TOEFL TPO -1 Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Professor: When students are preparing to graduate from university, they need to make decisions about what kind of company they want to work for. They might consider large, older companies with an established reputation, or possibly new start-up companies, which tend to be small but very focused on the future. Consider the advantages of each. Would it generally be better for a new university graduate to begin working for a large, established company, or for a small start-up company? Why?
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Professor
Professor: When students are preparing to graduate from university, they need to make decisions about what kind of company they want to work for. They might consider large, older companies with an established reputation, or possibly new start-up companies, which tend to be small but very focused on the future. Consider the advantages of each. Would it 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
Kelly: I think in general, the established company is the better choice. Because they're already well-known, these companies have a certain amount of respect in the business community, so it would look good to have that job experience on your résumé. That advantage alone would be a great start for a recent graduate.
Student B
Paul : I see your point, Kelly, but taking a position at a start-up company would offer 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 getting new clients. That would be a much better experience for someone fresh out of university!
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
In my opinion, it is better to work in a big, established company for a new university graduate. It is because that in big companies, the can learn a lot of skills from their coworkers. For instance, they can learn time management, communicative skills and manners through their work and their coworkers. Also, work in a large company can enlarge the social circle for then graduates since they are freshmen to the industries and the large companies have enough client resources for them. It is true that a new company offers flexible policies and procedures to conduct new programs. However, the bigger the companies are, the more likely they offer startup opportunities for employees within the company. For instance, Instagram render assistance to the start up project, not only financially, but also technically
Evaluation Result
1. 子项得分
-
Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.5
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Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 4.0
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Language Use and Grammar: 3.5
2. 预估分数
24. 3 任务完成度
从任务完成度的角度来看,这篇文章基本上满足了题目要求,对于大公司和小公司的优势进行了讨论。但是,文章可以更加深入地探讨这两种选择之间的差异,并给出更具体的例子。此外,文章中存在一些语法错误和表达不清晰的地方。
改进建议举例(英文):
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Instead of just mentioning that big companies offer startup opportunities, provide a specific example or elaborate on how this benefits new graduates.
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Improve grammar and clarity by revising sentences like "It is because that in big companies, the can learn a lot of skills from their coworkers" to "This is because in big companies, new graduates can learn various skills from their coworkers."
4. 文章结构与组织
从文章结构与组织的角度来看,这篇文章有一个简单的结构,包括引言、正文和结论。然而,正文部分可以进一步划分为不同段落,每个段落专注于一个具体观点及其支持细节。此外,在段落之间加入明确的过渡词或短语可以使文章更加流畅。
改进建议举例(英文):
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Divide the body of the essay into separate paragraphs, each focusing on a specific advantage of working in a big company, such as learning opportunities, networking, and internal startup support.
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Add transition words or phrases between paragraphs to improve the flow of the essay, such as "Firstly," "In addition," and "Moreover."
5. 语法批改
In my opinion, it is better to work in a big, established company foras(This rule identifies wrong preposition usage.) a new university graduate. It is because that in big companies, the can learnlearns(punctuation + singular noun + plural verb) a lot of skills from their coworkers. For instance, they can learn time management, communicative skills and manners through their work and their coworkers. Also, work in a large company can enlarge the social circle for then graduates since they are freshmen to the industries and the large companies have enough client resources for them. It is true that a new company offers flexible policies and procedures to conduct new programs. However, the bigger the companies are, the more likely they offer startup opportunities for employees within the company. For instance, Instagram render assistance to the start upstart-up(warm up (warm-up)) project, not only financially, but also technically
Section Title: 6 Article Revision
In my perspective, it is generally more advantageous for a new university graduate to commence their career in a large, established company. The primary reason being that these companies provide an environment where graduates can acquire various skills from experienced coworkers, such as time management, effective communication, and professional etiquette. Furthermore, working in a well-established organization can significantly expand a graduate's social network due to the extensive client resources available. While it is true that start-ups may offer flexibility and innovative approaches, larger companies often present internal opportunities for employees to participate in entrepreneurial projects. For example, Instagram supports its employees' start-up initiatives by providing financial and technical assistance. (114 words)
In my opinion, perspective [Changed "opinion" to "perspective" for a more natural tone], it is better to work in a big, established company generally more advantageous for a new university graduate. It is because graduate to commence their career in a large, established company. The primary reason being that in big companies, the these companies provide an environment where graduates can learn a lot of acquire various skills from their coworkers. For instance, they can learn experienced coworkers, such as time management, communicative skills effective communication, and manners through their work professional etiquette [Rephrased for clarity and their coworkers. Also, work readability]. Furthermore, working in a large company well-established organization can enlarge the significantly expand a graduate's social circle for then graduates since they are freshmen network due to the industries and the large companies have enough extensive client resources available [Revised for them. It better flow]. While it is true that a new company offers flexible policies start-ups may offer flexibility and procedures to conduct new programs. However, the bigger the innovative approaches, larger companies are, the more likely they offer startup often present internal opportunities for employees within to participate in entrepreneurial projects [Clarified the company. point about start-ups vs. large companies]. For instance, example, Instagram render supports its employees' start-up initiatives by providing financial and technical assistance [Provided a specific example to support the start up project, not only financially, but also technicallyargument].
Display title: 8 思维导图
1. 大公司的优势
1.1 学习技能
1.1.1 时间管理
1.1.2 有效沟通
1.1.3 职业礼仪
1.2 扩展社交网络
1.2.1 客户资源丰富
2. 创业公司的优点
2.1 灵活性
2.2 创新方法
3. 大公司内部创业机会
3.1 Instagram案例分析
3.1.1 资金支持
3.1.2 技术支持
Display title: 9 关键词
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English definition | Simplified Chinese translation | Sample sentences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| advantageous | /ˌæd.vənˈteɪ.dʒəs/ | adj | giving an advantage; helpful | 有利的 | Working in a large company is generally more advantageous for new university graduates. |
| commence | /kəˈmɛns/ | v | to begin something | 开始 | She will commence her career in a well-established company. |
| etiquette | /ˈɛtɪkɛt,ˈɛtɪkɪt/ | n | the customary code of polite behavior | 礼仪 | Professional etiquette is essential in the workplace. |
| flexibility | /flɛksəˈbɪlɪti/ | n | the ability to change or be changed easily | 灵活性 | Start-ups may offer more flexibility to their employees. |
| innovative | /ˈɪnəˌveɪtɪv/ | adj | featuring new methods or ideas | 创新的 | Innovative approaches are often found in start-up companies. |
| internal | /ɪnˈtərn(ə)l/ | adj | existing or occurring within an organization | 内部的 | Larger companies often present internal opportunities for entrepreneurship. |
| social network | /ˈsoʊʃəl ˈnɛtwərk/ | n | a network of personal or professional contacts | 社交网络 | Working in a large company can significantly expand a graduate's social network. |
| entrepreneurial | /ˌɒntrəprəˈnʊrɪəl/ | adj | relating to the process of starting a business | 创业的 | Employees can participate in entrepreneurial projects within large companies. |
| financial assistance | /faɪˈnanʃ(ə)l əˈsist(ə)ns/ | n | monetary support | 财务援助 | Instagram provides financial assistance to its employees' start-up initiatives. |
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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