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

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Task Overview

Professor

We have recently read in our textbook that local or regional governments often need to reduce the amount of money budgeted in some areas in response to economic shortfalls. For instance, a city council may make the difficult decision to spend less on a certain public service for its residents. In your view, in what one or two areas should local or regional governments reduce spending when budget cuts are necessary? Why?

Student A

My city has a lot of parks that require a lot of upkeep. If there's a need to reduce expenses, the city could make changes to the parks that make them less expensive to maintain. For example, grass lawns, which need to be cut weekly, could be replaced with other plant species that do not need to be cut frequently.

Student B

Last time I went to City Hall to take care of some business, I saw a lot of employees standing around and doing nothing. I think the local government may be employing too many workers. It was just an impression I had, but I wonder if this is something that should be reviewed.

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

From my perspective, I concur with Paul’s viewpoint that prioritizing reducing employing workers in the local government is paramount. Primarily, Claire’s opinion in cutting down expenses on park maintenance holds merits to some extent, however, it disregards the crucial aspect that parks are necessary and essential for the local people, in which citizens strengthen themselves by utilizing equipment, running, doing sports, and so on. So, local governments shouldn’t damage parks to maintain budgets. What’s more, excessive employees in the local government will occupy amounts of stuff resources and financial expenses. Importantly, too many workers decrease the time efficiency. For example, once I asked workers in our local government how to sign for an ID card, due to lots of workers, there were lots of procedures to deal with, wasting time. On the contrary, when I went to Beijing to do the same stuff, there were so less workers that I finished the stuff as soon as possible. Therefore, when budget cuts are necessary, I support to reduce employing too many workers in the local government.

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

26. 3 任务完成度

这篇文章在任务完成方面表现良好,回答了教授的问题并提出了个人观点。然而,文章可以在以下方面进行改进:首先,在论述观点时,可以提供更多具体的例子和细节来支持观点。其次,注意避免使用一些不太准确的词汇。

改进示例1:

  • 原文:Importantly, too many workers decrease the time efficiency.

  • 改进:Importantly, having too many workers can lead to decreased efficiency due to bureaucracy and unnecessary procedures.

改进示例2:

  • 原文:there were so less workers that I finished the stuff as soon as possible.

  • 改进:there were fewer workers, which allowed me to complete the task more quickly.

4. 文章结构与组织

文章结构方面,这篇文章有明确的引言、主体和结论。然而,在组织上还有一些需要改进的地方。首先,应该在段落之间使用更清晰的过渡词或短语来帮助读者理解观点之间的联系。其次,在讨论不同观点时,可以尝试使用对比或列举等方法来使文章更有逻辑性。

改进示例1:

  • 原文:Primarily, Claire’s opinion in cutting down expenses on park maintenance holds merits to some extent, however, it disregards the crucial aspect that parks are necessary and essential for the local people.

  • 改进:While Claire's suggestion to cut down expenses on park maintenance has some merit, it is important to consider the vital role that parks play in the lives of local residents.

改进示例2:

  • 原文:What’s more, excessive employees in the local government will occupy amounts of stuff resources and financial expenses.

  • 改进:Moreover, having an excessive number of employees in local government can lead to increased resource consumption and financial expenses.

5. 语法批改

From my perspective, I concur with Paul’s viewpoint that prioritizing reducing employing workers in the local government is paramount. Primarily, Claire’s opinion in cutting down expenses on park maintenance holds merits to some extent, however, it disregards the crucial aspect that parks are necessary and essential for the local people, in which citizens strengthen themselves by utilizing equipment, running, doing sports, and so on. So, local governments shouldn’t damage parks to maintain budgets. What’s more, excessive employees in the local government will occupy amounts of stuff resources and financial expenses. Importantly, too many workers decrease the time efficiency. For example, once I asked workers in our local government how to sign for an ID card, due to lots of workers, there were lots of procedures to deal with, wasting time. On the contrary, when I went to Beijing to do the same stuff, there were so lessfewer(fewer with countable nouns (less)) workers that I finished the stuff as soon as possible. Therefore, when budget cuts are necessary, I support to reduce employing too many workers in the local government.

Section Title: 6 文章修订

In response to the professor's question, I agree with Student B that prioritizing a reduction in local government employment should be considered when budget cuts are necessary. While Student A's suggestion of cutting park maintenance expenses has some merit, it overlooks the vital role parks play in promoting health and well-being among residents who utilize them for exercise and recreational activities. Consequently, compromising park quality should not be the primary solution for budget constraints.

