Whether you're giving your response to the first two speaking questions or the second writing question, there are some reasons that almost apply to any of these situations. While TOEFL TIGER doesn't believe in templates, these reasons can help you if no original ideas come to mind in that nervous moment during the test. Basically, these six reasons can assist you in answering the independent tasks.
1. Finances - many questions provide the opportunity for you to speak or write about the cost of things or the possibilities of the future if you pursue a particular path (especially how certain types of education will lead to job opportunities).
2. Skills - some questions enable you to talk or write about the abilities that you will gain or have already achieved.
3. Character - these reasons center on the qualities that you think are most important in one's character like loyalty or altruistic behavior.
4. Time - most questions will allow you to give this aspect as a limited quantity that makes it better for you to pursue a particular choice over another.
5. Opportunities - many responses include this reason which refers to the experience you will gain or have already gained.
6. Knowledge - most questions make it possible for you to speak in some respect about what you can learn or already did.
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 6:10 PM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: IBT QUESTION LINK
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2007
Get Your Writing and Speaking Responses Graded!
Today TOEFL TIGER extends its services to help you achieve your score. At iBT TOEFL SCORE, you can choose from a variety of plans. When you make your choice, TOEFL TIGER will send you via email all the materials you need in order to answer the question. Then it's up to you to complete your response and send it TOEFL TIGER. At this point, TOEFL TIGER will grade your work. No computer programs here! Just real iBT TOEFL teachers grading your responses according to ETS standards. When you use our service, you will gain a better understanding of what score to expect on the real test and what you need to do to improve before the test date. Come on over to www.ibttoeflscore.com, check us out, and feel free to email us with any questions at toefltiger@gmail.com.
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 6:19 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: IBT TOEFL SCORE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2007
iBT Writing Question: Independent
In order to finish this task, you need to have a plan. If you just start writing, the danger might be a lack of structure while racing to finish with more than 300 words. If you follow the traditional or old school method of writing your response from beginning to end, you might run out of time. Too many times, test takers submit responses that are missing a conclusion or even a few paragraphs from the body. This is why you should consider writing the five most important sentences (thesis, three topic sentences, and conclusion) after a quick brainstorm and outline. This way you just fill in the rest of your paper with R.E.D. (reasons, examples, and details). Also, minimize your introduction and conclusion. These can be about three sentences each. They're not as important as the body where you can really show off your ability to think rationally by providing enough material to support your thesis. In fact, spend no more than about five to seven minutes writing clear sentences for the thesis, topic sentences, and conclusion. This allows you about fifteen minutes to focus on the body of your response which is where the graders will be looking.
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 4:02 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
iBT Writing Question: Integrated (Paraphrase and Summarize)
Actually, there are two different things that you need to do in your response to the integrated writing question: paraphrase the reading and summarize the lecture. The reading passage requires you to do some heavy duty rewriting so that you can prove to the grader that you understand the passage by being able to put it in your own words. This means that the structure of the sentences need to be altered along with an abundance of synonyms. Meanwhile, the lecture demands that you take good notes and then summarize these notes. Obviously, you don't need to worry about changing the structure of the spoken sentences because people wouldn't be able to do that in their own language. However, you need to still use synonyms whenever you can. This means that the listening should be easier to write about but the lectures require good listening skills. The reading passage requires more work from you but it you get to look at the reading while you're writing which makes it easier on you during your response.
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 6:34 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: IBT WRITING QUESTION: INTEGRATED
iBT Writing Question: Integrated (3 levels)
Basically, there are three levels of paraphrasing that you can perform during your response to the integrated writing question. The first level is the most basic. It means that you keep the sentence structure that you read or hear and just exchange a few words with their synonyms. This proves that you understand the words you've exchanged. The second level requires you to change the actual structure of the sentence. You might rearrange clauses, prepositional phrases, or the subject and object. This demonstrates that you understand the grammar of that particular sentence but not necessarily the meaning. The third and highest level utilizes both the first and second level. This means that you not only changed the structure of the sentence but also exchanged words for their synonyms. This expresses that you understand the structure and the meaning because the response appears to be "in your own words".
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 7:43 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: IBT WRITING QUESTION: INTEGRATED
MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2007
The Key To The iBT Writing Question: Independent
A TOEFL TIGER VISITOR WROTE:
Dear Toefl tiger,
Thank you Toefl tiger for your response. The advice you gave me was
very helpful. I saw your recent post about the independent writing
question in which you stressed the importance of a 3 way approach of
comparing contrasting, stating an argument and a personal experience.
