185 TOEFL Writing (TWE) Topics and Model Essays

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children of the couple?" Typical transitions for this type of essay are: as a result, as a
consequence, consequently, therefore, and thus.
Conditional sentence-type essay questions are sometimes classified as "cause and effect" as well.
For example: "If you won a million dollars in the lottery, how would you spend the money?
Describe in detail how you think your life would change as a result of your new-found wealth."
Interpretation/Analysis Essay
In the interpretation-type essay, you are given a short quotation (usually 1-3 sentences in length).
You are asked to interpret the saying (i.e., paraphrase the author's message); then, either analyze
or form your own opinion about the original quotation.
This kind of essay is rapidly growing in popularity, especially for essay entrance examinations to
American universities and for many standardized tests. The time given for the essay test may vary
from 15 minutes to two hours, depending on the school and/or the standardized test. Therefore,
when you practice writing this type of exam, you should try several different time frames.
Illustrative Essay
Another type of essay is the one that is based on examples or illustrations to support the writer's
thesis. For example: "What were the best classes you ever took? Give examples of at least two
classes which you found outstanding, and explain why you chose these." Of course, illustration is
an important component of many types of essay "body" paragraphs.
Process Essay
Process writing, generally speaking, provides instructions or details a process: that is, it tells the
reader how to operate a VCR, apply to a school, build a bookshelf, learn a foreign language,
etcetera. Therefore, while this writing style is quite common, it is not typically tested in an essay
examination. On the other hand, it is not uncommon to be given this type of essay as an at-home
assignment.
THE INTRODUCTION TO THE ESSAY
Like all first impressions, the introductory paragraph of your essay will leave a lasting imprint.
Therefore, it is extremely important that it be well written. To favorably impress your readers,
your introduction should contain the following:
Hook
How is a hook used in fishing? It dangles in front of its target (the fish) and tries to lure or
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captivate it. In much the same way, the "hook" in an essay is used to catch the attention of your
audience. To accomplish this, begin your essay with an interesting, thought-provoking idea about
the topic you have been assigned. Avoid asserting the obvious; that is, merely stating a fact that
everyone knows is true. For example, "Learning a new language is difficult" is a fact known to be
true by almost everyone, and, therefore, serves no useful purpose. Sometimes a quotation (or
proverb) works well as a hook if it is particularly relevant to the thesis.
General Statements Regarding the Assigned Topic
Your introduction should only introduce the main ideas of your essay. This is not the place for you
to provide supporting details, such as specific names, places, and dates. Save these for the body of
your essay.
Thesis
The thesis is the most significant statement in your essay. It consists of one sentence only and is
usually the last sentence of your introduction. A thesis must be a complete sentence (unlike a
title). It should also be narrow enough for you to be able to discuss it within the short time frame
allowed on the TOEFL and within a two- or three-paragraph body. Yet it must also be general
enough for you to be able to write two to three sub-points on this topic.
Unlike some countries, in the United States, we do not state directly what we plan to do or say in
our essay; for example, "I will write about..." is unacceptable in an American essay. If your essay
is well written, your intentions should be obvious to your reader without your having to explicitly
state them.
The thesis serves two basic functions. First, it states the main topic of your essay. Secondly, it
provides a viewpoint or position that you, the writer, holds about this topic.
For example, this is not a thesis: "Smoking in restaurants in New York is illegal." It merely states a
fact, but provides no position or opinion regarding this fact.
This is a thesis: "Not allowing smoking in restaurants in New York is highly unfair to the smoker
and gives too much power to the nonsmoker." Here we are given both a topic (i.e., smoking in
restaurants in New York is illegal) plus two clear opinions about this topic. Because this thesis
states two positions regarding the topic, it will also help the writer to quickly and effectively set up
the organization for the body of his/her essay. That is, the two sub-points have been clearly laid
out in the introduction for both the reader and the writer.
Often students feel that there must be a "right" or "wrong" position that they should take on a
given topic. Remember: You are entitled to your own opinion. The readers are only interested in
whether you have logically, clearly, and effectively supported the position that you have taken.
Practice One
Which of the following sentences is a thesis? If the sentence is a thesis, put a "T" in the space
provided next to it. If it is not a thesis, put in "NT" in the space provided. Be prepared to discuss
the reasons for your choices.
1. ____ Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States.
2. ____ There are two basic reasons for the rise of divorce: the lack of communication skills and
financial problems.
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3. ____ Divorce is not legal in my country. Some people think it should be, some don't.
4. ____ Walking is the best exercise: it is great for one's health, and it doesn't cost anything!
5. ____ Traveling for fun and education.
6. ____ Because I wanted to learn how to speak English fluently, it was essential that I move to
an English-speaking country.
7. ____ Financial woes and lack of free time are the major causes of stress today.
8. ____ The Beatles sold over a million records in the 1960s.
9. ____ The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were far more talented than the popular rock bands
of today.
10. ____ Now, I am going to write about the reasons I moved to the United States.
To check your responses above, be sure the thesis statement:
Contains one, and only one, complete sentence Provides a clearly defined main topic
Takes a clearly stated position on the topic (instead of merely stating a fact) Doesn't explicitly
state what you plan to do/say
Answers
NT 6. T 2. T 7. T 3. NT 8. NT 4. T 9. T 5. NT 10. NT
Practice Two
Take the following topics and questions, and turn them into theses. Remember that each thesis
must be a complete sentence that clearly states your main idea and takes a position on this topic.
Ideally, it will also set up the organization for the body of your essay. Doing this can save you a
great deal of time when you write the body. It will also help you stay focused.
EXAMPLE: Topic/Question: In many countries, the government practices censorship of
television programs. Do you support this practice or not? Support your answer with specific
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