TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing (Task 2) – Practice Test #046

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.

Balancing Present Happiness and Future Planning

Academic Discussion

Dr. Shah: This week, we explored what it means to live a fulfilling life. One factor that often comes up is how we balance enjoying the present with preparing for the future. Some people believe that happiness should not be delayed and that it’s important to find joy in the moment. Others believe that working toward future goals—even if it means short-term sacrifices—is the key to long-term satisfaction. Do you agree or disagree with the idea that happiness should be prioritized in the present? Explain your reasoning.

Owen: I agree that it’s important to focus on being happy now. To me, this means not letting future worries ruin your current experiences. For example, I’m in college, and I want to enjoy my time here. If I spend all my energy stressing about my career after graduation, I’ll miss out on everything good that’s happening right now.

Leila: I see things differently. I think it’s important to keep your long-term goals in mind, even if it means making some sacrifices today. For instance, working hard now—even if it’s stressful—can help you achieve something meaningful later. The happiness that comes from reaching your goals can be more rewarding than short-term comfort.

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

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