing skills as well as vocabulary and grammar before appearing for the exam. Here are the best TOEFL preparation tips for the writing section which will surely help you gain your desired score:

  • You must wisely utilize your time and keep in mind that you only have 20 minutes to draft a 250-word essay.
  • Take precise notes of the audio passage which will help you while writing the essay.
  • Do not construct long and complex sentences but adhere to a simpler and concise style of writing.
  • While writing the essay where you are asked to present your views on one side of an argument, do not dwell on both sides. Stick to one opinion and elaborate on the same.  
  • Conclude each body paragraph with a precise sentence. 
  • Using transitional words will help you connect better with the situation. 

Also Read: TOEFL Preparation Tips

  • TOEFL Speaking Topics
  • Common Mistakes Made in TOEFL Listening Section and How to Avoid Them
  • All you Need to Know About TOEFL
  • IELTS vs TOEFL
  • TOEFL Sample Speaking Questions
  • TOEFL Reading Practice
  • TOEFL Test Centres
  • TOEFL iBT Vs TOEFL PBT
  • Top Universities Accepting TOEFL Scores

There are a few things to keep in mind as you write the body paragraphs: Use a mix of simple, compound and complex sentences. Emphasize the examples. … Avoid very short sentences (less than seven words) and very long sentences (more than 60 words). Don’t start sentences with coordinating conjunctions.

The introduction is the most important paragraph of your TOEFL essay. The first paragraph of the essay. Usually 3 to 5 sentences long. Introduces the essay topic. Clearly gives your opinion. Has a strong thesis statement.

You can use percentiles to determine what a “good” TOEFL Writing score is. You might define “good” as anything that’s above average, or the 50th percentile. Using that definition, any scaled Writing score higher than 22 would be a good score.

Candidates who want to prepare for TOEFL or any other language proficiency test, can Build a plan with Leverage Edu‘s Leverage Live classes and our top trainers and strengthen your English score as well as your application so that you can secure your spot in your dream college.

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Test Resources

TOEFL® Resources by Michael Goodine

Sample toefl integrated essay, the question.

This integrated (Type 1) writing question is taken from a Chinese textbook which you probably will not be able to find. I am not permitted to print the lecture and reading here, but if you need some practice tests I highly recommend buying the Official TOEFL iBT Tests Collection  from  ETS .  It’s an excellent source of actual TOEFL tests.

Special Offer: TOEFL Essay Evaluation and Scoring

You can now sign up to have your practice essays evaluated and scored by me!  This service is a great way to learn how you will do before test day and how you can best prepare for the big day. Sign up today .

The Sample Essay

          The reading and the lecture are both about whether monarch butterfly populations are declining, and whether herbicides should be banned in order to save them.  The author of the reading believes that  herbicides should not be banned.  The lecturer casts doubt on the claims made in the article.  She thinks that herbicides pose a serious threat to the butterflies and should be outlawed.

          First of all, the author claims that no overall decline in monarch butterfly populations has been observed in North America.  He notes that populations in certain areas have dropped, but that these have been offset by gains in other locations.  This point is challenged by the lecturer. She says because the butterflies are extremely territorial, it is very easy for biologists to count them.  Furthermore, she points out that a very clear drop in monarch butterfly populations has, in fact, been measured.

          Secondly, the author states that herbicides kill the milkweed that butterflies consume, but that plenty of it still remains in the wild for them to feed on.  He argues that herbicides have not caused a general decline in milkweed availability, but just a decline on commercial farmland.  This argument is rebutted by the lecturer.  She suggests that it is a well-known fact that America is rapidly losing rural land because of urban sprawl.  She notes that this effect has led to a very real decline of milkweed availability in rural areas.

          Finally, the author mentions that the attempt to ban herbicides is based on emotion rather than evidence and research.  He is of the opinion that people only want to ban the herbicides because they affect the food of their beloved butterflies.  The lecturer, on the other hand, feels that the move to ban herbicides is based on a rational examination of the evidence available.  She puts forth the idea that we know the herbicides affect milkweed and  we know that butterflies consume milkweed, so we can logically assume that the herbicides are detrimental to the insects.

This is a sample TOEFL integrated essay written by a TOEFL expert.  It follows our TOEFL writing templates for integrated essays.  If you find it useful, please remember that we have many more sample essays  for you to read!

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  2. Ultimate Guide to TOEFL Integrated Writing: Tips and Practice

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  3. Master the TOEFL Integrated Writing Section

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  4. 45 SAMPLE TOEFL INTEGRATED ESSAY

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  5. Example of TOEFL Integrated Essay Editing

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  6. TOEFL Essay 011_020

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  3. TOEFL SESSION 18 WRITING- INTEGRATED WRITING QUESTION (IN ENGLISH)

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  5. TOEFL Writing Question 1: Sample w/Answer!

  6. How to write a TOEFL Integrated Essay

COMMENTS

  1. How to Write a Fantastic TOEFL Integrated Essay (2023)

    Here's how the TOEFL Integrated Essay works: It is the first writing task on the TOEFL test. First, you will have three minutes to read an article (four paragraphs, 250 to 300 words) about an academic topic. Next, you will listen to a lecture (about 2 minutes) about the same topic. Finally, you will have 20 minutes to write an essay about the ...

  2. 2 Perfect-Scoring TOEFL Writing Samples, Analyzed

    Below is an official TOEFL Integrated Writing sample question and as well as an essay response that received a score of 5. It includes a written passage, the transcript of a conversation (which would be an audio recording on the actual TOEFL, and the essay prompt. After the prompt is an example of a top-scoring essay.

