independent essay on

HOW TO WRITE AN INTRODUCTION FOR THE TOEFL INDEPENDENT ESSAY

• TOEFL WRITING
• You are here:

The TOEFL independent essay can be a very challenging aspect of the TOEFL ibt. The length of the essay, the challenge of writing correctly on a subject in English, and of course the fact that it comes at the very end of the TOEFL when you and your brain are probably quite tired, all make this one of the most difficult part of the TOEFL ibt.  Because of these factors, we need all the help we can get to get a great score on the TOEFL independent essay.

There is an expression in English:

  “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”

What does that mean? It means that the very first impression, or the first interaction with someone, is how they will judge you.

The same is true with writing.

Think about this: The TOEFL essays are initially graded by a computer which checks for grammatical and spelling errors, and some basic structure and syntax. After that, they are eventually reviewed by a grader. That is a real person, who reads your essay, and judges your English ability. Because of this we need to make a good “first impression”  on the TOEFL independent essay.

How do we do this?

We begin with a strong opening sentence.

There are many ways to do this, but in my opinion the best way to begin is this:

We make the first, or “opening” sentence of your essay, a question . This is an abstract, or “rhetorical” question. In other words, you don’t ask to get an answer. You ask to make the reader think and reflect.

Let’s look at some examples

If we have a writing prompt like this:

“People listen to music for different reasons and at different times. Why is music important to many people? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.”

An opening sentence, or “question” can look like this:

“Have you ever listened to a song that you hadn’t heard in a long time, and suddenly you are transported back to a memory, or a time in the past when you first heard that song?”

“Is there a song that, when you hear it, you always feel happy and full of energy?”

If we look at these “questions”, we notice a couple of things.

First of all, they don’t actually need a response, they are simply a creative and different way to begin the essay. The people who grade the essays spend hours reading essay after essay. If you begin your TOEFL independent essay in a different and creative way the reader will be much more interested in reading your essay, and will be much more likely to give you a higher score.

Secondly, when you ask someone a question, even if they don’t need to answer it, the brain immediately thinks of possible answers. We can’t help but start to answer the question, even if it’s just in our head. Because of this, beginning your essay with a question activates and engages the reader’s brain, and makes them think actively about your topic.

All of this means one thing: The reader likes your essay and will give it a higher score.

Below are a list of some Independent writing essay prompts for you to practice your “opening sentence question”.

If you’re looking for a complete strategy for the TOEFL independent essay, as well as all four sections of the TOEFL, be sure to check out our full TOEFL study program for our powerful course and full practice tests.

TOEFL Independent Essay Topics

“What discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people in your country? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.”

“The 21st century has begun. What changes do you think this new century will bring? Use examples and details in your answer.”

“What change would make your hometown more appealing to people your age? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.”

“If you could study a subject that you have never had the opportunity to study, what would you choose? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.”

“If you could invent something new, what product would you develop? Use specific details to explain why this invention is needed.”

Good luck, and keep it simple!

About the Author

Adam is the founder and lead instructor for the English Simple TOEFL program. He's taught English and TOEFL for over ten years, and developed curriculum all over the world. TOEFL is his business, but helping people is his passion. His "office" is always open, so feel free to drop him an email with any questions, complaints, compliments, or funny jokes. He speaks French, Spanish, Japanese, and Russian. But you gotta write him in English - you're prepping for the TOEFL!

More like this

[VIDEO LESSON] TOEFL Independent essay

5 Step Guide – Raise Your TOEFL Writing Task 2 Score

How the Essay is Evaluated

• Development: How well you have developed your ideas and arguments.
• Organization: How well your essay is organized and structured.
• Language Use: How effectively you use grammar, vocabulary, and syntax to convey your ideas.
• Mechanics: How well you use punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
• Overall Writing Quality: How well your essay meets the expectations of a proficient writer.

Understanding the Scoring Criteria

• Task Completion: This measures how well you have addressed the prompt and completed the task.
• Language Use: This assesses your ability to use a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical structures accurately and appropriately.
• Coherence and Cohesion: This evaluates how well you have organized your essay and used transition words and phrases to connect your ideas.
• Development and Support: This measures how well you have developed your ideas and provided appropriate examples and details to support them.

How the Criteria are Evaluated

• Addresses the prompt fully and directly
• Uses a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary words
• Has a clear and well-organized structure
• Uses transition words and phrases effectively
• Provides specific examples and details to support ideas

Best Practices for Preparing for the Independent Writing Task in TOEFL

1. emphasize practice and preparation.

• Allocate enough time for practicing writing in English before the test date
• Use official practice materials from ETS or reliable sources to practice writing
• Take timed practice tests to improve your time management and get accustomed to writing under pressure
• Identify your strengths and weaknesses and work on them through targeted practice
• Get feedback on your writing from a teacher or tutor, and use it to improve your skills

2. Tips for Brainstorming and Outlining

• Read the prompt carefully and identify the key points and requirements
• Brainstorm ideas related to the prompt and write them down
• Organize your ideas into a logical and coherent structure using an outline
• Include specific details and examples to support your ideas
• Ensure that your ideas are relevant to the prompt and answer the question directly

3. Importance of Developing a Clear and Concise Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement is the main point or argument that you will be making in your essay
• Developing a clear and concise thesis statement helps you stay focused and on-topic
• Your thesis statement should be included in your introduction paragraph and should be easy to understand
• Your thesis statement should directly address the prompt and answer the question being asked
• Make sure to support your thesis statement with relevant details and examples throughout your essay

4. Other Tips for Success

• Use appropriate sentence structures, vocabulary, and grammar
• Make sure your essay has an introduction, body, and conclusion
• Proofread your essay for spelling and punctuation errors
• Stick to the time limit and manage your time wisely
• Stay confident and focused, and avoid getting sidetracked

Best Practices for Writing the TOEFL Independent Essay

Importance of organization and structure.

• Plan your essay before writing: Create an outline of your essay to help you organize your thoughts and structure your essay effectively.
• Use paragraphs to organize your ideas: Each paragraph should focus on one main idea that supports your thesis statement.
• Use transitional words and phrases: Transitional words and phrases help to connect ideas between paragraphs and make your essay flow smoothly.
• Use clear and concise language: Avoid using unnecessary words or phrases that do not contribute to the clarity of your essay.

Effective Introduction and Conclusion

• Hook your reader in the introduction: Use an interesting fact or anecdote to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to read further.
• Provide background information: Give some context to the topic you are writing about to help the reader understand the importance of the issue.
• End with a clear thesis statement: Your thesis statement should be concise and specific, outlining the main argument of your essay.
• Summarize your main points in the conclusion: Recap the main points you discussed in your essay and tie them back to your thesis statement.
• Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion: The conclusion should not introduce any new information or arguments.

Supporting Ideas with Evidence and Examples

• Use credible sources: When supporting your ideas, use reliable sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable news sources.
• Provide specific examples: Use concrete examples to illustrate your points and make your arguments more convincing.
• Explain the relevance of your evidence: Make sure to explain how your evidence supports your argument and why it is important to the overall topic.

Effective Use of Language and Grammar

• Use a variety of sentence structures: Mix up your sentence structure to make your essay more interesting and engaging to read.
• Avoid using overly complex vocabulary: While it’s important to use proper academic vocabulary, don’t try to use words that you are not comfortable with or that are overly complex.
• Proofread your essay: Take time to review your essay and correct any grammatical or spelling errors. Make sure your sentences are clear and easy to understand.
• Practice writing essays: The more you practice writing essays, the better you will become at using proper language and grammar.

Strategies for Achieving a High Score

Time management, keep pace and stay on task, proofreading and editing, revising and improving an essay, what is the highest score possible for the independent writing task, how long should my essay be for the independent writing task, is it better to write a longer essay or a shorter one for the independent writing task, are there any resources available to help me prepare for the independent writing task, what should i do if i run out of time during the independent writing task, is it possible to prepare for toefl in 10 days, key takeaways.

• Practice and preparation are crucial to achieving a high score on the TOEFL independent essay.
• Effective organization and structure are necessary to clearly express your viewpoint.
• Support your ideas with evidence and examples to make your essay more convincing.
• Use proper language and grammar to enhance clarity and coherence.
• Time management is important for completing the essay on time.
• Proofreading and editing are essential for identifying and correcting errors in your writing.

Applying Strategies and Tips

TOEFL Speaking Question 4: Sample Question #1

TOEFL Exam Preparation Ultimate Guide

Master the TOEFL Speaking Question 3

TOEFL Speaking Question Three: Sample Question #2

• English Level
• Speaking Quiz
• Listening Practice

Quick Links

• How It Works
• Private Lessons

get in touch

• Ask Us Anything
• 2023 © Copyright New York English

TOEFL Writing Topics: Examples of TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

While the TOEFL is generally a very different type of test from the GRE, the GMAT, and the SAT, there are a few similarities, and the nature of the TOEFL Writing topics (specifically TOEFL Independent Writing topics) is one of them. As with most standardized tests, the TOEFL asks you to write an essay.

Well, it asks for two essays. For a quick summary of the two Writing tasks (Independent Writing and Integrated Writing) and how they fit into the Writing section as a whole, see Kate’s breakdown of the TOEFL Writing section. And for TOEFL Integrated Writing topics, jump down to this part of the post .

Table of Contents

Toefl writing topics: task 2 subject matter.

• The Basic Structure of TOEFL Independent Writing Topics
• Practicing TOEFL Independent Writing Topics with Magoosh
• Choose a Side
• View Both Sides
• Describe or Explain
• Integrated TOEFL Writing Task
• Further Practice With TOEFL Writing Topics

Let’s look at the TOEFL Writing topics that you might see for that second TOEFL essay, the “ independent task .” (Also note that the TOEFL Independent Writing task is particularly similar to the GRE issue AWA task , something to bear in mind if you are prepping for the TOEFL and GRE at the same time .)

On the one hand, there are a LOT of different TOEFL Writing topics. You might be asked to write an essay about any of the following: technology, education, media, family, small towns vs. big cities, the benefits of constructing something such as a large factory or new movie theater, the qualities of a good neighbor, life for university students, the way people should work, social media, the impact of human activity on the environment, education (the education of young children, high school students, young adults, etc.), different kinds of people you’d want to work with, important characteristics of a co-worker, cell phones, the traits of the best teachers, the attitudes of young people, traveling to new places, use of free time, etc., etc…

You get the idea. There are many different topics for the test-taker to think about and give a personal opinion on.

The Basic Structure of an Integrated Writing Prompt

But on the other hand, there are only a few different types of Independent Writing tasks. And even with those different types, the tasks are very similar: give your main points, use reasons to support them, include specific points and specific examples in your reasoning, etc…. Since these tasks involve expressing your point of view, sharing your personal experiences is also a common practice across the different types of the Independent TOEFL Writing task. Essentially, you express your opinion in a thesis statement, add related main ideas to each paragraph, and support your thesis and main ideas in a variety of ways.

ETS does provide a list of TOEFL independent essay questions in the 4th edition of the TOEFL Official Guide , and it’s a good idea to look over those sample questions. But there’s an excess of information there—we want to know some more useful generalities! So let’s divide those subjects into types. ( Click here to jump ahead to the first of those three types! )

A Note on Practicing TOEFL Writing Topics

If you practice writing the essay before test day (a good idea!), then you can use an essay prompt from the ETS list mentioned above. This is a great option.

For more customized practice, sign up for Magoosh’s 7-day free trial , select “Practice –> Custom Practice –> Writing Section”, and then try one of our premium TOEFL Writing prompts. You can also choose to only practice the independent task if that’s what you want to focus on. The trial lasts 7 days and you don’t need a credit card to sign up.

Let’s talk about the TOEFL “independent task” Writing topic types I mentioned above!

TOEFL Writing Topic Type 1: Choose a Side

This is by far the most common Independent Writing question type. These TOEFL prompts ask you to choose A or B then explain your decision. There is no “wrong” decision here. You can side with the first or second point, as long as your argument is well-supported and you give an effective response. There are a couple of different approaches to writing this type of essay, but the simplest form is the “five-paragraph essay.” Usually, this is only four paragraphs, because you don’t have that much time—the test only gives you 30 minutes to complete your Independent essay.

So if you choose A, you might write an essay that looks like this:

• A is better
• Reason 1 and examples of why A is better
• Short contrast with B
• Reason 2 and examples of why A is better
• Why this is significant in the real world

Of course, there are other ways to write an essay, but it’s a good idea to use a relatively simple structure for clarity; this tends to be the best, easiest path to a high score. This is more true for the TOEFL than it is for essays on other tests, like the GRE , because the TOEFL is really a test of communication and how well you can write in the English language.

Here are some examples of the “choose a side” Writing topics:

“Some would say it is more important to have an enjoyable job than to have a job with a high salary. Do you feel this is true or not true? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

“Opinion: It is better to have a low-stress job than a job with lots of responsibility. Do you hold this opinion, or disagree with it? In your essay, include supporting details.”

“Apartment buildings are the preferred living space for many people. But many individuals prefer living in a house. Which do you prefer ? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

“It could be argued that technology makes our lives easier and simpler. But there are certainly people who feel life has become more complicated due to modern inventions. Which opinion do you agree with? In your essay, include supporting details.”

“This week, your government announced plans to invest significant amounts of money in the exploration of outer space. Write an essay explaining why you are either for this new plan or against it. Explain your thoughts using examples.”

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Modern life is easier than life in the past. Use specific details and examples to support your answer.

Would you rather live in a large city or the countryside? Explain your choice, giving specific reasons and examples.

You might also get a slightly more complicated version of the “choose a side” prompt that asks you to compare sides, like these:

“Many workers change jobs a few times in their career. However, a number of workers instead do the same type of work throughout their career. Of these two career paths, which is a better option? In your essay, include supporting details.”

Which of these two is preferable for you: a high-paying job that you didn’t enjoy, or a lower-paying job that you did enjoy? Explain your reasoning, using specific reasons and examples.

Some students prefer to study many different subjects at once, while others prefer to focus on one topic at a time. Would you rather take a semester of classes in different subjects or a semester of classes in the same subject? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and examples.

In that case, you could still use the structure I showed above, but you would emphasize the contrasts with “B” and write a bit more about them.

Writing Topic Type 2: View Both Sides

This is very similar to the “choose a side” type of essay subject, but it’s a little bit more complicated because you have to think from two different standpoints. Thankfully, it’s also not as common.

Here are a couple of examples:

“Your family and friends are encouraging you to buy a new car. What are some benefits and downsides of purchasing a brand new vehicle? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

“What are some good things and bad things about remaining in your hometown as an adult? In your essay, include supporting details.”

There are a couple of different ways you might structure an essay like, but the simplest one may be the best.

• General statements about issue
• Advantages and examples
• Disadvantages and examples

Writing Topic Type 3: Describe or Explain

In a way, this is the most difficult type of Independent essay question because it doesn’t give you an A or B situation. Instead, you have to think of your own subject from a very big pool of possibilities.

“ If you could choose any place to live in the world, where would you live? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

“How was your grandparents’ life different than yours? In your essay, include supporting details.”

“ What is your favorite movie and why? In your essay, include supporting details.”

“What is your favorite place to visit near your home? Explain your thoughts using examples.”

Because these Writing topics don’t give you a yes-no or A-B choice, it’s easy to get stuck in the planning phase. (By the way, planning is incredibly important for writing any standardized test essay; don’t skip it!)

The structure doesn’t have to be very different, though. Here’s a rough idea of how you might organize a descriptive essay:

• Your choice/subject
• Reason 1 and examples
• Reason 2 and examples
• Reason 3 and examples

Notice I added one more body paragraph. Because there’s no “other side” to deal with, you have more time to explain the one topic you chose. So why not use that time for another paragraph!

This Is Only Half of TOEFL Writing (the Other Half is the Integrated Task)

Remember that the Independent essay is only half of the TOEFL Writing section. There’s also the integrated task . Although the TOEFL Integrated Writing Task is not the main focus of this post, let’s go through some basics of the first half of the TOEFL Writing section.

First off, know that TOEFL Writing Task 1 has a reading passage and a listening passage. The listening passage features part of a lecture. The speaker in the lecture will disagree with or challenge the claims in the reading. As you navigate the reading and listening for this first task, you don’t need to pay much attention to the written portion. The focus of your essay will be summarizing what the speaker said, so the reading is merely background information.

The context of the reading and speaking in TOEFL Integrated Writing tends to be based on the United States. So, for example, if you see a passage related to business or economics, any amount of money described would probably be in American dollars, and examples would involve American consumers or American companies. Still, other non-American contexts may come up. You could encounter a topic about an important influence on a European art movement, or deal with a science topic; science topics in this task are typically international or culturally neutral.

Want more help with TOEFL Integrated Writing? Magoosh has you covered! See our complete guide to the TOEFL Integrated Writing task , which includes a free TOEFL Integrated Writing practice task from Magoosh. And you can find a second free Magoosh TOEFL Integrated Writing practice task in our complete guide to TOEFL Writing samples .

Ready For Some Practice?

Sample essays are another great resource for practice. You can review sample TOEFL essays for both Independent Writing and Integrated Writing in the aforementioned Magoosh’s complete guide to TOEFL Writing samples and in our TOEFL Writing Templates . And partial or complete sample essays can also be found in the following posts:

Task 2 Sample Essays

• TOEFL Independent Writing: Unsupported Claims
• TOEFL Independent Writing: Correcting Disorganized Answers
• Examples of Counter-Arguments
• TOEFL Writing Task 2 Model Answer
• Prewriting for TOEFL Writing Task 2
• How to Use Transitions in Your Writing

Task 1 Sample Essays

• How to Revise TOEFL Writing
• Paraphrasing in TOEFL Integrated Writing
• The Complete Guide to TOEFL Integrated Writing

Last but certainly not least, I’ve written a quick summary of the best ways to practice TOEFL Writing . You can use that as a guide to tie all of your TOEFL Writing topic practice together!

Lucas is the teacher behind Magoosh TOEFL. He’s been teaching TOEFL preparation and more general English since 2009, and the SAT since 2008. Between his time at Bard College and teaching abroad, he has studied Japanese, Czech, and Korean. None of them come in handy, nowadays.

View all posts

More from Magoosh

64 responses to “TOEFL Writing Topics: Examples of TOEFL Independent Writing Topics”

Do you have a template for writing task 2 in TOEFL?

We don’t yet have any blog post fully explaining the structure of the independent writing task, but Kate has written some related articles:

https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/writing-essay-introductions/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/writing-a-five-paragraph-essay/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/the-toefl-essay-structure/

Our more complete explanations of the independent writing task are only in our premium TOEFL product lesson videos at the moment. Check that out if you’re interested!

can u just tell me can i complete my prepration for toefel exam in one month by daily practicing 5 to 6 essays as per your suggestion?

Hi there. I wouldn’t recommend writing 5 or 6 essays daily, no—I’m not sure where that idea came from, but that’s too many essays and not enough review! You need to spend time looking at good essays, good structures, and useful phrases, and revise your own essays to be better. Writing many essays helps, but you have to analyze them. And preparing for the TOEFL is more than just writing essays. There’s also reading, listening, and speaking. 🙂

Does the essay in toefl exam come from the list given by ETS (containing 185 topics). Is it a good idea to prepare for the topics given beforehand????

Hi Deepali,

While it’s possible that the essay topic will come from that list, you may also get a topic from outside the list. It’s a good idea to read through it, but you definitely should not prepare for every topic on that list . That would take too long even if it was a complete list of possible topics—it would be over 90 hours of essay writing, just for one of the two essays! It’s more important to learn the general themes and write your practice essays using that list.

Thanks for this useful info. This will surely help me to organize my essay properly.

You’re welcome!

I have question regarding TOEFL ESSAY writing . I have given TOEFL test several tome to meet criteria for Pharmacy. Only problem is with my writing , i need 24 score, while i always get 22. I tried so hard and still trying. Please suggest me how i can improve my sscore.

That’s tough, Vandy! You’re so close! Well, there’s no single way to improve your writing score: there are a few different things that might help you, personally. Without knowing you much better than I can through blog comments, it would be hard for me to say. But you can definitely identify your own weak areas and what you need to work on! Here are a couple of posts that explain generally how you can practice for the test.

I really recommend reading a lot , too. The more you read, the better you can imitate native speakers in your writing. And pay careful attention to grammar when you read! The writing part of the TOEFL is time to let your grammar skills show. 🙂

Can u plz help me, how i can score in my reading section??? actually its too difficult for me and i dont know how to improve this. if you have any tips regarding READING SECTION plz help me out.

