TOEFL Writing Introduction

Ask a question

Lesson Intro: TOEFL Writing Introduction
Lesson Chapter 1:
5 min

Exit Lesson TOEFL Writing Introduction

Welcome To TOEFL Writing Introduction

In this lesson, you will get a full introduction to the 3 TOEFL writing tasks: Build a Sentence, Academic Discussion, and Write an Email.

Lesson Introduction

Start Lesson

Part 1

Welcome to the first lesson of the TOEFL writing series.

In this lesson, we’ll walk you through the TOEFL Writing section.

The Writing section includes three tasks and takes about 23 minutes in total.

Writing Task	Details
Build a Sentence	Reorder words or phrases to form a grammatical sentence or question. This checks grammar, word order, and sentence structure.
Write an Email	Read a short scenario (academic or social) and write an email with an appropriate purpose, tone, and organization. Time: about 7 minutes. A word-count is available; there is no spell-check.
Write for an Academic Discussion	Read a professor's question and two student posts, then contribute your own post that adds to the discussion (the prompt and posts remain on screen). Time: about 10 minutes. Write at least 100 words.

Writing Task

Details

Build a Sentence

Reorder words or phrases to form a grammatical sentence or question. This checks grammar, word order, and sentence structure.

Write an Email

Read a short scenario (academic or social) and write an email with an appropriate purpose, tone, and organization.

Time: about 7 minutes. A word-count is available; there is no spell-check.

Write for an Academic Discussion

Read a professor's question and two student posts, then contribute your own post that adds to the discussion (the prompt and posts remain on screen).

Time: about 10 minutes. Write at least 100 words.

Let's see how writing is evaluated.

Build a Sentence

Accurate grammar and word order
Proper sentence structure
Appropriate vocabulary

Write an Email

Clear purpose and audience-appropriate tone/register
Logical organization and cohesion
Effective support/details
Accurate grammar and vocabulary

Write for an Academic Discussion

Relevant contribution to the prompt and posts
Well-supported ideas (examples/reasons)
Clear organization and connections
Effective language use (syntax, word choice, accuracy)

Responses are evaluated by trained raters and automated scoring. Focus on clarity, organization, support, and accurate language.

How to prepare effectively.

Build a Sentence

Drill common patterns (S–V–O, questions, clauses), modifiers, and punctuation. Practice turning jumbled phrases into well-formed sentences quickly and accurately.

Write an Email

Study typical purposes (request, complaint, clarification, recommendation). Use a clear structure: opening/purpose → key details → next steps → polite closing. Match tone to context.

Academic Discussion

Practice writing concise 130-word posts: take a position, come up with your own ideas, or reference ideas from the posts, must add your own example/reason, and close with a clear takeaway. Use transitions to guide the reader.

Compare your writing with high-scoring samples, and revise for clarity, support, and accuracy. Timed practice is essential.

You've completed the lesson: TOEFL Writing Introduction

What would you like to do next?

Select a different lesson.

Start the next lesson: TOEFL Writing Build a Sentence - Strategies for Success

Start Next Lesson: TOEFL Writing Build a Sentence - Strategies for Success

TOEFL Writing Introduction

settingsSettings

Lesson Introduction

Part 1

Build a Sentence

Write an Email

Write for an Academic Discussion

Build a Sentence

Write an Email

Academic Discussion

Sign up free

Review Packages

Settings