TOEFL Writing Task 2, known as “Writing for an Online Discussion,” asks test-takers to participate in a simulated academic discussion by responding to a specific prompt. In this task, you’ll be given a question or topic related to a course you might encounter in a university setting. Your response should be clear, well-organized, and reflect your ability to express an opinion or share ideas on the topic. You have 10 minutes to write your response, and it should be around 100-120 words. The key is to provide a logical argument or explanation, using relevant examples to support your points.
Table of Contents
TOEFL Writing Task 2 Grading Rubrics
When completing TOEFL Task 2, “Writing for an Online Discussion,” your response will be graded according to specific criteria outlined in the TOEFL iBT® Writing for an Academic Discussion Rubric. Your score will range from 0 to 5, depending on how effectively you respond to the prompt. Here’s a breakdown of what each score represents:
Score 5: A Fully Successful Response
- Your contribution to the online discussion is highly relevant and clearly expressed.
- Your writing includes well-elaborated explanations, examples, and details.
- You effectively use a variety of sentence structures and precise, idiomatic word choices.
- There are almost no lexical or grammatical errors, aside from minor typos or common mistakes typical under timed conditions.
Score 4: A Generally Successful Response
- Your response is relevant and easily understood.
- You provide adequate explanations, examples, and details.
- You demonstrate a variety of sentence structures and appropriate word choices.
- There are few lexical or grammatical errors.
Score 3: A Partially Successful Response
- Your response is mostly relevant and understandable.
- You offer explanations and examples, but some parts may be unclear, incomplete, or irrelevant.
- There is some variety in sentence structures and vocabulary, but noticeable errors may appear.
Score 2: A Mostly Unsuccessful Response
- Your response attempts to contribute to the discussion, but it may be hard to follow due to language limitations.
- Ideas may be poorly elaborated or only partially relevant.
- You use a limited range of sentence structures and vocabulary, with numerous errors in language use.
Score 1: An Unsuccessful Response
- Your response shows an ineffective attempt to address the task, with few or no coherent ideas.
- There is a severely limited range of sentence structures and vocabulary.
- Serious and frequent language errors make it difficult to understand your ideas.
- Most of your response may be copied from the prompt or consist of minimal original language.
Score 0: No Valid Response
- You will receive a score of 0 if your response is blank, not in English, entirely copied from the prompt, or unconnected to the task.
Understanding these criteria can help you focus on writing a clear, relevant, and well-developed response, ensuring you achieve the highest possible score.
TOEFL Writing Task 2 Model Responses
Score 5.0: A Fully Successful Response
Prompt: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “University students should be required to take courses outside their major.”
Response: I strongly agree that university students should be required to take courses outside their major. Such courses offer a broader educational experience, which can be beneficial in multiple ways. First, exposure to different disciplines enhances critical thinking skills by encouraging students to see problems from diverse perspectives. For instance, a science major who takes a philosophy course may develop better analytical skills by learning how to construct arguments. Second, taking courses in other fields can help students discover new interests or career paths they hadn’t previously considered. For example, a student majoring in engineering might take a business class and become interested in entrepreneurship, which could lead to a more fulfilling career. Overall, requiring students to take courses outside their major fosters a more well-rounded education, which is crucial for personal and professional growth.
Analysis:
- Content: The response is highly relevant and clearly addresses the prompt. It presents well-elaborated explanations and specific examples.
- Language Use: The language is precise and idiomatic, with effective use of varied sentence structures.
- Errors: There are no noticeable errors, demonstrating strong control of grammar and vocabulary.
- Overall: This response meets all the criteria for a score of 5, as it is clear, relevant, and well-developed.
Score 4.0: A Generally Successful Response
Prompt: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “University students should be required to take courses outside their major.”
Response: I think university students should take some courses outside their major because it can be beneficial. Taking different courses helps students to gain knowledge in other areas, which can be useful in the future. For example, a computer science student might benefit from taking a communication class because good communication skills are important in any job. Also, students may find new interests by studying something different from their major. However, it is important that students do not get overwhelmed with too many extra courses, as they need to focus on their major. In conclusion, while it’s important to take courses outside the major, there should be a balance so that students can manage their workload.
Analysis:
- Content: The response is relevant and addresses the prompt with appropriate explanations and examples.
- Language Use: The response uses a variety of sentence structures and appropriate word choices but lacks the precision and sophistication of a 5-level response.
- Errors: There are minor errors and slightly less elaborate language, but these do not hinder understanding.
- Overall: This response meets the criteria for a score of 4, as it is generally well-organized and relevant but less polished than a 5-level response.
Score 3.0: A Partially Successful Response
Prompt: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “University students should be required to take courses outside their major.”
Response: I agree that students should take courses outside their major. It is important because it gives them more knowledge. If a student takes different courses, they can learn new things. For example, a student who studies engineering can take an art class and learn how to be creative. Also, students might find out that they like another subject. But sometimes it can be hard to take many courses, and students might not have enough time for their major. In conclusion, taking other courses is good but can also be challenging.
Analysis:
- Content: The response is mostly relevant but lacks detailed elaboration and includes some vague points.