Absolutely! We have plenty of blog posts about the reading section which will help guide you through. 🙂

I think these posts will be especially helpful: https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/lucas-takes-the-toefl/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/synonyms-in-the-toefl-reading-section/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/common-toefl-reading-difficulties/ https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/identifying-the-main-ideas-in-toefl-reading-passages/

I really appreciate your help… Thanks Lucas..:)

The aftermath of the information that you provided was that it got me thinkng as to how would one clear the test if not into reading that much? I do not specifically mean only books and novels; though daily newspaper reading’s done. Would common way of speaking the language work in writing as well or does it have to be formal as always?

But for what its worth, that was some very useful content up there. Thank you for the information.

Hi Shreya! Daily reading is important, but make sure it’s formal or academic English. News articles are great as long as they’re from a reputable news source. Examples include BBC, NY Times, The Economist, and similar publications. Spoken language can definitely help, especially on the Listening and Speaking sections, but when it comes to Reading, academic English is important.

My toefl exam is after 2 weeks and i have not yet started to prepare for it.Would you please help me?How can i get a better score in such a less time?I need a great score. 🙁 And,now i am really in dilemma.Please,help me out!

Hi Rakshya,

Don’t panic! But it’s time to get to work. 🙂 First, buy a copy of the official guide. You will want that practice material. 🙂 Take a full test so you can find out your weaknesses. Then, spend the next two weeks trying to improve those weak areas (for example, speaking more fluently) by reading the relevant blog posts here at Magoosh. Keep practicing and keep reading more about how to best answer questions, and you’ll do your best on test day.

I never took the TOEFL experience before.. Well, I eager to learn english many more, so give me advice to take study hard day by day, actually my english is not bad, but sometimes i always feeling not confident to say with someone, can you show me some friends to share with me, and tell me how to speak better than now?

The most important thing to improve your English is simply experience. Your goal should be to speak, write, listen, and read in English as often as possible! The best way to improve confidence is to use English regularly. Check out this blog post for some helpful resources:

– https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/best-free-toefl-resources/

And these posts gives some advice on improving your speaking for the TOEFL:

– https://magoosh.com/toefl/2013/toefl-speaking-practice/ – https://magoosh.com/toefl/2014/how-to-practice-toefl-speaking/

If you’re going to take the TOEFL, then Magoosh can help you learn the test. 🙂 Start reading our TOEFL blog regularly for more advice on improving your English and your TOEFL score.

Hi there. So I have a question regarding the whole choosing sides thing. Do I have to choose between options A or B or could I agree with both sides? My exam is tomorrow so it would be awesome if I could get a quick reply. Thanks!

I’m sorry we weren’t able to get back to you sooner! I hope your test went well. 🙂 In case you’re still wondering, though, it’s best to choose a side: the prompt asks you do make a decision, and your essay will be much clearer if you choose a single side. Trying to argue both sides often makes an essay hard to follow, and that hurts your score. It’s possible to write a good essay that considers both sides, but we don’t recommend it for the TOEFL.

Hello Lucas, Can you provide some sample essays that would get a 5 on writing? Thanks !

We don’t have many public samples of our own at the moment, but ETS provides free sample essays for all scores: https://www.ets.org/s/toefl/pdf/writing_practice_sets.pdf

I think those will help a bit!

Thanks Lucas!

Hello, my questions are about the independent task. It is possible to only have 4 paragraph essay with more then 350 words and still score very high? thanks in advance!!! very helpful site!!

It’s absolutely possible to score very high with only four full paragraphs in the essay! Your grade isn’t based on the number of paragraphs, but on how completely you answer the question and how well you communicate your line of reasoning. I actually advise most students to write 4-paragraph essays so that they can fully explain two reasons in the body of the essay, rather than rushing to explain three reasons and switching topics too quickly/unnaturally.

Hello, Lucas.

Do you think it is possible reaching the maximum score with an independent essay of four paragraphs?

I am really having difficulties with time management and I would like to know if I have to focus on practicing to write less words AND correctly rather than just writing a longer essay.

Hello Giovanna,

Very good question! According to the writing guide on the official TOEFL website ( https://www.ets.org/s/toefl/pdf/writing_practice_sets.pdf ), an independent essay usually needs at least 300 words to be “effective.” This means that essays of less than 300 words are less likely the maximum score. (But it’s not impossible!)

Word count is not the same as amount of paragraphs, of course. It’s possible for someone to write a five paragraph essay that only has about 250 words, a three paragraph essay that has 400 words, and so on.

In some cases, an essay with as little as three or even two paragraphs can receive good marks. Remember though, paragraphs help you organize your ideas and connect them to each other. More connections (rather than fewer connections) can help you create a better organized essay. TOEFL scorers like to see that.

To make sure you earn full points (or something close to it), carefully read the official TOEFL Independent Writing Task Rubric ( https://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEFL/pdf/Independent_Writing_Rubrics_2008.pdf ). You’ll notice that the rubric itself doesn’t grade test takers on word count or number of paragraphs. But as you practice writing based on the rubric, you’ll find that a certain word count or certain number of paragraphs allows you to reach level 5 on the rubric. Some of this depends on your own writing style.

My practice essays are about 315-330 words. What can I so increase the length without diluting the content of my essay?

Length isn’t really a goal—it’s more important that you clearly explain all of the main ideas, using specific details and clear connections between thoughts. If you do that well, it’s possible that 315 words is enough. 🙂 Don’t focus on length; focus on explaining fully and clearly!

Hi Lucas, The link you provided on this blog for “a list of TOEFL independent essay questions” on ETS website is not working. Can you please provide the link here? I have Toefl in 2 weeks and need it asap. Thanks!

Actually, it appears that ETS has removed that link since Lucas originally wrote this post. Luckily, someone has archived the list publicly on Google Docs. 🙂 Link here:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-EPRItMr6VtOGU4NzBiMjMtMmYzNi00YjBmLTkyZTUtY2FhMTljY2RhMTYx/edit

Thanks, David 🙂 Really helpful 🙂

I am mostly confused ,because some of the books are saying that it is okay to have 4 bp and some recommend have 5 bd. Which one is more acceptable on the test ?

I think by “BP” you mean body paragraphs—is that right? If it is, then nobody is correct or incorrect, really. The most important aspects of your essay are the number or shape of your paragraphs. We recommend 4 paragraphs for both essays: 1 intro and 3 body paragraphs for the integrated essay, and 1 intro, 2 body paragraphs, and one conclusion for the independent essay. But the independent essay could very easily be 5 paragraphs total, with 3 body paragraphs.

But again, the numbers aren’t the important thing. What’s more important is that within those paragraphs , you clearly explain the main idea of that paragraph and then support the main idea with details or examples. Making a clear statement and explaining is the key for TOEFL writing. That also means using clear, conventional language. That means correct vocabulary, clear grammar, and logical transitions.

It is possible to write too many or too few paragraphs, but only because of the EFFECT that those have—in a short paragraph, you don’t have enough room to fully explain your reasons. In a too-long paragraph, you run the risk of repeating yourself. Because TOEFL essays are short, it makes sense to use only a few paragraphs total, and focus instead on the content of those paragraphs. 🙂

Lucas, I think you’re awesome!

I teach Advanced English for a non-profit organization in Arkansas. One of the classes I teach is a TOEFL preparation class.

I just thought you should know you’re awesome and appreciated.

You sound pretty awesome yourself. 🙂 Thank you for the kind words, and I’m really glad to hear we’ve been helping!

i need some sample integrated writing questions, where can i find it?

Sample Integrated Writing tasks are definitely harder to find compared to Integrated writing ones. There are some out there though.

You’ll find two practice Integrated Writing questions in the TOEFL’s official Quick Prep practice sets, available online for free here . Unfortunately, the Integrated Writing task in Quick Prep Volume 1 has no audio— just a reading passage and a transcript of the related lecture.

A few other sources of Integrated Writing practice are available through ETS for a fee. Volumes one and two of Official TOEFL iBT Practice Tests contain a total of 10 Integrated Writing practice questions, as part of the 10 complete practice tests found in these two volumes. And there are 4 practice tests/4 Integrated Writing questions with audio in the Official Guide for the TOEFL. The OG also has one additional practice Integrated Writing question that is transcript only, no audio, like the one in Quick Prep Volume 1. You can purchase these and a few other TOEFL resources with Integrated Writing practice though the official materials catalog for the exam.

It’s also worth mentioning that we have one Integrated Writing practice task (with audio) here on the Magoosh TOEFL Blog. We even have a model answer for it. And of course, you can get many additional full Integrated Writing task questions with a Magoosh TOEFL subscription.

Hello Lucas, I’m currently preparing for TOEFL and I’m right now only focussing on the speaking section since I have to get good score on that. I’m very excited about the test though I feel it’s relatively harder than IELTS. I have taken IELTS and I have 7 band score in that. Now comes the question that I have from you, so basically I haven’t taken a date yet and I’ll most probably give my TOEFL in December because I want to be fully prepared and I want to do it in one go. I’m making smart strategies that works for me but still I feel I lack that confidence of talking to a machine (considering I like talking to a person more) I need you to provide me with some very common topics if you have any so I can constantly practice my speaking.

I’d suggest you read over our resources TOEFL Speaking Topics and TOEFL Speaking TIPS and PDF , which includes where to find practice questions and resources.

Happy studying! 😀

How can write complete essay in 30 min! It is very difficult

It definitely is difficult, Raed. Writing is one of the biggest challenges for many test-takers, but the writing section can be beat. One key skill is prewriting. You’ll want to get very comfortable with organizing your ideas and making outlines, so that you can do it quickly. And you’ll want to do some revision to organizaiton even while you write. (I’ve posted some additional thoughts on that here .

It also helps to strategize ways to minimize word count.Remember, ETS’s recommended length for Writing Task 1 (Integrated) is only 150 to 225 words. And their suggested length for Task 2 is 300 words. That’s really not that much. But the trick is learning to express your ideas within that word count, without having to revise and edit out extra stuff that you wrote.

In a nutshell, you’ll master the tricky skill of writing an essay in just 30 minutes if you can do the following:

1) Do all major prewriting in just the first few minutes. 2) Fall within the recommended word count on the first try, with no revisions. 3) Be able to edit for content as you write and shortly after you write.

I’ve been praticing TOEFL writing for a few weeks and had a native speaker review my essays for me. My reviewer’s pointed out a problem among my Independent essays which is that I don’t really choose a side sometimes on certain topics. For example, when I was asked to agree or disagree with the statement that “It is better to have broad knowledge of many academic subjects than to specialize in one specific subject”, I argued that diversification in knowledge and specialization in knowledge are simply different, sometimes overlapping, approaches to acquiring knowledge instead of being a rival to each other. My reviewer said he agrees with my essay, but he could only give me a C in regard to the criteria of the test since I didn’t really write in favor of a given side.

So my question is that: would it really harm my TOEFL writing score if I don’t choose a side, even when the essays are well reasoned and well organized?

Many thanks,

That is an excellent question, Lexi. It is definitely possible to get a good score by writing an essay in this way. Not choosing a side won’t automatically hurt your TOEFL score.

However, not choosing sides can still harm your TOEFL Writing score in another way. A more complicated opinion makes for a more complicated essay. And it’s harder to finish a more complicated essay– and do it truly well– in the time limit on the exam. Even if you can do a pretty good essay where you don’t take sides, a simpler essay where you do take sides can be written even more clearly and completely within the allotted time. Doing a simpler essay that focuses just on agreeing or disagreeing will leave you more time and energy to make good word choices, organize your ideas well, and check for mistakes at the end.

Of course, this may mean that you’ll need to write an opinion that isn’t truly yours. But as long as you’re comfortable doing that, taking a side is the best path to the highest score possible in TOEFL Independent Writing.

Aslam o alikum i just wanted to know how we can say specific sentences? what is specific sentences mean? and what is the different between specific and general sentences?

“Specific reasons and examples” (as they are described in TOEFL Writing topics) are pieces of evidence that reference unique ideas and evidence. Suppose, for example, that you answered this quesiton (seen in the post above): “It has recently been announced that a large shopping center may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer”

If you support the plan, you don’t want your evidence for why you support a shopping center to be too general. A very general support might be “I think this would be good for the neighborhood’s economy.” This is too general, because the statement doesn’t include the reasons why the shopping center would boost the economy. So if you make a general statement like this in your written response, you need to follow it up with more specific statements such as “The shopping center will require a lot of workers, and people in my neighborhood can get jobs and spend more money in the neighborhood.” This is a specific reason. You could follow that sentence up with “For example, the shopping center’s food court will probably have a lot of jobs that younger people can qualify for.” This is a specific example.

Thank you very much for all those useful informations! I have one question according to choise of words. Is it better to choose simple words or very professional words? Such as organization VS company, harm VS Damage etc…

On the TOEFL Writing section, more “formal” academic words can help boost your score. But what’s most important is vocabulary variety— little repetition of words, and word choices that are creative and appropriate to meaning and tone.

is it important to go through each and every part of grammar so as to excel in toefl writing.

Yes and no. You should certainly have good general grammar skill, and a fluency with all the most important parts of English grammar. But the TOEFL only takes away points for grammar mistakes if the mistakes are frequent and interfere with the reader’s ability to understand your writing.

hello there.in case i was faced with a topic im not familiar with or got nothing to say about,,how am i supposed to react???

This is a common problem on TOEFL Independent tasks. Our blog has already touched on this problem a little with TOEFL Independent Speaking rather than TOEFL Independent Writing. In general, the trick to doing well when you get an unfamiliar TOEFL Independent topic is learning how to think fast and have enough to say.

To build this skill, you need to practice going with the first idea that pops into your head when you’re presented with an unfamiliar subject. If you have no opinions or experiences of your own, you also need to get good at making stuff up— yes, it’s OK to lie on the TOEFL !

Above all, you should practice with as many TOEFL Independent Writing topics as you can. You don’t necessarily need to write out a full essay for every Independent Writing questions you look at. But you should be able to brainstorm ideas and come up with an outline for any topic, even an unfamiliar one. A good resource for drilling yourself in this skill is this list of 155 TOEFL Independent Writing topics . Go through that list, and selectively look for topics where you feel like you have nothing to say. Then, through practice, learn to think quickly and say something.

Hi! Would it be advisable to put titles in the essays? Since it s answering to a given question, I would feel it s needed, is.it? Tks a lot.

No, you definitely don’t need to add a title to your TOEFL essay. It’s not a requirement in the official TOEFL Writing rubrics . In addition, if your title is misspelled or confusing, that might actually hurt your score.

So I would avoid adding a title, to make a long story short. 🙂

My problem with independent writing that a lot of times my essays are very short because I am not too familiar with certain topics. For example – DO you think video games are beneficial or harmful to children. Explain your opinion/reasons. I personally have very minimal experience with video games, not too familiar with them. I never thought too much about this issue and as a result I do not have too much too say. How you would recommend to deal with a topic that is not very familiar to you, or if you do not have any particular opinion about? Thank you

When you say short, how long do you mean? The independent task really only needs to be ~300 words to be scored well. In any case, you can flesh out your points by adding examples or hypothetical situations to follow up your points. You can also imagine a counterpoint and refute it, giving your argument more length. 🙂

there are many templates explaining how to write independent writing in IBT but I find less examples or templates for first writing which related to passage and lecture , can you please provide some more information at this point as well?

Examples for TOEFL Writing Task 1 (Integrated) are less common because they’re a lot harder to make. And I should know, because I made a Writing Task one sample prompt and answer for this blog. 🙂

Here is the sample TOEFL Integrated Writing Task , along with its corresponding TOEFL Writing Task 1 sample response .

In addition to this, you can find more free, full TOEFL Integrated Writing sample tasks by using ETS TOEFL Quick Prep , as well as Magoosh’s additional unofficial audio for TOEFL Quick Prep Volume 1 and TOEFL Quick Prep Volume 2 .

Hi, is it possible that i can come up with a 3-5 polished paragraphs with in 20 minutes? Including the preparation and organization of thoughts? Because i am doubting myself, do you have any suggestions that i could do? Thanks!

Hi Wesselmie,

I know it sounds difficult, but it is absolutely possible to improve your writing and craft a strong essay in 20 minutes! The best thing you can do to improve is to write as much as possible. You should be writing in English every single day–this will allow you to build your writing skills and confidence so that the essay becomes easier 😀

If you want to practice writing in English, it helps to have material to respond to. So why not get reading or listening practice at the same time?

This blog pos t has some great resources to use for listening or reading practice that’s similar to TOEFL material.

After listening to a presentation in English or reading an article from an English news site, summarize it in writing. Summarizing is an incredibly important skill for the TOEFL. Try to write as much as possible, and be very careful to use your own words. DO NOT COPY ANYTHING from the original text or presentation—instead, use synonyms and different sentence structures to convey the same information. Ideally, after reading or listening, you won’t go back to the material at all. Instead, you will only write what you remember (taking notes is a good idea!).

And you can go beyond just summarizing! Write reaction paragraphs, too. Act like you are writing back to the author or speaker with your opinion on the topic, although you are not really talking to them.

When you finish writing a response, save it for later. You should always come back to your writing a week later (or more), and edit it. Be very careful with the grammar when you edit, and add extra sentences that you need to make it clearer. Then, if you have the time, it can be a great help to write the same response (or essay) again a second time, with all of your edits in mind. 🙂

And check our the entire writing section of our blog for more tips and ideas for how to improve!

Hello, Can you please help me with some useful tips on all the four sections of toefl.. Now it is just a weeks’ time for my examination and i am not understanding what to excatly focus on and put my efforts into.

I am using magoosh for my prepartion, of vocabulary, speaking, listening to audios & watching videos..

Thank you..

I recommend that you check out our 2 week TOEFL Study Schedule. You may not have time to complete all of it, but it will give you a good idea of what you should focus on in your last week. I recommend that you take a practice test, analyze your answers and performance, and then do some targeted review to ensure that you have a basic understanding of the methods and strategy for each section of the test. Good luck!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the best toefl writing practice: 300+ topics to study with.

Writing is the last section you’ll complete on the TOEFL. You’re so close to finishing, yet you still have two essays to write before you can celebrate completing the exam. In order to finish the test on a high note, you’ll need to be prepared for this section.

In this guide, we explain the ins and outs of the Writing section and the materials you need to do well. We then go over all the best TOEFL Writing practice resources available , including free and official practice Writing topics. We'll end with final tips to keep in mind in order to ace the TOEFL Writing section.

Overview of TOEFL Writing

The TOEFL Writing section is 50 minutes long (broken into two parts) and contains two tasks: Integrated Writing and Independent Writing. You’ll type both essays on the computer.

The Integrated Writing task requires you to use listening, reading, and writing skills. For this task, you will have three minutes to read a short passage, then you will listen to a short (approximately two-minute long) audio clip of a speaker discussing the same topic the written passage covers. You will have 20 minutes to plan and write a response that references both of these sources. You won’t discuss your own opinion.

For the Independent Writing task, you’ll receive a question on a particular topic or issue. You’ll have 30 minutes to plan and write a response to that topic that explains your opinion on it. You’ll need to give reasons that support your decision.

Each essay will receive a score from 0-5. The sum will then be scaled to a score from 0-30, which is your official Writing score. The Writing section makes up 25% of your total TOEFL score (from 0-120).

What You’ll Need to Be Prepared for the TOEFL Writing Section

As you likely expect, you’ll spend most of your time on the TOEFL Writing section, well, writing. However, you’ll also need to have solid reading and listening skills for the Integrated task. Since the Writing section requires multiple skills, you’ll need multiple study tools in order to be completely prepared. Some of the most important things you’ll need to prepare for TOEFL Writing include:

• Complete practice Writing sections
• Individual practice questions or TOEFL Writing topics
• Opportunities to practice your writing skills
• Opportunities to practice your listening skills

In the next section, we'll go over the best TOEFL Writing practice tests and questions.

The Best TOEFL Writing Practice Materials

This section contains links to the top practice materials to use while preparing for TOEFL Writing. What makes a practice material the best?

• First, the practice questions must be similar in content and format to the real TOEFL Writing section to give you the best preparation for the real exam.
• Second, it’s a major plus if the practice questions come with answer explanations that help you understand how to answer an essay prompt well.
• Finally, prep materials that include useful tips and strategies for answering Writing questions are useful because they give you advice on how to raise your score on this section.

Official Prep Materials

Official resources are the best to use since you can be confident they’ll be very similar to the real TOEFL Writing section. The topics will be much more realistic in format and content.

