If you’re preparing for the TOEFL exam, mastering the Integrated Writing task is essential. This task evaluates your ability to synthesize information from a reading passage and a lecture, organizing your response clearly and accurately. To help you succeed, this blog post offers practical TOEFL Integrated Writing tips based on an example about the origin of the solar system. By following these strategies, you’ll understand how to craft a top-scoring response.
Table of Contents
1. Understand the Rubric and Target a Score of 5
The first step to success is understanding the TOEFL iBT® Integrated Writing Rubric. A top score of 5 requires:
- Selecting the important points from the lecture and connecting them accurately to the reading.
- Writing a well-organized response with minimal language errors.
Responses scoring 4 or lower often omit key details, misrepresent ideas, or contain frequent language errors. Let’s apply this to the example passage:
- Reading Passage Summary: The reading introduces three theories about the origin of the solar system: the Nebular Hypothesis, the Fission Theory, and the Capture Theory.
- Lecture Criticism: The professor refutes each theory by explaining why they are scientifically flawed.
To score a 5, your response must include the main criticisms from the lecture and explain how they challenge the claims in the reading.
2. Effective Note-Taking is Key
During the reading and listening sections, take organized notes. Divide your paper into two columns: one for the reading and one for the lecture. Write down key points and use arrows or symbols to show connections. Here’s an example:
| Reading | Lecture |
|---|---|
| Nebular Hypothesis: planets formed from gas/dust clouds. | Criticism: Gas clouds would dissipate before forming planets. |
| Fission Theory: planets/moons came from explosions. | Criticism: Moon rocks differ from Earth’s; orbits are irregular. |
| Capture Theory: planets/moons were captured by gravity. | Criticism: Probability of capture is too low; no such events happen now. |
By organizing your notes this way, you’ll avoid omitting important details and maintain clear connections between the lecture and the reading.
3. Structure Your Response Clearly
Use a three-paragraph structure to ensure clarity:
- Introduction: Summarize the relationship between the reading and the lecture.
- Body Paragraph 1: Present the first two points from the lecture and connect them to the reading.
- Body Paragraph 2: Discuss the final point from the lecture and its connection to the reading.
Here’s an example introduction based on the solar system passage:
Both the reading and the lecture discuss theories regarding the origin of the solar system. While the reading describes the Nebular Hypothesis, the Fission Theory, and the Capture Theory, the lecturer challenges these theories by highlighting their scientific flaws.
In the body paragraphs, connect the ideas directly:
The lecturer refutes the Nebular Hypothesis, explaining that gas clouds would dissipate into space before forming planets. This contradicts the reading’s claim that planets condensed from these clouds.
4. Use Precise Language
One of the most important TOEFL Integrated Writing tips is to use precise language. Avoid vague expressions like “the lecturer disagrees” or “there is a problem.” Instead, describe the specific criticism. For example:
- Instead of: “The lecture says the Fission Theory has problems.”
- Write: “The lecturer argues that the Fission Theory is flawed because moon rocks differ from Earth’s composition and the moon’s orbit is tilted.”
Precise vocabulary improves clarity and demonstrates your command of academic English.
5. Avoid Common Pitfalls
To maximize your score, steer clear of these mistakes:
- Copying sentences directly from the reading or lecture. Paraphrase to show understanding.
- Focusing too much on the reading without integrating the lecture. The lecture is more important for this task.
- Ignoring the connections between the two sources. Explicitly show how the lecture critiques the reading.
6. Practice, Revise, and Review
Finally, practice with similar passages, review your responses, and revise to eliminate errors. Use the TOEFL Integrated Writing rubric to self-assess your practice essays. Ask yourself:
- Did I include all the major points from the lecture?
- Did I connect the lecture to the reading accurately?
- Is my response clear and well-organized?
Why Following These Tips Matters
The TOEFL Integrated Writing task is not just about what you know—it’s about how effectively you can communicate. By applying these TOEFL Integrated Writing tips to practice passages like the one on the origin of the solar system, you’ll develop the skills needed to excel on test day.
Model Response: TOEFL Integrated Writing Task
The reading passage discusses three theories regarding the origin of the solar system: the Nebular Hypothesis, the Fission Theory, and the Capture Theory. The lecture, however, critiques each of these theories, highlighting their weaknesses and limitations.
First, the Nebular Hypothesis suggests that the sun and planets condensed from a cloud of gas and dust. However, the lecturer points out that this theory faces significant problems. According to Gerald Kuiper, gravitational attraction would not become significant unless particles were as large as the moon, which is unlikely. Furthermore, the complex vortices of gas and dust required for this process could not remain stable long enough to form planets, making this hypothesis implausible.
Second, the Fission Theory claims that planets, including the moon, were ejected from the sun and later began orbiting. The lecturer identifies several flaws in this theory. For instance, if the moon had been ejected from Earth, it would have been destroyed by gravitational forces or reduced to rings. Additionally, the moon’s current orbit, tilted at 18-28 degrees, does not align with the theory, which would predict an equatorial orbit. Moreover, the chemical composition of moon rocks differs from that of Earth’s material, further discrediting this theory.
Finally, the Capture Theory posits that wandering celestial bodies were captured by the gravitational pull of the sun and planets. The lecturer critiques this theory by emphasizing its mathematical improbability. Objects in space are too far apart, making such close encounters exceedingly rare. Even if such encounters occurred, gravitational forces would likely cause collisions or result in the objects flying past, rather than achieving stable orbits. The lecturer also notes that we do not observe planets being captured in the present, undermining the theory’s credibility.
In conclusion, while the reading introduces three theories about the origin of the solar system, the lecture systematically challenges each one by presenting scientific criticisms. These criticisms include the instability of gas vortices in the Nebular Hypothesis, the implausibility of moon formation in the Fission Theory, and the unlikely gravitational dynamics proposed by the Capture Theory. Together, the lecture’s counterarguments demonstrate the weaknesses of these theories, highlighting the complexity of understanding the solar system’s origins.
This response incorporates key ideas from both the reading and listening passages, organizes the information logically, and demonstrates clear connections between the two sources, meeting the criteria for a score of 5 on the TOEFL Integrated Writing rubric.
Michael Buckhoff, mbuckhoff@aol.com