端木·宇 2008-8-19 19:05
TOEFL Essay Writing Tips
[b]I. Before you begin:[/b]
I. Relax and feel confident.
II. Remember that you have 30 minutes to write your essay. Use your time wisely.
III. You may write your essay on the computer or on paper. Choose the one you are MOST comfortable with.
IV. You can write an excellent essay if you remember all these tips!
[b]II. Understanding the TOEFL question:[/b]
There are different types of TOEFL questions. You never know whichquestion you will receive, so you must be prepared to write on ALL thetypes of questions. It is very important that you completely understandthe question BEFORE you begin to write. Below are some different essayquestion types.
[i][b]1. Choose a point of view and support that view.[/b][/i]
Example: Some people believe that university students should berequired to attend classes. Others believe that going to classes shouldbe optional for students. Which point of view do you agree with? Usespecific reasons and details to explain your answer.
This type of question asks you to look at only ONE side of theissue…the side you agree with. DON’T write about both sides. You tellwhich side you agree with and support your ideas with details andexamples.
[i][b]2. Describe something.[/b][/i]
Example: If you could invent something NEW, what product would youdevelop? Use specific details to explain why this invention is needed?
In answering this type of question, you MUST be creative. It asks youto describe something NEW, something that does not exist. You mustdescribe it in detail AND tell why it is necessary.
[i][b]3. Compare two points of view and tell which one you agree with.[/b][/i]
Example: Some people think that children should begin their formaleducation at a very early age and should spend most of their time onschool studies. Others believe that young children should spend most oftheir time playing. Compare these two views. Which view do you agreewith? Why?
In this type of question, you must write about BOTH sides of this issueand then tell which side you agree with. You may NOT say that you agreewith both sides. You MUST make a choice. First, give support, detailsand examples of both sides of the issue. Then, tell which side youagree with and why.
[i][b]4. Agree or disagree with something.[/b][/i]
Example: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: ONLYpeople who earn a lot of money are successful. Do you agree or disagreewith this definition of success? Use specific reasons and examples tosupport your opinion.
In this type of question, you MUST agree or disagree. You cannot beunsure or indecisive. After you have said whether you agree ordisagree, you must give convincing reasons and examples for yourchoice.
[i][b]5. Explain why something is true.[/b][/i]
Example: People remember special gifts or presents that they havereceived. Why? Give specific reasons and examples to support youranswer.
In this question, you should use lots of examples. (For this question,you would use examples of gifts one might receive and tell why thosegifts are memorable). Do not write in the first person, “I.” Write inmore general terms.
[b][i]6. Support an idea or plan.[/i][/b]
Example: It has recently been announced that a new restaurant may bebuilt in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why?Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
In this question, first tell whether you support or oppose the plan andthen tell why. Since this question is somewhat personal, it is ok touse personal pronouns such as: “I, me, my” in your answer.
[b]III. The parts of an essay:[/b]
In every essay, there should be an introduction, a body and conclusion.
[i][b]A. The introduction: [/b][/i]
The introduction restates the question using different vocabularyand/or sentence structure. The introduction also includes your thesisstatement…the most important sentence in your essay.
[i][b]B. The body: [/b][/i]
The body of your essay is also the “heart” of your essay. It willinclude your main ideas and details and examples to support thoseideas. Each new idea should be a new paragraph. Typically, a TOEFLessay will have 3 – 4 body paragraphs.
[i][b]C. The conclusion:[/b][/i]
The conclusion will be your final paragraph. It will summarize all themain ideas in your essay and it may also include your opinion.
[b]IV. How to write a good introduction:[/b]
Let’s look at some more essay questions to see how to restate the question and how to write your thesis statement.
[color=red]TOEFL essay question #1:[/color]
Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other peopleprefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Usespecific reasons and examples to support your answer.
[color=red]Restatement & Thesis:[/color]
People have two options when deciding where to eat. They can preparemeals and eat at home or they can go out to stands or restaurants. Iprefer to go out to eat because the food is more varied andinteresting, it is less work for me and it saves time.
[color=red]Analysis:[/color]
The restatement mentions the two types of options people have foreating and tells which one the author prefers. In addition, it givesthree reasons for that preference. These three reasons will make up thethree main idea paragraphs in the body of the essay.
[color=navy]TOEFL essay question #2:[/color]
Is it better for children to participate in team sports or individualsports? Why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
[color=navy]Restatement & Thesis:[/color]
It is better for children to participate in team sports rather thanindividual sports. In team sports, children learn how to cooperate.They learn good sportsmanship and how to rely on their teammates. Theseare important lessons that will benefit children throughout their lives.
[color=navy]Analysis:[/color]
The first sentence clearly states the author’s opinion. This isfollowed by three reasons for the opinion. Finally, the author mentionslife lessons. In the essay, the three reasons will make up the threemain idea paragraphs in the body of the essay. In addition, the authorwill mention how each main idea is useful throughout life.
[color=orange]TOEFL essay question #3:[/color]
Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in abig city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasonsand details to support your answer.
[color=orange]Restatement & Thesis:[/color]
There are many good reasons to live in a big city and an equal numberof good reasons to live in a small town. I, myself, prefer to live in asmall town because it is more personal and homey; it is easier to getaround in and it is safer than a big city.