- Language Use: There is some variety in sentence structures and vocabulary, but it is limited compared to higher-level responses.
- Errors: There are noticeable lexical and grammatical errors, and some ideas are not fully developed.
- Overall: This response meets the criteria for a score of 3, as it is relevant but less detailed and shows more language limitations.
Score 2.0: A Mostly Unsuccessful Response
Prompt: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “University students should be required to take courses outside their major.”
Response: I think that taking courses outside major is good. Students can learn new things. For example, taking a business class can be helpful. But it can also be hard because students need to study a lot. They need to focus on their major, and extra courses can make it hard. In conclusion, I think it can be good but also hard.
Analysis:
- Content: The response attempts to address the prompt but lacks depth and clarity. The ideas are vague and underdeveloped.
- Language Use: The response has a limited range of sentence structures and vocabulary, with repetitive phrases.
- Errors: There are numerous errors in sentence structure and word choice that affect the clarity of the response.
- Overall: This response meets the criteria for a score of 2, as it is mostly relevant but poorly elaborated and difficult to follow.
Score 1.0: An Unsuccessful Response
Prompt: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “University students should be required to take courses outside their major.”
Response: Taking courses outside the major is sometimes good. Students should do it. But it is not always good. Because too many courses. This is a problem. So, I think it’s good but not good. Students study a lot. Many courses.
Analysis:
- Content: The response is mostly incoherent and fails to clearly address the prompt. It lacks any meaningful elaboration or relevant examples.
- Language Use: The response shows a severely limited range of sentence structures and vocabulary. It is very repetitive and unclear.
- Errors: Frequent and serious grammatical errors hinder understanding, and the response lacks coherence.
- Overall: This response meets the criteria for a score of 1, as it reflects an ineffective attempt to contribute to the discussion with minimal coherent content.
Score 0: No Valid Response
Prompt: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “University students should be required to take courses outside their major.”
Response: Yes, I agree. Students study. Courses are good. The university is important. I like courses. It is nice. I do not understand. Study many things.
Analysis:
- Content: The response is entirely disconnected from the prompt, with no coherent ideas or relevance to the task.
- Language Use: The language is mostly borrowed phrases and lacks any original thought.
- Errors: There are few coherent ideas, and the response is nonsensical.
- Overall: This response meets the criteria for a score of 0, as it fails to contribute anything meaningful or relevant to the discussion.
These examples demonstrate the differences in quality and depth of response that correspond to each score level on the TOEFL academic discussion rubric.
TOEFL Writing Task 2 Test-Taking Strategies for Writing a High-Scoring Discussion Post
- Understand the Prompt:
- Carefully read the prompt to ensure you fully understand the question or topic. Identify the key points you need to address, and make sure your response stays focused on these throughout.
- Plan Your Response:
- Spend the first minute or two planning your response. Jot down your main points, examples, and how you’ll structure your paragraphs. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure your response is coherent and well-developed.
- Stay Relevant and On-Topic:
- Ensure every sentence contributes directly to answering the prompt. Avoid going off on tangents or adding unnecessary information. Your response should be clear, concise, and focused.
- Elaborate with Examples and Details:
- Strengthen your response by providing specific examples and details. For instance, if you’re arguing that students should take courses outside their major, give a clear example of how this can be beneficial.
- Use Varied Sentence Structures:
- Incorporate a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences to add variety to your writing. This will make your response more engaging and demonstrate a higher level of language proficiency.
- Choose Precise and Idiomatic Language:
- Use precise vocabulary that accurately conveys your ideas. Avoid overly simple words, and try to incorporate idiomatic expressions where appropriate to show a strong command of English.
- Review for Errors:
- If time permits, quickly review your response for any grammatical or lexical errors. Correcting even minor mistakes can make your response more polished and professional.
TOEFL Writing Task 2 Practice Exercises to Improve Skills
- Timed Writing Practice:
- Give yourself a prompt similar to those on the TOEFL and practice writing a response within the 10-minute time limit. Focus on staying relevant, providing detailed examples, and using varied sentence structures.
- Sentence Structure Exercises:
- Practice combining simple sentences into more complex ones. For example, take two related sentences and combine them using conjunctions, relative clauses, or participial phrases to add variety.
- Vocabulary Building:
- Work on expanding your vocabulary by learning new words and idioms. Use flashcards or apps to practice, and then challenge yourself to use these new words in your writing.
- Peer Review and Feedback:
- Exchange writing with a classmate and provide constructive feedback. Focus on relevance, clarity, sentence variety, and language use. Reviewing others’ work can also help you identify areas for improvement in your own writing.
- Elaboration Drills:
- Take a simple statement and practice expanding it with explanations, examples, and details. For example, start with “Taking courses outside your major is beneficial,” and then elaborate on why and how with specific examples.
- Grammar and Error Correction:
- Regularly practice grammar exercises, focusing on common errors such as subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and word forms. The fewer errors in your writing, the higher your score will be.
By consistently applying these strategies and engaging in targeted practice, you will improve your ability to write clear, relevant, and well-developed responses that meet the criteria for a score of 5.
Michael Buckhoff, mbuckhoff@aol.com