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

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Task Overview

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 it 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

Student A

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 resume. That advantage alone would be a great start for a recent graduate.

Student B

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

Nowadays, how to choose a suitable and practical position for graduates has sparked plenty of discussion and debate. From my perspective, I firmly believe that it is advantageous for graduates to work for large and established companies as they provide more opportunities for graduates’ career development. To be more specific, most of large companies have practical and well-organized trainings and working processes, which benefits graduates’ work ethic and responsibilities. For example, when I had an internship in a famous securities company, I received considerable experiences about investment and business strategies from their trainings for internships. Moreover, a large company not only allows graduates to open their minds and expand their horizons in their professional fields, which promote their career passion, but also provides more access to communicate with other famous and professional individuals to receive numerous and invaluable experience and insights that graduates never get them in a small start-up company. In conclusion, taking into account above all, it is evident that working in a large company offers increasing numbers of chances for graduates.

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

整体而言,文章较好地回答了问题,表达了作者的观点。然而,有一些方面可以改进。首先,在引入观点时,可以更明确地提及两位学生的观点以便与之进行比较。其次,在论述中可以加入更多具体的例子和细节来支持观点。

示例1:在文章开头提及两位学生的观点:“虽然学生A认为大公司是更好的选择,学生B则认为创业公司充满活力和挑战,但我坚信大公司能为毕业生提供更多职业发展机会。”

示例2:在论述中加入具体例子:“例如,在大公司工作的毕业生可能有机会参与重要项目或与行业领导者合作,从而积累宝贵经验。”

4.文章结构与组织

文章结构清晰,包括引言、正文和结论。但在组织上还有改进空间。首先,在引言部分可以简要概括两位学生的观点,并明确表达自己的立场。其次,在正文部分,可以逐一讨论大公司的优势,并在每个段落中使用具体例子和细节支持观点。最后,在结论部分,可以简要总结文章的主要观点。

示例1:在引言部分简要概括两位学生的观点并表达自己的立场:“在这场讨论中,学生A和学生B分别提出了大公司和创业公司的优势。然而,在我看来,大公司能为毕业生提供更多职业发展机会。”

示例2:在正文部分逐一讨论大公司的优势:“首先,大公司通常有完善的培训体系和工作流程,有利于毕业生养成良好的职业习惯。其次,大公司能为毕业生提供更广泛的人际交往机会,帮助他们积累宝贵经验。”

  1. 语法批改

Nowadays, how to choose a suitable and practical position for graduates has sparked plenty of discussion and debate. From my perspective, I firmly believe that it is advantageous for graduates to work for large and established companiescompanies,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) as they provide more opportunities for graduates’ career development. To be more specific, most of large companies have practical and well-organized trainings and working processes, which benefits graduates’ work ethic and responsibilities. For example, when I had an internship in a famous securities company, I received considerable experiences about investment and business strategies from their trainings for internships. Moreover, a large company not only allows graduates to open their minds and expand their horizons in their professional fields, which promote their career passion, but also provides more access to communicate with other famous and professional individuals to receive numerous and invaluable experience and insights that graduates never get them in a small start-up company. In conclusion, taking into account above all, it is evident that working in a large company offers increasing numbers of chances for graduates.

6.文章修订

In the ongoing debate regarding whether recent university graduates should work for large, established companies or small start-ups, both Student A and Student B present valid points. However, I firmly believe that large companies offer more opportunities for career development and growth.

To begin with, large companies typically have well-structured training programs and work processes that instill a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility in graduates. For instance, during my internship at a renowned securities firm, I gained valuable insights into investment strategies and business practices through their comprehensive training program.

Furthermore, working for a large company not only broadens graduates' horizons in their respective fields but also offers ample networking opportunities with industry professionals. These connections can provide invaluable experiences and insights that may not be as readily available in a small start-up environment.