  3. TOEFL Integrated Writing Task 2023

    The TOEFL integrated writing task is the first of the two writing tasks in the TOEFL exam. It's designed to assess your ability to combine listening and reading skills to write a coherent and well-structured essay. Here's a detailed breakdown: Reading passage: A passage around 200-250 words long is provided.

  4. Ultimate Guide to TOEFL Integrated Writing: Tips and Practice

    The TOEFL Integrated Writing task is the first of two Writing tasks. For this task, you must combine your reading, listening, and writing skills to produce a compelling essay that compares a passage with a lecture on the same topic. In order to get a high score on TOEFL Integrated Writing, try to practice with high-quality resources.

  5. TOEFL Integrated Writing Task 2023: Examples & Sample Essays

    Here, candidates must begin writing integrated task TOEFL with a sentence like: The lecture and the reading passage both talk about (topic). The articles support the thought that (thought) and/but the lecturer feels that (sayings). The lecturer and the author agree/disagree on points 1/2/3, which I have discussed in detail in the following essay.

  6. TOEFL Writing Task 1: The TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice Task

    This first task in TOEFL Writing really is all about note-taking, paraphrasing, and reporting. Read on to learn all about TOEFL Writing Task 1! The TOEFL Integrated Writing Task requires you to read a passage that is about 250-300 words long. You then must listen to a lecture that is 2 to 2.5 minutes long. The lecture will challenge or disagree ...

  7. Writing the TOEFL Integrated Essay Without Fear: A 7-step Plan

    You will want to write your essay in your own words, anyway. 4. Find the Connection Between the Reading and Listening. The goal of the TOEFL Integrated essay is to consider how the reading and listening passages connect to each other. Take a look at the claims that you identified in the reading and listening passages.

  8. How to Write a TOEFL Integrated Essay

    How to Write a TOEFL Integrated Essay. The writing section is the final section of the TOEFL test. It has 2 different question types, and you get one question from each question type in your test. You only get 20 minutes for question 1 and 30 minutes for question 2, so it can be difficult at first to come up with a high-scoring essay within ...

  9. How to Write a Great TOEFL Integrated Essay in 2022

    It's my guide to the TOEFL integrated essay, updated for 2022. This video describes how ETS designs the question, provides a sample question and gives you a...

  10. PDF TOEFL iBT® Writing Practice Questions

    Writing Practice Set 2 (Independent): Question. Directions: Read the question below. Give yourself 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise your essay. Typically, an effective response will contain a minimum of 300 words.

  11. Complete TOEFL Essay Templates (2023 Update)

    Your TOEFL integrated essay should be about 280 to 300 words. To see this template in use, check out my collection of sample essays. Writing for Academic Discussion (Writing Question Two) Here's a template that focuses on expanding on and challenging the points mentioned by the other students.

  12. TOEFL Writing Sample Essays

    TOEFL Writing Introduction. The writing section is the fourth section of the TOEFL iBT test and takes about 50 minutes to complete. It consists of two separate tasks: an Integrated Writing task and an Academic Discussion Writing task.The Independent task requires you to write an opinionated essay based on your own knowledge and experience, whereas the Integrated task requires you to write a ...

  13. Sample Practice TOEFL Integrated Writing Task with Question

    The time given to write your essay is 20 minutes and you will need to write a minimum of 150 words. Here is a sample question for this task. Please take note that the audio recording is presented as a transcript here but in the actual test, you will not see this transcript but will only hear it. TOEFL Integrated Writing Task sample.

  14. 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.

  15. PDF TOEFL iBT® Writing Practice Questions

    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.

  16. Master the New TOEFL Writing Section in 2024, Test Resources

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

  17. Sample Essays for the Writing Section of the TOEFL Test ( )

    Here's an expert TOEFL teacher's sample essay to this particular TOEFL Writing topic. The article introduces the topic of corn-based ethanol. More specifically, the writer discusses the advantages of switching from fossil fuels to this alternative energy source. The lecturer in the listening passage disagrees.

  18. The Best TOEFL Writing Templates for Any Prompt

    So far we've covered all of the basic components of the TOEFL Writing tasks. To briefly recap, here is an overview of the Integrated and Independent Writing tasks: Integrated Writing Task. Independent Writing Task. Time. 3 minutes to read a passage, 20 minutes to write a response. 30 minutes to write a response.

  19. Sample TOEFL Integrated Essay

    The Sample Essay. The reading and the lecture are both about the consumption of wheat by humans in the pre-historic period. The author of the reading believes that bread was the first product produced from wheat. The lecturer casts doubt on the claims made in the article. She thinks that, in fact, beer was the first product that resulted from ...

  20. 13 TOEFL Writing Topics to Help You Practice for the Exam

    We end with a set of 13 unique sample essay prompts, including both TOEFL Independent Writing prompts and Integrated Writing prompts so that you can prepare with high-quality practice problems. An Introduction to the TOEFL Writing Topics. The TOEFL Writing section is 50 minutes long and contains two tasks: Integrated Writing and Independent ...

  21. TOEFL Sample Essays: Writing Topics & Samples

    Among the English proficiency tests TOEFL is a widely accepted one. It aims to assess candidates on four parameters, i.e. Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. Essays are a part of the Writing section of the exam. Also, according to the recent changes in the TOEFL exam pattern, the most fundamental change has happened in the writing section.

  22. Sample TOEFL Integrated Essay

    This is a sample TOEFL integrated essay written by a TOEFL expert. It follows our TOEFL writing templates for integrated essays. If you find it useful, please remember that we have many more sample essays for you to read! Sample TOEFL Integrated Essay The Question This integrated (Type 1) writing question is taken from a Chinese textbook which ...