TOEFL Essay Samples

You have 20 minutes to plan, write, and revise your response to a reading passage and a lecture on the same topic. First, read the passage and take notes. Then, listen to the lecture and take notes. Finally, write your response to the writing question. Typically, a good response will require that you write 150–225 words.

In the last 20 years, the evolution of animal rights has been amazing. This changed the place that pets occupy in homes all over the world, and, nowadays, they are frequently considered an equal individual among family members. There are many detractors of this position but I am not one of them. Personally, I believe that pets deserve to be treated with respect and as human beings. I feel this way for two reasons, which I will explore in the following essay....

Today we’re going to talk about the debate between economic growth and protecting the environment. Economic growth creates new jobs and gives people money they can use to improve their lives. On the other hand, if we protect the environment it can be enjoyed both by ourselves and future generations. If you had to choose between prioritizing economic growth or protecting the environment, which one would you choose. Why?

It is a very meaningful topic. I strongly agree that we should weigh more on protecting the environment than economic development. As Alex says, it is not worthwhile to make the economy grow at the expense of the environment. Besides promoting environmentally friendly approaches, we can build a habit of reusing and recycling things in daily life. While Maggie has raised a relevant point that big companies will help to solve environmental problems after they earn enough money, she doesn't realize that environmental destruction is hard to recover. For example, a plastic bag takes several hundred years to decompose in nature. These are the reasons that we should prioritize environmental protection....

. If you were a policy maker, which issue would you argue is more important—education or environmental protections? Why?

No one can deny that both education and environmental protections are important for us. However, if I were forced to choose one due to the limited resources, I would agree with Andrew and choose to spend more money on education protections. It is my firm belief that more money should go into educational than environmental purposes. I will expand on this idea in the subsequent parapgraphs....

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The best way to travel is in a group ledby a tour guide. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

I agree with the statement that it is best to travel in a group led by a tour guide. Firstly, traveling in a group makes it interesting. Secondly, it is cheaper and more enjoyable. Lastly, it is more efficient....

is remote work beneficial? or do you think it is a bad idea?

the topic of remote working has generated much discussion lately. I would personally choose remote working every single time if I had the option of choosing....

Summarize the point made in the lecture and explain how the speaker cast doubt on specific points made in the reading passage.

The reading and the lecture are both about the decline in sea otter populations. While the reading’s author states that pollution is a cause of their populations declining, the lecturer suggests that the greatest factor is predation. The lecturer casts doubts on the main points made in the reading by providing three reasons....

The balance between human needs and environmental preservation is a central topic in the contemporary world. As we expand our cities and industries, we must also consider the effects on our natural habitats. With that in mind, here is the question for the discussion board: Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or disagree with this point of view?

I stand in disagreement with the notion that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry supersede the need to save land for endangered animals. It is crucial to acknowledge that humans and wildlife are both integral components of the ecosystem. They exist in a delicate balance where the survival of one is inextricably linked to the other. Overexploitation of land resources not only jeopardizes the survival of endangered species but also threatens the health of our planet. It can disrupt ecological balance, accelerating climate change and habitat destruction. Therefore, it is imperative that we strike a balance. While we must meet human needs for farmland, housing, and industry, we should also make concerted efforts to conserve our biodiversity and protect endangered animals. Our survival depends on our ability to coexist harmoniously with nature....

In your opinion, do you think that to become financially responsible adults, children should learn to manage their own money at a young age? Why or why not?

The topic of financial freedom has generated much discussion in recent years. My personal belief is that giving children the freedom to collect cash from an early age, teaches them an opportunity to know its worth. For instance, parents can give them money if they learn to do their own chores. In this way,they will earn salary and also learn the value of it so they will not spend it recklessly in the future, which unlike Chloe's opinion will save them from later life stressors....

In your opinion, do you think that to become financially responsible adults, children should learn to manage their own money at a young age? Why or why not?

The topic of financial freedom has generated much discussion in recent years. My personal belief is that by giving children the freedom to collect money from an early age, it teaches them an opportunity to know the worth of it. For instance, parents can give them money if they learn to do their own chores. By this way they will earn money and also learn the value of it so they will not spend it recklessly in the future, which unlike Chloe's opinion it will save them from later life stressors....

