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TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Your professor is teaching a class on sociology. Write a post responding to the professor's question. In your response you should: • express and support your opinion • make a contribution to the discussion An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

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5 user-submitted samples available

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Task Overview

Professor

Over the next few weeks, we are going to look at lots of different materials about the role of television programs and television watching in people's lives. But first, I want to know what you think about this topic. So here's a question for the class discussion board: What do you think is the most significant effect that watching television has on people? Why do you think television has this effect?

Kelly

I know that one way that television influences people's behavior is that when you are watching television, you are not moving around or exercising. This is especially true for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that when children spend a lot of time watching television, they have a greater tendency to be overweight.

Paul

I think the main effect that television has on people is to broaden their experience. There are so many programs devoted to nature and travel. Think of all the different places in the world you can experience through television! Last night I watched a program about life in Antarctica, and it was fascinating!

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

Admittedly, Paul was right that television will lead people to unhealthy life which may have some negative influences on children. Children may get addicted to watching television dramas which will waste much time and even influence their study. Nevertheless, it’s not difficult for parents to control children to avoid these negative influences. They can restrict the time that children waste on television and guide them to do some exercise outside. In this way, watching television is just a way to help people to relax. Therefore, as Paul mentioned, watching diverse content on television is a good way for people to enrich their knowledge and broaden their horizons. Such as documentaries and news, they can provide plenty of information that we have never seen. Take The Blue Planet, BBC’s famous nature documentary, which shows us a colorful ocean world that we may never know without watching television for example. Television’s vivid expression will leave a deep impression in children’s minds and trigger their imagination. In this way, watching television arouses people’s interest in exploring our world and even benefits children’s studies.

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

整体来说,你的文章回答了问题并对讨论作出了贡献。然而,有一些地方可以改进。首先,在表达观点时,可以更具体地说明电视节目如何影响人们的生活。其次,在给出例子时,可以尝试使用更多种类的电视节目来支持你的观点。

示例1:在讨论电视节目如何拓宽人们的视野时,可以提到一些具体的节目类型,如纪录片、新闻报道和教育节目。

示例2:在谈论电视对孩子的影响时,可以提到一些具体的研究或数据来支持你的观点。

4. 文章结构与组织

文章结构基本清晰,包括引言、正文和结论。但是,在段落之间加入过渡句会使文章更连贯。此外,在正文部分可以考虑将不同观点分成不同段落进行讨论。

建议1:在引言部分简要介绍文章主题,并明确表达自己的观点。

建议2:在正文部分,将不同观点分成不同段落进行讨论,每个段落都包含一个主题句和相关的支持细节。在段落之间使用过渡句来保持文章的连贯性。

5. 语法批改

Admittedly, Paul was right that television will lead people to unhealthy lifelife,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) which may have some negative influences on children. Children may get addicted to watching television dramasdramas,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) which will waste much time and even influence their study. Nevertheless, it’s not difficult for parents to control children to avoid these negative influences. They can restrict the time that children waste on television and guide them to do some exercise outside. In this way, watching television is just a way to help people to relax. Therefore, as Paul mentioned, watching diverse content on television is a good way for people to enrich their knowledge and broaden their horizons. Such as documentaries and news, they can provide plenty of information that we have never seen. Take The Blue Planet, BBC’s famous nature documentary, which shows us a colorful ocean world that we may never know without watching televisiontelevision,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) for example. Television’s vivid expression will leave a deep impression in children’s minds and trigger their imagination. In this way, watching television arouses people’s interest in exploring our world and even benefits children’s studies.

Title: 6 文章修订

While Paul correctly points out that excessive television watching can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle, particularly for children, it is important to recognize the potential benefits as well. It is true that children may become addicted to watching television dramas, which could negatively impact their studies and overall well-being. However, parents can take measures to mitigate these effects by limiting screen time and encouraging outdoor activities.

In contrast, as Paul mentioned, television can serve as a valuable tool for broadening one's horizons and enriching knowledge. Documentaries and news programs offer a wealth of information on various subjects that might otherwise remain unknown. For instance, The Blue Planet, BBC's renowned nature documentary series, presents a captivating glimpse into the vibrant world beneath the ocean's surface. The vivid imagery and storytelling in such programs can leave lasting impressions on viewers' minds and spark their imaginations.

