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TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Directions: Your professor is teaching a class on career readiness. Write a postresponding to the professor's question. In your response you should: express and support your personal opinion 。make a contribution to the discussion in your own words An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

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Task Overview

Professor

When students are preparing to graduate from university, they need to make decisionsabout what kind of company they want to work for. They might consider large, oldercompanies with an established reputation, or possibly new start-up companies, whichtend to be small but very focused on the future. Consider the advantages of each, Wouldt generally be better for a new university graduate to begin working for a large,established company, or for a small start-up company? Why?

Student A

I think in general, the established company is the better choice. Becausethey're already well-known, these companies have a certain amount ofrespect in the business community, so it would look good to have thatjob experience on your resum. That advantage alone would be a greatstart for a recent graduate

Student B

I see your point, Kelly, but taking a position at a start-up company wouldoffer so much excitement. They often have an energy that older companies can't match-everyone can be focused on new, innovative business practices and they would be more aggressive about gettingnew clients. That would be a much better experience for someone freshout of university!

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

Taking into account factors of money and the accumulation of experience, working in a large and established company is a better choice for a new university graduate. Firstly, the large and established company could provide a well-paid positions for a university graduate. These large companies always pay more attention on the bonus and well-being of employees, not only because this kind of companies need workers to work with productivity and efficiency, avoiding hurting their own brands, but also because there are large shares in market to guarantee their workers have a better income. In this situation, these large companies tend to spend more money for their employees to improve their service and the quality of products. Therefore, entering the large company could give a high income to a new university graduate. Lastly, students could learn more skills and working experiences in a large and established companies. The large companies could offer a mature platform for freshmen due to their long-term development. Thus, there are complete, specialized and cutting-edge training courses designed by excellent workers in these large companies, helping their new workers to be familiar with working environment and learning working essential knowledge. Moreover, a new graduate could have enough practice compared the small start-up company, because the large one always have many simple cases that suitable for new workers. Therefore, choosing the large company is a better idea.

Evaluation Result

1. 子项得分

Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.5 Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 4.0 Language Use and Grammar: 4.0

2. 预估分数

26. 3 任务完成度

整体来说,这篇文章较好地回答了问题,并对大公司和小公司的优劣进行了讨论。但是,文章可以在以下方面进行改进:首先,在表达观点时,可以更具体地说明为什么大公司能提供更好的学习和工作经验。其次,可以在论述中加入对小公司的一些讨论,以使文章更加全面。

示例1(改进前):Lastly, students could learn more skills and working experiences in a large and established companies. 示例1(改进后):Lastly, students could learn more skills and gain diverse working experiences in a large and established company due to its wide range of departments and projects.

示例2(改进前):Moreover, a new graduate could have enough practice compared the small start-up company, because the large one always have many simple cases that suitable for new workers. 示例2(改进后):Moreover, a new graduate could have more opportunities for hands-on practice in a large company compared to a small start-up company, as they often handle various projects that cater to different skill levels.

4. 文章结构与组织

文章的结构和组织基本合理,包括引言、正文和结论。然而,在以下方面还有待改进:首先,可以在引言部分明确提出自己的观点,以便引导读者。其次,正文部分可以使用更明确的过渡词或短语来连接不同的观点和段落。

示例1(改进前):Taking into account factors of money and the accumulation of experience, working in a large and established company is a better choice for a new university graduate. 示例1(改进后):In my opinion, considering factors such as salary and learning opportunities, working in a large and established company is a better choice for a new university graduate.

示例2(改进前):Firstly, the large and established company could provide a well-paid positions for a university graduate. [...] Therefore, entering the large company could give a high income to a new university graduate. 示例2(改进后):Firstly, the large and established company could provide well-paid positions for university graduates. This is because [...] As a result, starting their career in a large company could lead to higher income for new graduates.

5. 语法批改

Taking into account factors of money and the accumulation of experience, working in a large and established company is a better choice for a new university graduate. Firstly, the large and established company could provide a well-paid positionsa well-paid position(Agreement: 'a' + plural word) for a university graduate. These large companies always pay more attention on the bonus and well-being of employees, not only because this kind of companies need workers to work with productivity and efficiency, avoiding hurting their own brands, but also because there are large shares in market to guarantee their workers have a better income. In this situation, these large companies tend to spend more money for their employees to improve their service and the quality of products. Therefore, entering the large company could give a high income to a new university graduate. Lastly, students could learn more skills and working experiences in a large and established companies. The large companies could offer a mature platform for freshmen due to their long-term development. Thus, there are complete, specialized and cutting-edge training courses designed by excellent workers in these large companies, helping their new workers to be familiar with working environment and learning working essential knowledge. Moreover, a new graduate could have enough practice compared theto the(This rule identifies whether the preposition 'to' is missing in a sentence.) small start-up company, because the large one always have many simple cases that suitable for new workers. Therefore, choosing the large company is a better idea.

Section Title: 6 Article Revision

Weighing the aspects of financial stability and skill development, embarking on a career with a large, established company is a more advantageous choice for recent university graduates. Firstly, such companies typically offer well-paid positions with attractive benefits, as they prioritize employee productivity and satisfaction to maintain their brand reputation. Their significant market share enables them to invest in their workforce, ensuring competitive salaries and opportunities for growth.

