Master the 2025 TOEFL Writing Section

The Writing section is the final part of the TOEFL iBT, lasting around 30 minutes and consisting of two tasks: an Integrated Essay and a Writing for Academic Discussion. Your essays are evaluated by both human raters and automated scoring (ETS e-rater), focusing on content, organization, grammar, and language use.

📝 Task 1 – Integrated Essay

• Time: 20 minutes
• Prompt: Read a short academic passage (~300 words) and listen to a related lecture (2–3 minutes). The lecture always opposes the reading.
• Length: Aim for 280–300 words (ignore the suggested 180 words).
• Goal: Summarize the lecture’s key points and explain how they contrast or challenge the reading.

Explanation & Examples
This task tests your ability to synthesize written and spoken information and compare perspectives.

Example 1:

• Reading: Argues that biofuels reduce carbon emissions.
• Lecture: Contradicts by saying farming biofuels cuts down forests, releasing more CO₂.

Example 2:

• Reading: Claims that online education improves accessibility.
• Lecture: Counters that students struggle without face-to-face mentorship.

💬 Task 2 – Writing for Academic Discussion

• Time: 10 minutes total (for reading prompts + writing).
• Prompt: Read a professor’s question and two students’ responses. Then add your own perspective, expanding the conversation.
• Length: At least 100 words; writing more (e.g., 120–150) is encouraged .

Explanation & Examples
This task assesses your ability to evaluate different opinions and contribute meaningfully.

Example 1:

• Question: Should universities offer free online courses?
• Student A: Says yes, for accessibility.
• Student B: Disagrees, citing quality control issues.
• Your addition: Propose a hybrid model to ensure quality through peer assessments or periodic live sessions.

Example 2:

• Question: Is studying abroad beneficial?
• Student A: Believes it broadens worldviews.
• Student B: Thinks it’s costly.
• Your response: Suggest scholarship programs and virtual cultural exchanges as solutions.

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Task	Type	Time	Materials	Word Count
1	Integrated Essay	20 min total	Text + Audio of lecture	minimum 180 words
2	Academic Discussion	10 min total	Text: Question + 2 student replies	minimum 100 words

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✅ Scoring Breakdown

• Human Raters evaluate content, organization, development, grammar, and vocabulary.
• The ETS e-rater adds a second opinion focussed on structure, mechanics, and lexical choice.
• Combined raw scores (0–5 per essay) are converted to a scaled score of 0–30 for the Writing section.

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💡 Pro Tips

1. Plan before writing
   • For Task 1: Outline reading and lecture key points.
   • For Task 2: Note each student’s main ideas, then outline your added viewpoint.
   • Spend 2–3 minutes planning before writing.
2. Watch word count
   • Integrated: 280–300 words suggested.
   • Discussion: At least 100; adding more detail can boost clarity.
3. Proofread at the end
   • Leave 1 minute to check grammar and fix typos.