Below are all the official TOEFL Writing practice materials available, both free and paid resources. ETS doesn’t provide just Writing questions, so each of these resources also have practice resources for the other sections of the TOEFL. Be sure to include at least some of these materials in your studying. The next section has more tips on how to make the most of official practice resources.

TOEFL iBT Sampler

The TOEFL iBT Sampler is a program you can download with official practice questions, and it’s a great free and official resource to use. In addition to other TOEFL sections, it includes a complete TOEFL iBT Writing practice section (two tasks). Sample answers for both tasks are included so you can get an idea of what a good essay looks like. Unfortunately, the Sampler only works with Windows; you can’t download it with a Mac.

TOEFL iBT Sample Questions

This PDF is another free and official resource. In addition to other question types, it includes two Writing tasks: one TOEFL Integrated Writing practice question and one Independent Writing practice question. Each sample TOEFL Writing topic is followed by a sample essay as well as an in-depth score explanation, which is a great tool for studiers.

TOEFL iBT Quick Prep

The Quick Prep contains four different volumes, each of which contains one or two Writing prompts. The first volume is the best for TOEFL iBT Writing practice, since it contains two tasks (the others each only contain one) and also has an in-depth explanation of what your essays should include. The other three volumes only contain the essay rubrics without any advice on how to answer the specific essay prompt given.

TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) Tests

TPO tests are retired TOEFL exams now offered for test prep. They give the closest experience to the real TOEFL, and, because of that, they aren’t cheap. You’ll have to pay $45 for each complete TOEFL you buy (you can’t just buy individual TOEFL iBT Writing practice sections).

Your exam will be automatically graded after you finish it, although I was not particularly impressed with how the Writing section was graded when I took it. For the actual TOEFL, two human graders and a computer program review your essays and assign grades to each one. For this exam, a computer grades your Writing section within less than a minute of you completing the exam, and there is no explanation of how that grade was determined.

This is a useful resource, but if you don’t want to spend that much money on a practice test, it’s completely possible to do well just using the above practice resources.

Official TOEFL Prep Books

There are several official TOEFL prep books for sale by ETS. The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test , in addition to explaining the types of questions on the test, contains numerous practice questions and three full-length exams.  This is also the only official prep book that includes sample essays of varying scores along with scoring explanations, which can be a big help if you’re trying to guess what score your essays would get.

There’s also the Official TOEFL iBT Tests Volumes 1 and 2. Each of these books contains five unique practice tests, available on paper and the computer. However, no sample responses are given for Writing questions, which make them a less useful resource compared to The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test.

Unofficial Prep Materials

You have to be more careful when using unofficial prep resources since not all of them are reliable. Some are high-quality and very similar to the TOEFL, others are not. For the Writing section in particular, because it’s so easy to make up essay prompts, there are many sites that claim to offer TOEFL Writing practice when their practice questions are actually low-quality. Below are some of the top unofficial prep resources out there. All of them (except the prep books, if you buy them) are free.

English Club

This site contains one TOEFL Integrated Writing practice task and five Independent Writing practice tasks. All six TOEFL Writing topics are similar to the real test, and the Integrated task as well as one of the Independent tasks have sample responses you can compare your answers to. At the bottom of the web page is a checklist of things your essays should include to help give you a guideline of what you should be aiming for when you write.

Magoosh offers one TOEFL Integrated Writing practice task. That’s not a lot of practice, but it is a high-quality question that includes a sample response. Magoosh also offers three complete TOEFLs, so you can use those Writing questions as well.

Good Luck TOEFL

This site has a huge number (several hundred) of Independent Writing tasks, separated into five different categories depending on question type. Some of the questions are more simplistic than you’ll see on the real TOEFL , and there’s no scoring information or sample responses, but there are a good source if you need more TOEFL Writing topics to write about.

Beat the Test

This site contains 155 Independent Writing tasks. Like Good Luck TOEFL, some of these TOEFL Writing topics are easier than you’ll find on the TOEFL, and there are no sample responses included, but they do give you the opportunity to practice writing.

Unofficial Prep Books

Prep books, even unofficial ones, often are a great resource for practice questions. Most books include sample Writing questions, along with scoring explanations , and then contain one or more complete practice TOEFLs at the end of the book. You can learn all about the best TOEFL prep books by reading our guide .

Other TOEFL Writing Practice Materials

There are other ways to practice besides just answering sample Writing questions. TOEFL Writing is designed to measure how strong your English writing skills are, so, any practice you get writing English will help you with this section, even if you’re not directly answering practice exam questions. There are many ways to get writing practice; several of them are described below.

Duolingo is a popular free language-learning site. Users answer different types of questions, including writing questions. You can’t choose to only answer writing questions, so this isn’t the best resource for targeted writing practice, bu t it’s a good way to strengthen your overall English skills.

For advanced English learners, many of Duolingo’s beginning problem sets will likely be too easy, but you can take a quiz to figure out where in the program you should start.

Free Writing

Finally, you can also practice writing about topics that have nothing to do with the TOEFL. As long as you’re writing in English, you’re getting good practice. Writing about something that interests you can also encourage you to write more. Some ideas for free writing include:

• Keeping a journal
• Getting an English-speaking pen pal
• Starting a blog about a topic that interests you

How to Get the Most Out of Your TOEFL Writing Practice

Now that you’re an expert on the best practice resources for TOEFL Writing, the next step is to put those materials to use in the most effective way in order to see results on test day. Follow these four tips in order to get the most out of your practice.

Practice Writing in English Regularly

The most important thing you can do to practice for the Writing section of the TOEFL is to practice writing English regularly. If you can practice every day, that would be ideal, but at the very least you should aim to practice writing 1,000 words in English a week.

Remember, this writing practice doesn’t only have to consist of answering TOEFL Speaking questions; any free writing, even just jotting down what you did that day in your diary, counts as writing practice.

Make Use of Official Materials

As mentioned above, official TOEFL resources have the best practice questions out there, so you want to make the most of them. Spread these questions throughout your TOEFL studying; don’t use them all up at the beginning or save them all for the end. You want to be regularly seeing these questions as you prepare.

Also, when you answer official practice questions, make sure you set enough time aside to devote your full attention to them. Practice them in a quiet room with no distractions, and carefully compare your responses to the sample responses. These aren’t the questions to practice when you have a few minutes to spare and need some quick practice while scrolling through your phone.

Time Yourself When Writing Practice Essays

When you are writing practice essays, you should also time yourself. Give yourself 20 minutes to plan and write each Integrated Writing task and 30 minutes for each Independent Writing task.

Timing yourself when you write will help you be better prepared for test day because you’ll have practice planning and writing essays within a limited time frame. When you first begin writing practice essays, it can be easy to spend too much time preparing and run out of time before you finish writing. Taking timed practice essays will help you avoid this. You should also count how many words each of your essays contain after you’ve finished writing them. Integrated tasks should be 150-225 words and Independent tasks should be at least 300 words.

Review Your Practice Essays

After you write each TOEFL practice essay, you should also review it and think about how well it answered the question. This is easier to do if the practice question comes with sample answers that you can compare your answer to, but you should do this step for all practice essays you write, even if they don’t come with any answer explanation. You can also assign your essays a score or have a tutor or friend who’s also studying for the TOEFL score your essay.

It’s tempting to take a break from TOEFL studying as soon as you’ve finished your essays, but it’s important to do this step because it will get you thinking about what great essays look like and how yours can be improved. The ETS provides the rubric it uses to grade TOEFL writing tasks which you can use to evaluate your essays.

Conclusion: Getting the Most Out of Your TOEFL Writing Practice

In order to write two awesome essays for the TOEFL Writing section, you’ll likely have to put in some practice. Once you know what to expect from this section and how you’ll be graded, use a variety of official and unofficial practice resources during your studying.

As you’re preparing for the Writing section, you should also practice writing in English regularly, use official resources wisely, time yourself when writing practice essays, and review your essays after you write them.

What's Next?

Looking for more information on the TOEFL Writing section? Learn all the tips you need to know in order to ace TOEFL Writing !

What score should you be aiming to get on the TOEFL? Learn what a good TOEFL score is based on the schools you're interested in attending.

Looking for a great TOEFL prep book? A good prep book can be the most important study tool you use, and we have information on all the best TOEFL prep books you should consider .

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

• TOEFL Writing Correction Topics
• OET Mock Tests
• Writing Correction
• Speaking Mock Test
• Reading Course
• Listening Practice Tests
• FREE Practice Tests
• OET Writing Correction
• OET Reading Course
• OET Speaking Mock Test
• TOEFL Writing Correction
• PTE Writing Correction
• OET Listening Practice Tests
• OET (Occupational English Test)
• PTE (Pearson Test of English)

TOEFL Independent Writing Universal Template

You have probably heard by now that one way to succeed on the TOEFL Writing Section is to use templates. There are many templates out there for the Integrated Writing Task , but did you know there is also one for the Independent Writing Task?

What is the TOEFL Independent Writing Task?

The very last task you have on the TOEFL exam is the TOEFL Independent Writing. For this task, you will be given a question relating to topic which asks for your opinion. Often these questions are designed for you to pick a side of a controversial argument, state your preference between two or three conflicting options, or explain why you agree or disagree with a given statement. You will have 30 minutes to plan and write about your opinion on the topic, including providing reasons for your opinion and a personal experience to support each reason. The TOEFL suggests an Independent Writing that is 300-325 words, but we recommend writing 350-400 words.

How to structure your TOEFL Independent Writing Task Essay?

The best structure for the Independent Writing Task is to write four paragraphs: an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. The introduction paragraph should be short – only two to four sentences. In these sentences, you should very clearly and passionately state your opinion on the question (don’t copy the language from the question word for word), and your two supporting reasons.

In the conclusion paragraph, write one or two sentences summarizing your opinion on the topic from the question and your two supporting reasons.

The TOEFL Independent Writing Task TEMPLATE

Using a template on the TOEFL exam will save you valuable time and keep you from losing track of yourself in your answer. While there is no way to predict what kind of opinion question you will get, there is a template you can follow no matter the question type.

1. Introduction

Your introduction paragraph has 3 parts: a) the general background statement on the topic, b) your opinion on the topic, and c) your two supporting reasons.

a) General background statement on the topic

In the very first sentence of your Independent Writing, it is best to start the general background of the topic question. For example, if you are asked about your opinion on the use of cell phones by teenagers, your first sentence can be something general like: “Nowadays, cell phones play an increasingly important role in teenager’s lives.” This is not stating your opinion, but generally mentioning the background on this topic. Here are some other phrases you can use to start:

Time phrases:              General knowledge phrases:

Here are some phrases you can use to end your first sentence:

  Expressing Concern         Continuing Controversy

b) Your opinion on the topic

After making a general statement on the background of the topic, next you will state your opinion. The phrase will depend on the kind of question you are asked: start the general background of the topic question: pick a side, state your preference, or explain why you agree or disagree. Here are some other phrases you can use to state your opinion:

Pick a Side

Preference                       Agree/Disagree

c) Your two supporting reasons

The last part of your introduction is to state your two supporting reasons for your opinion. Here are some other phrases you can use to introduce your supporting reasons:

2. Body paragraphs

You will write two body paragraphs, one for each of your supporting reasons. Each body paragraph has 3 parts a) supporting reason, b) personal experience, and c) linking sentence.

a) Supporting Reason

To start, use a signpost word or phrase to begin each of your body paragraphs.

First paragraph                             Second paragraph

b) Personal Experience

You should spend most of your body paragraph telling a personal story that supports or illustrates your reason. While this is the most free-flowing part of your essay, there are some helpful phrases to help you get started:

c) Linking Sentence

At the end of each of your body paragraphs, you should link your personal experience back to your opinion. To do this, use one of these signpost words and phrases:

3. Conclusion

The end of your Independent Writing is a short conclusion sentence. All you need to do is restate your opinion, and your two supporting reasons. Here are some concluding signpost words and phrases to get you started:

Putting some of these phrases all together, here is an example Independent Writing Task Template:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• TOEFL Writing
• TOEFL Integrated Writing
• TOEFL Independent Writing
• TOEFL Writing Practice
• TOEFL SAMPLE ESSAYS
• TOEFL Reading
• TOEFL Speaking
• TOEFL Listening
• TOEFL Grammar

TOEFL Prep Online Guides and Tips

How to ace the toefl writing section: 7 expert tips.

Want to know all the information you need to write two great essays and ace the TOEFL Writing section?

This guide has all the tips you need to do well on TOEFL Writing. We’ll explain exactly what you can expect to see in this section, then give TOEFL Writing tips tips on how to answer both essay types, how you should study, and what you should do on test day to make sure you ace this section.

Overview of the TOEFL Writing Section

The TOEFL Writing section lasts 50 minutes and contains two tasks: Integrated Writing and Independent Writing. It’s the final section of the TOEFL. After this, you’re done!

You’ll have 20 minutes to plan and write the Integrated Writing Task and 30 minutes to plan and write the Independent Writing Tasks. Both essays will be written on the computer. We’ll discuss the tasks and what you’re expected to write in more detail in the next section.

After you complete the exam, your essays will be graded by several (typically four) graders. Each essay will receive a score from 0-5. The sum of those two scores will then be scaled to a score from 0-30, which is your official Writing score. The Writing section makes of 25% of your total TOEFL score (from 0-120).

What Types of Questions Are on TOEFL Writing?

The Writing section contains two tasks. In this section, we’ll explain the format and content of the tasks and give an official example question and response tips for each question type.

By the way: we have built the world's best online TOEFL course . Get online practice (TPO-sytle!) and individual grading and feedback on Speaking and Writing.

Learn how you can improve your TOEFL score by 15 points today .

TOEFL Integrated Writing

The TOEFL Integrated Writing task requires you to use listening, reading, and writing skills. For this task, you will have three minutes to read a short passage, then you will listen to a short (approximately two-minute long) audio clip of a speaker discussing the same topic the written passage covers.  You will have 20 minutes to plan and write a response that references both of these sources. You won’t discuss your own opinion.

During the writing time, you’ll be able to look at the written passage again, but you won’t be able to re-hear the audio clip. You’ll be able to take notes while you listen to it though.  The suggested response length for this task is 150-225 words. You’ll be graded on the quality of your writing as well as how well your response represents the main points of the audio clip and written passage and how they relate to each other.

Sample TOEFL Integrated Writing Question

(On the real TOEFL, the lecture would be an audio clip instead of a transcript.)

TOEFL Writing Tips for Answering

• Frequently refer back to the audio clip and written passage when making an argument. A key part of your grade is how well you show you understood the information these two pieces contained.
• However, don’t just copy portions of the audio clip or passage into your essay; that doesn’t show your English skills. Always rewrite the main ideas in your own words.
• When answering this question, pay careful attention to any differences between the information in written passage and the information in the audio clip. These differences are often an important part of your response.
• Take good notes when the audio clip is playing. You won’t have an opportunity to listen to it again.
• Don’t inject your own opinion. Only discuss what the audio clip and passage are saying. You’ll only discuss your own opinion on the Independent Writing Task.

TOEFL Independent Writing

For the Independent Writing task, you’ll receive a question on a particular topic or issue. You’ll have 30 minutes to plan and write a response to that topic that explains your opinion on it. You’ll need to give reasons that support your decision.

It’s recommended that your response to this task be at least 300 words, and you’ll be graded on how well you develop your ideas, how well your essay is organized, and how accurately you use English to express your ideas.

Sample TOEFL Independent Writing Question

• Don’t be afraid to make things up. This essay is all about creating a strong argument for your opinion on a topic. If you don’t really care about the topic you’re supposed to write about, choose whichever side you can write a stronger essay for, and act like that’s your opinion.
• Make your opinion clear within the first paragraph of your essay. There should be no doubt as to how you feel about the topic.
• Longer isn’t always better. The minimum recommended length for this essay is 300 words. If you have spare time and points you still want to make, keep writing, but don’t feel like your essay needs to be 600 words. Aim for your essay to be at least 300 words, but if it’s only, say, 320 words, it’s still possible for it to get a top score if you’ve written it well.

TOEFL Writing Study Strategies

You should absolutely study the TOEFL Writing section and do practice essays before exam day. Below are some tips to help you get the most out of your studying.

Study Strategy 1: Study the 2 Essay Types

The two essays you need to write for this section are more different than they may appear at first glance, and it’s important to be aware of those differences to understand how to get top scores for both essays.

For the Integrated essay, you should not give your own opinion on the topic, and you’ll need to refer to specific points in the audio and written passages to back up your claims. For the Independent essay, you will have to give your own opinion, along with specifics to back it up.

Completing practice essays will help you become more familiar with what the prompts will look like (see next section), and you should also look at the rubrics TOEFL graders will use when grading your essays so you get a better understanding of what you need for a high score.

Study Strategy 2: Take TOEFL Writing Practice Essays

Any writing you do in English can help strengthen your skills and help you do better on TOEFL Writing, but it’s especially important to take practice TOEFL essays. Completing practice essays will help you become more familiar with the different essay prompts, strengthen your writing skills, and learn how to manage your time when writing essays.

We have a guide to all the best TOEFL Writing practice resources, including numerous free and official practice essays. Check it out to get some great study materials for the Writing section.

Study Strategy 3: Time Yourself When Writing Practice Essays

When you’re doing practice essays, you should also be sure to time yourself. Give yourself 20 minutes to plan and write an Integrated Writing essay and 30 minutes to write an Independent Writing essay.

Timing yourself when you write will help you be more prepared for test day since you’ll get practice planning and writing essays within a limited time frame. When you first start writing your practice essays, it can be easy to spend too much time preparing which will cause you to run out of time before you finish writing. Completing timed practice essays will help you avoid this.

You should also count how many words your essays contain after you’ve finished writing them. Integrated Tasks should be 150-225 words and Independent Tasks should be at least 300 words.

Study Strategy 4: Review Your TOEFL Writing Practice Essays

After you write each practice essay, you should also review it and think about how well it answered the question. This is easier to do if the practice question comes with sample answers that you can compare your answer to, but you should do this step for all practice essays you write, even if they don’t come with any answer explanation. You can also assign your essays a score or have a tutor or friend who’s also studying for the TOEFL score your essay.

It’s tempting to take a break from TOEFL studying as soon as you’ve finished your essays, but it’s important to do this step because it will get you thinking about what great essays look like and how yours can be improved.

TOEFL Writing Tips for Acing the Section on Test Day

The last step in acing TOEFL Writing is having a great exam day. Follow these TOEFL writing tips to help ensure everything goes smoothly while you’re completing the Writing section.

Test Tip 1: Take a Few Minutes to Plan Your Essays

Since you only have a limited amount of time to complete your essays, it can be tempting to start writing the second your time starts. You want to avoid doing this, however. Spending just a few minutes planning your essay can help keep your writing focused and on topic, and it can often help you write faster because you know what you’ll be discussing next.

Spend a max of two to three minutes writing a basic outline for your essay. It should include:

• Your thesis statement (the main point you’re making and will discuss throughout the essay)
• The main point of each paragraph you’ll have in your essay
• Any specific examples you can quickly think of (either from the included passages or your own opinion, depending on the essay) to back up your claim

Before you begin writing, reread the essay prompt again to make sure your outline answers the question well (see next section for more details).

Test Tip 2: Keep Referring Back to the Question

Even if you craft a beautiful essay with perfect English, you won’t get a good score if you don’t answer the question properly.  It can be easy to go off on a tangent or begin to discuss something other than what the question is asking.

For example, the Independent Writing sample question above asks you to explain whether it’s more important for teachers to relate well to students or have excellent knowledge of the subject they’re teaching. In your essay, you might include an example of a great teacher you had and spent the majority of the essay explaining why that teacher was your favorite. Even if your writing is flawless, you wouldn’t get a good score because you’re not discussing the question the essay prompt is asking.

This is something practice and making an outline before you begin writing can help you avoid, so be sure to do both, and remember to reread the prompt as you write your essay to make sure you’re on track.

Test Tip 3: Leave Some Time to Review Your Essays

After you’ve finished writing your essay, it’s helpful if you can spend a little bit of time looking it over.  Even setting aside 60 seconds can give you enough time for you skim your essay and catch and spelling or grammar errors or any sentences that aren’t clear. F ixing these little mistakes can help you from losing points when your essays are scored. Doing practice essays will help you get better at managing your time so it’ll become easier to finish your essays with some time to spare for reviewing.