On the other hand, an excessive number of employees in local government can lead to inefficient use of resources and increased financial expenditures. Importantly, a surplus of workers may also hinder time efficiency. For instance, during my experience at a local government office, I encountered numerous procedures and delays due to an abundance of staff members. In contrast, when I visited a similar office in Beijing with fewer employees, I was able to complete my tasks much more quickly. Therefore, when faced with budgetary challenges, reducing the number of employees in local government offices should be given serious consideration. (177 words)

From my perspective, I concur In response to the professor's question (clarifies the context of the discussion), I agree with Paul’s viewpoint Student B (identifies the student's position) that prioritizing reducing employing workers in the local government is paramount. Primarily, Claire’s opinion in cutting down expenses on park maintenance holds merits to some extent, however, it disregards the crucial aspect that parks are necessary and essential for the local people, in which citizens strengthen themselves by utilizing equipment, running, doing sports, and so on. So, local governments shouldn’t damage parks to maintain budgets. What’s more, excessive employees in the local government will occupy amounts of stuff resources and financial expenses. Importantly, too many workers decrease the time efficiency. For example, once I asked workers in our local government how to sign for an ID card, due to lots of workers, there were lots of procedures to deal with, wasting time. On the contrary, when I went to Beijing to do the same stuff, there were so less workers that I finished the stuff as soon as possible. Therefore, a reduction in local government employment should be considered when budget cuts are necessary, I necessary (rephrases the main argument). While Student A's suggestion of cutting park maintenance expenses has some merit (acknowledges the opposing viewpoint), it overlooks the vital role parks play in promoting health and well-being among residents who utilize them for exercise and recreational activities (provides a counterargument). Consequently, compromising park quality should not be the primary solution for budget constraints (concludes counterargument).

On the other hand, an excessive number of employees in local government can lead to inefficient use of resources and increased financial expenditures (introduces a new point). Importantly, a surplus of workers may also hinder time efficiency (adds another reason). For instance, during my experience at a local government office, I encountered numerous procedures and delays due to an abundance of staff members (provides a personal example). In contrast, when I visited a similar office in Beijing with fewer employees, I was able to complete my tasks much more quickly (compares experiences to support to reduce employing too many workers in the local government.argument). Therefore, when faced with budgetary challenges, reducing the number of employees in local government offices should be given serious consideration (restates main argument and concludes essay).

8 思维导图


- Essay Structure
    - Introduction
        - Agree with Student B
        - Prioritize reduction in local government employment
    - Argument against cutting park maintenance expenses
        - Vital role of parks in health and well-being
        - Compromising park quality not the primary solution
    - Argument for reducing local government employees
        - Inefficient use of resources and increased financial expenditures
        - Surplus of workers may hinder time efficiency
            - Personal experience example: local government office vs. Beijing office
    - Conclusion
        - Reducing employees should be given serious consideration when facing budgetary challenges

9 关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
prioritize/praɪˈɔrəˌtaɪz/verbto put several things, problems, etc. in order of importance优先考虑It is essential to prioritize tasks when working on a project.
merit/ˈmɛrɪt/nounthe quality of being good and deserving praise优点The idea has some merit, but it also has some drawbacks.
well-being/ˌwɛlˈbiɪŋ/nounthe state of feeling healthy and happy健康幸福感Exercise contributes to our overall well-being.
compromise/ˈkɒmprəmaɪz/verb/to weaken a reputation, principle, etc. by accepting standards/妥协We should not compromise our principles for short-term gains.
inefficient/ˌɪnɪˈfɪʃənt/adjectivenot working or producing results in the best possible way低效的The old heating system was inefficient and expensive to run.
expenditure/ɪkˈspɛndɪtʃər/noun/the total amount of money that a government or person spends/支出The government needs to reduce its expenditure on defense.
surplus/ˈsɜrpləs/noun/an amount that is more than what is needed/盈余The country has a surplus of skilled workers.
hinder/ˈhɪndər/verb/to make it difficult for someone to do something or for/阻碍Heavy snow hindered our progress on the mountain.
budgetary/ˈbʌdʒɪtˌeri/adjective/relating to the amount of money that is available for a/预算的Budgetary constraints have forced us to reconsider our plans.
consideration/kənˌsɪdərˈeʃən/noun_careful thought, typically over a period of time_考虑After much consideration, she decided to accept the job offer.

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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