2019-05-16 TOEFL: writing practice

Greg Malivuk
gmalivuk@staffordhouse.com
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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Homework: register at ed.ted.com and take notes on an older video of your choice
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How is TED-Ed similar to or different from TOEFL listening?
- Harder, because every detail is more important to catch. (Important information is “denser” in them.)
- Easier, because they speak more clearly.
- Harder, because they don’t say some things that they show in the animation, whereas everything in TOEFL has to be spoken.
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Look at your partner’s notes and try to answer the comprehension questions about the video.
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Look at your writing feedback from last week. Do you understand why you received those scores?
Common problems:
word forms = adjectives, nouns, verbs, adverbs (The most common mistake was switching adjective and noun forms.)
singular/plural and subject-verb agreement = This usually means problems with -s endings on nouns and verbs.
participle forms = bored/boring, surprised/surprising
	(-ing forms go with the agent of the verb; -ed forms go with the receiver of the verb)
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Writing Section: fourth and final section, 55 minutes, 2 tasks, 50 minutes of writing time
1 integrated: 3 minutes to read a text, listen to a lecture about the same topic, 20 minutes to write
	You need to understand not just what the topic is, but what each passage says about it.
2 independent: choice question prompt; 30 minutes to write and support your choice
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There are basically two types of choice question:
- agree/disagree: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?”
- some people / other people: “Some people believe…. Others prefer…. Which do you agree with?”
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The prompt always ends with, “Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.”
There is also a note that “Typically, an effective response will contain a minimum of 300 words.”
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How should the independent response be organized?
- Like a typical 5-paragraph essay.
1 Introduction: thesis statement, background on the topic, summary of the options you’re choosing between, lead-in (This should make it clear what question you’re answering even to someone who didn’t read the same prompt.)
2-4 Body: state the reasons for your opinion, show that the reasons are true, show that they support your thesis
5 Conclusion: restate your thesis and summarize your reasons, wrap-up/generalization - give the reader something to take away (this is often a prediction or a recommendation or suggestion for the reader)
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You can use transitions and expressions to make a framework for your response before you start addinjg details:

Some people think
Others believe
In my opinion
I have three reasons for this

First,
For example,
This means

Second,
For instance,
On the other hand,
Therefore,

Finally,
To illustrate,
Consequently,

In conclusion
because
In the future,
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Timing (after you read and understand the question):

3-5 minutes - brainstorm possible reasons for both options and some supporting details and examples, choose an option and the 2-3 reasons that you can best support, write a short outline
15 minutes - write the thesis statement, and then spend 5 minutes on each body paragraph (or up to 7.5 if you only have two); move onto the next paragraph after that time, even if you’re not finished
3 minutes - write a short conclusion
3 minutes - write more of an introduction and a lead-in sentence
4-6 minutes - finish the ideas in your body paragraphs and make corrections
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BREAK
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Log into the laptop.
Go to page 446-447 in your book. Take 3 minutes to read the text and take notes. Then listen to part of a lecture and take 20 minutes to answer the question on p. 446: “Summarize the main points in the lecture, making sure to show how they cast doubt on points made in the reading passage.”
Then go to 451 and answer the independent question.
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Homework: p. 452-3 exercise 7W2 - Make corrections in the sample response. (Change underlined words, add necessary words where there aren’t underlines.)