TOEFL Writing Samples

TOEFL Writing Sample Answer

Whether or not there is a correlation between success and luck is an interesting question, and some might argue that the luck of being in the right place at the right time is integral to success. However, my feeling is that there is no correlation between the two, but rather, the correlation lies between success and hard work.

First of all, a good education that sets a person on a strong career path is a key success factor. Securing that university place and getting that education typically requires pre-requisite tests that can only be passed by serious studying, careful preparation, and significant investment. It is doubtful that luck would be of much help since very few people graduate without studying hard.

Secondly, indolent people who lack knowledge rarely have successful careers. Of course, there are many stories of people being promoted through a company’s ranks, but without proper training and hard work, their incompetence shows through, and the time when they are asked to resign invariably catches up with them. For instance, not long after starting his small company, my friend had to declare bankruptcy, close his business, and admit defeat. Unfortunately for him, he just did not have the strategic vision or business experience to make his company successful.  After studying at university and working for another company, he started a new company. This time, he succeeded and today is a successful businessman.

In sum, as long as success is thought of as the ability to turn dreams into reality, hard work is a given because it takes money. In order to earn that money, a college education that leads to a professional salary is necessary. All of these things are simply not possible without hard work. Overall, my feeling is that luck has no place in such a scheme of events.

TOEFL Writing Sample Answer

Our universe is in a constant state of flux with everything needing continual improvement to keep up with humankind’s ever-increasing demands. Therefore, if I were ever given the chance to change one important thing about my hometown, it would be the internet service because that would enable a larger proportion of the population to contribute to and be a part of that change.

In the past decade, nothing has revolutionized the way we live as much as the internet. In terms of work, the internet has made it possible to search through job opportunities, to secure positions, and even work remotely. Offering a free, fast, and reliable internet service, with the same availability as electricity or water, would allow my town’s residents to explore these opportunities beyond the local community. That, in turn, would reduce traffic jams, improve job opportunities, reduce unemployment, and increase the time available for family and recreation.

In terms of contributing, free and accessible internet would provide learning and sharing opportunities to the town’s residents. With access to the internet’s tremendous range of information, people in the community would quickly be able to access the knowledge they need for even the simplest everyday tasks like recipes and quick fixes. Being able to quickly look up a recipe, rather than taking a cooking course, increases the likelihood of expanding the range of nutritious foods that a person eats. Similarly, being able to rapidly find a video guiding you through repairing a leaky faucet increases your confidence and reduces your dependence on other people. Information is power!

All in all, having access to the internet’s tremendous range of information would bring a sense of fulfillment to my hometown’s people because they would be able to share their knowledge, learn from others and access a wider job market.

TOEFL Writing Sample Answer

College is a place where students expand their knowledge and undergo new experiences. Of course, different people have different reasons for studying in college. For example, some people want to go on to post graduate studies, some hope to improve their job prospects, and some simply want to change their present situation. In my opinion, further education sets a person up for a better future, regardless of their motivation.

First of all, in terms of gaining knowledge, institutions of higher education expose students to a range of instructors, all of whom have their own area of expertise to share and with which they can help their students solve problems. With their help, students learn both basic and professional knowledge which may prove to be very useful as they go on to both work and contribute to society.

Secondly, in terms of new experiences, students learn how to prioritize and arrange their own time reasonably. Until college, students’ lives are typically organized by their parents, while their studies are often arranged by their teachers. At university, students become solely responsible for decisions about both living and studying, including deciding when to get up, participate in sports, and complete assignments. This ability to prioritize, schedule, and perform is a critical life skill for future success.

Thirdly, studying in the college offers unique socializing opportunities. Everything from sharing accommodation to completing group-work demands a higher level of cooperation than most people experience elsewhere. As students acquire these invaluable communication skills, they become better prepared to contribute fully to the global society.

All in all, anyone who opts for further education enters a world of new experiences that will broaden their horizons, increase their knowledge base, and strengthen their communication skills; thereby, setting them up for successful futures. 

TOEFL Writing Sample Answer

Some people feel universities should give the same amount of funding to their students’ sports activities as they do to their libraries. In justifying their position, they point out the importance of motivating students to exercise as a way of helping them cope with a heavy study load. I tend to disagree because sports do very little to push back the frontiers of knowledge which is, after all, the primary purpose of a university education.

In the first place, an obvious advantage to spending more money on libraries is the huge savings on paper, resources, and time when study materials are concentrated in a single location. Books have become more expensive than ever and are a pre-requisite of almost any further education course. Moreover, many students attending universities are on very strict budgets, and libraries provide them with a very concentrated source of knowledge in a bright, well-lit, and warm environment that is highly conducive to studying.

Secondly, if one of the goals of a university education is to teach working skills, then libraries do so to a much greater degree than sports activities. For example, libraries open up a global perspective both through books and computers, allowing students to connect with people all over the world and catch up on global events. Sports, on the other hand, tend to be more local, and even though they do provide some opportunities to develop teamworking skills, they can be a bit of a distraction, sometimes even encouraging students to focus their energy in the wrong place.

All in all, my feeling is that libraries should be given significantly more funding than sports because they even-up the playing field for less wealthy students and offer all the economic benefits of centralized resources.