In your opinion, do you think that to become financially responsible adults, children should learn to manage their own money at a young age? Why or why not?

The topic of financial freedom has generated much discussion in recent years. My personal belief is that by giving children the freedom to collect money from an early age, it teaches them an opportunity to know the worth of it. For instance, parents can give them money if they learn to do their own chores. By this way they will earn money and also learn the value of it so they will not spend it recklessly in the future, which unlike Chloe's opinion it will save them from later life stressors....

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

The article is about sending people to Mars. The lecturer is against this idea by providing the problems that people will have to face if they do it. Nonetheless, the speaker is in favor of sending people to this planet stating that every problem has a solution. The disscusion is mainly about the time limit supplies, zero gravity effect, and radiation sun, where each of them will provide their reasons to support their points....

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

The reading and the lecture are both about how humans impacted the numbers of bison species in the nineteenth century. While the author of the article argues that human activities are to blame for their reduction, the lecturer disputes this idea by saying that humans are not solely responsible for their endangerment....

professor being able to do extra curricular activities

The lecturer speaks against the main idea presented in the passage. She thinks that it is almost always detrimenta for professors to use online and wider channels to promote themselves or their ideas. The passage, on the other hand suggests, that there are consequently 3 beneficiaries: the professor themselves, the university, and the pupil....

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Providing Internet access is just as important as other services, such as building roads, so governments should offer Internet access to all of their citizens at no cost. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

The article and the lecture both deal with Marco Polo’s book, where he recounts his traveling experiences. While the author thinks that he lied in his work, the lecturer opposes the author’s claims. The lecturer casts doubt on the main points in the reading by providing three reasons....

Summarize the points in the lecture, being sure to explain how they address the specific reasons for the Great Depression described in the reading passage.

Hello everyone. In my view, technology development has more drawbacks than benefits, let me provide some evidence. Social interactions has made communications easier and faster. Social media helps you to keep in touch with your family and friends on long distance. Moreover, the Internet can assisst people with making connections with individuals around the world and even keep track of their favorite celebrities. However, the online massagers have had a negative impact on the majority of people by making them addicted to their phones. I believe, face-to-face communicatiosn are far more advantageous and meaningful, because you can be sincere with your opponent. Nowadays, people obtain a tendency of spending a significant amount of time on less effective socializing, such as on Instagram or Facebook. Frequently, inline users can feign their personalities and even pose dannger by taking advantage of credulous people....

The balance between human needs and environmental preservation is a central topic in the contemporary world. As we expand our cities and industries, we must also consider the effects on our natural habitats. With that in mind, here is the question for the discussion board: Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or disagree with this point of view?

Good afternoon. Meat, trees and electricity, and other things, harmful for the environment, are necessary for humans, and we all use unecological things daily. In my opinion, people shouldn't jeopardize the whole planet for manufacturing. Our nature has a right to live too and we shouldn't dismiss its needs. However, we have to sacrifice the ecosystem in order to obtain convenience for our lives. Nowda...

Summarize the point made in the lecture and explain how the speaker cast doubt on specific points made in the reading passage.

The given passage explains reasons for decreasing sea otters’ population along the Alaskan beaches. The author's suggestion is that pollution is most likely to be the reason for the decline. We are also introduced with a lecture, where professor disagrees with the passage and gives another explanation. The professor thinks that the population reduction is caused by predation....

The declination pf sea otters pollution or predators

The reading and the lecture are both about the decline of sea otters. While the author of the article claims that the reason for their death is the pollution of our environment, the lecturer disputed the claim presented in the article. His position is that the sea otters are hunted by predators. According to the reading, we know about pollution sources along the Alaskan coast. There are oil rings. The chemical analysis of the water in that area shows many reasons that can increase the risk of their deaths. The article mentions that not only otters are declining, but many sea mammals are as well. Environmental pollution affects an entire ecosystem. In the article author notes, that the scientists believe the pollution hypothesis would also explain the uneven pattern of otter decline. The ocean currents and other environmental factors might be the reason for the uneven concentration of pollution....