How to write a good TOEFL essay?

If you are going to take TOEFL iBT, you will need to write an essay. Note that the paper based TOEFL does not have a section on writing. A good essay will raise your overall TOEFL score. ETS says that it is worth about 1/6th of your total TOEFL score.

You have to write an essay of at least 300 words on a given topic. You will have to write on the topic you are given. No choice is available. TOEFL iBT is a computerized test. You have to type both essays on a computer. If you do not know typewriting well, you must practice on a keyboard before your test.

You can cut, copy and paste as you type your essays, but remember that the computer will not check your spelling or grammar. That means you have to do your homework. Learn the spellings of all words you tend to misspell.

How to write a good essay?

It is very important for students to practice writing as many essays as possible before they take the test. As you practice, watch your grammar, spelling and punctuation. Many students can write excellent essays, but they need a lot of time. Unfortunately, on the TOEFL test you will get only half an hour to write your essay. That means you need to work on your speed.

You will be able to download sample essay topics from the official TOEFL website. Practice writing on these topics. If you are really lucky, one of these topics could be asked during your TOEFL test.

Understanding the TOEFL question

There are very many types of TOEFL essay questions. You must be able to write on all of them because you don’t know which question you will be asked. Before you start writing make sure that you have fully understood the question. Failure to do so will lower your score in the writing section.