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

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Task Overview

Professor

Today we're going to talk about the debate between economic growth and protecting the environment. Economic growth creates new jobs and gives people money they can use to improve their lives. On the other hand, if we protect the environment it can be enjoyed both by ourselves and future generations. If you had to choose between prioritizing economic growth or protecting the environment, which one would you choose. Why?

Alex

I would prioritize the environment. We only have one planet and if we don' t take care of it, we won' t have pleasant lives in the future. Economic growth can be important, but not at the expense of the environment. I think we need to shift towards more environmentally-friendly economic practices, such as investing in renewable energy and promoting environmentally-friendly technologies. We'll all live much healthier lives if the world around us is clean.

Maggie

While l agree with Alex that environmental sustainability is important, I think that economic growth is the only way to solve many of the social and economic problems we face. We need a strong economy to create jobs, reduce poverty, and improve standards of living. Not only that, but if companies grow stronger and more profitable, they might eventually develop new technologies that solve our environmental problems

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

I wholeheardtedly concur with Maggie’s perspective that if the economic growth in only one way to solve the social problems and if the economic improved,maybe it will bring us more advanced technologies.Moreover, I believe that the development of economics can let people get away from the unsustainable life. Nowadays,a large number of people are focus on the survive and pay no attention on the environmental problems. Especially the source of these problems which like the area’s pollution. But if the economy is developed,and people will get higher payment,and they will pay more attentions on their health, then they will choose the original food. So,they might focus on the environment problems.

Evaluation Result

1. 子项得分

Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.0 Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 3.5 Language Use and Grammar: 3.0

2. 预估分数

22. 3 任务完成度

这篇文章在回答问题时基本上涵盖了要求的内容,但是在表达观点和论据方面还有待加强。首先,你需要更清晰地表达你的观点,并给出更具体的例子来支持你的观点。此外,在语言使用和语法方面也需要改进,以避免一些错误和不清晰的表达。

改进示例1: 原文:"Moreover, I believe that the development of economics can let people get away from the unsustainable life." 修改后:"Moreover, I believe that economic development can help people transition from unsustainable lifestyles to more environmentally-friendly ones."

改进示例2: 原文:"But if the economy is developed,and people will get higher payment,and they will pay more attentions on their health, then they will choose the original food." 修改后:"If the economy is developed, people will have higher incomes, which may lead them to pay more attention to their health and choose organic food, thus contributing to environmental protection."

4. 文章结构与组织

这篇文章在结构上基本符合要求,但是可以进行一些优化。首先,可以在开头部分明确地提出自己的观点,然后在正文部分逐一论述支持观点的理由。此外,在段落之间加入过渡词或短语,使文章更加连贯。

改进示例1: 原文:"I wholeheardtedly concur with Maggie’s perspective that if the economic growth in only one way to solve the social problems and if the economic improved,maybe it will bring us more advanced technologies." 修改后:"I wholeheartedly concur with Maggie's perspective that economic growth is a crucial way to solve social problems, and as the economy improves, it may bring us more advanced technologies."

改进示例2: 原文:"Nowadays,a large number of people are focus on the survive and pay no attention on the environmental problems." 修改后:"Nowadays, a large number of people are focused on survival and pay little attention to environmental problems. However, with economic growth, their priorities may shift."

5. 语法批改

I wholeheardtedlywholeheartedly(misspelling) concur with Maggie’s perspective that if the economic growth in only one way to solve the social problems and if the economic improved,maybe, maybe(Use of whitespace before comma and before/after parentheses) it will bring us more advanced technologies.Moreover Moreover(Missing space between sentences), I believe that the development of economics can let people get away from the unsustainable life. Nowadays,a, a(Use of whitespace before comma and before/after parentheses) large number of people are focus on the surviveto survive(a infinitive) and pay no attention on the environmental problems. Especially the source of these problems which like the area’s pollution. But if the economy is developed,and, and(Use of whitespace before comma and before/after parentheses) people will get higher payment,and, and(Use of whitespace before comma and before/after parentheses) they will pay more attentions on their health, then they will choose the original food. So,they, they(Use of whitespace before comma and before/after parentheses) might focus on the environment problems.

Title: 6 文章修订

I wholeheartedly concur with Maggie's perspective that economic growth is essential to addressing social and economic issues, as it may lead to the development of advanced technologies. Furthermore, I believe that economic progress can help people escape unsustainable lifestyles. Currently, a significant number of individuals are preoccupied with survival and overlook environmental concerns, particularly those related to pollution in their areas. However, if the economy flourishes and people receive higher wages, they will likely prioritize their health and opt for organic food choices. Consequently, this shift in focus could result in increased attention to environmental issues. (99 words)

I wholeheardtedly wholeheartedly [corrected spelling] concur with Maggie’s Maggie's perspective that if the economic growth in only one way is [rephrased for clarity] essential to solve addressing social and economic issues, as it may lead to the social problems and if the economic improved,maybe it will bring us more development of advanced technologies.Moreover, technologies. Furthermore, I believe that the development of economics economic progress can let help people get away from the escape unsustainable life. Nowadays,a large lifestyles [rephrased for clarity]. Currently, a significant number of people individuals are focus on the survive preoccupied with survival and pay no attention on the overlook environmental problems. Especially the source of these problems which like the area’s pollution. But concerns [rephrased for clarity], particularly those related to pollution in their areas. However, if the economy is developed,and flourishes and people will get receive higher payment,and wages [rephrased for clarity], they will pay more attentions on likely prioritize their health, then they will choose the original food. So,they might health and opt for organic food choices [rephrased for clarity]. Consequently, this shift in focus on the environment problems.could result in increased attention to environmental issues [rephrased for clarity].

8 思维导图


- Economic Growth
  - Addressing social and economic issues
    - Development of advanced technologies
  - Helping people escape unsustainable lifestyles
    - Higher wages
      - Prioritizing health
        - Organic food choices
          - Increased attention to environmental issues

9 关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
wholeheartedly/ˌhoʊlˈhɑrtɪdli/adverbwith complete sincerity and commitment全心全意地I wholeheartedly concur with Maggie's perspective.
concur/kənˈkɜr/verbto agree or have the same opinion同意,一致I concur that economic growth is essential.
preoccupied/priˈɒkjupaɪd/adjectiveengrossed in something, so as not to pay attention to anything else心事重重的Individuals are preoccupied with survival.
unsustainable/ʌnsəˈsteɪnəbəl/adjective_not able to be maintained at the current rate or level_无法持续的_Economic progress can help people escape unsustainable lifestyles.
flourish/ˈflʌrɪʃ/verb_to grow or develop successfully_繁荣,兴旺_If the economy flourishes, people will receive higher wages.
prioritize/praɪˈɔrəˌtaɪz/verb_to arrange or deal with in order of importance_优先考虑_They will likely prioritize their health.
organic/ɔrˈgænɪk/adjective_relating to or derived from living matter, produced without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides_有机的_People will opt for organic food choices.
environmental/ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmɛntl/adjectiverelating to the natural world and the impact of human activity on its condition环境的Increased attention to environmental issues is needed.
perspective/pərˈspɛktɪv/nouna particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view观点,看法Maggie's perspective is that economic growth is essential to addressing social and economic issues.
shift/ʃɪft/nouna change in position, direction, or tendency转变This shift in focus could result in increased attention to environmental issues.

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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