In light of these factors, it is evident that starting one's career at a large company can significantly benefit recent university graduates by providing them with diverse learning experiences and networking opportunities to propel their professional growth. (174 words)

Nowadays, how to choose a suitable and practical position for 7.文章批改

In the ongoing debate regarding whether recent university graduates has sparked plenty of discussion and debate. From my perspective, should work for large, established companies or small start-ups (clarified the context of the discussion), both Student A and Student B present valid points. However, I firmly believe that it is advantageous for graduates to work for large and established large companies as they provide offer more opportunities for graduates’ career development. development and growth (clearly stated personal opinion).

To be more specific, most of begin with, large companies typically have practical and well-organized trainings and working processes, which benefits graduates’ well-structured training programs and work processes (improved phrasing) that instill a strong work ethic and responsibilities. sense of responsibility in graduates. For example, when instance, during my internship at a renowned securities firm (specified the type of company), I had an internship in a famous securities company, I received considerable experiences gained valuable insights into investment strategies and business practices through their comprehensive training program (added detail about investment and business strategies from their trainings for internships. ¶ Moreover, the experience).

Furthermore, working for a large company not only allows graduates to open their minds and expand their broadens graduates' horizons in their professional fields, which promote their career passion, respective fields (clarified meaning) but also provides more access to communicate offers ample networking opportunities with other famous and professional individuals to receive numerous and industry professionals (rephrased for clarity). These connections can provide invaluable experience experiences and insights that graduates never get them may not be as readily available in a small start-up company. environment (expanded on the point).

In conclusion, taking into account above all, light of these factors, it is evident that working in starting one's career at a large company offers increasing numbers of chances for graduates.can significantly benefit recent university graduates by providing them with diverse learning experiences and networking opportunities to propel their professional growth (summarized main points without using "in conclusion").

8.思维导图

  • Introduction

    • Ongoing debate
    • Student A and Student B's viewpoints
    • Personal opinion: large companies offer more opportunities
  • Body

    • Well-structured training programs and work processes
      • Strong work ethic and sense of responsibility
      • Example: internship at a renowned securities firm
    • Broadening horizons in respective fields
      • Ample networking opportunities with industry professionals
      • Invaluable experiences and insights not readily available in start-ups
  • Summary (without "in conclusion")

    • Benefits of starting a career at a large company

9.关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
ongoing/ˈɒnˌɡəʊ.ɪŋ/adjectivecontinuing to exist or develop, or happening at the present moment持续进行的The ongoing debate about the best work environment for graduates is complex.
instill/ɪnˈstɪl/verbto put a feeling, idea, or principle gradually into someone's mind, so that it has a strong influence on them灌输Large companies often instill a strong work ethic in their employees.
renowned/rɪˈnaʊnd/adjectivefamous for something著名的She completed an internship at a renowned securities firm.
comprehensive/ˌkɒm.prɪˈhen.sɪv/adjectivecomplete and including everything that is necessary全面的The company provided a comprehensive training program for new employees.
respective/rɪˈspek.tɪv/adjectiverelating or belonging to each of the separate people or things you have just mentioned各自的They returned to their respective homes after the meeting.
invaluable/ɪnˈvæl.ju.ə.bəl/adjectiveextremely useful无价的Her advice was invaluable to me during my job search.
propel/prəˈpel/verbto push or move something somewhere, often with a lot of force推进Networking opportunities can propel graduates' professional growth.
diverse/daɪˈvɜːs/adjectiveincluding many different types of things or people多样的A large company offers diverse learning experiences for its employees.
horizons/həˈraɪ.zən/nounplural the limit of your desires, knowledge, or interestsplural 知识领域、兴趣范围singular Working in a large company can broaden one's horizons in their professional field.
networking/ˈnet.wɜː.kɪŋ/gerund verbgerund the activity of meeting and talking to people who might be useful to know professionallygerund 人际交往singular Networking with industry professionals can lead to valuable connections and insights.

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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