TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing (Task 2) – Practice Test #014

This TOEFL Writing Task 2 (Academic Discussion) practice test offers a realistic experience with a genuine prompt featuring a professor’s question and responses from two classmates. Follow the instructions closely to simulate the exam conditions. After writing your response, you can submit it for feedback or choose to order a written assessment or video call session to review your writing in detail.

TOEFL Academic Discussion Task Detailed Instructions

Read the Prompt Carefully: Pay close attention to the professor’s question and understand the topic being discussed. What are the two positions presented on the issue? In some cases, the two sides may disagree on the nature or cause of the problem itself. In other cases, they might agree on the problem but propose different solutions or approaches to address it. This will guide your response and ensure that you stay on topic.
Consider Different Perspectives: Reflect on the responses from the two classmates provided in the prompt. Think about how their viewpoints relate to the professor’s question and how you can add to the discussion.
Express Your Opinion: Clearly state your opinion on the topic. Make sure to support your viewpoint with relevant reasoning, examples, or personal experiences to strengthen your argument.
Make a Unique Contribution: Go beyond summarizing the responses of the classmates. This is the main difference between the TOEFL Integrated Writing Task 1 and the new Academic Discussion task. In the older task, you were expected to remain completely unbiased and objective, simply reporting what you read and heard. In contrast, the new task asks you to participate in the discussion by offering your own opinion. Try to contribute something original to the conversation. You can share a new idea, extend one of the points made, or provide a relevant example. This demonstrates your ability to think critically and engage thoughtfully with the topic.
Organize Your Response: Structure your post with a clear introduction, body paragraph(s), and a conclusion. This will help your ideas flow logically and enhance the readability of your response.
Stay Within the Word Limit: Ensure your response contains at least 100 words. This helps you develop your ideas in enough detail to meet the expectations of the task. While 100 words is the minimum, it is often not sufficient to fully explain your position, provide examples, and respond meaningfully to the other students’ comments. Do not feel limited by the word count. Aim to express your opinion clearly and support it with relevant reasoning or personal experience. Personally, I usually end up writing around 200 words when responding to this task, as that length allows me to build a well-structured and thoughtful response without running out of time.
Submit your writing: Use the form below to privately submit your writing for review, or post it publicly in the comment section at the bottom of the page. Posting publicly encourages an organic “Academic Discussion,” allowing other site visitors to join in, respond to your ideas, and share their own perspectives.
Feedback (optional): Order detailed written analysis or a video session to review your response using the official TOEFL writing criteria and identify specific areas for improvement.

Ethical Landscape of Genetic Engineering

Academic Discussion

Professor: “This week, we have explored the topic of genetic engineering and its implications for health and agriculture. Some argue that it has the potential to solve pressing issues like food shortages and disease, while others express ethical concerns about modifying living organisms. What is your perspective on genetic engineering?”

Vahid: “I have mixed feelings about genetic engineering. While it can help address food shortages and improve crops, I don’t fully trust drug companies and the motives behind genetic modifications. However, I recognize that selective breeding in agriculture has been practiced for centuries, leading to beneficial changes, such as how bananas have evolved from having seeds to being seedless.”

Angel: “I believe that genetic engineering can be a powerful tool for improving health and food security. The potential benefits, such as enhanced disease resistance and improved nutritional content, outweigh the ethical concerns. We should embrace these advancements while ensuring proper regulations are in place.”

Your Response

Sample Response #1 (Excellent)

While I share some of Vahid’s hesitation about the motives of corporations involved in genetic engineering, I believe the potential benefits make it worth pursuing with strong regulation. As Angel points out, genetic engineering can enhance nutritional content and disease resistance, which could improve food security in vulnerable regions. At the same time, it’s important to stay cautious about long-term environmental impacts. Rather than rejecting the technology outright, we should demand oversight and transparency to make sure it serves the public good rather than private interests.

Sample Response #1 - Examiner Comments

This response skillfully addresses both Vahid’s skepticism and Angel’s optimism, offering a balanced perspective. The student clearly acknowledges opposing views and uses them as a foundation to build a nuanced argument. Phrases like “while I share some hesitation” and “as Angel points out” demonstrate engagement with the discussion prompt. The structure is logical, vocabulary is varied, and the reasoning is both relevant and well developed. This would likely fall in the 4 range on the TOEFL rubric.

Sample Response #2 (Competent)

Angel makes a good point that genetic engineering could help with food and health problems. But like Vahid, I worry about how it might be used for profit instead of helping people. Some companies might care more about making money than about safety. Still, I think we should keep researching it, just with rules so that it is safe and fair for everyone. There are risks, but maybe they can be managed with the right laws.

Sample Response #2 - Examiner Comments

This response shows a clear understanding of the issue and makes a relevant attempt to respond to both Angel and Vahid’s points. The ideas are mostly appropriate, but the explanation is general and lacks depth. Phrases such as “I worry about how it might be used for profit” reflect a personal stance, but the response could benefit from more specific support and clearer development. Transitions like “but” and “still” help organize the ideas, though the writing remains somewhat repetitive in structure. This would likely score in the 3 range.

TOEFL Writing Task 2 Academic Discussion Practice Tests [With Sample Responses & Examiner Comments]

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