Acing TOEFL Writing: What You Need to Know

In order to do well on the TOEFL Writing section, it’s important to first learn exactly what types of essays you’ll be expected to write, what they should include, and how you’ll be graded on them. While you’re studying for this section, be sure to study the two essay types, take practice essays, time yourself when writing essays, and review your practice essays.

On exam day, during the Writing section you should outline your essays before you begin writing, refer back to the essay prompts regularly, and leave yourself a bit of time at the end to review what you’ve written. Keep these TOEFL Writing tips in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to writing great essays. And remember, this is the last section of the TOEFL. Once you finish the Writing section, you’re done!

What’s Next?

Not sure what TOEFL score you should be aiming for?  Learn what a good TOEFL score is based on the schools you’re interested in.

Want more tips on how to prepare for TOEFL Writing questions? Check out our guide to the best ways to practice for TOEFL Writing!

Once you’ve taken the TOEFL, how do you send your scores to schools?   Learn the six tips you need to know for sending your TOEFL Scores.

Ready to improve your TOEFL score by 15 points?

Author: Christine Sarikas

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries. View all posts by Christine Sarikas

Comments are closed.

Free English study and teaching resources for students and teachers of ESL. Learn speaking, reading, listening, reading IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC.

Free TOEFL Materials Download, Tips, Tricks, Scores, Vocabulary & Exam Preparation. Share Free TOEFL Books and get IBT Practice Test Online.

How to write independent essay for toefl.

Writing an Introduction

The first part of your essay must always be the introductory paragraph.   Follow this template:

#Sentence One :

The “Hook” This is an interesting sentence that introduces the general theme or topic of the essay.

#Sentence Two : The Main Point

This is your main argument and direct answer to the question. Start with “Personally, I believe…” or I am wholeheartedly in favor of…..

#Sentence Three : The Transition

Just say: “I feel this way for two reasons, which I will explore in the following essay.”

If you follow this template, your introduction will look something like this:

There are a few things to keep in mind as you write your introduction:

1- Don’t copy from the question prompt when you write your hook.

2- Don’t waste time stating the opposite of your thesis (“Some people might think…”)

3- Don’t copy anything word for word from the prompt.

Writing Body Paragraphs

#body paragraphs

Next you must write two body paragraphs that state your supporting argument and examples. Use this template for your first body paragraph:

#Sentence One : A Topic Sentence

This summarizes your first supporting reason. Begin with “First of all…”.

#Sentences Two to Four : The Explanation

Explain what you mean, without talking directly about personal experience. Shorten if necessary.

#Sentence Five : The Transition

Just use: “My personal experience is a compelling example of this.”

#Sentence Six to End : The Personal Example

An example from your life that illustrates this argument. Make it longer that the explanation part.

This leads to a paragraph like this:

#Use a similar template for your  second body paragraph:

This summarizes your second supporting reason. Begin with “Secondly…”.

Just use: “For instance,”

An example from your life (or someone else’s life) that illustrates this argument. Make it longer that the explanation part.

There are a few things to keep in mind as you write your essay’s body:

1- Use a mix of simple and compound sentences

2- Emphasize the example. It is the easiest part to write, so make it about 60% (or more) of each body paragraph

3- Avoid very short sentences (less than seven words) and very long sentences (more than 60 sentences)

4- Don’t start sentences with coordinating conjunctions

5- Use a variety of discourse phrases

Writing a Conclusion

Conclusions are easy. You just need to repeat your thesis and your two arguments.   Try this short template:

#Sentence One : Restate the Thesis, Paraphrase your thesis. Begin with “In conclusion, I am of the opinion that…”.

#Sentence Two : Restate the Two Reasons

Just use: “This is because , and _ .”

1- Paraphrase yourself. Don’t copy and paste from above when you restate your ideas in the conclusion

2- Don’t introduce new ideas in the conclusion

3- Don’t write “This is because of that…”

Final Thoughts

That’s how you write a strong TOEFL independent essay.   There are a final few points that are worth mentioning here, of course:

1- Aim for about 380 to 400 words. Write a bit more if need a really high score

2- Use two minutes to plan before you start writing and save two minutes for proofreading when you finish

The more you share, the more you get:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)

Related Articles.

Will you choose classes with lecturers talking or focusing on student activities, leave a reply cancel reply.

Free High-Quality TOEFL Lessons

TOEFL Independent Writing Strategies

These TOEFL independent writing strategies will give you the tools you need to score higher than 24 points. Be patient as you study this lesson. Every single word you read will help you to improve your independent writing score. In addition, it may take you a few days to learn everything that I teach here. However, if you master these TOEFL independent writing strategies, you will have a great chance of reaching 30/30 points. Learn more about how to score 30 here . Several important strategies will help you succeed where so many others have failed:

• Decoding the writing task
• Taking 2-3 minutes to make an informal outline
• Writing a 100 word introduction with a sharply focused three-point thesis
• Writing each 100 word body paragraph with clearly marked arguable topic sentences by restating a key point from the thesis
• Using 1-2 details in each paragraph with clear and precise word choice
• Making sure to use a combination of simple and basic grammar, including using short and long sentences
• Using a variety of cohesive techniques to connect ideas within paragraphs and to create a sense of overall coherence
• Having a conclusion that restates the most important points 

Table of Contents

TOEFL Independent Writing Strategies: Decode the writing task.

The most important TOEFL independent writing strategies involve your ability to break the writing task into parts so that you can understand how to organize your essay.  You MUST understand what you are being asked to do before you do it.

To illustrate, I just had one of my STEALTH students send me a response to the following writing prompt:

It is generally agreed that society benefits from the work of its members. Compare the contributions of artists to society with the contributions of scientists to society. Which type of contribution do you think is valued more by society? Give specific reasons to support your answer.

Notice in the above response how the student focuses on why scientists are more valued in society. He should have compared the contributions of artists to scientists in paragraphs 2-3. Finally, the last paragraph is where he should have framed his argument.

On the other hand, notice how the below essay is more closely framed around the writing prompt by 1) explaining the contributions of artists, 2) mentioning the contributions of scientists, and 3) arguing that both contribute positively to society.

In all likelihood, you will see three different kinds of writing prompts: agree or disagree, explain both sides, or make an argument from multiple sides. To see 100 writing prompts in these categories, go here. To  apply effective TOEFL independent writing strategies, you need to understand how to organize each type of writing task.  Be warned! Do not copy or memorize the templates that I post here. You need to create you own .

“Agree or disagree” TOEFL writing prompt

One popular type of writing prompt  asks you to agree or disagree with a statement. This question will look like this:

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “Nuclear power is a useful source of energy for the future.” Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

Below is how you should organize your response…

• Introduction: Agree or disagree with statement. State three reasons why you agree or disagree.
• Body paragraph 1: Reason 1; Use 1-2 details
• Body paragraph 2: Reason 2; Use 1-2 details
• Body paragraph 3: Reason 3; Use 1-2 details
• Conclusion: Restate important points

Model Response for “Agree or Disagree” TOEFL Writing Prompt

Countries are always looking for renewable sources of energy.  Presently, most societies heavily depend on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. However, these types of fuels are limited, so eventually these resources will be depleted. In addition, fossil fuels, after they are consumed, release harmful pollution into the atmosphere. In fact, overwhelming evidence suggests that these energy sources are a principal cause of global warming. As a result, countries are searching for cleaner burning, more sustainable forms of energy. Some believe, in fact, that nuclear power will be a better choice of energy in our future. Nevertheless, I strongly disagree with any uses for nuclear power as a future energy source. This form of energy is vulnerable to natural disasters, human error accidents can happen in the nuclear reactors, and some countries can weaponize the uranium used for the energy to build harmful nuclear bombs. Therefore, this form of energy is harmful to our civilization.

First of all, the nuclear reactors used to create nuclear power are vulnerable to natural disasters. For instance, a few years ago, Japan had a large earthquake near one of its nuclear facilities. Consequently, part of the nuclear reactor sustained cracks from the violent shaking. To complicate matters more, a gigantic tsunami hit the facility causing even more damage. As a result, the nuclear power plant suffered an explosive meltdown.  Many radioactive elements were released into the air, the water, and the soil. In the aftermath of the disaster, a lot of land surrounding the facility is now contaminated with radioactivity. In addition, the ocean was also contaminated with radioactivity causing tremendous harm to the environment.  The effects of this disaster were felt as far as California when radioactive water was detected near the beaches along the coastline.

Second of all, nuclear power plants can have human-error accidents which have catastrophic effects. For instance, in 1986, a power plant in the former Soviet Union suffered a nuclear meltdown followed by a huge explosion. Many people working within and near the facility died.  In addition, those who were exposed to the radiation in nearby communities developed cancer years later. In the city of Chernobyl, where the accident occurred, radiation continues to contaminate the water and soil thirty years after the incident. Most likely, no one will be allowed to live there for at least another 100 years.

Lastly, operators of nuclear power plants can secretly weaponize their facilities by making nuclear bombs.  Uranium and plutonium, both of which are naturally occurring radioactive elements found in the Earth’s crust, are needed in order to produce nuclear energy. However, the radioactive elements can also be used to build atomic bombs. The last thing our world needs right now is more nuclear bombs.  Between Russia and the United States alone, more than 2,000 bombs exist. Currently, Iran claims to be using its uranium for peaceful purposes by producing nuclear power to generate electricity for its residents. However, many believe that Iran is actually weaponizing its uranium to build weapons of mass destruction.

In conclusion,  there are simply too many disadvantages of nuclear power. Natural disasters and human errors can compromise these energy-producing facilities. Countries can disguise their bombing making facilities as peaceful nuclear energy buildings so no one will know what they are up to.  As a result, I strongly disagree that nuclear power is a viable future energy source.

  “Explain both sides” TOEFL writing prompt

Another common type of TOEFL writing independent task asks you to explain the advantages and disadvantages of something. It looks like this:

You are a boss working at a large company, and you need to hire a new worker. What are the advantages and disadvantages of hiring an older (40 years old+) or a younger worker (25 years+)? Use specific reaso ns and examples to support your answer.

Follow these TOEFL Independent Writing Strategies as you organize this response:

• Introduction: State that working with older and younger workers have advantages and disadvantages
• Body paragraph: State 1 advantage + detail and 1 disadvantage + detail of working with older workers
• Body paragraph: State 1 advantage + detail and 1 disadvantage + detail of working with younger workers
• Conclusion: Restate key points of essay

Model Response for “Explain both sides” TOEFL Writing Prompt

For any economy to thrive, jobs must be available for people.  As a result, business executives form companies in order to manufacture goods to sell some type of service.  People currently employed sometimes look for other job opportunities in order to advance their positions and salary. In other cases, students complete their undergraduate and graduate studies, after which they eagerly enter the job market.  If I am a boss at a large company, of course, I will need to make many important decisions about hiring. Hiring and retaining employees is the single most valuable asset to any corporation. There are advantages and disadvantages if I choose to hire older or younger workers.

In the first place, hiring older workers may benefit my company because these employees have 10-20 years of experience.  Moreover, I will not need to spend money training them. For instance,  if I hire an older worker as a sales associate, he/she will have already had a decade or more of sales experience. Most likely,  this worker will begin to generate sales for our company immediately without a lot of necessary training.  However, because many older workers have a lot of experience, I will have to pay them more than their younger counterparts. To illustrate, an older worker who already has 10-20 years of a sales experience is going to ask for a higher salary than a younger worker who is coming out of college with little or no sales experience.

In the second place, younger workers may prove a boon to my company because they are clever with new technology. Many younger workers are familiar with social media platforms and are up-to-date with the latest computer and Internet technology. Therefore, for example, if I hire a younger computer programmer, I will most likely find that this worker can easily adapt to any new technology that s/he needs to learn. Conversely, younger workers are sometimes less loyal.  They take a job with the intentions of using that job as a stepping stone for a higher paying job in the near future. For instance, my nephew, who is a 27 year old accountant, has already changed jobs three times in as many years, each time accepting a higher-paying job with more responsibility.

In the final analysis, based on experience, pay, technological saviness, and loyalty, older and younger workers have advantages and disadvantages, which is why many companies end up hiring both types.

“Make an argument from multiple sides” TOEFL writing prompt

The last common type of TOEFL independent writing prompt asks you make an argument and present several reasons why you believe the way you do. This prompt is less focused and more opened ended than the other two. However, it does NOT mean your response should be unfocused. You will need to make a choice and then explain the reasons for your choice.

The “Explain both sides” writing prompt looks this:

If you could choose any place to visit in the world, which location would you want to visit. Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

The TOEFL Independent Writing Strategies are similar to what you already learned with the “Agree of disagree” type of writing prompt.

• Introduction: Make a choice. State three reasons for your choice.

Model Response for “Make an argument from multiple sides”

The world is full of many exciting destinations for tourists. Paris has its amazing Eiffel Tower, which brilliantly lights up the night sky. Cairo has the monumental ancient prymids, whose history go back 1000’s of years. New York City, or the Big Apple as it is so affectionately called, offers Times Square, a place that many like to visit to kick off the  New Year. Undoubtedly, many exciting places exist worldwide that I would love to visit. If I had to pick one place to visit, I would visit San Diego, California. My friend Tomas who visited said that  San Diego allures tourists through Old Town, pristine La Jolla Beach, and a year-round temperate climate.

First, San Diego is a great place to visit because of a tourist attraction called Old Town San Diego, where the first Spanish settlement on the US West Coast is located. During Tomas’ visits at the old mission, he was richly educated on Old Town’s colorful past. In addition, part of the reason Tomas enjoyed his visit was the Mexican heritage atmosphere. For example, next to the mission, he ate at an authentic Mexican restaurant where the cooks made the tortillas by hand. The food was absolutely delicious, according to Tomas. I definitely to eat the food and to see the old mission.

Second, in addition to Old Town, San Diego is famous for its pristine La Jolla Beach.  One of the days Tomas was in San Diego he spent seven hours at the beach. His son and he went snorkeling in the clear blue water with towering sandstone cliffs all around. While they were in the water, they saw lobsters, blue snails, and several starfish. In addition, when they were not swimming, they built a giant sandcastle on the beach. Furthermore, they took an hour nap on the soft sand under the warmth of a bright sun. They still have fond memories of the time they spent at La Jolla. When I go to San Diego, I will also spend some time at the beach.

Finally, I definitely want to visit San Diego because of its temperate climate. During the middle of the summer, the temperature rarely goes above 80 F.  In addition, the nighttime temperature cools to 65F.  To further make it easy on those who visit, the humidity level hovers between 15%-30%. Therefore, with a cool breeze that regularly blows in from the ocean, the air feels pleasant. In addition, during the winter, San Diego rarely has night time temperatures close to freezing. In fact, during the day the temperature rises to an average 65F, with night time temperatures dropping down to 45F. Although San Diego has a rainy season from November to April, rainfall amounts typically total less than 15 inches.  As a result, San Diego sees almost 320 sunny days during the year. Therefore, no matter when I choose to visit San Diego, I will most be greeted with sunny skies and comfortable temperatures

To sum up, based on what my friend Tomas has told me about San Diego and based on what I read about the climate, this beautiful California beach city is one destination that I have added to my bucket list.

TOEFL independent writing strategies: Engage briefly in pre-writing activities.

In addition to identifying the writing prompt, you should jot down some key points that you would like to write about. To get some general tips to master the TOEFL iBT, go here . 

Example writing prompt: Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Give some examples and reasons to support your point of view. “Building a university in your hometown would have a positive effect.”

Therefore, as you read the above writing prompt, you could write down a brief outline:

Agree with idea….

• University = better higher education access for locals
• University =  more thriving economy + more jobs
• University =  safer community

You should not use more than 2-3 minutes to write down these key points.  The key points you write down during you pre-writing will become topics for each of your body paragraphs. For example, based on the notes see you here, the writer focuses around easier access to higher education for locals, a more vibrant economy, and a safer community. This is why the writer believes that building a university in his hometown is a good idea.

TOEFL independent writing strategies: Write a specific three-point thesis.

You just learned some important pre-writing TOEFL independent writing strategies. Your next step is to integrate these key ideas into a thesis.

General guidelines for framing your TOEFL independent writing thesis:

• State whether you agree or disagree .
• Include specific reasons to support your argument .
• Restate the writing prompt but do NOT copy word for word. Instead use synonyms of the key words from the writing prompt.

Example thesis statement: I agree that the construction of an educational institution would benefit my city . Having a university would make it easier for local residents to attend college , it would uplift our economy , and it would create a safer community .

Avoid these overused, generic, and grade-killing thesis statements:

• I have several reasons to support my point of view.
• There are several reasons to support my ideas.
• I will support  this argument in the following paragraphs.
• In this essay, I will explain my point of view by using some personal examples.
• I will explain my opinion to support this point of view.
• I feel this way for two main reasons which I will explore in the following essay.

Do not write a thesis that in any way resembles the examples that you just read. For other tips on writing focused thesis statements, read this post I wrote .

Example thesis statements for the agree/disagree TOEFL independent writing task.

Do NOT memorize any of the thesis statements I provide here. Rather, use them as guidelines as you practice framing your unique thesis statements.

•  I agree that the construction of an educational institution would benefit my city. Having a university would make it easier for local residents to attend college, it would uplift our economy, and it would create a safer community.
• Building a university in my city has several important advantages: easier access to college, more thriving economy, and safer community. Therefore,  I wholeheartedly agree with this statement.
• If city officials allow a university to be built in my hometown, more local residents will attend college, the economy will strengthen, and the city will have less crime. As a result, I agree with this statement.
• Having a university built in my city is something I can live with. Easier access for locals to attend college, a stronger economy, and a safer community will be direct benefits of this project.
• Building a university in my hometown will make it much easier for locals to attend college. In addition, the economy will benefit because of the new jobs. Finally, crime rates will decrease. Hence, I agree with this statement.

All five thesis statements that you see here explain exactly the same idea. However,  I use different grammatical sentences in each case. Notice how in the last example I used three separate sentences to express the key point of the thesis.

As you can see, there are many different ways to construct thesis statements. Make sure your thesis is grammatically correct. Your thesis should also forecast the specific points of your body paragraphs.

TOEFL independent writing strategies: Write 100 word introductory paragraph.

One way to introduce the topic is to include some general statements about the topic.  Then include a hook such as a question to engage readers’ interest. Then you can explain why some people do not want a university in their hometown.  After that, you can explain why others believe it is a good idea . Then you can include your thesis :

Example introduction: Residents of any town want a city of which they can be proud. In many cases, these city dwellers will welcome the construction of any new facilities so long as these structures positively affect most members of their communities . What if a new university is proposed in my community?   Some may object to the new facility because of increased traffic issues , whereas others are more than happy to have this new facility in their town. If city officials allow a university to be built in my hometown, more local residents will attend college, the economy will strengthen, and the city will have less crime. As a result, I agree with this statement .

TOEFL independent writing strategies: Make sure that you write arguable topic sentences in each body paragraph

Example thesis statement: B uilding a university in my city has several important advantages: easier access to college , more thriving economy , and safer community . Therefore,  I wholeheartedly agree with this statement.

Example topic sentences:

• I support the idea of a university in my town because local residents will find it easier to attend school .
• Moreover, having a university in my town will have boosting effect on our local businesses .
• Finally, building a university in my hometown will lower our crime levels .

Notice how each topic sentence restates one of the key points from the thesis.  Did you notice that I did not use exactly the same words? You want to show the TOEFL iBT human raters that you have a wide range of vocabulary. Use this resource page to help you expand your vocabulary . As a result, do not be too repetitive. Use synonyms instead. Learn one simple trick right now for improving your topic sentences .

TOEFL independent writing strategies: Use 1-2 specific details containing precise and clear words in each body paragraph

If you include too many details in a 100 word paragraph, you will not have depth and progression of ideas.  A writer who tries to say everything says nothing. Have you ever heard that quote before?

Paragraph with one detail:

Moreover, having a university in my town will have boosting effect on our local businesses.  To illustrate, my friend who lives in Tupelo, Mississippi just had a university built in his hometown.  After its completion,  the university boasts a student enrollment of 15,000 students. In addition, more than 2,500 faculty and staff are employed at the new institution.  As a result, a combined total of almost 20,000 new consumers buy food and other items in the town whenever a need arises. My friend told me that sales at his “Mr. Taco” Mexican restaurant have tripled since the university was built. In fact, my friend had to double his workforce and even expand the capacity of his restaurant due to all the additional business. Based on my friend’s example, I have to believe that similar things would happen if a university were built in my hometown.

