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

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Task Overview

Professor

We've been discussing the importance of hiringand retaining highly skilled emplovees, but everthe best emplovees may need to periodicallvupdate or further develop their work skills. Onequestion facing managers is how much time ancmoney to invest in improving the work skills oftheir emplovees. Some managers argue that ongoing emplovee training is the most importantinvestment a company can make. What are vourthoughts on the matter?

Student A

I don't think that employee training is the most importantinvestment a company can make. The company should behiring the most skilled workers it can find in the first place.There are so many other unavoidable things that a companvneeds to spend money on that have to take precedence overtraining.

Student B

Employees' leaving their jobs is always a risk, but providingongoing training and skill development is more likely to makeemployees want to stay rather than go, in my opinion. Whenemployers pay for training, employees are likely to feel morevalued by their employer, and this can only improve theemplover-emplovee relationship.

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

I concur with Andrew's viewpoint that it is more efficient to directly hire high-skilled workers with greater productivity rather than train them. Firstly, it will save huge amount of time if the workers is proficient in their field. To some extend, time is also an important factor determining the success of one company, since it may bring company great profit in relatively short time. therefore, it is crucial for company to hire productive labor with proficiency. In addition, it releases some financial burdens for company to train workers, which means they could spent it on somewhere else, such as renovations of working environment, to make workers feeling better when performing tasks; or improving the quality of meal. With higher quality of treatment, employees will foster a sense of loyalty and satisfaction within the company , making them more likely to stay there. In conclusion, employee training may not be the most important investment for one company

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

  • 27

3.任务完成度 整体而言,你的文章回答了教授的问题,并表达了自己的观点。但是,为了更好地完成任务,你可以尝试以下几点改进:

  1. 更具体地解释为什么直接雇佣高技能工人比培训他们更有效。
  2. 使用更多实例来支持你的观点。

例如:

  • 在解释雇佣高技能工人的优势时,可以提到:“雇佣已经具备所需技能的员工可以使公司立即从他们的专业知识中受益,而不需要等待培训结束。”

  • 在支持观点时,可以使用实际案例:“以苹果公司为例,他们在招聘过程中非常注重员工的技能和经验,这使得他们能够快速推出创新产品并保持竞争力。”

4.文章结构与组织 你的文章结构基本清晰,但仍有改进空间。以下是一些建议:

  1. 在引言部分明确提出自己的观点。
  2. 每段落都应集中讨论一个具体观点,并提供相应的支持细节。

例如:

  • 引言部分可以这样写:“在本次讨论中,我认为直接雇佣高技能工人比对员工进行培训更为有效。”

  • 在正文部分,可以将每个观点和支持细节分开陈述:“首先,雇佣高技能工人可以节省大量时间。时间是决定公司成功的重要因素之一,因为它可能在相对较短的时间内为公司带来巨大利润。其次,不需要培训员工也可以减轻公司的财务负担。”

  1. 语法批改

I concur with Andrew's viewpoint that it is more efficient to directly hire high-skilled workers with greater productivity rather than train them. Firstly, it will save huge amount of time if the workers isare(Detects potentially wrong usage of "is") proficient in their field. To some extendextent(extend (extent)), time is also an important factor determining the success of one company, since it may bring companythe company(This rule identifies whether the article 'the' is missing in a sentence.) great profit in relatively short time. thereforeTherefore(Checks that a sentence starts with an uppercase letter), it is crucial for company to hire productive labor with proficiency. In addition, it releases some financial burdens for company to train workers, which means they could spentspend(Non-infinitive verb after modal verbs) it on somewhere else, such as renovations of working environment, to make workers feeling better when performing tasks; or improving the quality of meal. With higher quality of treatment, employees will foster a sense of loyalty and satisfaction within the company ,,(Use of whitespace before comma and before/after parentheses) making them more likely to stay there. In conclusion, employee training may not be the most important investment for one company

6.文章修订

In response to the professor's question, I believe that hiring highly skilled workers directly is more efficient than investing in employee training. Firstly, employing proficient individuals saves a significant amount of time, as they can contribute to the company's success immediately without requiring additional training. Time is a crucial factor in determining a company's success, as it can lead to substantial profits in a relatively short period.

Secondly, by not allocating resources for employee training, companies can reduce their financial burden and invest in other aspects such as improving the work environment or enhancing employee benefits. A better work environment and increased benefits can foster loyalty and satisfaction among employees, making them more likely to stay with the company.