By fostering curiosity about the world around us, television can inspire people to explore new ideas and even enhance children's learning experiences. Therefore, it is crucial to strike a balance between entertainment and education when consuming television content in order to maximize its positive impact on our lives. (194 words)

Admittedly, While Paul was right correctly points out (clarification: acknowledging Paul's point) that television will excessive television watching can lead people to to an unhealthy life which may have some negative influences on children. Children may get addicted to watching television dramas which will waste much time and even influence their study. ¶ Nevertheless, it’s not difficult for parents to control children to avoid these negative influences. They can restrict the time lifestyle, particularly for children, it is important to recognize the potential benefits as well. It is true that children waste on television and guide them to do some exercise outside. may become addicted to watching television dramas (reason for revision: rephrasing for clarity), which could negatively impact their studies and overall well-being. However, parents can take measures to mitigate these effects by limiting screen time and encouraging outdoor activities (explanation: offering a solution to the problem).

In this way, watching television is just a way to help people to relax. ¶ Therefore, contrast, as Paul mentioned, watching diverse content on television is a good way for people to enrich their knowledge and broaden their horizons. Such mentioned (clarification: referencing Paul's point), television can serve as documentaries and news, they can provide plenty a valuable tool for broadening one's horizons and enriching knowledge. Documentaries and news programs offer a wealth of information on various subjects that we have never seen. Take might otherwise remain unknown (reason for revision: emphasizing the educational value of TV). For instance, The Blue Planet, BBC’s famous BBC's renowned nature documentary, which shows us a colorful ocean documentary series, presents a captivating glimpse into the vibrant world that we may never know without watching television for example. Television’s beneath the ocean's surface (example: providing a specific example of educational content). The vivid expression will imagery and storytelling in such programs can leave a deep impression lasting impressions on viewers' minds and spark their imaginations (explanation: describing the impact of TV on viewers).

By fostering curiosity about the world around us, television can inspire people to explore new ideas and even enhance children's learning experiences (reason for revision: highlighting the positive effects of TV). Therefore, it is crucial to strike a balance between entertainment and education when consuming television content in children’s minds and trigger their imagination. In this way, watching television arouses people’s interest in exploring our world and even benefits children’s studies.order to maximize its positive impact on our lives (conclusion: summarizing the main argument).

Title: 8 思维导图

Mindmap:

1. Introduction
   - Excessive TV watching
   - Potential benefits

2. Negative Effects
   - Addiction to dramas
   - Impact on studies and well-being

3. Parental Measures
   - Limiting screen time
   - Encouraging outdoor activities

4. Positive Effects
   - Broadening horizons
   - Enriching knowledge

5. Examples of Educational Programs
   - Documentaries (e.g., The Blue Planet)
   - News programs

6. Fostering Curiosity and Learning 

7. Striking a Balance 
   - Entertainment vs. education 

8. Conclusion 

Title: 9 关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
excessive/ɪkˈsɛsɪv/adjectivemore than is necessary or acceptable过度的Excessive television watching can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle, particularly for children.
addiction/əˈdɪkʃən/nouna strong and harmful need to have something regularly上瘾Children may become addicted to watching television dramas, which could negatively impact their studies and overall well-being.
mitigate/ˈmɪtɪgeɪt/verbto make something less severe, harmful, or painful减轻Parents can take measures to mitigate these effects by limiting screen time and encouraging outdoor activities.
horizon/həˈraɪzən/nounthe limit of a person's knowledge, experience, or interest视野Television can serve as a valuable tool for broadening one's horizons and enriching knowledge.
documentary/ˌdɒkjʊˈmɛntəri/nouna film or television program that provides a factual record or report纪录片Documentaries and news programs offer a wealth of information on various subjects that might otherwise remain unknown.
vivid/ˈvɪvɪd/adjectiveproducing very clear, powerful, and detailed images in the mind生动的The vivid imagery and storytelling in such programs can leave lasting impressions on viewers' minds and spark their imaginations.
curiosity/ˌkjʊəriˈɒsəti/nouna strong desire to know or learn something好奇心By fostering curiosity about the world around us, television can inspire people to explore new ideas.
enhance/ɪnˈhæns/verbto increase or further improve the quality, value, or extent of something提高Television can even enhance children's learning experiences.
balance/ˈbæləns/nouna situation in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions平衡It is crucial to strike a balance between entertainment and education when consuming television content.
maximize/ˈmæksɪmaɪz/verbto make something as great in amount, size, or importance as possible最大化In order to maximize its positive impact on our lives, we should find the right balance between entertainment and education.

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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