Did you notice after “to illustrate” that I spent about 105 words on one example. And guess what? Not a single part of that example was true. I made it up just so I could show you this paragraph. That is exactly what you want to do when you cannot think of any real life experiences.

1) Make them up.

2) Be as specific as possible.

3) Learn to be creative.

TOEFL independent writing strategies: Use advanced and simple grammar, especially showing syntactic variety

Obviously, you want to minimize the number of grammar errors you make during the exam. However, even if you have no errors anywhere in your essay, you could score lower if you only use basic grammar.  Put another way, if you only use short, simple sentences, you will score lower. Several important TOEFL independent writing strategies will help you to improve your grammar competence for the writing section:

• Use longer sentences played against shorter sentences every now and then.
• Use a variety of simple, compound, complex, and compound/complex sentences.
• Use subject-verb inversion sentences everyone in a while.
• Use fronted past and present participles; use appositives in front of the subject.
• Use different kinds of subjects such as nouns, pronouns, noun clauses, gerunds, gerund phrases, infinitives, infinitive phrases, and adjectives.

Use both long and short sentences.

You should use a combination of long (20+ words), medium (15+ words) and short sentences (10+ words). Generally, use more longer sentences since readers can move through those quickly. Use a short sentence every one in while when you want to slow down readers to emphasize an important point.

Example paragraph with mostly longer sentences: I support the idea of a university in my town because local residents will find it easier to attend school . Many of the residents in my town are poor. Therefore, they do not have enough money to study abroad in some area far from where they live . For example, my friend Tomas wants to attend college to become an electrical engineer, but he cannot afford to travel long distances to attend college. Tomas told me that he wants a university in his hometown . He has enough money to pay for tuition and books if he attends college, but he does not have enough money to travel to another college where he will have to pay for his room and board.

Avoid overusing any one of the four sentence types.

In addition to using mostly longer sentences, you should not overuse any one of the four sentence types. The four sentence types are:

• Simple ( Subject + verb ): John went to the store to buy some bread.
• Compound ( Subject + verb , conjunction + subject + verb ): John went to the store to buy some bread, but he ended up purchasing milk, cheese, and cereal instead.
• Complex ( Subject + verb + subordinating conjunction + subject + verb ): John went to the store to buy some bread because he wanted to make some peanut butter and jelly (PB & J) sandwiches.
• Compound/complex ( Subject + verb , conjunction , subordinating conjunction + subject + verb , subject + verb ): John went to the store to buy some bread, but , when he arrived , he ended   up purchasing milk, cheese, and cereal instead.

There is no easy way to learn this. As you practice, you will develop a writing style that works for you. As you practice, try not to use use too many simple sentences. Using only simple sentences during the independent writing task will surely cause you to score lower.

Example of paragraph with only simple sentences: Finally, building a university in my hometown will lower our crime levels. My town has a population of about 230,000 residents. It would have more revenue after the construction of a new university . There is a limited budget for security.  Therefore , my town does not conduct enough police patrols at nights and on the weekends . These city officials are in charge of spending the taxes on services.  We could use some of that new revenue from the new university to hire more police officers for our community. These new officers could become  a larger presence in the especially troublesome neighborhoods.  Therefore, crime could be significantly reduced in our city .  

Lacking syntactic variety, the above paragraph will score lower since it relies only on the simple sentence.

Example of paragraph with sentence variety ( simple , complex , and compound complex ): Finally, building a university in my hometown will lower our crime levels . My town, which has a population of about 230,000 residents, would have more revenue after the construction of a new university . Currently, my town does not conduct enough police patrols at nights and on the weekends because there is a limited budget for security .   City officials who are in charge of spending the taxes on services could use some of that new revenue from the new university to hire more police officers for our community, and these new officers could become  a larger presence in the especially troublesome neighborhoods .  Therefore, crime could be significantly reduced in our city .  

Unlike the paragraph with only simple sentences, the above paragraph uses simple, compound, and compound/complex sentences. As a result, the paragraph displays syntactic variety, so it will score higher.

Change the word order 1-2 times in TOEFL Task 1 or 2

In addition to using a variety of the four sentence types , you can change the word order by sometimes choosing not to place the subject first in the sentence. The following TOEFL independent writing strategies will show you different ways of changing the word order in sentences that you write. Note that the subjects and verbs in all these examples do not occur in the beginning of these sentences:

• Almost negative adverbs:  Hardly ever has the US economy suffered worse than during the Great Depression in the 1920’s. (Most other periods of the US economy have been better than that of the Great Depression. A few have been worse.)
• Negative adverbs: Never have I eaten more delicious meat than today at your house. (This is the most delicious meat I have ever eaten.)
• Appositives: A man of integrity and honor, Abraham Lincoln proved to be one of America’s greatest presidents.
• Comparison:  Alex agrees that taxes should be lowered for business, so does Mary . (Both Alex and Mary believe that businesses should be taxed less.)
• Fronted present participle: Having more money to invest on hiring new workers, businesses could be more productive.
• Fronted past participles: Located next to city hall, our town library has more than 3 million printed online texts in its facility.
• Omitting “if” in a conditional clause: Were businesses to lower taxes, they would have more money to hire new workers. (If businesses were to lower taxes…)
• Prepositional phrases of location: Next to the San Bernardino lies the CSUSB campus .
• Question:  Do you know how many people live in the world?

As a general rule, you should place the subject in the beginning of your sentences. However, consider changing the word order in 1-2 sentences within each of your independent or integrated writing tasks. Do not overuse the grammar that you see here!

Use different types of subjects.

In addition to changing the word order of your subjects and verbs, you should also use a variety of subjects in the sentences that you write:

• Adjective:  The poor need assistance from the government.
• Noun: The clover smells sweet.
• Pronoun: It is a new bookcase.
• Noun clause: What they found surprised me.
• Gerund: Swimming is good exercise.
• Gerund phrase: Working ten years in the mine was enough.
• Infinitive: To sleep in is a luxury.
• infinitive phrase: To be able to read is very important.

The important point is to NOT overuse any one of these types of subjects. If you feel that you need to improve your knowledge of English grammar, use this resource web page to help you improve .

Use cohesive techniques to create paragraph and essay unity

Making sure that you have clear connections of ideas within each paragraph will also help you to score high.  Paragraph unity and cohesion will help you accomplish this.

Paragraph Unity

Other TOEFL independent writing strategies require to make sure that ALL sentences below the topic sentence illustrate that idea:

• Each sentence must give more details relating to the topic.
• The ideas in your sentences must have the same focus as what you stated in the topic sentence.

Without paragraph unity you have chaotic writing.  Each sentence goes in whatever direction it likes.

Example paragraph without unity: My friend Jacob attends a university in Oxford, Mississippi. His educational facility has about 12,000 students. I think the United States has about 3,000 universities nationwide.  Some schools have older style buildings.  Jacob told me that he liked studying in Oxford because of the quiet atmosphere.  Universities have traffic from the students, and they drive all over town.  I went to Cal State, San Benardino, which is located next to the beautiful San Bernardino mountains in Southern California. Other universities have new style structures and are pleasing to the eye. As result, many universities benefit the towns in which they are located.

Example with paragraph unity:  Having a university in my hometown will increase employment opportunities for local citizens. A university with an enrollment of 15,000 will require at least 2000-3000 professors and staff to teach the student body and to conduct daily operations.  Staff such as groundskeepers and janitors, for example, will come from the local population. In addition, the student body, faculty, and staff will need places to live, eat, and shop.  These needs will force my town to build new apartment complexes, restaurants, and shopping centers. As a result, my town will  need construction workers, architects, managers, servers, and sales associates.  All of these needs will create 100’s and maybe even 1000’s of new jobs, which will positively affect the economy, all resulting from having this new university built.

Cohesion helps to have sentence-to-sentence level connectedness.  Thus, in addition to paragraph unity, you want to keep all sentences and paragraphs connected. You can do this by using several different types of cohesive devices.

Cohesive devices: Using transition words

Transition words, many of which you can see here , help the reader understand the relationship of ideas within a text.  Generally speaking, you should use approximately 4-5 transition words within each of your body paragraphs.

See an example essay with numerous transition words. Read more .

Cohesive devices: “Before” references

A good roommate will be respectful to me when we spend time together after school.  Having this positive demeanor will help us to get along much better.

In this sentence, “this positive demeanor” refers back to “respectful.” As a result, referring back to something previously mentioned can tie the sentences together more closely.

Cohesive devices: “After” references

When he shows respect, I will certainly treat my roommate with kindness in return.

In this case, “he” refers to “roommate” which is mentioned later in the sentence. Consequently, using a pronoun to tie to something later in that sentence creates cohesion.

Cohesive devices: “Outside the text” references

The President indeed has the power to create executive orders or decrees without having to consent with Congress.

The writer expects the audience to understand that “The President” refers to the President of the United States.  In addition, the audience is expected to know that “Congress” refers to the legislative body of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the United States.

Cohesive devices: Tense agreement

Creating uniformity with verb tenses also helps to tie your sentences together.

A favorite place I visited as a child was my grandmother’s house.  Outside her cottage in the backyard, she used to have this swing in the middle of her grassy lawn that was surrounded by 10 tall Sycamore trees. One time, I remember being on the wooden swing when my father was pushing me.  After about 10 pushes and when I was high in the air, I jumped from the swing and flew midair about 3 meters until I ended head first in the pool. Since it was a hot day,  I refreshed myself in the cold water.

Since the writer discusses a personal experience that happened in the past, readers expect to see past tense verbs which help the writer to tell this story.  In addition, because the writer accurately and consistently uses past tense verbs, the paragraph ties together well.

Cohesive devices: Point of view consistency

Being consistent with point of view also coheres sentences together within a paragraph.

One important quality of a good roommate is cleanliness.  Last year, when I attended California State University, San Bernardino I was lucky enough to have a roommate who always picked up after himself . For instance, after he took a shower every morning, he always put his toiletries under the sink when he was done. In addition, he made a  point of cleaning the bathroom shower with sanitizing cleanser. He swept and mopped the floor with another cleaning agent. He even took time to clean the mirror and the sink.  He kept our bathroom immaculate for six months.  Similarly, not only did he always put his dirty dishes into the dishwasher, but he also deep cleaned the kitchen. Due to his cleanliness and neatness, my roommate and I got along great.

The writer is consistent in the third person point of view, which you can learn more about here , (roommate, himself, he, his) and in the first person point of view (I). Had the writer first used the second person point of view (you), it would have eroded the consistency that you read in the paragraph.

Cohesive devices: Substitution

Substitution means replacing words or leaving words out for conciseness purposes.

At that point, my roommate was completing his research paper.  However, he wanted to go out to a dance club with this friends.  But before he did that,  he needed to finish.

“Did that” replaces having to say “went to the dance club.”  In addition, the writer uses “finish” instead of saying “finish his research paper.”  Substituting or leaving out words is also helpful in connecting parts of a sentence(s).

Cohesive devices: Parallelism

Parallelism refers to using several grammatically similar phrases within a sentence. In addition, parallelism involves several grammatically similar sentences within a paragraph. In either case, since the grammar is similar, readers will infer that the ideas are also similar within these phrases or sentences. Therefore, using parallel structures can effectively connect ideas together.

Example paragraph with parallelism : Having a roommate who is quiet will make a much more compatible living space. These questions will illustrate why a quiet roommate is beneficial: Will I need to worry that my roommate will be watching the TV loudly all night long?  Will I need to worry that my roommate will he loud and obnoxious late at night? Will I need to worry that my roommate will be talking loudly on his cell phone when I am trying to study?  Finally, will I need to worry that my roommate will be loudly moving around the apartment late at night when I am trying to sleep? If my roommate is quiet, I will not need to worry about having any of these types of problems. As a result, having a quiet roommate is an important quality.

In this paragraph, the writer uses several similar sounding interrogative sentences to emphasize why a quiet roommate is important.

Cohesive devices: Repeating/rephrasing key words

Somewhat similar to using “before” or “after” references to other words, repeating key words helps to unify ideas. Some effective TOEFL independent writing strategies involve repeating/rephrasing key terms from the writing prompt. These repeated or rephrased key terms can be placed into the thesis and topic sentences of your body paragraphs.

Example writing prompt:  The automobile was invented more than 100 years ago . Shortly thereafter, the airplane was invented . Compare these two modes of transportation . Then explain which one has contributed more to the development of our civilization . Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Thesis which repeats key words from writing prompt:  Though invented more than a century ago , automobiles and airplanes have innovatively changed local and more distant transportation patterns.

Topic sentence which repeats/rephrases key points from the thesis: First of all, the automobile is a significant advancement to our society in that it has changed how we move around within cities and from cities to other cities.

Topic sentence which repeats/rephrases key points from the thesis: Second of all, the airplane has developed our civilization by helping us travel far distances in a short period of time.

Topic sentence which repeats/rephrases key points from the writing prompt:  Personally, choosing between the two, I think the automobile has had a much greater impact on the development or our civilization .

As you can see in the example thesis and topic sentences, “automobile,” “invented,” “100 years ago,” “airplane,” “transportation,” “development,” and “civilization” are either repeated or rephrased.  The effect is that the introduction and body paragraphs are unified around the purposes of the writing prompt.

Finish the essay with a conclusion that sums up the most important points in the essay

Have you ever talked to someone on the phone when you were in a hurry?  You know that you need to hang up, but you have to prepare the listener before you drop the call.  In other words, you will need to pre-close the phone conversation before you  end the call, right? Similar to a phone call, you need to “close” or conclude your essay.

• Include a transition word, more of which you can see here , to signal that the essay is coming to an end.
• Restate the most important points in the thesis and body paragraphs. However, do not use the same words.
• Do NOT bring up any new ideas.

Example conclusion:  In conclusion, people undoubtedly want to live in harmony with their roommates while they are in college. Even though there are many important qualities that are important when choosing a roommate, being respectful, clean, and quiet are attributes that I look for.

See a conclusion within the context of a fully-developed TOEFL independent essay model response:   CLICK HERE

TOEFL Independent Writing Strategies: Practice makes perfect, right?

If you have read most of this lesson, you know that I am serious about helping you to improve your writing score. In addition, you probably know that you will need to complete many practice TOEFL 1-2 tasks before you will make the improvements you need to score 24.

You cannot learn how to write just by reading this TOEFL lesson or by watching You Tube videos. You MUST practice writing a lot. As you do your writing practice, I want to score your essays so that you can monitor your progress.

F or only $45 monthly, you can send me your writing practice tests. In fact, as one of my online students  you can send me ONE independent or integrated writing practice test every 24 hours while you are subscribed to my course. These practice tests can come from anywhere on the Internet or from my Online TOEFL Course . By the way, the first week of using my services is free!

Your modest payment will also give you access to all 700 TOEFL lessons in my Online TOEFL Course.  To join my course and to start sending me daily writing practice tests, go here:  CLICK HERE

Respectfully,

Michael Buckhoff

[email protected]

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

4 thoughts on “TOEFL Independent Writing Strategies”

You are welcome.

great content! helped me understand how to tackle writing section. Thank you 🙂

Pingback: TOEFL Writing Sample - Better TOEFL Scores Blog

Pingback: Seven Must-Have TOEFL Resources - Better TOEFL Scores Blog

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

The Importance Of Being Independent

The ability to be independent is something that not everyone possesses. You need to be independent in order to survive in the world. Learning to support yourself is fundamental for any success you ever hope to achieve.

At the end of the day, you only have yourself to fall back on, so it is exceedingly important to be able to handle things on your own. It is all about being secure with who you are and what you believe in. It is extremely empowering knowing that you are in control of your own life and your own choices. It is much more beneficial to listen to the voice inside yourself rather than the berating opinions of others.

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma -- which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

We rely on others far more than it is necessary. People put their happiness in the hands of a significant other, thinking this will bring them fulfillment. This is a fatal error too many people make these days.

Do you always want to feel dependent on someone else? Of course not. Not only are you limiting yourself, you are more than likely becoming a burden to this person. We need to learn how to make decisions on our own. I understand asking your friends their opinion on a fashion decision, but do we really need to consult others on every minimal decision we have to make? Think of things that are in your best interest and choose that option.

“It is the big choices we make that set our direction. It is the smallest choices we make that get us to the destination.”

For some reason, people think it is weird to go see a movie alone. You can't talk to the person you go with anyway, so why not go by yourself? There are so many activities that can become more enjoyable by taking part in them alone. Wandering around the city you live in can clear your mind of all the clutter it has been carrying around.

People are unable to be independent for a variety of reasons, with fear at the forefront: the fear of being alone, the fear of rejection and the fear of the future. As we get older, we need to learn how to make the best decisions that allow us to live our lives the way we want to. Developing into an autonomous person can be one of the most worthwhile outcomes we can strive for ourselves.

Having the ability to be happy regardless of being in a relationship is an amazing attribute. People continue to wallow in detrimental relationships because they are scared of being on their own. Instead, they should relish in it and spend this time focusing on making themselves better people.

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing."

There is no reason to base your life decisions on relationships with people. All relationships end at some point or another, it's reality. There is nothing you can do to change or affect that. The only thing you can do is change your perception of relationships. Instead of expecting them to make you happy by being in your life and providing enjoyment, appreciate the time spent and enjoyment since you know it will be gone.

Make decisions by and for yourself, whatever they may be. Don't ask for advice, do what you want and learn from your own mistakes. Many people are afraid to think for themselves because that involves taking responsibility for their own lives. This is just one way people become dependent. We are born alone and we die alone, so we each have to take responsibility for our lives at every step along the way.

• IELTS Scores
• Life Skills Test
• Find a Test Centre
• Alternatives to IELTS
• General Training
• Academic Word List
• Topic Vocabulary
• Collocation
• Phrasal Verbs
• Writing eBooks
• Reading eBook
• All eBooks & Courses
• Sample Essays
• Becoming Independent Essay

IELTS Essay: Becoming Independent 

This model essay is about the issue of whether people in society today are more dependent on each other than the past or more independent. 

It was recently in the test. It's quite a tricky question to answer because deciding what amounts to being either 'dependent' or 'independent' is very subjective. 

Take a look at the question:

Some people think that in the modern world we are more dependent on each other, while others think that people have become more independent.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

How should I answer it?

This is a 'discuss two opinions' type essay, or what some call a discussion essay.

You have to make sure you discuss both sides of the argument, not just one. So you need to discuss these two things:

• Why people are more dependent on each other
• Why people are more independent

Being dependent on others means that you require other people in some way to support you. Being independent means you are self-sufficient and don't rely on others. 

And you must also of course give your opinion. One easy way to do that in this type of essay is to make one of the two points your opinion as well. 

You can have a separate paragraph if you want discussing your opinion but you have to then come up with more ideas or you could end up repeating yourself in the last paragraph. 

What about ideas?

Just try and come up with two examples of ways in which people these days depend on others, and two that show people are independent. 

Remember you are not marked on how good your ideas are (though they must answer the question of course) but how well you present and explain them. 

These are the ideas brainstormed for this essay:

Dependent on others for:

• Positive self-image
• Support in our busy lives

Independent because

• Families live apart
• People want privacy 

Becoming Independent Essay Sample Answer

Now take a look at a model answer.

Notice how each opinion is clearly expressed in a separate body paragraph, and the writers opinion is also the second body paragraph.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

It has always been the case that in certain ways our lives are intertwined with the lives of others. However, in the modern era, some people believe that dependency between people has increased, whereas others believe that people have grown to be more independent. 

One reason that people think we are more dependent on each other is because of our reliance on others to provide a positive image of ourselves. People are bombarded these days with pictures of beautiful models and people who seem to have perfect lives. Many people therefore feel the need to go on social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, in order to post pictures and they need others to get as many ‘likes’ as possible.  In addition to this, because of the hectic and busy lives some families lead, it is argued they are dependent on others to support them, such as with grandparents helping to take care of their grandchildren because the parents don't have time. 

However, despite this, overall I believe that people are generally more independent. This can be seen in the way that so many people live away from their families and lead their own lives. For example, families used to live nearby to each other, but nowadays people often reside in different cities to their parents and siblings or in other countries, seeing each other only rarely in some cases. Not only this, people prefer more privacy than in the past and do not require help from others, seen in the way that neighbours these days often do not know each other or interact at all.

In conclusion, although in certain ways people are more dependent, it is generally the case that people now live more independent lives. Only over time will it be revealed as to whether this is a positive or negative development for society.  

(305 Words)

So that is the best way to answer a question like that. 

You must make sure that you clearly discuss each opinion so it's best to just discuss each one within a separate body paragraph. 