[color=orange]Analysis: [/color]
The first statement says that both a city and town have positiveaspects. The next sentence tells the author’s preference and reasonsfor that preference. These reasons will make up the body of the essay.
[b]V. How to write good body paragraphs:[/b]
Each paragraph in your essay introduces a new idea. It should include athesis statement followed by support and examples. Be sure to use LOTSof examples. Within and between paragraphs be sure to use transitionwords like: on the other hand, however, though, for example, incontrast, likewise, in addition, first, finally. The paragraph shouldend with a concluding sentence which briefly summarizes the ideas inthe paragraph.
[b]VI. The elements of a good concluding paragraph:[/b]
A good concluding paragraph should include a summary of your mainpoints. It may also include the author’s opinion. It should NOTintroduce any new ideas. A good concluding paragraph often leaves animpression on the reader. It may make the reader think more deeplyabout the topic.
[b]VII. Preparing to write and writing your answer:[/b]
I. Read and understand the essay question. (2 minutes).
II. Organize your ideas on paper by writing a short outline of the introduction, body and conclusion. (8 minutes).
III. Write your essay. Remember to restate the question in yourintroduction. Use clear details and LOTS of examples in the body ofyour essay. Finally, summarize the main ideas in the concludingparagraph of your essay. (15 minutes).
I. Reread your essay and make any changes in spelling, verb tense, word choice or sentence structure. (5 minutes).
[b]VIII. A sample TOEFL outline:[/b]
TOEFL Question: In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they arestill students. Do you think this is a good idea? Support your opinionby using specific reasons and details.
I. It is a good idea for teenagers to have jobs while they are studentsbecause they can learn about responsibility; they can learn the valueof money and they can learn how to work as a member of a team.
II. Students can learn responsibility
a. They have to come to work on time every day
b. They must serve customers in a friendly manner
c. They have to maintain the store shelves with inventory
III. Students can learn the value of money
a. Students will learn that it takes a lot of time and effort to make money
b. Students will make wiser choices when buying things with their own money
IV. Students will learn how to work as a member of a team
a. Students will learn how to compromise with other employees (helping out when someone is sick, etc.)
b. Students will learn about the friendship that comes from teamwork (feeling like you can trust others)
V. Conclusion
It is a valuable experience for teenagers to have jobs while they arestudents because they will learn to be responsible adults. They willhave an appreciation for money and they will learn about working withothers. All of these traits will benefit them throughout their lives.
[b]IX. A sample TOEFL essay (based on the outline above)[/b]
It is a good idea for teenagers to have jobs while they are studentsbecause they can learn about responsibility; they can learn the valueof money and they can learn how to work as a member of a team.
When teenagers have jobs while they are students, they can learn how tobe responsible. As an employee, you must follow a weekly schedule. Thismeans, you have to come to work on time. If you are scheduled to beginwork at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning, you have to be there at 8 a.m. Itdoesn’t matter if you went to a party the night before and do not wantto get up. You have to get up. Your boss is relying on you to do yourjob. As an employee, you also learn that you must serve the customer ina friendly manner. If you are not friendly, the store may lose businessand you may lose your job. Finally, an employee is responsible formaintaining the store shelves with inventory. If you work in adepartment store, you have to keep the shelves filled with merchandise.The products have to be priced and placed on the shelves. If theshelves look empty, customers may get a bad impression of the store andmay not continue to shop there. It is good for students to learnresponsibility when they are young because it will benefit them as theyget older.
Another benefit to teenagers working is that they will learn the valueof money. Often students get money from their parents, but they do notrealize how hard their parents work for that money. When students work,they begin to appreciate how difficult it can be to make money. Theyalso realize that “money doesn’t grow on trees” as some students seemto believe when asking their parents for money. Another reason it isgood for students to work is that they will make wiser choices whenthey use their own money to buy things. For example, if students work20 hours per week at $7.00 per hour, they will make $140 per week. Inone month, that is about $540. Perhaps a student will think twice aboutspending $120 for a pair of tennis shoes or $350 for a stereo systemwhen s/he has had to work very hard for that money. On the other hand,when students do spend money for personal objects, they will appreciatethem more than if they had gotten the money from their parents.
Finally, working teenagers learn from being members of a team. Asemployees, students learn to work with others and help one another. Forexample, if someone is sick, you may be asked to help out. In addition,other employees will depend on you to do your share of the work. If oneperson does not do his/her job, other employees may have to do extrawork to compensate. Students will learn very quickly that it is notgood teamwork to expect others to do your work. Finally, students willdevelop friendships with other employees because they have learned tocount on each other. Working as a member of a team will build strongcharacter in students.
To conclude, it is a valuable experience for teenagers to have jobswhile they are students because they will learn to be responsibleadults. They will have an appreciation for money and they will learnabout working with others. These experiences will help them grow intoadulthood and benefit them throughout their lives.
棉花糖落落 2008-8-19 19:53
支持一下·~我觉得在开始写作之前要好好的看看这些要求，了解写作的要求流程和注意事项，比一上来就写作文的意义要大的多~~~
感谢端木的分享~~