I quite liked this way however I just wanted to confirm since i was
also referring to a template which in its 3 paragraphs kept comparing
the position taken with the other side. So, should we only stick to
saying our position is more superior than the other one in the first
example paragraph or directly state that "i prefer this option over
the other because.." in all the paragraphs and not just one?
In one of your previous posts you mentioned templates as representing
a very safe and unoriginal way of writing henceforth i wanted to adopt
the right approach before preparing for this question.
Thank you for your time and help.
Regards,
Samarth.
TOEFL TIGER'S RESPONSE:
Thanks Samarth for the good questions. With regard to the post "Independent (Themes)", the essential reason for showing off a variety of reasoning skills is to prove to the grader that you can examine a topic in a multitude of ways. If the response just compares and contrasts in every paragraph, this will lead to a lackluster (dull) response. Variety is the key to answering the iBT independent writing question. You want to achieve a variety in vocabulary, sentence structure and types of reasoning. While doing these things, the paper should be strictly structured so that you can prove that you can write an essay at the university level. This means that it should have four to five paragraphs. It must have a thesis, topic sentences and a conclusion. However, the best responses will be those that contain original sentences. Nothing proves one's ability to think in English better than that. This is why a template doesn't help anyone on the actual test. Templates should only be used for learning how to write an essay but they shouldn't replace the possibility of original sentences on the test. Throughout the speaking and writing section, the iBT TOEFL test stresses that you use your own words. The graders are looking for how many things you can show them. In essence, what is the range of your English ability. Keep this in mind while writing your response, but don't forget the standard structure required to present your ideas clearly.
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 6:35 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: REAL IBT TOEFL TOPICS AND QUESTIONS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2007
iBT Writing Question: Independent (Themes)
When you're writing the independent response, you need to give a response that varies in the way it approaches the subject. The best place to do this is in the body. The body is the central part of your essay between the introduction and the conclusion. This center is extremely important because it is the place where you will demonstrate your ability to think in English. I recommend approaching each paragraph, usually three, with a different theme. The first paragraph should compare and contrast the different sides of the question. For example, if the question asks whether you agree or disagree that money can buy happiness, then you can write about your choice and how it compares or contrasts with people who choose the other position. Let's say I disagree, so I will mention that people who agree focus on material things whereas I'm more concerned with relationships. The next paragraph's theme can center on your argument for your choice. This is a good place to demonstrate your ability to use logic. Maybe you can think of facts or general situations that prove your point. For example, I would support my claim that money cannot buy happiness by explaining that intelligence is the most important quality of all and it is difficult to buy such a thing. Then I would support this with examples. Perhaps, I can mention famous people who make a lot of money but live superficial lives that really don't contribute much to the world other than a laugh. The fourth paragraph's theme should focus on your personal experience. Concentrate on how details from your life support your claim. In this case, I would write about my rich uncle and how he has little happiness in his life. Then, I might include a story about my cousin who works for a non-profit organization and seems to be the happiest person in the world. With this variety of three different ways of looking at the subject (compare and contrast, argument, and personal experience), your paper will raise above the others!
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 5:11 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: IBT WRITING QUESTION: INDEPENDENT
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2007
iBT Writing Question: Independent (Thesis and I)
It can be argued that the thesis is the most important sentence of your independent essay. This is at least partially true because it prepares the reader for what they are going to encounter in your paper. Actually, it's sentence structure also tells the grader a lot about the paper they will grade. Let's take an example: do you agree with the statement that college students should work while they go to school? Now, if you just restate the question as your thesis, then this will be an ordinary thesis but it might not allow you to acquire that top score. Many students tend to write: I think that college student's should not work while they go to school for many reasons. This sentence begins with "I" and we should try to exclude "I" from the thesis. You can state your opinion with words that have a value. Working while attending college can limit the amount of achievements that a student can attain. You see? This sentence doesn't contain "I" and it tells us that the writer disagrees with the statement because of the value word "limit". Write your thesis by focusing directly on writing something about the subject, not yourself.
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 7:21 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: IBT WRITING QUESTION: INDEPENDENT
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2007
Should I use templates?
A TOEFL TIGER VISITOR WROTE:
Toefl “Pets”,
While I was listening to the pods regarding writing and speaking I was thinking if it would be appropriate to outline the structure we are going to use in our writings and speaking? What I mean is, prepare some templates and try to follow the patterns.
