A TOEFL writing template is a ready-made structure for your answer. You read the task, you choose the template for that task, and you fill in each part with your own ideas. This page gives you our two TOEFL writing templates for the current test. One is for the Write an Email task. One is for the Academic Discussion task. Each one comes with sentence starters, a sample answer, and the time limit.
The TOEFL Writing section also has a Build a Sentence task. That task has no template, because you put given words in order. For Build a Sentence practice, see our TOEFL Writing Practice guide.
Table Of Contents
How TOEFL Writing Templates Work
A TOEFL writing template gives you the shape of the answer before you start, so you spend your time on ideas, not on structure. You have 7 minutes for the email and 10 minutes for the discussion post. With a template, you know how many sentences you need and what each one must do.
The two tasks are scored on different things. The email is scored on whether you cover every required point and whether your tone fits the reader. The discussion post is scored on whether you take a clear position, give reasons of your own, and support them. Both are scored on grammar and vocabulary.
What our learner data says. Our tutors reviewed about 64,000 TOEFL writing answers, and our AI reviewed 63,000 more. Grammar was the lowest score in 84% of discussion posts and 92% of emails. In the email task, spelling was the most common correction, one in four, and 78% of emails had at least one misspelling. A typical discussion post from our learners is 133 words. A typical email is 117 words. The templates below are built for those lengths.
Figures are from the BestMyTest TOEFL learner performance data: tutor reviews and AI reviews of TOEFL writing answers from practice between 2016 and October 2026. Criterion figures are tutor scores out of 5, as labelled. Last updated 8 October 2026.
TOEFL Email Template
Use this TOEFL email template for the Write an Email task. The task gives you a situation, a reader, and a numbered list of points your email must cover. The template is simple. Start with a greeting that fits the reader. Give one sentence to each required point, in the order the task lists them. End with a closing that matches the greeting. You have 7 minutes.
TOEFL Email Template Step 1: Plan With Three Questions
Before you write, answer three questions from the prompt. Who is the reader? Why are you writing? What must you include? The reader decides how formal your language is. The purpose is usually a request, and that is where tone matters most. The numbered points are the content of the body. Count them before you plan anything. A short email that answers every point is stronger than a long email that leaves one out.
TOEFL Email Template Step 2: Choose a Greeting and a Closing
The greeting and the closing show the reader how formal your message is, so keep them at the same level as each other.
Reader |
Greeting |
Closing |
|---|---|---|
Formal: a professor, or someone with a position over you | Dear Professor Lee, | Sincerely, / Best regards, |
Semi-formal: an advisor, a teaching assistant, a coordinator | a polite greeting with the person’s name | a professional sign-off |
Casual: a classmate or another peer | a warm greeting with a first name | Best, / See you soon, |
A friendly opening to a professor makes the whole email sound careless. A formal title to a classmate sounds cold. Both cost marks for tone.
TOEFL Email Template Step 3: Give Every Point Its Own Sentence
Build the body one required point at a time, in the order the prompt lists them. A sentence starter opens the sentence politely, and you finish the thought yourself. Add one detail of your own so the sentence answers the point instead of repeating it.
The point asks you to |
Sentence starters |
|---|---|
Explain a situation | I’m writing to explain… · Unfortunately,… · The reason I was unable to… is that… · Due to… |
Ask for information | Could you please let me know… · I was wondering if… · Would you mind telling me… |
Make a request | Would it be possible to… · I was wondering whether I could… · I would like to request… |
A request sounds better as a question than as an order. Name what you want, such as the notes, the slides, or a new date, so the reader can answer.
TOEFL Email Template Step 4: Check the Email
Read the whole message once. Check the three things the task measures. Every required point has a sentence. The tone fits the reader. The greeting and the closing match. Then check your spelling. In our data, 78% of emails had at least one misspelling, and spelling was one correction in four.
Sample TOEFL email task and answer
You were unable to attend Professor Lee’s class last week because you were sick. Write an email to your professor. In your email: 1. Explain the situation. 2. Ask about material you missed. 3. Request an extension for the assignment.
