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TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Today, we’re going to discuss the impact of social media on society. On one hand, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have connected people from all over the world. However, there are concerns about the negative effects of social media, such as the spread of misinformation, the rise of cyberbullying, and addiction to social media use. What do you think? Does social media cause more harm than good?

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Task Overview

Professor

Today, we’re going to discuss the impact of social media on society. On one hand, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have connected people from all over the world. However, there are concerns about the negative effects of social media, such as the spread of misinformation, the rise of cyberbullying, and addiction to social media use. What do you think? Does social media cause more harm than good?

Sarah

I think that social media has caused more harm than good. While it’s true that social media platforms have connected people in unprecedented ways, they have also caused real harm to individuals and societies. Additionally, social media platforms have been linked to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, particularly among young people.

Mark

I disagree with Sara. I think that social media has mostly improved society. For instance, it has given a voice to people that previously were ignored. Moreover, it has provided a platform for political activism that has led to positive change. And, of course, social media has made it easy for everyone to stay connected to family and friends who are far away. While there are negative aspects of social media, they are far outweighed by the benefits.

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User Sample #1

When it comes to me, I strongly agree with Sarah’s idea that social media does more harm than good to society because it leads young people to suffer ...

Score
26

User Sample

When it comes to me, I strongly agree with Sarah’s idea that social media does more harm than good to society because it leads young people to suffer from mental health problems. Furthermore, I would add that social media makes relationships between people and their friends more isolated and distant. Nowadays, people are always busy working owing to the fierce competition in society, having little time to build solid relationships with others. Under this circumstance, people use time that is already less to communicate with others online through content videos or photos that they are interested in. Following that, with the emptiness of loneliness fulfilled by chatting online, they will gradually start to consider not trying their best to squeeze in a previous time to meet their friends. Namely, people will think it unnecessary to meet their friends in reality eventually even if there is free time for them. As a result, it is natural that people have a colder relationship with their friends. Take me as an example, when I was preparing for an important exam, I was addicted to chatting with people who did the same thing as I did. But when the exam was over, I found myself used to socializing online rather than meeting friends in a restaurant and I took a long time to correct that bad habits. Mark raised a relevant point that social media lets the people who are always ignored get support. But he does not mention that there is a bullying situation online that many people will judge others will bad words or even abuse somebody for no reason. Unfortunately, that will not be boring confident, or positive to that guy, only increasing the possibility of being depressed due to bad comments Therefore, I am convinced Sarah’s idea is that social media does more harm than good.

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: 3.5

2. 预估分数

26. 3 任务完成度

这篇文章在回答问题方面做得很好,但还有一些可以改进的地方。首先,尽管你提到了一些关于社交媒体对人们心理健康和人际关系的负面影响,但可以进一步详细说明这些问题。此外,在讨论马克观点时,可以更加深入地分析他的观点以及为什么你不同意他的看法。

示例1:为了支持你的观点,可以引用一些研究或数据来证明社交媒体对心理健康和人际关系的负面影响。 示例2:在讨论马克观点时,可以指出社交媒体虽然给被忽视的人提供了支持,但这种支持可能是暂时的,并且可能导致其他问题(如网络欺凌)。

4. 文章结构与组织

文章整体结构清晰,包括引言、正文和结论。然而,在段落之间使用更明确的过渡词或短语会使文章更连贯。此外,正文部分可以进一步细分,以便更清楚地展示你的观点和论据。

建议1:使用过渡词或短语(如“然而”、“此外”、“因此”等)来连接不同的观点和段落。 建议2:将正文部分细分为几个段落,每个段落专注于一个具体的论点,并提供相关的支持细节。例如,一个段落可以讨论社交媒体对心理健康的影响,另一个段落可以讨论社交媒体对人际关系的影响。

示例1:在讨论心理健康问题时,可以使用过渡词:“然而,在谈到心理健康方面,社交媒体似乎对年轻人产生了负面影响。” 示例2:在讨论人际关系问题时,可以使用过渡词:“此外,社交媒体还导致人们与朋友之间的关系变得更加疏远。”

5. 语法批改

When it comes to me, I strongly agree with Sarah’s idea that social media does more harm than good to society because it leads young people to suffer from mental health problems. Furthermore, I would add that social media makes relationships between people and their friends more isolated and distant. Nowadays, people are always busy working owing to the fierce competition in society, having little time to build solid relationships with others. Under this circumstance, people use time that is already less to communicate with others online through content videos or photos that they are interested in. Following that, with the emptiness of loneliness fulfilled by chatting online, they will gradually start to consider not trying their best to squeeze in a previous time to meet their friends. Namely, people will think itit's(its vs it is) unnecessary to meet their friends in reality eventuallyeventually,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) even if there is free time for them. As a result, it is natural that people have a colder relationship with their friends. Take me as an example, when I was preparing for an important exam, I was addicted to chatting with people who did the same thing as I did. But when the exam was over, I found myself used to socializing online rather than meeting friends in a restaurantrestaurant,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) and I took a long time to correct that bad habits. Mark raised a relevant point that social media lets the people who are always ignored get support. But he does not mention that there is a bullying situation online that many people will judge others will bad words or even abuse somebody for no reason. Unfortunately, that will not be boring confident, or positive to that guy, only increasing the possibility of being depressed due to bad comments Therefore, I am convinced Sarah’s idea is that social media does more harm than good.

Section Title: The Impact of Social Media on Society

While I concur with Sarah's assertion that social media has inflicted more harm than good upon society, I believe this is primarily due to its detrimental effects on mental health and interpersonal relationships. In today's fast-paced world, people often struggle to find time for meaningful connections with others. Consequently, they resort to online interactions through social media platforms, which may provide temporary relief from loneliness but ultimately lead to more isolated and distant relationships.