Regards,
“Toefl Fan”
TOEFL TIGER'S RESPONSE:
The problem with templates are that they're templates. What I mean is that a response that doesn't reflect some original flare, or some originality, will not be as impressive to a grader. Templates are really only good for one thing: learning about the structure of what you intend to write. After you've learned about the structure, you should start experimenting with it and develop your writing skills. Some students think that templates are the quick way to get an easy score because they pick something that is safe and hopefully without any mistakes. However, what if the template doesn't quite fit? Then the person grading your response will be thinking that this is a template because it isn't really answering the question. Plus, developing your literary muscle will give you an advantage over others when you're actually at the university. In the future, TOEFL TIGER will post some templates and hopefully you will use them to develop your skills.
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 6:40 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: REAL IBT TOEFL TOPICS AND QUESTIONS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2007
iBT Writing Question: Integrated (Reporting Verbs)
Push yourself to use stronger verbs during the integrated writing response. Since you should cite whether the information comes from the reading or the lecture anyways, try to use verbs that reflect more complexity than simple verbs like show, think, and doubt. Practice using other verbs and it will become automatic. If you manage to do this, then your response will seem to possess a better vocabulary. Here is a list to get you started.
Synonyms for claim: acknowledge, accept, subscribe to, uphold, allege, assert, attest, contend, declare, proclaim, indicate, maintain, and report.
Synonyms for deny: discredit, disprove, eschew, and refute.
Synonyms for warn: advise, caution, dissuade, and forewarn.
Synonyms for wonder: inquire, speculate, ponder, and query.
Use these regularly to strengthen your response so that instead of mentioning that "the reading shows" or "the lecture doubts", your response will include "the reading alleges" and "the lecture discredits."
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 6:33 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: IBT WRITING QUESTION: INTEGRATED
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2007
iBT Writing Question: Integrated (To Cite Or Not To Cite)
A TOEFL TIGER VISITOR WROTE:
Dear TOEFL Tiger and TOEFL Monkey,
Thank you so much for providing good resources for us to learn iBT TOEFL
test. I have a question about iBT integrated writing part. When we put the
writing and listening points together as a “sandwich”, do we have to
indicate that the points are cited from which part?
Have a nice weekend and look forward to hearing from you!
Shan
TOEFL TIGER'S RESPONSE:
Good question Shan! Many students wonder about whether or not they need to cite, which means mentioning where the information comes from, in the integrated writing. The answer in general is yes. Maybe this sounds tedious or like unnecessary work, but remember that you're proving to them that you understood the content of the reading and listening in addition to knowing how to connect the points. This can be achieved by various means. Some prepositional phrases like "in the reading passage" or "according to the lecture" can do it. On the other hand, using a noun clause can be even better: the author indicates that the environment is not in danger. In this example, one just uses the word author and we know that this can only mean the reading passage. In fact, I view the integrated response as an exercise in noun clauses. Prove to your grader that you are a noun clause master and you're on your way to a top score. Remember your goal in every response: clarity. Prove to the grader that you not only know the information but you know exactly where it comes from. Thanks Shan for the question and good luck!
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 3:21 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: IBT WRITING QUESTION: INTEGRATED, REAL IBT TOEFL TOPICS AND QUESTIONS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2007
iBT Writing Section: Integrated (Troubleshooting)
Some common problems plague many students. One problem is during the first three minutes when you've got to read the passage before the lecture. How do you find the most important points in the reading within three minutes? If there are more than two paragraphs, then you can scan the first and last line of each paragraph because that is where the topic sentences tend to be. If the passage only has two paragraphs, then it is more challenging because you have to scan the entire paragraph but remember to keep an eye out for reasons, examples, and details and then backtrack to the main point that should come before these items.
Another problem occurs during the lecture when students don't take enough notes. Remember that you need to try and keep an open ear. This means that you should not think too much while you listen. Do not try and connect any points from the reading during the lecture, for this will cause you to miss parts of the lecture. Just concentrate on the lecture. Then, write everything you can about the lecture when the twenty minute writing portion begins. If you do this, you might be surprised at what you could remember.
Finally, many test takers are confused by vocabulary words in the lecture. When you hear a word that you don't understand, pay attention to the context. If you can give the definition without the word, then your response will still be heading towards a high score. Omitting a few words that you couldn't hear shouldn't damage your score too much. Focus on what you know.
Do you have any problems during the integrated writing section? Leave a comment or email us! We like to hear from anyone reading our blog.
POSTED BY TOEFL TIGER AT 7:18 AM LINKS TO THIS POST
LABELS: IBT WRITING QUESTION: INTEGRATED
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2007下载本文
