TOEFL TPO -1 Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Should parents urge teenage children to get a job? Why or why not?
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Professor
We've been discussing ways that parents can help prepare their teenage children for adulthood.One ine of thinking is that parents should encourage their teenagers to take part-time jobs to help them earn to be responsible, even if it is not an economic necessity for the teenagers to work. What are your thoughts on the issue? Should parents urge teenage children to get a job? Why or why not?
Kelly
Teenagers should work part-time.When I was 16,I washed dishes at a restaurant, and I'm glad I did.I learned a lot about time management.I had to use my free time wisely to make sure l could complete homework despite spending time working at a iob.This is a valuable life skill.
Andrew
I would have to disagree. A teenager is still just a kid,and in my opinion, a kid needs to focus on going to school and learning.A job would be an unnecessary distraction.If it's all about learning responsibility,I think there are a lot of other ways to do that without the commitment required by a job.
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
In discussing the way that parents can help their teenage children grow, Andrew proposes that children should not do pat-time jobs because there are many other things that are more important for their development. While his arguement holds its validity, I find myself aliging with Kelly’s perspectives that prioritising part-time job seems a more comprehensive and effective way for children’s future development. In my view, this approach not only allows teenagers to accumalate working experience, but also make them know the value of money and foster some important skills like indipendence and leadership. Obviously, it serves as powerful incentive for teenage children to study efficiently, and contributes siginificantly to a teenage’s long-term development. Therefore, I firmly believe that parents would better allow thier teenage children do part-time job.
Evaluation Result
1. Sub Scores
Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.0 Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 3.5 Language Use and Grammar: 3.5
2. Estimated Scores
Estimated Score: 22 (3.5)
3. Task completeness
The essay does a decent job of addressing the task, presenting arguments in favor of teenagers working part-time jobs. However, it could be improved by providing more specific examples and elaborating on the benefits mentioned, such as independence and leadership skills. Additionally, the essay would benefit from a more balanced discussion by acknowledging potential drawbacks or challenges that teenagers might face when working part-time.
Suggestions for improvement:
-
Provide specific examples to support your points.
-
Elaborate on the benefits mentioned, such as independence and leadership skills.
-
Acknowledge potential drawbacks or challenges that teenagers might face when working part-time.
Examples:
- "For instance, a teenager working as a cashier at a grocery store may learn how to handle difficult customers with patience and professionalism, which are valuable skills for any future career."
- "However, it is important to consider that some teenagers may struggle to balance their schoolwork with a part-time job, which could negatively impact their academic performance."
4. Essay structure and organization
The essay has a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. However, it could be improved by organizing the body paragraphs more effectively around specific points or benefits of part-time work for teenagers. Additionally, transitions between ideas and paragraphs could be clearer.
Suggestions for improvement:
-
Organize body paragraphs around specific points or benefits of part-time work for teenagers.
-
Use clear transitions between ideas and paragraphs.
Examples:
- "One significant advantage of part-time work for teenagers is the opportunity to gain practical experience in various industries."
- "Moreover, earning their own money can teach teenagers about financial responsibility and budgeting."
5. Grammar
In discussing the way that parents can help their teenage children grow, Andrew proposes that children should not do pat-time jobs because there are many other things that are more important for their development. While his arguementargument(misspelling) holds its validity, I find myself aligingaligning(misspelling) with Kelly’s perspectives that prioritisingprioritizing(misspelling) part-time job seems a more comprehensive and effective way for children’s future development. In my view, this approach not only allows teenagers to accumalateaccumulate(misspelling) working experience, but also make them know the value of money and foster some important skills like indipendenceindependence(misspelling) and leadership. Obviously, it serves as powerfula powerful(This rule identifies whether the article 'a' is missing in a sentence.) incentive for teenage children to study efficiently, and contributes siginificantlysignificantly(misspelling) to a teenage’s long-term development. Therefore, I firmly believe that parents would better allow thiertheir(misspelling) teenage children doto do(This rule identifies whether the preposition 'to' is missing in a sentence.) part-time job.