It is a difficult question but don't spend too long thinking of the best ideas as the key is in the way you present and organise them.

<<< Back

Next >>>

More Discuss Two Opinion Essays:

Childcare Essay: Should family or carers look after young children?

Childcare Essay: In the essay you have to discuss two sides of an argument. The first is that it is better if pre-school children are looked after at home with relatives such as grandparents. The second opinion is that children should be looked after at childcare centres.

Influence of Scientists or Politicians Essay

Influence of Scientists or Politicians Essay- Model answer for IELTS. Who has had the most influence on our world? In this essay you have to discuss both sides.

Diet and Health Essay: Who is responsible for diet and health?

Diet and Health Essay for IELTS: This model examines the extent to which individuals or governments should be responsible for health. Read a model answer and useful comments about the essay which will help you to improve your IELTS Score.

Animal Rights Essay: Should animals be exploited for humans?

Animal Rights Essay for IELTS: Learn how to write an essay where you have to discuss two opinions. People who believe in animal rights think that they should not be treated cruelly, for example in experiments or for sport.

Zoo Essay: Are zoos cruel or do they protect animals?

This is a recent zoo essay question from the IELTS test (June 2018). Essay about zoos have come up a few times in the IELTS test so it's worth studying same sample questions and sample essays about the topic.

IELTS Writing Example: What are the aims of a university education?

IELTS writing example essays. This is an essay on the aims of university education. In this essay, two opposing opinions need to be discussed. It is important to understand how to answer this type of question in the IELTS exam.

Extraterrestrial Life Essay: Should we look for life on other planets?

This extraterrestrial life essay is an IELTS opinion essay where you have to discuss both sides of an issue then give your own opinion.

Formal and Informal Education Essay: What age should it start?

This formal and informal education essay is about whether it is best for children to begin their formal education at school when they are 7 rather than much younger.

Donating Money to Charity Essay: Where should the money go?

Donating Money to Charity Essay: IELTS model answer to an essay on the topic of giving locally or to national and international charities.

IELTS Essays: What is the best way to reduce crime?

IELTS essays online with comments by an IELTS instructor - A writing sample on the topic of reducing crime.

Child Development Essay: What factors influence a child's development?

Child Development Essay for IELTS. The essay is about the factors that affect the way that children develop. It provides you with a model answer and comments on the response to help you know how to improve your band score.

Sources for Stories Essay: Should parents read to their children?

This sources for stories essay asks for your opinion on the best way for children to get stories. Is it from parents reading to them or other ways?

Any comments or questions about this page or about IELTS? Post them here. Your email will not be published or shared.

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

• Click on the HTML link code below.
• Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Band 7+ eBooks

"I think these eBooks are FANTASTIC!!! I know that's not academic language, but it's the truth!"

Linda, from Italy, Scored Band 7.5

IELTS Modules:

Other resources:.

• All Lessons
• Band Score Calculator
• Writing Feedback
• Speaking Feedback
• Teacher Resources
• Free Downloads
• Recent Essay Exam Questions
• Books for IELTS Prep
• Useful Links

Recent Articles

IELTS Bundle Writing eBooks: 30% Off

Jun 01, 24 09:55 AM

House Sitting

May 31, 24 03:59 AM

Key Phrases for IELTS Speaking: Fluency and Coherence

May 26, 24 06:52 AM

Important pages

IELTS Writing IELTS Speaking IELTS Listening   IELTS Reading All Lessons Vocabulary Academic Task 1 Academic Task 2 Practice Tests

Connect with us

Before you go...

Check out the ielts buddy band 7+ ebooks & courses.

Copyright © 2022- IELTSbuddy All Rights Reserved

IELTS is a registered trademark of University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

Celebrating 150 years of Harvard Summer School. Learn about our history.

Becoming Independent: Skills You’ll Need to Survive Your First Year at College

Are you ready? Here are a few ideas on what it takes to flourish on campus.

Pamela Reynolds

There’s more to succeeding in college than just scoring well on tests. Thriving on campus requires developing a few critical life skills before college.

Some of these skills are practical—like knowing how to do basic housework. 

Others are “soft skills” like knowing how to effectively manage your time, communicate well, manage stress, and cope with failure when it happens. 

In this blog, we’ll look at a few life skills for college students that are fundamental to success on campus. Some of these skills may surprise you.

What Basic Life Skills Do You Need to Succeed in College?

College campuses are the first time many of us experience living independently in a relatively unstructured environment. 

It’s up to us alone to wake up, get to class, eat nutritious meals, and manage every other aspect of our day without the sometimes annoying input (or useful suggestions) of parents and teachers. 

Navigating this freedom for the first time can feel liberating but can also be tricky. 

“ I look at it as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs,” says Samantha Gordon, assistant director of the Pre-College Program at Harvard Summer School. “If you’re not meeting your basic food, shelter, health and wellness needs, then you’re not going to be able to function.”

Food and Shelter

At the most practical level, by the time you arrive on campus, you should have learned all the basic skills necessary to live life on your own. 

These are the housekeeping skills that your parents may have nagged you about that you tried to ignore—taking care of personal hygiene, doing your laundry, making the bed, cooking a meal, and cleaning up after yourself. 

“ I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to navigate conversations between roommates because one isn’t showering or washing their clothes and it smells,” says Gordon, who has seven years of residential life experience and has lived with more than 2,500 college freshmen over the years. 

Budgeting Skills

Basic housekeeping and hygiene are important. So is knowing how to make—and stick to—a budget.

To make your money stretch each month, you may have to prioritize purchases. That could mean skipping that restaurant meal in favor of eating in the cafeteria or turning to a local freecycle group instead of buying something on Amazon. 

Self-Regulation Skills

Self-regulation skills also fall under the category of self-care. 

They are critical because they contribute to your physical and emotional well-being. 

Self-care involves great feats of endurance (like resisting the urge to play another hour of Elden Ring at 3 a.m.) and engaging in activities that support a healthy mind and body. 

Setting a sleep schedule and sticking to it, taking medications as prescribed, and staying on top of doctor and dentist appointments are a few examples of self-care skills. 

So is recognizing when you’re stressed and knowing when it’s time to take a break. Regular exercise, good nutrition, meditation, or an hour spent tossing a frisbee on the quad with friends, are all possible ways to deal with stress. 

Gordon says that many new students come from competitive environments where they have learned to try to do everything perfectly. But in a more rigorous academic setting, perfectionism doesn’t always work. 

Students need to “figure out coping mechanisms, manage that perfectionism, and learn how to deal with failure and mistakes,” says Gordon. 

Explore summer programs for high school students.

The “Soft Skills” You’ll Need to be Independent at College

Soft skills are less about practicalities and more about knowing how to manage your time and interact with others. 

Students with these skills have learned to be tolerant, curious, open, think critically, problem-solve, and prioritize what’s important. 

Especially important, notes Gordon, is developing a sense of cultural awareness. For the first time, you may be living with a roommate from a different culture, race, ethnicity, or socio-economic background, who may think and act differently from what you are used to back home.

“ Cultural competency is definitely a huge part of college, especially if you come from a homogenous town,” she says. “That’s where listening and not judging somebody else’s culture but really trying to understand it, is really important.”

Other important soft skills include:

• Time Management. You’re going to have multiple classes, assignments, deadlines, and social commitments. Juggling them all requires setting goals, planning, and recognizing that perhaps another TikTok video is not going to help you prepare for that biology lab.
• Communication. On any given day in college, you’ll interact with professors, advisors, teaching assistants, staff, and students. Unfortunately, in our technological age, many students have forgotten appropriate ways to socialize.
• Conflict Management . You’ll need to dust-off your social skills and give others the benefit of the doubt when a conflict arises. 

Use “I am” statements that focus on how you feel rather than make accusations.

“Assume grace, assume goodwill,” says Gordon. 

Tips for Getting Organized

By now, it’s obvious that you’ll be balancing a lot of new experiences and expectations. 

How do you handle them all? Here are a few strategies:

Create a Study Routine Right From the Start

When a semester begins, use a course calendar to write down important dates which will become the key to organizing your entire semester. 

Part of your routine, says Gordon, should include choosing a place to study. Dorm rooms can be distracting so many students opt to reserve a desk at the library. 

Plan Activities Based on When an Assignment is Due

Your written list of important dates will structure your month, week, and day. 

It’s important to be realistic about the time you’ll need to study, cautions Gordon. You’ll need to find an organizational method—whether it is a physical planner, the school calendar, or spreadsheet—that works for you.

Set Goals and Eliminate Time Wasters

If you’re prone to spending hours scrolling through Instagram, Gordon recommends using apps that will help you eliminate such distractions.

“There’s tons of apps you can add on to your browser that will literally limit you to opening a tab or opening only certain websites,” she says. 

She also recommends investing in timers that will let you know when it’s time to take a break after a certain amount of focused study time.

Reward Yourself

You need to dedicate time to studying.

“But realistically,” says Gordon, “you need some time to just veg out and watch Netflix. That’s where the reward system comes in. So, you do an hour of reading, then watch a half hour of a TV show that you’ve been wanting to watch, then go back to studying.”  

Don’t Multi-task

Studies show people perform much better when focused on one task at a time. To help focus, turn off your phone and resolve to finish your task before you pick it up again.

Take Good Notes

Gordon recommends using apps like OneNote or Evernote to help keep your class outlines and notes organized. Remember to revisit your notes later in the day to re-organize, refine, and check out any reading the professor may have referenced.  

Getting Help

If you’re having trouble with roommates, classes, or coping with campus life in general, there are places you can go for help.  

The first option, says Gordon, is to confer with peers to “compare what’s happening on the ground.” 

A next stop might be speaking with a resident director or proctor who can direct you to myriad campus resources. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by classwork, for example, the academic resource center, an academic advisor, tutor, or instructor can help.

“ Going to your faculty or teaching assistants directly is how you can build some of your best faculty relationships,” Gordon says.

Finally, if you’re feeling down or struggling with mental health issues, you can turn to the campus counseling center. Most college campuses offer students short-term, long-term, and emergency counseling services.

Although some students may be reluctant to bring up issues with a parent or guardian, they can be an important emotional resource too. After all, they may have been through the same experience themselves!

When Should Parents Step In?

It takes time to adjust to college life, but parents can help. 

“ If you notice that your student is struggling, the first thing to do is to listen,” counsels Gordon. 

“Remember that the student is not you and their journey is a separate journey. It will be different from your own. And that’s okay. A lot of times we’ll have alumni parents who want their child to have a similar experience to them, but their child is different,” she says.

Some Parting Words of Advice

If you’re a new student, Gordon says you’ll have a far better college experience if you “put yourself out there.” 

Stay open. Introduce yourself to classmates. And if you find it difficult to make friends, let your residential assistant know. They can help. 

Reaching out to others may feel risky when you first arrive on campus, but you’ll find it’s worth the reward.

Learn more about Harvard’s summer programs for high school students.

About the Author

Pamela Reynolds is a Boston-area feature writer and editor whose work appears in numerous publications. She is the author of “Revamp: A Memoir of Travel and Obsessive Renovation.”

12 Strategies to Writing the Perfect College Essay

College admission committees sift through thousands of college essays each year. Here’s how to make yours stand out.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Essay on Importance of Independence

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance of Independence in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Importance of Independence

The value of independence.

Independence is crucial for personal growth. It allows us to make decisions, learn from our mistakes, and develop self-confidence.

Decision Making

When we are independent, we make our own decisions. These choices shape our lives, helping us discover our likes and dislikes.

Learning from Mistakes

Independence gives us the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. This learning process helps us grow and become wiser.

Building Self-confidence

Independence builds self-confidence. When we accomplish tasks on our own, we feel capable and strong, boosting our self-esteem.

Independence, therefore, is a vital life skill.

250 Words Essay on Importance of Independence

The concept of independence.

Independence is a fundamental concept that defines the ability of an individual or a nation to self-govern, make decisions, and take actions without external influence. It’s a state of freedom that allows for self-determination and self-reliance. Independence is not just a political concept; it’s a psychological state that shapes our behaviors, attitudes, and perspectives towards life.

Personal Independence

On a personal level, independence signifies the ability to think, act, and make decisions autonomously. It fosters critical thinking, creativity, and innovation as individuals are not bound by others’ opinions or decisions. Independent individuals can shape their destiny, take responsibility for their actions, and learn from their mistakes. It’s a key factor in personal development and self-fulfillment, promoting resilience, confidence, and self-esteem.

National Independence

At the national level, independence allows a country to govern itself without foreign intervention. It enables the formulation and implementation of policies that cater to the specific needs of its citizens. National independence promotes cultural preservation, social development, and economic growth. It ensures the sovereign right of a nation to control its resources and make decisions that align with its interests.

The Interplay of Independence

Personal and national independence are interconnected. Independent individuals contribute to the development of independent nations, and vice versa. They foster a culture of responsibility, accountability, and integrity, which are essential for the growth and prosperity of a society.

In conclusion, independence is a crucial aspect of personal growth and national development. It’s a state of freedom that fosters creativity, responsibility, and resilience, shaping the course of individuals’ lives and the destiny of nations.

500 Words Essay on Importance of Independence

Independence, a fundamental aspect of human life, is the state of being free from control or influence from others. It is a multifaceted concept, encompassing political, economic, and personal dimensions. Independence is not merely an abstract ideal but a tangible quality that profoundly impacts individuals and societies.

Political Independence

Political independence is often seen as the cornerstone of a sovereign nation. It refers to a country’s ability to govern itself, free from external interference. This autonomy allows a nation to determine its laws, policies, and direction of growth. The struggle for political independence has marked significant periods in history, such as the American Revolution and India’s fight against British colonial rule. These movements were driven by the desire for self-determination and the right to control their destiny.

Economic Independence

Economic independence, another crucial aspect, refers to a nation’s ability to sustain itself without reliance on external entities. It allows a country to control its resources, manage its economy, and determine its development trajectory. On an individual level, economic independence implies the capacity to support oneself financially. It is a critical step towards personal freedom, enabling individuals to make choices that align with their values and aspirations.

Personal independence, the most intimate form, is the freedom to think, act, and make decisions without undue influence from others. It fosters self-reliance, confidence, and personal growth. Personal independence encourages critical thinking and promotes resilience, as individuals learn to navigate challenges independently. It is a key element in the development of a well-rounded, self-assured individual.

The Importance of Independence

Independence, in all its forms, is integral to progress and development. Politically, it allows nations to chart their path, reflecting the will of their citizens. Economically, it fosters resilience, enabling countries to weather global economic shifts and crises. On a personal level, independence cultivates self-esteem and resilience, empowering individuals to pursue their goals.

Independence and Interdependence

While independence is essential, it does not imply isolation. In an increasingly interconnected world, the concept of interdependence becomes equally significant. Nations must collaborate to address global challenges like climate change and pandemics. Individuals, too, thrive on social connections and collaborations. Thus, the pursuit of independence should not negate the value of interdependence.

Independence, whether political, economic, or personal, is a fundamental pillar of growth and progress. It enables nations and individuals to shape their destiny, fostering resilience, self-reliance, and empowerment. However, in our pursuit of independence, we must also acknowledge and embrace our interconnectedness, balancing independence with interdependence. This balance is the key to a prosperous and harmonious future.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Friendship Day
• Essay on Importance of Friendship
• Essay on Best Friend

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Essay on Independence Day

Independence Day Essay

500+ words essay on independence day (15 august) for students and children.

India celebrates its Independence Day on 15th August every year. Independence Day reminds us of all the sacrifices that were made by our freedom fighters to make India free from British rule. On 15th August 1947, India was declared independent from British colonialism and became the largest democracy in the world. In this Essay on Independence Day, students will find all the important details of India’s Independence History. They can refer to it for their exam preparation, as essays are mostly asked in the CBSE English paper. Also, they can use this essay as a speech for the Independence Day function at school.

15th August is celebrated as a national festival with flag hoisting, parades and cultural events.

Schools, colleges, offices, society complexes, and government and private organizations conduct functions and celebrate this day with great enthusiasm. On this day, the Prime Minister of India hoists the flag at the Red Fort and addresses the nation with a speech. Doordarshan broadcasts the entire event live on television. Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru performed the first flag-hoisting ceremony on 15th August 1947 .

History of Independence Day

Britishers have ruled India for almost 200 years. Under British rule, the lives of the Indian people were miserable. Indians were treated as slaves and had no right to say anything to them. Indian rulers were mere puppets in the hands of British officers. Indian soldiers were treated inhumanely in British camps, and farmers were dying of starvation as they could not grow crops and had to pay heavy land taxes.

Our freedom fighters struggled for India’s Independence. Famous leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Mangal Pandey, Dada Bhai Naoroji fought fearlessly against the Britishers. Many of them also sacrificed their lives to make India free from British rule. Their contribution and effort are remembered in India’s Independence history.

Why Do We Celebrate Independence Day?

India achieved independence after years of struggle. India got complete freedom from the British and secured full autonomy on 15th August 1947. That’s why the day holds great significance in the heart of every Indian citizen living in India or abroad. India completed 73 years of freedom on 15h August 2020. This day also reminds us of the struggles of freedom fighters and the lives sacrificed by them in achieving independence. The pain that our heroes have gone through reminds us that the freedom we enjoy today has been earned by shedding the blood of lakhs of people. It also awakens a feeling of patriotism inside every citizen of India. It makes the present generation closely understand the struggles of the people at that time and acquaints them with the freedom fighters of India.

Significance of Independence Day

Independence Day generates a feeling of patriotism among people. It unites the people and makes them feel that we are one nation with so many different languages, religions and cultural values. Unity in diversity is the main essence and strength of India. We feel proud to be part of the largest democratic country in the world, where the power is in the hands of the common man.

We hope students found this essay on Independence Day interesting to read and helpful for their studies. For more information and the latest updates on CBSE & other Competitive exams, keep visiting BYJU’S. Also, download the BYJU’S App to watch interactive study videos.

Also Read: Republic Day Essay | Essay On Constitution of India | Essay on Women Empowerment

Frequently Asked Questions on Independence Day Essay

What is the meaning of independence.

Independence means freedom of any type of action without any control or influence.

When does our country India celebrate its Independence?

India was declared an Independent nation on the 15th of August, 1947.

Name a few freedom fighters of India.

Some of the great leaders who fought for India’s Independence were Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Sarojini Naidu and Rani Laxmibai.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.

Essay on Independence Day (15 August) for Students and Children

500+ words essay on independence day.

One of the most memorable days in Indian history is 15th August. It’s the day on which the Indian sub-continent got independence after a long struggle. India only has three national festivals that are celebrated by the whole nation as one. One being the Independence Day (15th August) and the other two being Republic Day (26th January) and Gandhi Jayanti (2nd October). After independence, India became the largest democracy in the world. We fought very hard to get our independence from the Britishers. In this essay on Independence Day, we are going to discuss the history and importance of Independence Day.

History of Our Independence Day

For almost two centuries the Britishers ruled over us. And the citizen of the country suffered a lot due to these oppressors. British officials treat us like slaves until we manage to fight back against them.

We struggled for our independence but work tirelessly and selflessly under the guidance of our leaders Jawahar Lal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi , Chandra Shekhar Azad, and Bhagat Singh. Some of these leaders choose the path of violence while some choose non-violence. But the ultimate aim of these was to drive out the Britishers from the country. And on 15th August 1947, the long-awaited dream come true.

Why We Celebrate Independence Day?

To relive the moment and to enjoy the spirit of freedom and independence we celebrate Independence Day. Another reason is to remember the sacrifices and lives we have lost in this struggle. Besides, we celebrated it to remind us that this freedom that we enjoy is earned the hard way.

Apart from that, the celebration wakes up the patriot inside us. Along with celebration, the young generation is acquainted with the struggles of the people who lived at that time.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Activities on Independence Day

Although it’s a national holiday the people of the country celebrate it with great enthusiasm. Schools, offices, societies, and colleges celebrate this day by organizing various small and big events.

Every year at Red Fort the Prime Minister of India host the national flag. In the honor of the occasion, 21 gunshots are fired. This is the begging of the main event. This event is later on followed by an army parade.

The school and colleges organize cultural events, fancy dress competitions, speech, debate, and quiz competition.

Importance of Independence Day

Every Indian holds a different viewpoint about Indian Independence. For some, it’s a reminder of the long struggle while for youngsters it stands for the glory and honor of the country. Above all, we can see the feeling of patriotism across the country.