As individuals increasingly rely on virtual communication, they may become less inclined to invest time and effort in fostering genuine connections with friends and family. This shift towards digital interaction can result in weaker bonds and a decline in the quality of relationships. For instance, during my preparation for a crucial exam, I became engrossed in online conversations with like-minded individuals. However, once the exam concluded, I realized that I had grown accustomed to socializing virtually rather than engaging with friends face-to-face. It took considerable effort to break this habit and rekindle my real-life connections.

Although Mark contends that social media empowers marginalized voices and fosters political activism, he overlooks the prevalence of cyberbullying and the negative impact it has on users' mental health. Many individuals experience harsh criticism or even abuse from anonymous sources online, which can erode their self-esteem and exacerbate feelings of depression or anxiety.

In conclusion, while social media offers certain benefits such as global connectivity and a platform for activism, its adverse effects on mental health and interpersonal relationships cannot be ignored. Therefore, I stand by Sarah's assertion that social media causes more harm than good within society. (276 words)

When it comes to me, I strongly agree with Sarah’s idea Revised essay: Section Title: The Impact of Social Media on Society

While I concur (revised for clarity and formality) with Sarah's assertion that social media does has inflicted (revised for stronger emphasis) more harm than good to society because it leads young people to suffer from upon society, I believe this is primarily due to its detrimental effects on mental health problems. Furthermore, I would add that social media makes relationships between and interpersonal relationships. In today's fast-paced world, people and their friends often struggle to find time for meaningful connections with others. Consequently, they resort to online interactions through social media platforms, which may provide temporary relief from loneliness but ultimately lead to more isolated and distant. Nowadays, people are always busy working owing to distant relationships.

As individuals increasingly rely on virtual communication, they may become less inclined (revised for better word choice) to invest time and effort in fostering genuine connections with friends and family. This shift towards digital interaction can result in weaker bonds and a decline in the fierce competition quality of relationships. For instance, during my preparation for a crucial exam, I became engrossed (revised for better word choice) in society, having little time to build solid relationships with others. Under this circumstance, people use time that is already less to communicate with others online through content videos or photos that they are interested in. Following that, with the emptiness of loneliness fulfilled by chatting online, they will gradually start to consider not trying their best to squeeze in a previous time to meet their friends. Namely, people will think it unnecessary to meet their friends in reality eventually even if there is free time for them. As a result, it is natural that people have a colder relationship with their friends. Take me as an example, when I was preparing for an important exam, I was addicted to chatting with people who did the same thing as I did. But when conversations with like-minded individuals. However, once the exam was over, I found myself used concluded, I realized that I had grown accustomed to socializing online virtually rather than meeting engaging with friends in a restaurant and I face-to-face. It took a long time to correct considerable effort to break this habit and rekindle my real-life connections.

Although Mark contends that bad habits. Mark raised a relevant point that social media lets social media empowers marginalized voices and fosters political activism, he overlooks the people who are always ignored get support. But he does not mention that there is a bullying situation online that many people will judge others will bad words prevalence of cyberbullying and the negative impact it has on users' mental health. Many individuals experience harsh criticism or even abuse somebody for no reason. Unfortunately, from anonymous sources online, which can erode their self-esteem and exacerbate feelings of depression or anxiety.

In conclusion, while social media offers certain benefits such as global connectivity and a platform for activism, its adverse effects on mental health and interpersonal relationships cannot be ignored. Therefore, I stand by Sarah's assertion that will not be boring confident, or positive to that guy, only increasing the possibility of being depressed due to bad comments Therefore, I am convinced Sarah’s idea is that social media does social media causes more harm than good.good within society.

8 思维导图


1. The Impact of Social Media on Society
   1.1 Detrimental effects on mental health
       1.1.1 Loneliness
       1.1.2 Cyberbullying
       1.1.3 Depression and anxiety
   1.2 Effects on interpersonal relationships
       1.2.1 Online interactions replacing face-to-face connections
       1.2.2 Weaker bonds and decline in relationship quality
   1.3 Benefits of social media (counterargument)
       1.3.1 Empowering marginalized voices
       1.3.2 Fostering political activism
   1.4 Conclusion: Social media causes more harm than good

9 关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish definitionSimplified Chinese translationSample sentences
detrimental/ˌdetrɪˈmentl/adjectivecausing harm or damage不利的The detrimental effects of social media on mental health cannot be ignored.
interpersonal/ˌɪntərˈpɜrsənl/adjectiverelating to relationships between people人际的Interpersonal relationships can suffer due to excessive use of social media platforms.
engrossed/ɪnˈɡroʊst/adjectivecompletely absorbed in something全神贯注的I became engrossed in online conversations with like-minded individuals during my exam preparation.
rekindle/riˈkɪndl/verbto revive or renew something重新点燃It took considerable effort to rekindle my real-life connections after relying on virtual communication.
marginalized/ˈmɑrʤɪnəˌlaɪzd/adjectivetreated as insignificant or peripheral边缘化的Social media empowers marginalized voices and fosters political activism.
cyberbullying/ˈsaɪbərˌbʊlɪɪŋ/nounthe use of electronic communication to bully someone网络欺凌The prevalence of cyberbullying on social media platforms has a negative impact on users' mental health.
exacerbate/ɪgˈzæsərbeɪt/verbto make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse加剧Harsh criticism from anonymous sources online can exacerbate feelings of depression or anxiety.
connectivity/kəˌnɛktɪvəti/nounthe state of being connected连接性One benefit of social media is the global connectivity it provides.
activism/ˈæktəvɪzəm/nounthe policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change激进主义Social media can be a platform for political and social activism.
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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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