Preference Essay - TOEFL example

Below is an example of a TOEFL independent essay. A TOEFL independent essay is an opinion-based essay. For this task, you have 30-minutes to state your opinion, then support it with examples.

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Prompt: Do you prefer a laptop computer or a desktop computer? Use reasons and examples to support your argument.

                               

Today, people have a big choice between laptop computers and desktop computers. So which do I prefer? Personally, I prefer a laptop because a laptop is great for taking notes in class, portable and affordable.

        

A laptop is great for taking notes in class. For example, I’m a university student and I need a laptop for my classes. If I didn’t have a laptop, I’d have to take notes by hand, and that would be really slow. Also, my handwriting is really bad, but with my laptop I can quickly take notes. This saves me a lot of time. I couldn’t take notes with a desktop. It is too big and not made for carrying. As you can see, a laptop is definitely best for taking notes in class.

Also, a laptop is portable. For example, I can take my laptop anywhere to study. This is good because sometimes my roommate plays really loud music. This drives me nuts. When he plays his music, I can’t do any homework, so I go the library or Starbucks. There I can do my homework and connect to the internet with Wi-Fi. Because my laptop is portable, I can do these things. Best of all, I don’t have to listen to my roommate’s music.

In addition, a laptop is affordable. For example, a few years ago laptops, like my Sony Vaio, were very expensive but now you can get a really fast laptop with lots of memory for cheaper than a desktop. This is good because I can save money. With this money, I can buy other school things like books.

In the final analysis, I definitely prefer a laptop because it is great for taking notes in class, portable and affordable. What more do I need?

Words: 294           Score: 5/5

Remember: A TOEFL independent essay should be approximately 300 words.

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Click here for an agree-disagree TOEFL essay.

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Do you want to learn how to write a high-scoring TOEFL independent essay just like this one? It's all in my book: Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT A Complete Guide.

Hi, my name is Bruce Stirling -

Many ask me how my TOEFL book, Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT, is different from the competition. Simple. Competing texts teach dozens of different strategies. My book teaches you one. That's right. One strategy. With it, you can answer all TOEFL tasks. As a result, you spend less time learning strategies and more time practicing. More practice means a higher score. What do test-takers want? A high TOEFL score. Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT delivers using test-level tasks proven successful on the TOEFL iBT for over five years.

Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT A Complete Guide. It will change your life.

Agree-Disagree Essay - TOEFL example

Below is an example of a TOEFL independent essay. A TOEFL independent essay is an opinion-based essay. For this task, you state your opinion, then support it with examples.

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Prompt: We needs zoos. Do you agree or disagree? Use reasons and examples to support your argument.

Do we or don’t we need zoos? Personally, I agree with the statement. I think that we need zoos. We need zoos because they are educational, they are fun for families and they protect endangered animals.

Zoos are educational. For example, when I was 12, my teacher took us to the zoo in Berlin. I had never seen wild animals before. I had just read about them in books and seen them on the TV. But seeing them in real life was amazing, especially the lions. On TV, they looked so small, but seeing them alive they were really big. By going to the zoo, I definitely saw things in a whole new light.

Zoos are also fun for families. For example, I have a family and we always go to the zoo every summer. My wife makes a picnic and we spend all day there. My kids love taking pictures and learning all about the animals, especially the gorillas. Being outside is good for my children. Best of all, they can leave the internet and the TV at home.

Finally, zoos protect endangered animals. For example, I saw two pandas  in the Washington DC zoo last year and they had a baby. If there were no zoos, the pandas would disappear because we are taking their land away. However, in a zoo the pandas are safe. It is not perfect, but without zoos there might not be any pandas left.

For those reasons, I believe that we need zoos because they are educational, they are fun for families and they protect endangered animals. If you want to have fun and learn something new, you should go to a zoo.

Words: 280          Score: 5/5

Remember: A TOEFL independent essay should be approximately 300 words.

______________________________________________________________________

Click here for an agree-disagree essay.

______________________________________________________________________

Do you want to learn how to write a high-scoring TOEFL independent essay just like this one? It's all in my book: Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT A Complete Guide.

Why you should buy Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT A Complete Guide

Many ask how me how my TOEFL book, Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT, is different from the competition. Simple. Competing texts teach dozens of different strategies. My book teaches you one. That's right. One strategy. With it, you can answer all TOEFL tasks. As a result, you spend less time learning strategies and more time practicing. More practice means a higher score. What do test-takers want? A high TOEFL score. Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT delivers using test-level tasks proven successful on the TOEFL iBT for over five years.

Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT A Complete Guide. It will change your life.

TOEFL Phone Apps

My TOEFL books will be available as phone apps in the fall of 2012.

BenchPrep is the publisher. Check out their site below. 

BenchPrep: App developer and publisher

TOEFL Video - What to do on test day

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Video courtesy of Educational Testing Services (ETS)

Business Idioms in America

My latest ESL text. Availabe in October 2012