Dear Professor Lee,
I’m writing to explain that I was unable to attend class last week because I had a high fever and my doctor advised me to stay home.
Could you please let me know what notes, slides, or announcements I missed while I was sick?
Would it be possible to grant me a short extension on the assignment until next Friday?
Best regards,
Student Name
The sample opens with a polite greeting. It gives one sentence to each required point, in the order the prompt used. It closes with a formal sign-off. That is the full shape of a complete answer. It is one good answer, not the only one.
TOEFL Academic Discussion Template
Use this TOEFL academic discussion template for the Write for an Academic Discussion task. The task gives you a question from the professor and two short student posts. You write one post of your own in 10 minutes. The template has six parts: a position, a reason, its support, a second reason, its support, and a one-sentence conclusion.
TOEFL Discussion Template Step 1: Read Both Students First
Read both student posts before you plan anything. Their reasons and examples are already in the discussion, so your post has to add something they did not say. You may agree or disagree with one of them, or take a position of your own. Any position can earn a high score when you support it, so choose the one you can explain fastest.
TOEFL Discussion Template Step 2: State Your Position
The reader has to know what you think from the first sentence. Do not begin with a general comment about the topic. Keep the position to one sentence and save your reasons for the next step.
Sentence starters: In my opinion,… · In my view,… · I personally think… · I believe…
TOEFL Discussion Template Step 3: Give Two Reasons of Your Own
A reason explains why your position is correct. Two reasons is a safe plan for 10 minutes. Write each reason as one full sentence in your own words. A sentence that only repeats your position is not a reason, and a reason copied from a student adds nothing.
TOEFL Discussion Template Step 4: Support Each Reason
A reason on its own is not convincing. Add one or two sentences that show how the reason works in real life. A specific example names a situation, a person, or a result. Give your second reason the same support as the first, with a different example.
Sentence starters: For example,… · For instance,… · This means that…
TOEFL Discussion Template Step 5: Close in One Sentence
Restate your position in new words and point back to your reasons. Do not raise a new idea. There is no time left to support it.
Sentence starters: For these reasons,… · Overall,… · In conclusion,…
Sample TOEFL academic discussion task and answer
Professor: Some universities require students to take courses outside their major, while others allow students to focus only on their main field of study. Do you think university students should be required to take at least one course outside their major? Why or why not?
Student A: Yes. Courses outside a student’s major can develop useful skills and introduce new interests that may help in future studies or careers.
Student B: No. Students should focus their limited time and money on the courses most relevant to their major and career goals.
I believe university students can benefit greatly from being required to study at least one subject outside their main field. Taking courses in different subjects can help students develop useful skills that may also benefit them in their main field of study. For example, an engineering student who takes a communication course may learn how to explain complicated technical information more clearly. This ability could be extremely useful when working with clients or colleagues in the future. Studying an unfamiliar subject can expose students to new areas of knowledge and help them discover interests they did not know they had. For instance, a business student who takes a psychology course might become interested in human behavior. This new interest could later influence the type of career the student chooses. For these reasons, studying subjects outside one’s major can give university students valuable skills while also helping them explore new academic and career possibilities.
The sample states a position in the first sentence. It gives two reasons and supports each one with a named case. It closes in a single sentence. Notice that neither reason repeats what Student A or Student B said.
How to Practice with TOEFL Writing Templates
To practice with a TOEFL writing template, set a timer. Write one answer with the template. Then check it against the steps above before you look at the sample. Practice the email in 7 minutes and the discussion post in 10 minutes, because the time limit is part of the task.
- Write an Email Full Practice Question: a real email task with a sample answer.
- TOEFL Writing Practice guide: all our email and academic discussion practice questions, with sample answers.
- Sample Test 1: a free full-length simulation of the adaptive TOEFL, with both writing tasks under the real time limits.
- TOEFL Writing Tutor App: the email and discussion lessons that teach these templates step by step, with your answers scored on every criterion.