The difference between the TOEFL independent writing task and the integrated writing section task is that the independent section asks you to write your opinion about an issue, while the integrated writing task asks you to write a passage based on information from a text or a lecture.

Today we are going to take a deeper look into the TOEFL independent writing task.

When writing for the TOEFL independent writing section it’s important that you focus your writing to the question in hand. Be specific and give facts that will support your opinion.

The questions in the TOEFL independent writing section are usually straightforward. Often they are questions such as “What’s your opinion on children watching TV for education, is it good or bad? Another common type of question is if a statement is true or false.

Before you start typing away, consider several different possible viewpoints from which the question could be approached, and pick the one that has the clearest, most logical reasoning and evidence behind it.

Another factor to include to your response is to make sure you use specific examples when supporting your claim or opinion. The examples could be drawn from your own personal experience or from someone close to you. Examples based on personal experience are best suited for topics like education. You can also provide examples from well-known stories and historical people.

Structure your answer in an essay format with an introduction, body paragraph I, body paragraph II, and a conclusion. Include examples that support your claims in the body paragraphs.

TOEFL Independent Writing Topics

Some people prefer big cars other prefer small cars. Which kind of car do your prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

If you could go back in time and visit a historical place where would you go? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television has made the world a better place to live. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

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There are two main versions of the TOEFL exam, TOEFL PBT and TOEFL iBT. Today we are going to cover the format for the TOEFL iBT version.

As you probably already know, the TOEFL iBT test consists of four different sections that test various English language skills. The sections consist of: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, a speaking section and a writing section.

TOEFL Score
The TOEFL test score is between a scale of 0 to 120. Each section gives you a score between 0 to 30. Your score from the different sections are added together to give you your total score.

Listening 0-30
Reading 0-30
Speaking 0-30
Writing 0-30

Total 0-120

The difficulty level of the questions remains the same all through out the test and each question is worth the same amount of points.

TOEFL Reading Section
You will be allowed 60 minutes to read three reading passages and complete the questions. Each reading passage will have a 20 minute time limit. The questions are grouped together with the paragraph in question so you don't need to go back and skim over the full text. Sometimes the text will provide you with a hyperlink with definition for words that’s unfamiliar. To learn more about the TOEFL reading section click here.

TOEFL Listening Section
The next section on the TOEFL will be the Listening section. The listening section takes about 60 minutes to complete. You will be allowed to take notes on the TOEFL listening section so use that to your advantage. Each lecture last about 3-5 minutes while conversations tends to be a little shorter. To learn some TOEFL listening tips and tactics click here.

TOEFL Speaking Section
The TOEFL speaking section lasts for about 20 minutes. The questions will follow two different formats:

Independent tasks where you give your opinion on a topic for up to 60 seconds

Integrated task where you have to use information from sources provided to you by the test. You will have to answer 6 different questions in the TOEFL speaking section. To learn TOEFL speaking tips and tactics click here.

TOEFL Writing Section
The TOEFL writing section includes two different tasks: an integrated task is where you will base your essay from a lecture and independent task where you support your opinion on a topic.

The TOEFL writing section takes about 50 minutes to complete, 20 minutes on the integrated task and 30 minutes on the independent task. To learn TOEFL writing tips and tactics click here.

Remember that you will be given a 10 minutes break after the TOEFL listening section, so that might be a good time to visit the restroom and get a quick snack.

Your English vocabulary skills will be a key factor when trying to achieve a good score on the TOEFL exam.

The easiest and fastest way to improve your English vocabulary is to read. When reading an article or a book you will automatically learn new words and in what context they fit.

When finding a word you are feeling unsure about, find the definition of the word and write it down. Remember to look at different formats of the word with roots, prefixes and suffixes.

Listed below is a group of useful words to improve your TOEFL vocabulary.

TOEFL Vocabulary List

abundant present in great quantity

reaction an idea evoked by some experience

response the speech act of continuing a conversational exchange

rhythm an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs

pulse the rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries with each beat of the heart

scenic of or relating to the stage or stage scenery

picturesque suggesting or suitable for a picture; pretty as a picture

shallow lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center

superficial of, affecting, or being on or near the surface

shelter protective covering that provides protection from the weather

protect shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage

vanishing a sudden or mysterious disappearance

disappear become invisible or unnoticeable

account a record or narrative description of past events

archaic so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period

ancient belonging to times long past especially of the historical period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire

enlighten give spiritual insight to; in religion

instruct impart skills or knowledge to

hasten move fast

accelerate move faster

decline grow worse

decrease a change downward

refuse show unwillingness towards

gather assemble or get together

collect gather or collect

motion the act of changing location from one place to another

movement a change of position that does not entail a change of location

partisan a fervent and even militant proponent of something

biased favoring one person or side over another

pattern a perceptual structure

habit an established custom

phenomenal exceedingly or unbelievably great

philanthropic of or relating to or characterized by philanthropy

humanitarian marked by humanistic values and devotion to human welfare

placid (of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves

plentiful existing in great number or quantity

hue the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength

inactive not active physically or mentally

idle not in action or at work

intricate having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate

magnitude the property of relative size or extent (whether large or small)

dimension a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished

oblige force somebody to do something

require have need of

overlook look down on

disregard lack of attention and due care

survey consider in a comprehensive way

questionnaire a form containing a set of questions; submitted to people to gain statistical information

practical guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory

functional designed for or capable of a particular function or use

predominant having superior power and influence

principal most important element

prompt according to schedule or without delay; on time

induce cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner

provoke provide the needed stimulus for

trigger lever that activates the firing mechanism of a gun

linguist a specialist in linguistics

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Many students ask how they should practice improving their reading comprehension before taking the TOEFL. And the answer is simple: read!

It doesn’t matter what you’re reading about as long it’s in English. Improving your reading comprehension also has the benefit of improving your ability on all the other section tested on the TOEFL (speaking, listening and writing). That’s why you will see a lot of exercises based on reading comprehension with ePrepz TOEFL training material.

Below are some TOEFL tips and strategies that might be useful to you during the reading comprehension part of the TOEFL exam.
If you have the opportunity to scan the text and questions quickly before reading the text more in detail you should do so. This will give you an idea on what to look for and what the reading passage is about.

The text often follows an academic structure with an introduction; body paragraphs and wrapped up with a conclusion. You will often find the thesis (main point of the text) of the text in the introduction paragraph. Details supporting the claim can be found in the body paragraphs and a summary of the entire text in the conclusion.

Questions regarding details of the text are often found in the body paragraphs. The body paragraphs are the sections you want to scan for keywords.

You will have 60 to 80 minutes to complete the reading section of the TOEFL. So it’s important to be aware of the time you spend on each question.

The best way to increase your reading speed is to read in English before taking the test and take practice tests.
It’s easy to fall for the temptation to read with your lips in a language your not completely familiar with. However, this will slow you down tremendously. If you notice that you are moving your lips when reading in English we recommend that you get plenty of practice before taking the test so you feel comfortable reading without doing so.

15 minutes of reading a day will help you improve substantially. Read about your interests and hobbies to make it fun!
By taking timed reading comprehension practice tests before taking the TOEFL you do not only improve your reading ability but also your concentration.

These are a few TOEFL reading tips that could help you when tackling the TOEFL reading section. If you are looking for TOEFL practice tests and exercises sign up with ePrepz now.