2019-02-08 TOEFL: independent writing

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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Writing Section: fourth and last section, about 1 hour total, 50 minutes of writing, two tasks
1 integrated:
	- read an article about a topic (3 minutes first, but you’ll see the text again when you write)
	- listen to a lecture about the same topic (usually with the opposite viewpoint)
	- write about the points from the lecture and how they relate to points from the reading (20 min)
		(you should NOT include your own opinion on the topic)
	- Typically, an effective response has between 150 and 225 words.
2 independent:
	- read a choice question prompt
	- take 30 minutes to prepare, write, and revise your answer to the question (usually a 5-paragraph essay)
	- Typically, an effective response has at least 300 words.
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https://www.typingtest.com/ - Here you can check your typing speed and do exercises to improve it. (In order to explain your ideas on the TOEFL you probably want to type at least 20 words per minute)
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Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
	Games are as important for adults as they are for children.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
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Independent Writing: agree/disagree or some people / other people choice question
- Start by taking a few minutes to think of reasons for both choices, and what examples you can use for each reason.
- Choose the option that you can think of and support more reasons for.
- Write a short outline with your reasons in the order you’ll write about them
- Write your thesis statement (agree or disagree?), but don’t write the rest of the introduction yet.
- Spend 5 (if there are 3) to 7 (if there are 2) minutes starting to write each body paragraph
- Write one or two sentences of your conclusion (summarize why you have that opinion).
- Go back and complete your body paragraphs and add some additional sentences to the intro and conclusion
- Make corrections.
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Sample question and responses:
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Always telling the truth is the most important consideration in any relationship.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
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Look at some sample responses. What is good or bad about each one?
Body Paragraph:
- state an idea that supports your opinion
- show that this idea is true (this is usually what the example does)
- show that it supports your opinion (this is sometimes obvious, but other times you need to explain it)
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Homework: Write an essay in response to this prompt:
Some people think that they can learn better by themselves than with a teacher. Others think that it is always better to have a teacher. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
- You can take more than 30 minutes to make corrections, but don’t spend more than 1 hour on this homework, because that isn’t useful practice for the timed TOEFL test.