The Indian’s celebrate Independence Day with a feeling of nationalism and patriotism across the country. On this day every citizen echoes with festive feeling and pride in the diversity and unity of the people. It’s not only a celebration of Independence but also of the unity in diversity of the country.

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Who was the main leader of the Independence Struggle?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “There is no single leader whom we can call the leader there were many. But the most notable are Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, and Bhagat Singh. Besides some of them opt for non-violence and some for violence.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “How India became a Democratic Country?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”:”When our leaders saw the treatment of our people by Britishers then they decided to make India a democratic country. But this was not the only reason there was far greater reason than that, for which the leaders make this decision.”} }] }

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

The Landmark Impact of Tinker V. Des Moines School District

This essay about the Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District examines its significance in establishing student free speech rights. The case arose from a protest by students wearing black armbands to school to oppose the Vietnam War, which led to their suspension. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students, affirming that students do not shed their First Amendment rights at the school gate unless their actions cause substantial disruption. The essay discusses the impact of the Tinker decision on subsequent legal cases, educational policies, and student activism, highlighting its enduring importance in protecting student expression in educational settings.

How it works

The legal saga of Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, adjudicated in 1969, emerges as a pivotal juncture in the realm of student liberty of speech. Originating from a tranquil protest orchestrated by scholars in Des Moines, Iowa, during the zenith of the Vietnam War, this case embodies a watershed moment in the annals of constitutional jurisprudence. Mary Beth Tinker, accompanied by her sibling John Tinker and comrade Christopher Eckhardt, opted to don somber armbands to signify mourning for the casualties of the war and advocate for a proposed truce.

However, this symbolic act of dissent swiftly escalated into a clash with school authorities, precipitating a momentous legal showdown.

Upon learning of the planned demonstration, Des Moines school administrators pre-emptively instituted a decree proscribing the donning of armbands. Those who chose to don them were enjoined to desist, and those who persisted faced suspension until compliance. The Tinker siblings and Eckhardt found themselves suspended for their defiance, prompting their guardians to litigate against the school district, alleging infringement of the scholars’ First Amendment rights.

The case ascended to the hallowed chambers of the United States Supreme Court, tasked with adjudicating whether the actions of the school district transgressed the students’ constitutional entitlement to free speech. In a momentous verdict by a margin of 7-2, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Tinkers and Eckhardt. Justice Abe Fortas, articulating the majority opinion, famously averred, “It can scarcely be contended that either scholars or instructors divest themselves of their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the educational precinct.” This seminal pronouncement underscored the principle that scholars do not forfeit their First Amendment rights upon traversing the threshold of the educational institution.

The crux of the Court’s decision pivoted on the question of whether the scholars’ actions engendered a “material and substantial disruption” to the educational milieu. The majority opined that donning armbands constituted a form of symbolic expression that did not impinge upon school discipline or the rights of their peers. The ruling established a salient precedent: student articulation is shielded under the aegis of the First Amendment unless it precipitates a significant upheaval in the educational apparatus or encroaches upon the rights of fellow scholars.

The legacy of the Tinker verdict reverberates throughout the legal echelons concerning student expression. It erected a formidable barrier for educational authorities seeking to vindicate the curtailment of student speech. In subsequent years, judicial tribunals have frequently invoked Tinker in litigations pertaining to student expression, oftentimes leveraging it as a litmus test to gauge the purview of school jurisdiction over student articulation. The ruling has proven instrumental in safeguarding an array of student expressions, ranging from political activism to the espousal of personal convictions.

Nevertheless, the purview of Tinker has not been immune to scrutiny. In subsequent litigations such as Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986) and Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988), the Supreme Court accorded greater latitude to schools in regulating certain manifestations of student speech. In Fraser, the Court validated the suspension of a scholar for delivering an obscene oration at a school assembly, underscoring the school’s mandate in inculcating socially acceptable comportment. In Hazelwood, the Court sanctioned the authority of schools to redact student periodicals if the content ran counter to the educational ethos. These adjudications, while not annulling Tinker, introduced subtleties to its application, signifying that the context and tenor of the speech can modulate the extent of First Amendment safeguards within the precincts of schools.

Notwithstanding these subsequent adjudications, Tinker endures as a keystone of student free speech rights. It validates the prerogative of scholars to air their opinions, even on contentious issues, provided their conduct does not disrupt the educational process egregiously. The case also underscores the exigency of striking a balance between the imperative of school discipline and the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. It serves as a clarion call for schools, as bastions of erudition, to accord due deference to the constitutional entitlements of scholars while fostering an ambience conducive to scholarship.

The legacy of Tinker v. Des Moines transcends the precincts of jurisprudence to permeate the societal fabric. It has galvanized successive cohorts of scholars to assert their rights and engage in nonviolent dissent as a conduit for effecting change. The valor exhibited by Mary Beth and John Tinker, alongside Christopher Eckhardt, underscores the potency of youthful activism and the enduring significance of free speech in a democratic polity.

In contemplating the broader ramifications of Tinker, it behooves us to acknowledge its transformative influence on our conception of student rights and the role of educational institutions. Prior to this watershed case, the notion that scholars enjoyed substantial rights within the school milieu was not universally embraced. Schools were envisaged as citadels wherein order and discipline reigned supreme, and dissent in any form was construed as a menace to that order. Tinker subverted this paradigm by affirming the individuality of scholars and the imperative of safeguarding and upholding their rights.

This decision precipitated a ripple effect on educational policies and practices nationwide. Schools were compelled to reassess their regulations to ensure they did not transgress the rights of scholars. This engendered more inclusive environments wherein scholars could express their views with greater latitude and engage in dialogues about societal and political issues. The Tinker verdict impelled educators to strike a delicate equilibrium between upholding discipline and fostering free expression, thereby engendering more vibrant and immersive educational experiences.

One of the most salient aspects of the Tinker decision is its utility as a lodestar for challenging other forms of censorship and suppression within schools. For instance, in the 2007 case Morse v. Frederick, colloquially known as the “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” case, the Supreme Court grappled with the contours of student speech. While affirming the authority of schools to proscribe messages advocating illegal drug use, the verdict reaffirmed the principle enunciated in Tinker that scholars do not relinquish their constitutional rights at the threshold of the school gate.

Furthermore, the influence of Tinker extends into the digital milieu, where the frontiers of free speech are constantly being tested in novel and intricate ways. With the proliferation of social media and digital communication, scholars are expressing themselves in manners hitherto unimaginable. Courts continue to grapple with the application of Tinker’s principles to online speech, cyberbullying, and other digital modalities of expression. This perennial conundrum underscores the enduring pertinence of the Tinker verdict and its guiding precepts.

In contemporary educational milieus, the ethos of Tinker frequently permeates discussions concerning student activism and civic engagement. Schools endeavor to embolden scholars to partake in activities such as organizing walkouts, orchestrating petitions, and vociferating on issues ranging from environmental conservation to gun control. These endeavors not only epitomize free speech but also constitute indispensable constituents of a robust democratic order. By nurturing an ambience wherein scholars feel empowered to articulate their convictions and advocate for their beliefs, schools are nurturing the nascent cadre of engaged and enlightened citizens.

The Tinker case serves as a poignant reminder of the imperativeness of standing up for one’s beliefs, even in the face of adversity. The resolve evinced by the Tinkers and Eckhardt, young scholars who ardently championed their cause notwithstanding suspension and legal skirmishes, epitomizes the influence that resolute individuals can wield over society and the legal apparatus. Their legacy serves as a testament to the notion that even those ostensibly marginalized or underestimated—such as young scholars—can exert a seminal impact on the trajectory of history.

In summation, Tinker v. Des Moines School District constitutes a seminal judicial pronouncement that indelibly shaped the contours of student free speech rights. The verdict reaffirmed the precept that scholars do not forfeit their First Amendment rights at the school gates and established a precedent for shielding student expression, provided it does not precipitate significant disruptions. The ruling continues to inform the delicate equilibrium between school prerogative and student entitlements, underscoring the enduring relevance of constitutional protections within educational precincts. Appreciating and comprehending the import of Tinker v. Des Moines enables us to apprehend the pivotal role that free speech occupies in our society and the necessity of safeguarding this fundamental right for posterity.

Cite this page

The Landmark Impact of Tinker v. Des Moines School District. (2024, Jun 01). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-landmark-impact-of-tinker-v-des-moines-school-district/

"The Landmark Impact of Tinker v. Des Moines School District." PapersOwl.com , 1 Jun 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-landmark-impact-of-tinker-v-des-moines-school-district/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Landmark Impact of Tinker v. Des Moines School District . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-landmark-impact-of-tinker-v-des-moines-school-district/ [Accessed: 2 Jun. 2024]

"The Landmark Impact of Tinker v. Des Moines School District." PapersOwl.com, Jun 01, 2024. Accessed June 2, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-landmark-impact-of-tinker-v-des-moines-school-district/

"The Landmark Impact of Tinker v. Des Moines School District," PapersOwl.com , 01-Jun-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-landmark-impact-of-tinker-v-des-moines-school-district/. [Accessed: 2-Jun-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Landmark Impact of Tinker v. Des Moines School District . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-landmark-impact-of-tinker-v-des-moines-school-district/ [Accessed: 2-Jun-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

What the papers say – June 2

Here are the stories making headlines this sunday., article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails, thanks for signing up to the breaking news email.

Politics leads the charge for front page stories this Sunday as the General Election inches closer.

The Mail on Sunday leads on politics, writing that rattled Tories have urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to issue tax breaks as soon as possible to keep the Conservatives in power.

The Observer reports that Mr Sunak has faced accusations of using levelling up funds to win votes.

The Sunday Express splashes with words from the Prime Minister, who claims a £1,000 tax fee will hit Britain’s retirees if Sir Keir Starmer is victorious at the next election.

Sunday People writes that Mr Sunak’s former teacher has no intention of voting for him in the upcoming General Election.

Meanwhile, The Sunday Times reports that Labour has offered MPs peerages to step down to make way for allies of Sir Keir.

The Sunday Telegraph runs with claims from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt , who says Labour will betray pensioners if they get into power.

To international news, the Sunday Mirror runs with words from Stormy Daniels on Donald Trump, with the former porn star calling for the ex-US president to be jailed for his crimes.

The Sun on Sunday splashes with a British entertainment piece with the announcement of Strictly’s newest host: blind comedian Christopher McCausland.

And the Daily Star Sunday writes that Gareth Southgate has caused a 130% uptick in “old man clobber” after appearing in a “posh magazine” in a cardigan.

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Want an ad-free experience?

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

The Gender Gap Is Now a Gender Gulf

By Thomas B. Edsall

Mr. Edsall contributes a weekly column from Washington, D.C., on politics, demographics and inequality.

Regardless of who wins the presidential election, the coalitions supporting President Biden and Donald Trump on Nov. 5, 2024, will be significantly different from those on Nov. 3, 2020.

On May 22, Split Ticket , a self-described “group of political and election enthusiasts” who created a “website for their mapping, modeling and political forecasting,” published “ Cross Tabs at a Crossroads : Six Months Out.”

Split Ticket aggregated “subgroup data from the cross tabs of 12 reputable national 2024 general election polls” and compared them with 2020 election results compiled by Pew, Catalist and A.P.

Combining data from multiple surveys allowed Split Ticket to analyze large sample sizes and reduce margins of error for key demographic groups.

The Split Ticket report identified the groups in which Trump and Biden are gaining or losing ground.

In Biden’s case, the analysis shows the president falling behind his 2020 margins among Black voters (down 23 percentage points); urban voters (down 15 points); independents, including so-called partisan leaners (down 14); Latinos (down 13); moderates (down 13); and voters ages 18 to 29 (down 12).

“These losses,” the report noted, “reflect withheld support for Biden, as Trump has gained less than what Biden has lost to voters declaring for undecided/other. In other words, they’re unhappy with Biden, but have not realigned with Trump.”

Biden did not fully make up for his losses with gains in other groups: Republicans (plus 3 percentage points); rural voters (plus 3); voters 65 and over (plus 2); voters 50 to 64 (plus 1) and white, non-college voters (plus 1).

Even though April was one of Trump’s worst months in terms of Black support, the study found that

among Black voters, in aggregate Trump is outperforming his 2020 margin by a whopping 23 points. Relative to 2020, Biden has lost more support (–16 points) than Trump has gained (+7 points), with the remaining 9 percent moving to undecided/other. If Trump matches his April polling vote share (15 percent) among Black voters, it would be nearly double what he received in 2020, and would be the strongest performance by a Republican presidential nominee in nearly 50 years.

Among Latino voters, according to Split Ticket,

Trump is outperforming his 2020 margin by 13 points. Once again, compared to 2020, Biden has lost more support (–9 points) than Trump has gained (+3 points). If Trump ends up winning 40 percent of Latino voters, it would match the highest performance by a Republican presidential candidate in the last 50+ years, George W. Bush in 2004.

White voters were far less volatile, according to Split Ticket:

Biden has dropped by 4 points, and Trump has dropped by 3 points, with the balance moving to undecided/other. Among white college grads, Biden’s vote share has dropped by five points since 2020, while Trump’s has dropped by 1.5 points. Among white non-college grads, Biden’s vote share has dropped by three points since 2020, while Trump’s has dropped by four points.

Much of the focus this year has been on young male voters, who are one of the critical wild cards of 2024.

“Young men have repeatedly been found in recent years to be apathetic toward voting , with young women in recent election cycles constantly turning out to vote at higher rates than young men,” Elaine Kamarck and Jordan Muchnick , both of the Brookings Institution, wrote in a recent essay, “ The Growing Gender Gap Among Young People .”

Kamarck and Muchnick noted the conflicting possibilities: “There are more women than men in the country; they make up a larger portion of the electorate; they are more motivated to vote, and vote blue.”

But, they added, the disaffection of young men has potentially significant implications:

We may be in the opening stages of a social backlash to the progressive social movements of the past decades. When significant societal change occurs, some may feel left behind or cheated. Right now, young men fall into that camp.

They added, “If the aim is to build a fairer equitable future where all feel they have a role and are respected, the polling of Gen Z appears to show we are moving in the opposite direction.”

Two years ago, the Survey Center on American Life , a project of the American Enterprise Institute, conducted a poll, the results of which provide insight into the defection of young men of all races and ethnicities from the Democratic Party.

The survey, Politics, Sex and Sexuality : The Growing Gender Divide in American Life, asked 2007 adults 18 and over a series of questions about masculinity and femininity. Men were asked to define themselves as “very masculine,” “somewhat masculine” or “not too or not at all masculine.”

Among Republican men, a majority, 54 percent, described themselves as “very masculine,” 39 percent as “somewhat masculine” and 7 percent as “not too or not at all masculine.”

Among Democratic men, 33 percent said they were “very masculine,” 53 percent “somewhat masculine” and 12 percent “not too or not at all masculine.”

The authors of an analysis of the survey, Daniel A. Cox , Beatrice Lee and Dana Popky , all of the American Enterprise Institute, found that in the case of women and self-defined femininity, there was only a modest partisan division: “Women across the political spectrum are roughly as likely to identify as feminine. Roughly four in 10 Democratic women (42 percent) and Republican women (39 percent) say they are traditionally feminine.”

In other words, self-defined femininity does not differentiate Republican and Democratic women, but self-defined masculinity reflects a key partisan division among men.

Where do two crucial Democratic constituencies, Black and Hispanic men, fit in? It turns out that in terms of self-defined masculinity, they are far closer to Republican men than to Democratic men, according to Cox, Lee and Popky: “A majority of Black men (55 percent) and Hispanic men (52 percent) say they are very manly or masculine.” On this measure, there is statistically virtually no difference between Republican men, Hispanic men and Black men.

In a June 2023 essay, Cox asks in the headline, “ Are Young Men Becoming Conservative? ” He points out that the trends among young men are less easily explained than the trends among young women.

Young men, Cox wrote, “have not had the same type of formative experiences as young women.” Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which ended the constitutional right to abortion,

was a political accelerant for young women. The #MeToo movement and Donald Trump’s election were seminal political events in the lives of many young women. These experiences continue to shape the outlook of young women who increasingly perceive society as hostile to women and believe that the experiences of other women in the U.S. are connected to what happens in their own lives.

There were, in Cox’s view, no “comparable experiences for young men.”

Without formative political experiences, Cox argued,

what emerges is a type of political apathy. Young men are less engaged on key political issues. For young women, three issues are uniquely salient: climate change, gun policy and abortion. Young men express far less interest in these issues. Young men seem to care more about economic issues — inflation is high on their list of priorities — but they appear less invested in culture war topics or issues that do not affect them directly. Despite being generally supportive of abortion rights, it is hardly a priority for young men. In a poll we released late last year, young men were approximately 30 points less likely than young women to say abortion was a critical concern (32 percent versus 61 percent, respectively).

All of this led Cox to ask:

Are young men adversaries or allies when it comes to issues such as gender equality? Young men appear to be quiescent when it comes to ceding the historic advantages men have enjoyed in American society. Whether this is due to the fact they believe these changes are just and fair or simply inevitable is unclear.

At the same time, “nearly half of young men believe that American society has become ‘too soft and feminine.’”

The growing gender divide between young men and women in the United States is part of a decade-long international trend, according to a survey of 300,000 men and women in 20 mostly advanced nations.

In “ Polarization Extends Into Gender via Young Adults Who Lose Hope ,” Glocalities , a marketing firm based in the Netherlands, found that

young women have significantly strengthened their embrace of liberal and anti-patriarchal values over the last decade while young men increasingly are lagging behind in this trend. In 2014 older men (aged 55 to 65) were the most conservative and younger men (18 to 24) were significantly more liberal; almost 10 years later, young men have become even less liberal than older men.

Both here and abroad, Glocalities reported:

Feelings of hopelessness, societal disillusionment and rebelling against cosmopolitan values partly explain the rise of radical right anti-establishment parties. Now young men are stagnating in their progress toward liberal values. The radical right in many countries increasingly resonates with disillusioned conservative segments among them, who do not feel that establishment parties are serving their interests. This trend has already impacted elections in Poland, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands and South Korea. If policy priorities and electoral strategies remain unchanged, this trend will likely impact the European elections in June, the U.S. presidential elections in November and more to come.

While feelings of hopelessness are common among young people of both sexes, the sense of despair is pushing males and females in opposing directions. Glocalities’ survey determined that there is a growing “anti-authoritarian trend among young women” who

are more worried about sexual harassment, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect and mental health problems. These worries explain the increasing anti-patriarchal trend among young women and, for example also the rise of the #MeToo movement since it went viral in 2017. Young women demand better prospects in combination with social justice and equality at home, in the workplace and beyond. Globally, young women are likely the most liberal group in human history.

Young men, in contrast, are “more focused on competition, bravery and honor” and “are more patriarchal in their orientations overall when compared with women and even when compared with older men.” The radical right “increasingly resonates with conservative segments among young men.”

One section of the Glocalities study focused on the United States. The study measured trends from 2014 to 2023 among age cohorts of men and women on two scales — one on hope versus despair, the other on control and patriarchy versus freedom and autonomy.

The despair-versus-hope dimension was based on questions “about feeling let down by society and feelings of pessimism and disillusionment about the future.” The control-versus-freedom dimension was “based on a set of strongly differentiating values regarding support for patriarchy versus support for emancipative values including gender role flexibility, gay marriage and unmarried couples cohabitating.”

The survey found that over the past decade, men over the age of 55 became happier and their values moved from controlling and patriarchal toward freedom and autonomy. Men ages 34 to 54 basically stayed in place. Men 18 to 34 moved decisively toward despair and modestly toward patriarchal values (and away from emancipatory values).

Women of all ages became stronger in their belief in freedom and autonomy. Young women, however, stood out, moving almost as much as young men from hope to despair.

I asked Martijn Lampert , the research director of Glocalities, to elaborate on developments over the past 10 years in the United States, including the influence of the #MeToo movement. He replied in an email, “The #MeToo movement globally was a strong driver for young women to become more liberal and emancipated, but we do not consider the #MeToo movement specifically as a driver for young men to shift to the right.”

Instead, in the case of young men,

we interpret the stagnating progress of men on the control-freedom axis to be caused by factors that affect their ambitions first and foremost. Given that their values focus a lot on success, status, recognition et cetera, the current situation does not facilitate this ambition. Because of this they not only become more pessimistic (as we see happening in the United States even more than in Europe), but also become more susceptible to populist forces and a “politics of bravery.’’

Young men, Lampert continued, “are not necessarily conservative in a traditional sense (and in the United States, young men are still more freedom oriented than older men) but are more geared toward ambition, bravery, honor, innovation, loyalty, success, wealth and luxury.”

