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TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Instructions Your professor is teaching a class on ecology. Write a post responding to the professor's question.

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Task Overview

Professor

In the next few weeks, we will be discussing various initiatives to help protect the environment. According to one initiative, plastic, which is extremely harmful for the environment, should be banned entirely. However, many products we use every day are made of plastic: food and drink containers, shopping bags, furniture, and even cars. Do you agree that the use of plastic should be banned? Why or why not?

Kelly

In my opinion, it would be impossible to convince people to stop buying and using plastic products. Plastic is a cheap, durable material, and as Dr. Achebe noted, we use plastic in an abundance of items. I understand the negative impact of plastic on the environment, but we need to find a different solution than a complete ban.

Andrew

I believe it's possible to convince people to use at least less plastic. There are environmentally friendly alternatives to many plastic products. For example, instead of plastic shopping bags, I use reusable bags made of fabric. People just need to be educated, and many of them will be happy to use less plastic.

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

As for me, i agree with Kelly's statements. It's unevitavle for us to use the products made of plastic, since it has so many advantages as Kelly says. Plastic brings convennience. However, we can still take actions to use less plastic in our daily life. In some aspects of life, plastic is not definitely irreplacable. As Andrew's opnions, we can use reusable bags instead of plastic shopping bags. Moreover, we can learn how to recycle the used plastic and use the recycled plastic which can make enough of the plastic. Although we can not ban the plastic, the governments are supposed to appeal people to use less plastic, especially those big companies. If the big companies are willing to develop the techniques about recycling plastic or innovating better replacement of plastic, maybe we will ban the plastic as much as we can.

Evaluation Result

1. Sub Scores

Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.5 Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 4.0 Language Use and Grammar: 3.5

2. Estimated Scores

Estimated Score: 25

3. Task completeness

The essay does a good job of addressing the task requirements, expressing a clear opinion, and contributing to the discussion. However, there is room for improvement in terms of elaborating on specific examples and providing more concrete support for the arguments presented. Additionally, some grammatical errors and awkward phrasing detract from the overall clarity of the essay.

Suggestions for improvement:

  • Provide more specific examples to support your viewpoint.

  • Proofread your essay to correct grammar errors and improve sentence structure.

Examples:

  1. Instead of saying "we can learn how to recycle the used plastic," provide a specific example or method of recycling that has proven effective.

  2. Rather than stating "the governments are supposed to appeal people," rephrase it as "governments should encourage people."

4. Essay structure and organization

The essay has a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. However, some paragraphs could be better organized with clearer transitions between ideas.

Suggestions for improvement:

  • Use topic sentences at the beginning of each paragraph to introduce the main point.

  • Improve transitions between ideas by using appropriate linking words or phrases.

Examples:

  1. Begin a paragraph with a topic sentence like "One way we can reduce plastic usage is by adopting reusable alternatives."

  2. Use transition words or phrases such as "Furthermore" or "In addition" when introducing new points or examples in your essay.

5. Grammar

As for me, iI(i vs. I) agree with Kelly's statements. It's unevitavleinevitable(misspelling) for us to use the products made of plastic, since it has so many advantagesadvantages,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) as Kelly says. Plastic brings convennienceconvenience(misspelling). However, we can still take actions to use less plastic in our daily life. In some aspects of life, plastic is not definitely irreplacableirreplaceable(misspelling). As Andrew's opnionsoptions(misspelling), we can use reusable bags instead of plastic shopping bags. Moreover, we can learn how to recycle the used plastic and use the recycled plasticplastic,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) which can make enough of the plastic. Although we can not ban the plastic, the governments are supposed to appeal people to use less plastic, especially those big companies. If the big companies are willing to develop the techniques about recycling plastic or innovating better replacement of plastic, maybe we will ban the plastic as much as we can.