Furthermore, while ongoing employee training has its merits, it should not be considered the most important investment for a company. Instead, businesses should prioritize hiring highly skilled workers who already possess the necessary expertise and experience to contribute effectively from day one. This approach allows companies to maintain a competitive edge by capitalizing on their employees' skills and abilities without incurring additional costs for training.

Overall, although employee training has value, directly hiring highly skilled workers proves to be a more efficient strategy for companies seeking long-term success and growth. (210 words)

7.文章批改

In response to the professor's question, I concur believe that hiring highly skilled workers directly is more efficient than investing in employee training. (Changed "concur with Andrew's viewpoint that viewpoint" to "believe" for a more direct expression of opinion) Firstly, employing proficient individuals saves a significant amount of time (Replaced "huge amount of time" with "significant amount of time" for a more formal tone), as they can contribute to the company's success immediately without requiring additional training. Time is a crucial factor in determining a company's success, as it is more efficient to directly hire high-skilled workers with greater productivity rather than train them. ¶ Firstly, it will save huge amount of time if the workers is proficient can lead to substantial profits in their field. To some extend, time is also an important factor determining the success of one company, since it may bring company great profit in a relatively short time. therefore, it is crucial for company to hire productive labor with proficiency. In addition, it releases period.

Secondly, by not allocating resources for employee training, companies can reduce their financial burden and invest in other aspects such as improving the work environment or enhancing employee benefits (Rephrased "releases some financial burdens for company to train workers, which means they could spent it on somewhere else, such as renovations of working environment, to make workers feeling workers" for clarity and coherence). A better when performing tasks; or improving the quality of meal. With higher quality of treatment, employees will work environment and increased benefits can foster a sense of loyalty and satisfaction within the company , among employees, making them more likely to stay there. In conclusion, with the company.

Furthermore, while ongoing employee training may has its merits (Replaced "may not be the most important investment" with "has its merits" for a more balanced view), it should not be considered the most important investment for a company. Instead, businesses should prioritize hiring highly skilled workers who already possess the necessary expertise and experience to contribute effectively from day one company(Added "who already possess..." for clarity). This approach allows companies to maintain a competitive edge by capitalizing on their employees' skills and abilities without incurring additional costs for training.

Overall, although employee training has value (Changed "may not be the most important investment" to "has value" for consistency), directly hiring highly skilled workers proves to be a more efficient strategy for companies seeking long-term success and growth (Added "seeking long-term success and growth" to emphasize the purpose of this strategy).

8.思维导图

  • Introduction

    • Hiring highly skilled workers directly
    • Efficiency compared to employee training
  • Point 1: Time-saving

    • Proficient individuals contribute immediately
    • Crucial factor for company success
  • Point 2: Financial benefits

    • Reduced burden on training costs
    • Invest in work environment and employee benefits
  • Point 3: Prioritizing skilled workers

    • Necessary expertise and experience
    • Competitive edge without additional costs

9.关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
proficient/prəˈfɪʃənt/adjectivehighly competent or skilled in a particular area熟练的The proficient programmer completed the task quickly and efficiently.
substantial/səbˈstænʃəl/adjectiveconsiderable in quantity, size, or worth大量的,重大的The company made a substantial profit this year.
allocate/ˈæləkeɪt/verbdistribute resources or duties for a particular purpose分配The manager will allocate tasks to each team member based on their expertise.
competitive edge/kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv edʒ/noun phrasean advantage over competitors gained by offering greater value竞争优势By hiring skilled workers, the company maintains a competitive edge in the market.
capitalize/ˈkæpɪtəˌlaɪz/verbtake advantage of a situation利用The company capitalized on the new technology to increase its market share.
prioritize/praɪˈɔrəˌtaɪz/verbdesignate or treat as more important优先考虑The manager decided to prioritize the most urgent tasks first.
expertise/ˌekspərˈtiːz/nounexpert skill or knowledge in a particular field专业知识,专长Her expertise in marketing helped the company increase its sales.
loyalty/ˈlɔɪəlti/nouna strong feeling of support or allegiance忠诚,忠实The company's commitment to employee well-being fostered loyalty among its staff.
satisfaction/sætɪsˈfækʃən/nounfulfillment of one's needs, expectations, or desires满意度Employee satisfaction increased after the introduction of new benefits.
long-term/lɔŋ ˈtɜrm/adjectiveoccurring over a long period of time长期的The company's long-term strategy focuses on sustainable growth.

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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