All Samples

TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Your professor is teaching a class on business management. Write a postresponding to the professor's question. In your response you should do the following.Express and support your opinionMake a contribution to the discussion in your own words An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Real user submissions with AI-powered evaluation and feedback

1 user-submitted samples available

Start Free Practice

Task Overview

Professor

This week, we will be discussing leadership; more specifically, we will beexamining the various qualities found in all successful business leaders. To getyou thinking about this topic, I'd like you to consider the following question:What is more important for being an effective leader of a business-excellentcommunication skills or a strong technical background in a particular industry?

Amy

The best leaders are the ones who are good communicators. Ifemployees clearly understand what is expected of them-if theirleader can articulate clearly and concisely what they need todo to achieve their goals-they will be more productive andefficient in their work.

Rory

It doesn't matter how well a company's leader communicates ifthey don't have a deep understanding of the business itselfEmployees aren't going to be motivated by a companypresident who gives a great speech if it's evident that thepresident doesn't know what they do in their day-to-day work

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

In response to the professor's question, I concur with Rory's viewpoint that being practical is more important for being an effective leader of a business-excellent. There are two primary reasons for my instance. Firstly, if the leader has a strong technical background, he can make a specific plan for his employees' day-to-day work, due to his careful skills and proficient techniques. As a leader, the important function is to teach his employees, how to work effectively. So, to some extent, skills can be addressed as a priority. Secondly, good communication may be inspiring, but it is all superficial and cannot be turned into reality. For example, my mother often complains to me that her boss always praises them without putting them into practice, telling them to work hard without mentioning the direction or content of their efforts. In conclusion, I think strong technical background should take precedence over communication skills.

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

Estimated Score: 27

3.任务完成度

此篇文章基本上完成了任务要求,表达了作者对于领导技能和沟通能力的看法。但是,可以在以下方面进行改进:

  1. 在论述观点时,可以加入更多具体的例子和细节,使观点更加有说服力。

  2. 文章中存在一些语法错误和不太自然的表达,需要进行修改。

示例1:将 "being practical is more important for being an effective leader of a business-excellent" 改为 "having a strong technical background is more important for being an effective business leader."

示例2:将 "due to his careful skills and proficient techniques" 改为 "due to their expertise and proficiency in the industry."

4.文章结构与组织

文章的结构和组织方面较为清晰,包括了引言、正文和结论。然而,在以下方面可以进行改进:

  1. 在段落之间增加过渡性词汇或短语,使文章更加流畅。

  2. 对于正文部分的论述,可以尝试使用对比法来强调自己的观点。

示例1:在第二段开头添加过渡性词汇:“首先,在技术背景方面,如果领导具备强大的技术背景,他可以为员工的日常工作制定具体计划。”

示例2:在正文部分加入对比论述:“虽然良好的沟通能力对于激发员工积极性有一定作用,但是在实际操作中,技术背景更能够帮助领导制定切实可行的计划和目标。”

  1. 语法批改

In response to the professor's question, I concur with Rory's viewpoint that being practical is more important for being an effective leader of a business-excellent. There are two primary reasons for my instance. Firstly, if the leader has a strong technical background, he can make a specific plan for his employees' day-to-day work, due to his careful skills and proficient techniques. As a leader, the important function is to teach his employees, how to work effectively. So, to some extent, skills can be addressed as a priority. Secondly, good communication may be inspiring, but it is all superficial and cannot be turned into reality. For example, my mother often complains to me that her boss always praises them without putting them into practice, telling them to work hard without mentioning the direction or content of their efforts. In conclusion, I think strong technical background should take precedence over communication skills.

6.文章修订

In response to the professor's question, I agree with Rory that having a strong technical background is more important for being an effective business leader. There are two primary reasons for my stance.

Firstly, a leader with a strong technical background can create specific plans for their employees' day-to-day work, due to their expertise and proficiency in the industry. As a leader, it is crucial to guide employees on how to work effectively. Therefore, technical skills should be considered a priority.

Secondly, while good communication may be inspiring, it can often be superficial and not translate into tangible results. For instance, my mother frequently complains that her boss praises them without implementing any changes or providing clear guidance on the direction or content of their efforts.

Overall, I believe that a strong technical background should take precedence over communication skills when evaluating an effective business leader. (147 words)

7.文章批改

In response to the professor's question, I concur agree with Rory's viewpoint Rory that being practical having a strong technical background is more important for being an effective leader of a business-excellent. business leader. (Changed "being practical" to "having a strong technical background" for clarity) There are two primary reasons for my instance. stance.

Firstly, if the a leader has a strong technical background, he with a strong technical background can make a create specific plan for his plans for their employees' day-to-day work, due to their expertise and proficiency in the industry. (Rephrased "due to his careful skills and proficient techniques. techniques" to "due to their expertise and proficiency in the industry" for more natural language use) As a leader, the important function it is to teach his employees, crucial to guide employees on how to work effectively. So, to some extent, Therefore, technical skills can should be addressed as considered a priority.

Secondly, while good communication may be inspiring, but it is all can often be superficial and cannot be turned not translate into reality. tangible results. (Revised sentence structure for better flow) For example, instance, my mother often frequently complains to me that her boss always praises them without putting them into practice, telling them to work hard without mentioning implementing any changes or providing clear guidance on the direction or content of their efforts. ¶ In conclusion, (Reworded this sentence for clarity)

Overall, I think believe that a strong technical background should take precedence over communication skills.skills when evaluating an effective business leader. (Minor edits for improved language use)

8.思维导图

  • Introduction

    • Agree with Rory
    • Strong technical background importance
  • Reason 1

    • Specific plans for employees
    • Expertise and proficiency in the industry
  • Reason 2

    • Good communication can be superficial
    • Lack of tangible results
  • Example

    • Mother's experience with her boss
  • Conclusion

    • Technical background takes precedence over communication skills

9.关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
precedence/ˈprɛsɪdəns/nounThe condition of being considered more important than someone or something else.优先地位A strong technical background should take precedence over communication skills.
expertise/ˌɛkspərˈtiːz/nounSpecial skill or knowledge in a particular field.专业知识A leader with expertise in the industry can create specific plans for their employees.
proficiency/prəˈfɪʃənsi/nounA high degree of competence or skill; expertise.熟练程度Proficiency in the industry is crucial for a leader to guide employees effectively.
superficial/suːpərˈfɪʃəl/adjectiveAppearing to be true or real only until examined more closely.表面的Good communication may be inspiring, but it can often be superficial and not translate into results.
tangible/ˈtan(d)ʒəb(ə)l/adjectivePerceptible by touch; clear and definite; real.有形的The leader's technical background led to tangible improvements in the company's performance.
implement/ˈɪmplɪmənt/verbPut (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect.实施The boss praised them without implementing any changes or providing clear guidance.
guidance/ˈɡʌɪdəns/nounAdvice or information aimed at resolving a problem or difficulty.指导Employees need clear guidance on the direction and content of their efforts.
evaluate/ɪˈvaljueɪt/verbForm an idea of the amount, number, or value of; assess.评估It is important to evaluate a leader's technical background and communication skills.
crucial/ˈkruːʃ(ə)l/adjectiveDecisive or critical, especially in the success or failure of something.至关重要As a leader, it is crucial to guide employees on how to work effectively.
industry/ˈɪndəstri/nounEconomic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials and manufacture of goods in factories.行业A strong technical background in a particular industry is essential for an effective business leader.

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.

Rooting for Your Goal Score Today!

With LingoLeap, an expert in English exams

Get to Your Dream Score Faster

Try for free now