Moreover, large companies provide an established platform for newcomers to develop their skills and gain valuable experience. With years of expertise under their belt, these organizations have comprehensive, specialized training programs designed by top professionals to help new employees acclimate to the work environment and acquire essential knowledge. Additionally, recent graduates are likely to encounter a diverse range of tasks in larger companies, including simpler cases that allow them to hone their skills gradually. Consequently, opting for a position within a well-established organization is a more favorable decision for new university graduates. (164 words)

Taking into account factors of Weighing the aspects of financial stability and skill development (considering both money and the accumulation of experience, working in a large and experience accumulation), embarking on a career with a large, established company is a more advantageous choice (better choice for a new choice) for recent university graduate. graduates. Firstly, the large and established company could provide a such companies typically offer well-paid positions for a university graduate. These with attractive benefits (provide well-paid positions), as they prioritize employee productivity and satisfaction to maintain their brand reputation (pay more attention to bonus and well-being of employees). Their significant market share enables them to invest in their workforce, ensuring competitive salaries and opportunities for growth (guarantee better income for workers).

Moreover, large companies always pay more attention on the bonus and well-being of employees, not only because this kind of companies need workers to work with productivity and efficiency, avoiding hurting their own brands, but also because there are large shares in market to guarantee their workers have a better income. In this situation, these large companies tend to spend more money for their employees to improve their service and the quality of products. Therefore, entering the large company could give a high income to a new university graduate. Lastly, provide an established platform for newcomers to develop their skills and gain valuable experience (students could learn more skills and working experiences in a large and established companies. The large companies could offer a mature platform for freshmen due to their long-term development. Thus, there are experiences). With years of expertise under their belt, these organizations have comprehensive, specialized training programs designed by top professionals to help new employees acclimate to the work environment and acquire essential knowledge (complete, specialized specialized, and cutting-edge training courses designed by excellent workers courses). Additionally, recent graduates are likely to encounter a diverse range of tasks in these large larger companies, helping their new workers to be familiar with working environment and learning working essential knowledge. Moreover, a new graduate could including simpler cases that allow them to hone their skills gradually (have enough practice compared the to small start-up company, because the large one always have many simple cases that suitable companies). Consequently, opting for a position within a well-established organization is a more favorable decision (better idea) for new workers. Therefore, choosing the large company is a better idea.university graduates.

Title: 8 思维导图

Mindmap:

1. Financial Stability
   1.1 Well-paid positions
   1.2 Attractive benefits
   1.3 Competitive salaries

2. Skill Development
   2.1 Established platform
   2.2 Comprehensive training programs
   2.3 Diverse range of tasks

3. Large Companies Advantages
   3.1 Employee productivity and satisfaction
   3.2 Significant market share
   3.3 Opportunities for growth

4. Conclusion: Favorable decision for new university graduates

Title: 9 关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
financial stability/ˈfaɪˌnænʃəl stəˈbɪlɪti/nounThe ability to maintain a steady income and financial security财务稳定Working at a large company can provide financial stability for recent graduates.
skill development/skɪl dɪˈvɛləpmənt/nounThe process of improving one's abilities and expertise in a particular area技能发展Large companies offer opportunities for skill development through training programs and diverse tasks.
well-established/wɛl-ɪˈstæblɪʃt/adjectiveHaving a respected, long-standing reputation or presence in a particular field知名度高的Recent graduates should consider working at well-established companies to enhance their career prospects.
market share/ˈmɑrkɪt ʃɛr/nounThe portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product市场份额Large companies with significant market share can afford to invest in their employees' growth.
comprehensive/ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪv/adjectiveIncluding all or nearly all elements or aspects of something全面的Large companies offer comprehensive training programs for new employees.
specialized/ˈspɛʃəˌlaɪzd/adjectiveDesigned for a particular purpose, area, or job专业的Specialized training programs help recent graduates develop the skills needed for their job.
acclimate/ˈækləˌmeɪt/verbTo become accustomed to a new environment or situation适应New employees need time to acclimate to the work environment at large companies.
diverse/daɪˈvərs, dɪ-/adjectiveShowing a great deal of variety; very different多样的Recent graduates will encounter diverse tasks at large companies, allowing them to hone their skills.
favorable/ˈfeɪvərəbəl/adjectiveAdvantageous; giving a benefit or chance of success有利的Opting for a position within a well-established organization is a favorable decision for new university graduates.

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

1

Read the prompt carefully and identify all parts of the question before writing.

2

Reference the reading passage and the other students' opinions in your response.

3

Use specific examples to support your main point — avoid generic statements.

4

Aim for 120-150 words. Longer responses are not always better; clarity and focus matter more.

5

Practice timed responses (10 minutes) to build fluency under exam conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TOEFL Academic Discussion task?
The TOEFL Academic Discussion task requires you to contribute to an online classroom discussion. You'll read a professor's question and other students' responses, then write your own post expressing and supporting your opinion in about 10 minutes.
How is the Academic Discussion task scored?
The task is scored on a scale of 0-5 based on relevance to the discussion, quality of language use (grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure), and how well you develop and support your ideas with specific examples and reasoning.
What are the user samples on this page?
These are real responses submitted by TOEFL test-takers who practiced this question on LingoLeap. Each sample has been evaluated by our AI scoring engine, which provides a score and detailed feedback on strengths and areas for improvement.
How accurate is the AI evaluation?
LingoLeap's AI evaluation engine is trained on official ETS scoring rubrics and calibrated against human rater scores. While no automated system is perfect, it provides reliable feedback for practice purposes and helps identify specific areas for improvement.
How can I practice this Academic Discussion task?
You can practice by signing up for a free LingoLeap account. Write your own response to this exact question, submit it, and receive instant AI evaluation with detailed feedback on your writing.
How long should my Academic Discussion response be?
Aim for 120-150 words. The task gives you 10 minutes to write your response. Focus on clarity, supporting your opinion with specific examples, and referencing the discussion context rather than writing a longer response.

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