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TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing Sample: do you think watching a lot of online videos is harmful to children? Why orwhy not?

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Task Overview

Professor

This semester, we are studying how children learn and whatinfluences their cognitive development. We know that children are affected bothpositively and negatively by what they see and hear. Many parents allow their childrento watch entertaining or educational videos on devices like smartphones or tablets.Overall, do you think watching a lot of online videos is harmful to children? Why orwhy not?

Student A

I think watching online videos is harmful to children. Children under two yearsold need to develop communication skills by interacting with other people; passivelywatching videos exposes them to language, but it's not the same. Also, even for olderchildren, sitting and staring at a device means they are not moving and exercising.

Student B

l agree with Andrew that very young children who are learning to communicateshould not watch a lot of videos. However, for children who are past that stage,videos can be great. Lots of kids' videos are about animals and nature. Most kids willnever see a whale in its natural environment, but online, they can learn all aboutwhales.

User Samples & Evaluation Results

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1

User Sample #1

In my opinion, I think watching online videos brings more disadvantages to children. The main reason of that is the videos children watched highly rel...

User Sample

In my opinion, I think watching online videos brings more disadvantages to children. The main reason of that is the videos children watched highly rely on the algorithm created by big technical companies, such as TikTok. The algorithm requires more people' like to determine which one is the best and can be recommended to the larger audience, causing more entertainment videos shown on social media platforms. These videos easily capture children's attention and make them addicated, resulting in a nagetive impact on their health and critical thinking development for a long run.That is why I agree with Andrew, who shares the same viewpoint that watching online videos reduces children's communication skills, and therefore, they have less movement and exercise, which is derimental to their health.

Evaluation Result

1. Sub Scores

  • Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.0

  • Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 3.5

  • Language Use and Grammar: 4.0

2. Estimated Scores

Estimated Score: 24

3. Task completeness

The essay does a good job addressing the task by stating the writer's opinion on whether watching online videos is harmful to children or not. However, the essay could be improved by providing more specific examples and evidence to support the viewpoint. Additionally, incorporating Student B's argument into the discussion would make for a more balanced analysis.

Suggestions for improvement:

  • Include specific examples of how online videos can negatively impact children's health and cognitive development.

  • Address Student B's argument by acknowledging potential benefits of online videos but explaining why they do not outweigh the disadvantages.

Example 1: "Although educational videos about animals and nature can provide valuable information, excessive screen time may lead to poor posture, eye strain, and sleep disturbances in children."

Example 2: "While some online videos may promote learning, it is crucial for parents to monitor their children's screen time and ensure they engage in other activities that foster social interaction, physical exercise, and creativity."

4. Essay structure and organization

The essay has a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. However, the organization could be improved by adding topic sentences at the beginning of each paragraph to guide readers through the main points.

Suggestions for improvement:

  • Add topic sentences at the beginning of each paragraph.

  • Use transitions between ideas and paragraphs to enhance coherence.

Example 1: Topic sentence for body paragraph: "One major concern with excessive online video consumption is its impact on children's communication skills."

Example 2: Transition between ideas: "In addition to affecting communication skills, excessive screen time also has negative consequences on children's physical health."

5. Grammar

In my opinion, I think watching online videos brings more disadvantages to children. The main reason of that is the videos children watched highly rely on the algorithm created by big technical companies, such as TikTok. The algorithm requires more people'(Unpaired braces, brackets, quotation marks and similar symbols) like to determine which one is the best and can be recommended to the larger audience, causing more entertainment videos shown on social media platforms. These videos easily capture children's attention and make them addicatedabdicated(misspelling), resulting in a nagetivenative(misspelling) impact on their health and critical thinking development for a long run.That That(Missing space between sentences) is why I agree with Andrew, who shares the same viewpoint that watching online videos reduces children's communication skills, and therefore, they have less movement and exercise, which is derimentaldetrimental(misspelling) to their health.

Display title: 6 Revised Essay

In my opinion, excessive consumption of online videos can be detrimental to children's development. The primary concern lies in the fact that the content children are exposed to is largely determined by algorithms developed by major tech companies, such as TikTok. These algorithms prioritize content with higher engagement, leading to a prevalence of entertainment-focused videos on social media platforms. Such videos easily captivate children and foster addiction, which may negatively impact their health and critical thinking abilities in the long run. Consequently, I concur with Andrew's assertion that excessive video consumption hinders children's communication skills and reduces their physical activity, ultimately compromising their overall well-being. (110 words)

In my opinion, I think watching excessive consumption of online videos brings more disadvantages can be detrimental to children. The main reason of that is the videos children watched highly rely children's development (revised for clarity and emphasis on the algorithm created negative effects). The primary concern lies in the fact that the content children are exposed to is largely determined by big technical algorithms developed by major tech companies, such as TikTok. The algorithm requires more people' like TikTok (rephrased for better flow and readability). These algorithms prioritize content with higher engagement, leading to determine which one is the best and can be recommended to the larger audience, causing more entertainment a prevalence of entertainment-focused videos shown on social media platforms. These platforms (clarified the relationship between algorithms and content). Such videos easily capture children's attention captivate children and make them addicated, resulting in a nagetive foster addiction, which may negatively impact on their health and critical thinking development for a abilities in the long run.That is why run (explained the consequences of addictive content). Consequently, I agree concur with Andrew, who shares the same viewpoint Andrew's assertion that watching online videos reduces excessive video consumption hinders children's communication skills, skills and therefore, they have less movement reduces their physical activity, ultimately compromising their overall well-being (summarized the main argument and exercise, which is derimental connected it to their health.Andrew's viewpoint).

Display title: 8 Mind Map


1. Excessive online video consumption
   1.1 Detrimental to children's development
       1.1.1 Algorithm-driven content
           1.1.1.1 Major tech companies (e.g., TikTok)
           1.1.1.2 Prioritize high-engagement content
           1.1.1.3 Entertainment-focused videos
       1.2 Addiction and negative impacts
           1.2.1 Health concerns
           1.2.2 Critical thinking abilities
   2 Andrew's assertion
       2.1 Hindered communication skills
       2.2 Reduced physical activity
       2.3 Compromised overall well-being

Display title: 9 Key Words

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionEnglish TranslationSample Sentences
detrimental/ˌdetrɪˈmentl/adjectivecausing harm or damageharmful, damagingExcessive video consumption is detrimental to children's development
algorithm/ˈælɡərɪðəm/nouna process or set of rules to be followedset of rules, procedureContent is determined by algorithms developed by major tech companies
prevalence/ˈprevələns/noun/the fact or condition of being widespread/widespread, commonness/The prevalence of entertainment-focused videos on social media platforms
captivate/ˈkæptɪveɪt/verb/to attract and hold the interest of/fascinate, enchant/Such videos easily captivate children
addiction/əˈdɪkʃən/noun/the fact or condition of being addicted/dependence, compulsion/These videos foster addiction
critical thinking/ˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/noun/the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue/analytical thinking, reasoning/Excessive video consumption may impact children's critical thinking abilities
assertion/əˈsɜrʃən/noun/a confident and forceful statement/declaration, claim/I concur with Andrew's assertion that excessive video consumption hinders children's communication skills
hinder/ˈhɪndər/verb/to create difficulties for someone/obstruct, impedeExcessive video consumption hinders children's communication skills
compromise/ˈkɒmprəmaɪz/verbto weaken or reduce the effect of somethingundermine, weakenExcessive video consumption ultimately compromises their overall well-being
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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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