Question: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The most important aspect of a job is the money a person earns. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Sample Essay
Making money is great, and everyone seeks higher paying salaries throughout their life, but more importantly, people should find a job that makes them happy. Given the length of time a person will spend at work day-to-day, every year it is important that they enjoy their profession to some degree. The joy that a job can provide is often times found in co-workers and can lead to further positive relationships outside of work. Also, when people are happier workers they do a better job and are more successful. Therefore people should seek employment that brings them happiness more than anything.
First of all, happiness is essential given the time a person spends at their job. The modern workday is eight hours long, for five days a week, nearly fifty-two weeks a year. That amounts to a significant portion of a person’s waking life being spent at work. Thus having an enjoyable job translates into having an enjoyable day and more enjoyable life. A lifetime is made up of many days, so a person should seek to make each day a source of happiness that then adds up to a happy life.
Alongside the great amount of time spent at work, people spend that time with their co-workers. If a person hates their job they will, in turn, most likely not have happy or positive interactions with their co-workers. On the other hand, if the work is enjoyable a person will, in turn, have more positive interactions and an overall more enjoyable workday. Those same co-workers can often time become friends both inside and outside work, which brings those same positive relationships to the rest of life. Thus a happy job creates a more friendly work environment that can trickle into the rest of life.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, when a person is happy in their work they approach their day-to-day with more passion and a greater excitement for their work. If a person loves what they do, they do it better. This also has a trickling affect since when a person does better work they are compensated for their contributions and often times receive promotions and bonuses. This means that a person who is happy in their job will probably end up making more money, at least within the means of their profession, because they are dedicated and producing better results.
Happiness, therefore, amounts to highly important benefits that money cannot provide. A happy worker will spend their vast amount of time at work each day in a state of happiness, which adds up to a lifetime of more enjoyment. Spending time each day with happy co-workers creates more positive relationships and friendships. Happiness, finally, creates more passionate work that can, in turn, create more money. Thus happiness is far more important than money in a job.
Learn How to Tackle TOEFL Independent Writing - Agree and Disagree Essays
Tip 1: Follow a standard TOEFL essay structure
| Introductory Paragraph |
1. Provide background information about the essay topic. Here are a few techniques:
2. Write a strong thesis statement Lesson: How to write a high-scoring TOEFL introductory paragraph part 1 Lesson: How to write a high-scoring TOEFL introductory paragraph part 2 |
|
Body Paragraph A Body Paragraph B Body Paragraph C (Optional) |
1. Include a transition word/phrase at the beginning 2. Write a topic sentence 3. Include supporting sentences Lesson: How to write a high-scoring TOEFL body paragraph |
Conclusion Paragraph |
1. Include a restatement of the thesis statement you wrote in your introduction 2. Provide a brief summary of your main ideas Lesson: How to write a high-scoring TOEFL conclusion paragraph |
There's no maximum length for your essay, but a good response is usually at least 300 words.
Tip 2: Use transition words and phrases
You need to use transition words and phrases to connect your ideas in your essay. You should have 2 transition words/phrases every 4-5 sentences.
| Type of connection | Transition words |
| These words can help you show the order of ideas. |
First/Second/Third Firstly (or "First of all")/Secondly/Thirdly (or "Lastly") For one thing/For another thing/Finally (or "Lastly") In the first place/in the second place/Finally (or "Lastly") Instead of "First", "First of all" and "Firstly", we can use "To begin with", "To start with", or "For starters". We can also use "First and foremost" to state that the first key point is the most important one among all key points. Likewise, instead of "Finally" and "Lastly", we can use "Last but not least" to state that the final key point is just as important as the others, despite it being mentioned last. |
| These words can help you add information | In addition, furthermore, additionally, also, next, moreover, what's more, on top of that |
| These words can help you conclude or to summarize: | To sum up, in summary, in conclusion, to conclude, all in all, all things considered ,overall, taking everything into consideration, in a nutshell |
| These words can help you demonstrate contrast | Conversely, on the contrary, by contrast, by way of contrast, on one hand/on the other hand |
| These words can help you compare or demonstrate similarity | Similarly, likewise, by the same token, along similar lines |
| These words can help you state a result. | As a result, as a consequence, consequently, therefore |
| These words can help you state a generalization. | Generally, on the whole, in most cases, in general |
| These words can help you clarify a point. | That is, in other words, to put it simply, That is to say, just to reiterate |
| These words can help you give examples. | For example, for instance, take something, for example, to give a clear example |
| These words can help you state an alternative. | Alternatively, as another possibility |
Tip 3: Vary your sentence structure
To achieve a higher score or a perfect 5 out of 5 on the TOEFL English language criteria, you must show that you can accurately and flexibly use a variety of structures.
Lesson: Achieving sentence variety part 1Lesson: Achieving sentence variety part 2
Lesson: Achieving sentence variety part 3
Tip 4: Avoid grammar and spelling mistakes
You should avoid any grammar and spelling mistakes, otherwise your score will be deducted.
Lesson: Countable nouns and Uncountable nounsLesson: Subject verb agreement rules
Lesson: Use the right article
Lesson: Relative pronouns and relative clauses
Lesson: Achieving sentence variety part 1 (Pay attention to the lesson content related to punctuation)
Lesson: Achieving sentence variety part 2 (Pay attention to the lesson content related to punctuation)
If you are a premium member, you will have up to 50 free essay grammar corrections.
Tip 5: Vary your vocabulary
You should avoid using the same vocabulary throughout your essay. Instead, you can use synonyms or phrases that have the same meaning of words.
Here are some ways you can improve on this area:
- Read our sample essays and pay attention to words you are not familiar with.
- Utilize our TOEFL Vocabulary system
- Utilize our TOEFL synonyms exercises