Display title: 6 Revised Essay
In the debate surrounding how parents can best support their teenage children's growth, Andrew argues that part-time jobs may detract from more crucial aspects of their development. While his argument has merit, I find myself aligning with Kelly's perspective that prioritizing part-time work offers a more comprehensive and effective approach to fostering future success. In my view, this strategy not only enables teenagers to accumulate valuable work experience but also instills an appreciation for the value of money and cultivates essential skills such as independence and leadership. Furthermore, it serves as a powerful incentive for efficient study habits and significantly contributes to a teenager's long-term development. Consequently, I firmly believe that parents should encourage their teenage children to pursue part-time employment opportunities. (127 words)
In discussing the way that debate surrounding how parents can help best support their teenage children grow, children's growth (clarified the subject), Andrew proposes argues that children should not do pat-time part-time jobs because there are many other things that are may detract from more important crucial aspects of their development (rephrased for their development. clarity). While his arguement holds its validity, argument has merit (corrected spelling), I find myself aliging aligning with Kelly’s perspectives Kelly's perspective that prioritising prioritizing part-time job seems work offers a more comprehensive and effective way approach to fostering future success (rephrased for children’s future development. clarity and corrected spelling). In my view, this approach strategy not only allows enables teenagers to accumalate working experience, accumulate valuable work experience (corrected spelling) but also make them know instills an appreciation for the value of money and foster some important cultivates essential skills like indipendence such as independence and leadership. Obviously, leadership (rephrased for clarity). Furthermore, it serves as a powerful incentive for teenage children to efficient study efficiently, habits and significantly contributes siginificantly to a teenage’s teenager's long-term development. Therefore, development (clarified meaning). Consequently, I firmly believe that parents would better allow thier should encourage their teenage children do to pursue part-time job.employment opportunities (rephrased for clarity and corrected spelling).
Display title: 8 Mind Map
- Introduction
- Debate on supporting teenage growth
- Andrew's argument against part-time jobs
- Kelly's perspective in favor of part-time work
- Benefits of part-time work
- Valuable work experience
- Appreciation for the value of money
- Cultivation of essential skills
- Independence
- Leadership
- Impact on study habits and long-term development
- Incentive for efficient study habits
- Contribution to long-term development
- Conclusion
- Encouragement of part-time employment opportunities for teenagers
Display title: 9 Key Words
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English Definition | English Translation | Sample Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detract | dɪˈtrækt | Verb | To take away a part, as from quality, value, or reputation | Take away | Part-time jobs may detract from more crucial aspects of their development. |
| Comprehensive | kɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪv | Adjective | Including all or nearly all elements or aspects | All-inclusive | Prioritizing part-time work offers a more comprehensive approach to fostering future success. |
| Accumulate | əˈkjuːmjʊleɪt | Verb | To gather or collect, often in gradual degrees | Gather | This strategy enables teenagers to accumulate valuable work experience. |
| Instill | ɪnˈstɪl | Verb | To infuse slowly into the mind or feelings; impart gradually | Impart gradually | Part-time work instills an appreciation for the value of money. |
| Cultivate | ˈkʌltɪveɪt | Verb | To promote or improve the growth of by labor and attention | Develop | Part-time jobs cultivate essential skills such as independence and leadership. |
| Incentive | ɪnˈsɛntɪv | Noun | Something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort | Motivation | Part-time work serves as a powerful incentive for efficient study habits. |
| Efficient | ɪˈfɪʃənt | Adjective | Performing or functioning in the best possible manner | Effective | Teenagers with part-time jobs tend to develop efficient study habits. |
| Contribute | kənˈtrɪbjuːt | Verb | To give (money, time, knowledge, assistance) to a common supply, fund, etc. | Give | Part-time jobs significantly contribute to a teenager's long-term development. |
| Encourage | ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ | Verb | To inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence | Inspire | Parents should encourage their teenage children to pursue part-time employment opportunities. |
How Academic Discussion Is Scored
The TOEFL Academic Discussion task is evaluated based on the official ETS scoring rubric. AI evaluation analyzes each response across multiple dimensions.
Relevance & Contribution
Does the response address the question and contribute meaningfully to the discussion?
Language Use
Grammar accuracy, vocabulary range, and sentence structure quality.
Development & Support
Are ideas well-developed with specific examples and clear reasoning?
Common Patterns Across Responses
Based on analysis of user submissions for this task, here are common patterns observed in student responses.
Many students provide clear opinions but lack specific supporting examples.
Strong responses directly reference the reading passage and other speakers' viewpoints.
Higher-scoring responses use varied sentence structures and academic vocabulary.
Time management is a key factor — responses that feel rushed tend to score lower on development.
Learning Tips
Read the prompt carefully and identify all parts of the question before writing.
Reference the reading passage and the other students' opinions in your response.
Use specific examples to support your main point — avoid generic statements.
Aim for 120-150 words. Longer responses are not always better; clarity and focus matter more.
Practice timed responses (10 minutes) to build fluency under exam conditions.
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