All Samples

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

Real user submissions with AI-powered evaluation and feedback

7 user-submitted samples available

Start Free Practice

Task Overview

Doctor Gupta

This week, we discussed the importance of role models and opinion makers in society. One idea we discussed was the widespread impact of "influencers." Influencers are people who are very active posting on social media and who have many followers. Influencers' posts and opinions can influence their followers' choices on everything from fashion to politics you're your opinion, do social media influencers generally have a positive or negative effect on their followers? Why do you think so?

Claire

I think the influencers' effect is generally positive. People can learn about the latest trends and topics in a very quick and efficient way by following influencers. In the past, people had to spend time looking through magazines or visiting boutiques to even know what trending was.

Paul

I think influencers generally have a negative effect because they have far too much influence. I can think of one influencer who only has to mention a particular kind of sports shoe. and the next day they'll be sold out. The followers aren't really thinking for themselves; they're just blindly following their influencers' choices.

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

Paul presents a valid concern regarding the potential negative influence of social media influencers, it is important to acknowledge the benefits they provide as well. Although blindly following influencers without critical thinking can lead too poor decision-making, the vast information and updates they share can be advantageous. For instance, social media serves as a valuable resource for high school and undergraduate students seeking suitable schools for further education. Consequently, I maintain that the positive impacts of social media influencers outweight the negatives, provided that follower approach their content with discernment and thoughtfulness.

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

25. 3 任务完成度

虽然你的文章在讨论中表达了观点并提供了一定的支持,但是文章的字数不足100字。为了更好地完成任务,建议你进一步扩展论述,增加更多相关细节和例子来支持你的观点。

Example 1: Instead of just mentioning the benefits for high school and undergraduate students, you could elaborate by saying, "For instance, influencers who specialize in education can provide valuable insights into college admissions processes, scholarship opportunities, and study tips that may not be easily accessible elsewhere."

Example 2: You could also discuss the importance of critical thinking when following influencers by saying, "To maximize the positive impact of social media influencers, followers should actively engage in critical thinking by questioning the credibility of information shared and considering alternative viewpoints before making decisions based on influencer recommendations."

4. 文章结构与组织

你的文章结构基本清晰,但可以进一步优化。建议在开头部分简要介绍讨论主题,并在结尾部分总结观点。同时,在正文段落中,可以使用更明确的过渡词来连接不同观点。

Example 1: For a clearer introduction, you could start with something like, "In response to the discussion on the impact of social media influencers on their followers, I believe that their influence can be both positive and negative, depending on how followers engage with the content."

Example 2: To improve transitions between ideas, you could use phrases like "On the one hand" and "On the other hand" to show contrasting viewpoints. For example, "On the one hand, influencers can provide valuable information and updates; on the other hand, blindly following them without critical thinking can lead to poor decision-making."

5. 语法批改

Paul presents a valid concern regarding the potential negative influence of social media influencers, it is important to acknowledge the benefits they provide as well. Although blindly following influencers without critical thinking can lead too poor decision-making, the vast information and updates they share can be advantageous. For instance, social media serves as a valuable resource for high school and undergraduate students seeking suitable schools for further education. Consequently, I maintain that the positive impacts of social media influencers outweightoutweigh(misspelling) the negatives, provided that follower approach their content with discernment and thoughtfulness.

Section Title: 6 文章修订

Revised Essay: While Paul raises a legitimate concern about the potential negative impact of social media influencers, it is crucial to recognize the advantages they offer as well. Admittedly, blindly following influencers without exercising critical thinking can result in poor decision-making; however, the wealth of information and updates they disseminate can prove beneficial. For example, social media serves as an invaluable resource for high school and undergraduate students seeking appropriate institutions for further education. As a result, I contend that the positive effects of social media influencers outweigh the negatives, provided that followers engage with their content judiciously and thoughtfully. (104 words)

Revised Essay: Section Title: 7 文章批改

While Paul presents raises a valid legitimate concern regarding (revised for clarity and natural tone) about the potential negative influence impact of social media influencers, it is important crucial (changed to acknowledge emphasize importance) to recognize the benefits advantages they provide offer as well. Although Admittedly, blindly following influencers without exercising critical thinking (rephrased for clarity) can lead too result in poor decision-making, decision-making; however, the vast wealth of information and updates they share disseminate (rephrased for precision) can be advantageous. prove beneficial. For instance, example, social media serves as a valuable an invaluable resource (revised for emphasis) for high school and undergraduate students seeking suitable schools appropriate institutions (changed for accuracy) for further education. Consequently, As a result, I maintain contend that the positive impacts effects of social media influencers outweight outweigh the negatives, negatives (rephrased to improve flow), provided that follower approach followers engage with their content with discernment judiciously and thoughtfulness.thoughtfully (revised for clarity).

Display title: 8 思维导图


1. Introduction
   - Social media influencers
   - Pros and cons

2. Negative impact
   - Blindly following influencers
   - Poor decision-making

3. Positive impact
   - Wealth of information
   - Updates on various topics

4. Example: Education
   - High school and undergraduate students
   - Finding appropriate institutions

5. Conclusion
   - Positive effects outweigh negatives
   - Engage with content judiciously and thoughtfully

Display title: 9 关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish definitionSimplified Chinese translationSample sentences
legitimate/lɪˈdʒɪtɪmət/adjectiveconforming to the law or to rules合法的,合规的The concern about social media influencers is legitimate, but we should also consider their advantages.
disseminate/dɪˈsɛmɪneɪt/verbspread (something, especially information) widely传播,散布Social media influencers disseminate a wealth of information and updates on various topics.
invaluable/ɪnˈvæljuəbl/adjectiveextremely useful; indispensable无价的,非常有用的Social media serves as an invaluable resource for students seeking appropriate institutions for further education.
judiciously/dʒuːˈdɪʃəsli/adverb- with good judgment or sense明智地,审慎地Followers should engage with social media influencers' content judiciously and thoughtfully.
critical thinking/ˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/nounthe objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment批判性思维Exercising critical thinking can prevent poor decision-making when following social media influencers.
contend/kənˈtɛnd/verb- assert something as a position in an argument声称,主张I contend that the positive effects of social media influencers outweigh the negatives.
undergraduate/ˌʌndərˈɡrædʒuət/noun- a university student who has not yet received a first degree本科生Social media is helpful for high school and undergraduate students in their educational pursuits.
engage/ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ/verb- occupy, attract, or involve (someone's interest or attention)吸引,使参与Followers should engage with the content provided by social media influencers to make informed decisions.
thoughtfully/ˈθɔ:tfuli/- adverb- in a way that shows consideration for the needs of other people- 体贴地,考虑周到地- It is important to thoughtfully evaluate the information shared by social media influencers before acting on it.

Section Title: 6 文章修订

Revised Essay: While Paul raises a legitimate concern about the potential negative impact of social media influencers, it is crucial to recognize the advantages they offer as well. Admittedly, blindly following influencers without exercising critical thinking can result in poor decision-making; however, the wealth of information and updates they disseminate can prove beneficial. For example, social media serves as an invaluable resource for high school and undergraduate students seeking appropriate institutions for further education. As a result, I contend that the positive effects of social media influencers outweigh the negatives, provided that followers engage with their content judiciously and thoughtfully.

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