Display title: 6 Revised Essay

While I concur with Kelly's perspective, I believe it is crucial to acknowledge the potential for reducing plastic consumption in our daily lives. Undeniably, plastic offers numerous benefits, such as affordability and durability, making it an integral component of various products. However, we can still adopt measures to minimize our reliance on this material. In certain aspects of life, plastic is not irreplaceable; for instance, as Andrew suggests, we can opt for reusable fabric bags instead of disposable plastic ones. Furthermore, promoting recycling initiatives and utilizing recycled plastic can help mitigate the environmental impact. Although an outright ban on plastic may be unrealistic, governments and corporations should collaborate to encourage responsible usage and invest in innovative alternatives or recycling technologies. By doing so, we can significantly reduce our dependence on plastics and work towards a more sustainable future. (143 words)

As While I concur (revised for me, i agree clarity and formality) with Kelly's statements. It's unevitavle perspective, I believe it is crucial (revised for us emphasis) to use acknowledge the products made potential for reducing plastic consumption in our daily lives. Undeniably, plastic offers numerous benefits, such as affordability and durability, making it an integral component of plastic, since it has so many advantages as Kelly says. Plastic brings convennience. various products. However, we can still take actions adopt measures (revised for clarity) to use less plastic in minimize our daily life. reliance on this material. In some certain aspects of life, plastic is not definitely irreplacable. As Andrew's opnions, irreplaceable (revised for better word choice); for instance, as Andrew suggests, we can use opt for reusable fabric bags instead of disposable plastic shopping bags. Moreover, ones. Furthermore, promoting recycling initiatives and utilizing recycled plastic can help mitigate the environmental impact. Although an outright ban on plastic may be unrealistic (revised for clarity), governments and corporations should collaborate to encourage responsible usage (revised for better word choice) and invest in innovative alternatives or recycling technologies. By doing so, we can learn how to recycle the used plastic significantly reduce our dependence on plastics (revised for consistency) and use the recycled plastic which can make enough of the plastic. Although we can not ban the plastic, the governments are supposed to appeal people to use less plastic, especially those big companies. If the big companies are willing to develop the techniques about recycling plastic or innovating better replacement of plastic, maybe we will ban the plastic as much as we can.work towards a more sustainable future.

8 Mind Map

  1. Introduction

    • Kelly's perspective
    • Importance of reducing plastic consumption
  2. Benefits of plastic

    • Affordability
    • Durability
  3. Minimizing reliance on plastic

    • Reusable alternatives (e.g., fabric bags)
  4. Recycling initiatives

    • Promoting recycling programs
    • Utilizing recycled plastic products
  5. Government and corporate collaboration

    • Encouraging responsible usage
    • Investing in innovative alternatives and recycling technologies
  6. Reducing dependence on plastics for a sustainable future

9 Key Words

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionEnglish TranslationSample Sentence
Concur/kənˈkər/VerbTo agreeAgreeI concur with your opinion on the matter.
Undeniably/ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbli/AdverbIn a way that cannot be deniedWithout doubtUndeniably, plastic offers numerous benefits to our daily lives.
Integral/ˈɪntɪɡrəl/AdjectiveNecessary to make a whole complete; essential or fundamental.EssentialPlastic is an integral component of various products.
Irreplaceable/ɪrɪˈpleɪsəb(ə)l/AdjectiveImpossible to replace if lost or damagedCannot be replacedIn certain aspects of life, plastic is not irreplaceable.
Mitigate/ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/VerbTo make less severe, serious, or painfulLessenRecycling initiatives can help mitigate the environmental impact.
Outright/ˌaʊtˈraɪt/AdjectiveComplete; totalTotalAn outright ban on plastic may be unrealistic.
Collaboration/kəˌlabəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/NounThe action of working with someone to produce somethingCooperationGovernments and corporations should collaborate on this issue.
Innovative/ˈɪnəvətɪv/AdjectiveFeaturing new methods; advanced and originalOriginalInvesting in innovative alternatives is crucial for the future.
Sustainable/səˈsteɪnəb(ə)l/AdjectiveAble to be maintained at a certain rate or levelMaintainableReducing our dependence on plastics will lead to a sustainable future.

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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