While young men, in Lampert’s view, are not “a prime target for Trump or the MAGA movement, because Trump positions himself as culturally conservative while young men are still more emancipated and liberal, there certainly are young men who resonate with Trump’s bravery, ambition and his emphasis on success, honor and loyalty.”

What does the future hold?

“Based on the research outcomes, we expect the conflict between emancipatory/feminist values and patriarchal beliefs among young men and women to become more intense.”

Melissa Deckman , the chief executive of P.R.R.I. and author of the forthcoming book “ The Politics of Generation Z : How the Youngest Voters Will Shape Our Democracy,” described by email what she found in her research: First and foremost, “Gen Z women are unique from older generations of women in that they are more engaged in politics than their male counterparts.”

But, Deckman added, “while Gen Z women are fiercely feminist and progressive, Gen Z men are more ideologically diverse. P.R.R.I.’s study on Gen Z shows a gender gap, certainly, on ideology, but Gen Z men are still slightly more likely to self-identify as liberal than conservative.”

Deckman provided The Times with P.R.R.I. poll data showing that among young voters ages 18 to 25, women identify themselves as decisively Democratic (41 percent, compared with 18 percent Republican) and firmly liberal (47 percent, compared with 24 conservative).

Men ages 18 to 25 are Democratic by a much smaller margin (30 percent, compared with 24 percent) and much less liberal (38 percent, compared with 31 percent).

More ominous for Democrats are P.R.R.I.’s data on 13-to-17-year-olds, who will soon become eligible to vote.

Self-described partisanship among girls ages 13 to 17 was 31 percent Democratic to 20 percent Republican, an 11-point Democratic advantage, compared with a 23-point Democratic advantage among women 18 to 25.

Among boys ages 13 to 17, 24 percent said they were Democrats, and 23 percent said they were Republican, a one-point Democratic advantage, compared with the eight-point Democratic edge among men 18 to 25.

In their 2020 paper “ Precarious Manhood Predicts Support for Aggressive Policies and Politicians ,” Sarah H. DiMuccio , a consultant with the Danish firm Mannaz , and Eric D. Knowles , a professor of psychology at N.Y.U., suggested another set of reasons for Trump’s appeal to some men:

Perhaps more than any politician in recent history, Donald Trump has rooted his political persona in traditional notions of masculinity. As a candidate and as president, Trump presents himself as dominant, unyielding and virile. From threatening foreign nations with attack to alluding favorably to the size of his penis and testosterone levels, the president’s behavior suggests a desire to place his manhood beyond reproach.

In this light, DiMuccio and Knowles wrote,

we argue that support for harsh political policies, Trump and the present-day Grand Old Party reflects (in part) the psychology of precarious manhood. On this account, some men harbor doubts about their masculinity, which they, in turn, seek to reaffirm through voting behavior and policy preferences that can be characterized as “politically aggressive.”

The authors cited research showing that

laypeople tend to associate the Republican Party with masculinity and the Democratic Party with femininity. Moreover, a content analysis of primary debates in 2012 and 2016 found that Republican candidates utilized more aggressive discourse against their intraparty opponents than did Democrats — with Donald Trump proving to be the most rhetorically aggressive candidate in the history of American presidential debates.

To test their argument, DiMuccio and Knowles conducted a detailed geographic analysis of internet searches for subjects they determined signal anxiety over masculinity or precarious masculinity. The searches included hair loss, steroids, Viagra and more salacious subjects.

They then correlated the data with presidential voting in 2008, 2012 and 2016. In the case of the two earlier contests, Obama-McCain and Obama-Romney, there was no strong linkage between presidential voting and the level of precarious masculinity internet searches.

In the 2016 contest between Trump and Hillary Clinton, however, DiMuccio and Knowles found that “Trump received a higher share of votes in media markets where precarious masculinity-related searches were particularly popular and that this relationship held after adjusting for a range of search-based and demographic covariates.”

Why did the linkage between presidential voting and precarious masculinity emerge with Trump but not in the previous elections?

The authors’ answer:

Trump and the Republican Party he leads appear more consistently aggressive than high-profile G.O.P. politicians of the recent past — including Mitt Romney and John McCain.

“While the recent ideological evolution of the Republican Party may not have occurred without Trump,” the authors went on to say, it is “likely that these changes will far outlast Trump as a political force. Thus, we believe the link between precarious masculinity and Republican voting will generalize to future elections.”

Biden’s struggles with young men, however, have far deeper roots than precarious masculinity.

In 1949 the chemist Carl Djerassi and his co-workers synthesized norethisterone , a potent available progestin that eventually led to the emergence of oral contraceptives . For his obituary, The Guardian used the headline “ How the Inventor of the Pill Changed the World for Women .”

With the backing of two liberal Supreme Court decisions — Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965, overturning a state law prohibiting the sale of contraceptives, and Roe v. Wade in 1973, legalizing abortion nationwide — the birth control pill set in motion the slow but steady emancipation of women and the erosion of men’s dominance in politics and in society writ large.

In this context, the struggle over the 2024 election is the latest chapter in a long saga.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here's our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

An earlier version of this article misstated details of an analysis comparing previous and recent support for President Biden. The previous data is from 2020, not 2000, and the differences in support are in percentage points, not percentages. The article also misstated the title of a paper by Sarah H. DiMuccio and Eric D. Knowles. It is “Precarious Manhood Predicts Support for Aggressive Policies and Politicians,” not “Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.”

How we handle corrections

Thomas B. Edsall has been a contributor to the Times Opinion section since 2011. His column on strategic and demographic trends in American politics appears every Wednesday. He previously covered politics for The Washington Post. @ edsall

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

• The Weekend Essay

The petit bourgeois insurrection

Family-owned firms now sit at the heart of America’s fraying democracy.

By William Davies

There is an argument that breaks out from time to time between the critics of global capitalism (often represented by left-leaning NGOs) and economists. It starts with the former comparing the size of multinational corporations to that of national economies. So, for example, Microsoft’s market capitalisation is now larger than the GDP of France. At this point an economist is guaranteed to show up to rubbish such comparisons on the basis that they compare a corporation’s “stock” (market capitalisation) with a country’s “flow” (output over the course of a year). The former represents a quoted asset price that may or may not be realised; the latter represents the sum of goods and services that have been sold.

These rhetorical games came of age during the brief period of the “anti-globalisation movement” – the time of the 1999 Seattle protests against the World Trade Organisation and Naomi Klein’s No Logo. That movement spoke to a rising anxiety that, regardless of which measurement tools one used, multinational corporations had acquired a level of autonomy and clout that exceeded that of many nation states. While US car giants were exploiting the Nafta trade deal to move production across the Mexican border, corporations such as Nike and Starbucks seemed intent on flooding every spare corner of public space with their brands, unconstrained by geography or politics. Polemics such as Thomas Frank’s One Market Under God and novels such as Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections (in which a dotcom start-up seeks to sell Lithuania to investors) expressed a kind of anti-capitalism that resolved largely into a critique of corporate power.

Today, the comparison of financial stocks with productive flows looks a lot more interesting than big-brain economists are willing to admit. Indeed, it is precisely this kind of comparison on which the post-2008 era’s definitive work of political economy, Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century , is built. But one key difference is that corporations are no longer such a focal point. Piketty’s memorable proposition, R>G, states that returns on capital typically outstrip growth in income: stocks grow faster than flows, resulting in an exponential trend towards oligarchy. Those returns don’t only manifest in the form of corporate profits or dividends, and may accrue almost invisibly in the form of asset appreciation (especially of real estate) that is not always easy to measure. The mood at the turn of the millennium, that corporations were now bigger or more powerful than states, has given way to a different anxiety: that there is plenty of money out there, but it’s been effectively withdrawn from circulation and stored indefinitely as wealth, evading public scrutiny and taxation. A 2022 Financial Times headline put it most succinctly: “Britain and the US are poor societies with some very rich people.”

To this daunting thought, Melinda Cooper’s Counterrevolution adds a more provocative one: what if this was the plan all along? What if the neoliberal revolution of the past half-century was never really about increasing GDP growth , productivity or industrial profitability, but only ever about nurturing asset appreciation? Critics of various stripes continue to fixate on growth as the central indicator of progress, whether they are bemoaning this obsession (on environmental and social grounds) or complaining that policymakers have failed to deliver enough of it, as everyone from Liz Truss to Rachel Reeves now agrees. Notions of “secular stagnation” and the “long downturn” continue to judge economic performance in terms of productive output. And yet we know from Piketty, or the world depicted in The White Lotus , or a brief glance in any London estate agent’s window that stagnation is not for everyone. It is this combination of “extravagance and austerity” that Cooper seeks to explain politically and historically.

[See also: Thomas Piketty: “The Labour Party is too conservative” ]

The Saturday Read

Morning call.

• Administration / Office
• Arts and Culture
• Board Member
• Business / Corporate Services
• Client / Customer Services
• Communications
• Construction, Works, Engineering
• Education, Curriculum and Teaching
• Environment, Conservation and NRM
• Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
• Finance Management
• Health - Medical and Nursing Management
• HR, Training and Organisational Development
• Information and Communications Technology
• Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
• Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
• Legal Officers and Practitioners
• Librarians and Library Management
• OH&S, Risk Management
• Operations Management
• Planning, Policy, Strategy
• Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
• Projects, Programs and Advisors
• Property, Assets and Fleet Management
• Public Relations and Media
• Purchasing and Procurement
• Quality Management
• Science and Technical Research and Development
• Security and Law Enforcement
• Service Delivery
• Sport and Recreation
• Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
• Wellbeing, Community / Social Services

Cooper’s story begins in the United States of the mid-1970s, at a time when it appeared to a variety of critics and stakeholders that capital was scarcely able to grow at all. Inflation ate into the value of assets, while inflation-busting wage agreements squeezed out profits. Taxation on income, capital gains, inheritance and property seemed to devour all prospects for the accumulation of private wealth. From the perspective of conservative intellectuals such as James M Buchanan and sympathetic business lobbies, this was all in the service of an increasingly bloated, over-unionised public sector that drove up public borrowing and destroyed incentives for private-sector investment. The unsustainability of this Keynesian-industrial settlement was demonstrated in the 1970s by the New York City debt crisis and the Californian revolt against property taxes.

Much of what followed is well-known: the election of Ronald Reagan, the monetary “Volcker shock” of high interest rates that gutted the industrial Midwest and generated mass unemployment, along with sweeping tax cuts for high-earners and the wealthy, financial deregulation, and a boardroom fixation on shareholder value. Bill Clinton won the plaudits of his erstwhile critics on the right when in 1998 he achieved the federal government’s first budget surplus since 1970. Neoliberal economic principles became enshrined in the doctrines of the Federal Reserve, which moved under Alan Greenspan from hawkish inflation-busting to an era of cheap money aimed at pumping up asset values. This escalated following the global financial crisis to full-blown monetary financing, in which the Fed underpinned the value of government debt and other financial assets by taking trillions of them on to its own balance sheet. More recently, the conservative counter-revolution has delivered a frightening ideological radicalism in the form of the Tea Party movement, President Trump, the repeal of Roe vs Wade and the 6 January insurrection.

Cooper’s account is distinguished by her emphasis on what those who fretted about the issue in the 1970s referred to as capital formation. At every turn, from the moment that the Ford administration told New York City to “drop dead” in response to its pleas for federal assistance in 1975, through to the Trump tax reforms of 2017, the problem to be solved was of how privately owned capital – in all its forms and at every scale – could grow more rapidly and reliably. On the face of it, this is an unsurprising claim to make about neoliberalism , which has long been theorised by Marxists as a political project waged on behalf of capital to restore the rate of profit. What’s unusual about Counterrevolution and what makes Cooper such an endlessly intriguing scholar (a rare combination of historian, sociologist and economist, but none of these in particular) is the recognition that capital comes in all shapes and sizes, producing exotic political coalitions of hedge funds with small businesses, of speculative property developers and homeowners, that defy conventional class stratification. Once this is understood, the democratic upheavals of the past decade start to make much more sense.

What enables capital to grow and survive over time? Orthodox political economy would suggest that it needs to be invested in productive processes and technologies, for instance through the sale of corporate equities. Cooper shows that, at least in the American context, the pursuit of “capital formation” since the 1970s has been far more devious than this, and far more reliant on the insidious hand of the state. There is both a fiscal and a monetary wing to this project. Fiscally, the ideas of supply-side economics (whose genealogy Cooper traces in detail, and whose influence in Washington DC remains far stronger than is often realised) drove a tax-cutting agenda that didn’t simply put more money into the pockets of the rich but offered a handout to property owners, who were encouraged to blame the public sector for their lack of asset appreciation. One reason why asset appreciation took off in the 1980s was that the owners got to keep more of their capital gains and their inherited wealth.

Monetary policy would eventually prove an even more potent tool for the same purpose. While the Fed had spent much of the 1980s seeking to reduce inflation through driving up unemployment (weakening organised labour at the same time), by the late 1990s, Alan Greenspan was sufficiently reassured that the unions were broken to flood the US economy with cheap money and stand back as it was converted into asset appreciation. While the rising price of labour and goods had been a problem, the rising price of assets – including real estate – “now represented the ideal horizon of Federal Reserve crisis management”. The entire US state had now pivoted towards facilitating asset-price appreciation. Far greater monetary largesse would follow post-2008 in the form of quantitative easing, when the Fed (and the Bank of England) pumped trillions into equities and house prices, while wages stagnated.

Who benefited from all this? Cooper is sensitive to the shifting sands of Reaganism, how it drew on aspects of the New Deal coalition (including some unionised elements) to bring small businesses, factions of the white working class and big business together and set them against fiscal authorities and public-sector workers, using gendered and racial divisions to drive the opposition home. An economic model in which wealth appreciates indefinitely ultimately shores up an institution that Cooper had already addressed in her instant classic of 2017, Family Values . Over time, it is the family and the family-owned business that accumulates wealth and political power in an economy no longer preoccupied with production or productive investment, and where wealth is defended and swelled by whatever means available. Cooper is brilliant and original in her analysis of how the private, family-owned firm now sits at the heart of America’s rapidly fraying democracy, and how it is this entity (and not the publicly traded corporation) that contextualises the descent towards 6 January and beyond.

Large private businesses, such as Koch Industries, offer their owners a level of political autonomy as campaign donors and “philanthropists” that shareholder-owned companies do not. These have become vehicles for dynastic, oligarchical power, that extends its reach via attacks on all forms of property tax. At the other end of the spectrum, the small family-owned firm sat at the heart of the Tea Party movement. Feeling squeezed between “big business” and “big government”, these modest private companies exhibit the petit bourgeois resentment that has long been recognised as a potent ingredient of radicalisation on the right. The combination of private, dynastic wealth with radical Christianity has injected further toxicity into movements that, post-2008, gave up claiming to favour democracy at all.

But what is perhaps most striking about Counterrevolution is the economic sector present in virtually every scene in the play: real estate. Cooper is too fixated on the ideas, intellectuals and political protagonists that drove the rise of the asset economy to suddenly mutate into a geographer or housing studies scholar, but this could almost have been a book about why (in Fredric Jameson’s words) “today, all politics is about real estate”. Cooper shows that the enforced solution to the New York debt crisis involved opening up the city to property developers. Among those who benefited most lavishly from the tax cuts and incentives that followed was a developer called Donald Trump.

The supply-siders reserved their greatest animosity for property taxes. As early as the late 1970s, Greenspan had noticed that rising house prices offered a warped form of Keynesian stimulus: homeowners could remortgage, releasing cash for consumer spending. It was construction workers, organised into small, private businesses, that were at the forefront of Reagan’s blue-collar Republicanism, and most seduced by supply-side populism (and who made a surreal reappearance in the form of the anti-government “Joe the Plumber” during John McCain’s ill-fated 2008 campaign). So dominant was real estate in the US economy that between 2001 and 2005 40 per cent of new private-sector jobs were in residential construction and related sectors such as mortgage brokering. As Margaret Thatcher understood as well as anyone, real estate has a unique ability to remake electoral and class divisions, producing confusions that disorientate us to this day (why is a retired steelworker who purchased his council house assumed to be working class? Why is a teacher struggling to pay their rent considered middle class?).

The status of real estate, housing especially, in contemporary capitalism is so prominent and divisive and sucks up so much of our attention that it can sometimes be hard to get any critical distance on this madness. The vote for Brexit was ultimately a vote by homeowners; rates of depression and anxiety are far higher among renters than among owners; intergenerational relations are being transformed in the desperate hunt for housing security and housing equity. So much now seems to hang on it that it can be hard to find the concepts and narratives to account for this state of affairs. Counterrevolution provides an exemplary history of ideas and elites, but in foregrounding the asset form with which we are most intimately connected, it also offers a crucial history of our unhappy present that makes complete sense.

Counterrevolution: Extravagance and Austerity in Public Finance Melinda Cooper Zone Books, 568pp, £28

Purchasing a book may earn the NS a commission from Bookshop.org, who support independent bookshops

[See also: India’s last election? ]

Content from our partners

How the apprenticeship levy helps small businesses to transform their workforce

How to reform the apprenticeship levy

Louise Dawe-Smith: “Confidence is the biggest thing an apprenticeship can teach you”

The insular world of Rachel Cusk

The UK doesn’t need to invest in wind farms

The Tory plan for pensioners is expensive and pointless

Voters urged to familiarise themselves with three ballot papers

As South Africa holds its seventh democratic elections this week, voters will for the first time receive three ballot papers instead of two ballots.

The Electoral Commission (IEC) has urged voters to carefully review and mark each of these three ballot papers before depositing them into the ballot box.

“Our appeal to voters is to remember that they can only put one mark on each ballot, more than one mark will result in a spoiled vote and not counted.

“The Universal Ballot Template (UBT), whose dimensions are benchmarked against the longest ballot paper will be available in all voting stations. The UBT can be used by blind and partially sighted people, low-vision users, people who are dyslexic, and people with motor and neuron conditions which do not allow for a steady hand,” IEC Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sy Mamabolo said.

South Africans will go to the polls on 29 May 2024 to vote for leaders in government for the seventh administration.

The 27.79 million registered voters will receive three ballot papers to elect candidates to represent them in the National Assembly and Provincial Legislatures.

The use of the three ballots follows the amendment of the Electoral Act, which was signed into law in April 2023.

“This amendment revised the electoral system to allow independent candidates to contest in the regional (province-to-national) tier of the National Assembly and the Provincial Legislatures.

“Although the phenomenon of three ballots will be familiar to voters in various local municipalities, it will be new to voters in metropolitan areas and for the first time in general elections for national and provinces,” Mamabolo said.

WATCH I Three ballots explained

The three ballot papers are as follows:

• The national ballot: This ballot will consist of a list of political parties vying for seats for 200 seats in the National Assembly. This ballot will be used to vote for political parties. There are currently 52 parties who will be on this ballot and the configuration will be a dual column.
• The regional or province-to-national ballots: This will have political parties and independent candidates contesting for the seats reserved for each province in the National Assembly. Voters will use this ballot to elect a political party or an independent candidate to represent them in the National Assembly. The number of contestants range from 30 to 44 on regional ballots. The configuration of this ballot is single column.
• The provincial ballots: This ballot is unique to each province and includes parties and independent candidates competing for seats in each respective provincial legislature. This ballot will allow voters to choose either a political party or an independent candidate to represent them in provincial legislatures. The number of contestants range from 24 to 45 on the provincial legislatures ballots.

The commission said the design of the ballot papers will be underpinned by the following identifiers:

• Full registered name of the party
• The photograph of the registered party leader
• Registered abbreviated name of the party
• The registered emblem or symbol of the party

In respect of independent candidates, the ballot papers will have:

• The name of the independent
• The photograph bearing the face of the independent
• The word “INDEPENDENT”

There are a total of 400 contested seats in the National Assembly. The proportional representation compensatory 200 seats will be contested by political parties only and there is a dedicated ballot paper for this tier of the National Assembly.

“The remaining regional or province-to-national 200 seats will be contested by independent candidates and political parties. This tier of the National Assembly will also have a dedicated ballot paper. This means that National Assembly elections will be based on two ballot papers (national ballot and the newly introduced regional or province-to-national ballot).

“Therefore, in respect of the elections of the National Assembly voters may elect a preferred party on the national ballot and elect another preferred party or independent on the regional ballot. However, in respect of provincial elections, voters will elect a preferred party or independent candidate on a single provincial ballot,” the CEO said. – SAnews.gov.za