Essay 10 Tips

1) Read the statement carefully and make sure you understand it. Always decide on what you are going to write before you start. Make a list of your main points.

2) It should be easy to identify the introduction, development and conclusion. Each section should have at least one separate paragraph.

3) Type or write in a clear, large script.

4) Address the entire question or statement, not just part of it.

5) Learn the rules of English punctuation and use them. Each sentence should start with a capital letter and end with a period, question mark or exclamation point. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

6) Write short, simple complete sentences. This style sounds strong in English

7) Do not begin sentences with the conjunctions and, or, but or with because.

8) Make sure that each sentence has a clearly identifiable main subject and main verb and that they agree in number and tense.

9) Use a variety of sentence structures; at least one question, passive voice sentence, conditional sentence, complex sentence, etc.

10) Use specific examples or reasons to support your ideas. Stories or examples from your personal life are best. Remember, no one is checking up to see if these stories are true.

 

Improve your TOEFL essay writing score by avoiding

these 10 mistakes.  

1. Never use abbreviations

Students often make the mistake of using inappropriate abbreviations in their writing. Never do this. Never write u instead of you. Don't write l8r instead of later. These are great abbreviations for writing quick SMS messages, but not for an academic essay such as the TOEFL writing.

2. Never end a sentence with three dots...

When you end a sentence with three dots (...), you are telling the reader that you don't have the words and vocabulary to complete your thought. Don't do this. Ending your sentences in this way is simply bad English...

3. Don't use slang

The TOEFL writing tests your ability to write an academic essay, not to use slang with your friends in the pub. Never use any words or phrases that could be considered slang: coulda, woulda, shoulda, gonna, wanna, blah blah blah. Slang will not impress the TOEFL assessor, but it will lower your essay score.

4. Don't use emoticons :

Agan, the TOEFL writing is academic in nature, and this is not the same as the writing you use when sending SMS messages. Always avoid smileys and other emoticons.

5. Don't use big words and complicated language

Many students think that their TOEFL iBT writing score will improve if they use big words and complicated language. This is not true. In fact, the opposite is true. If you try to use big words and complicated language, it will not sound natural. There is also a chance that you will use the words incorrectly or make mistakes in grammar. It is import!!!ant to express yourself naturally, in a simple and elegant way, as a native English speaker would.

6. Never memorize a text

Never memorize an essay text, format, or template to use in the TOEFL iBT writing. The assessors have a lot of experience correcting essays, and it is very easy to recognize when a student has simply memorized text.

7. Do not begin a sentence with a conjunction

A conjunction is a word that is used to connect two words, phrases, or sentences. Here are some examples: and, but, or. Only use these words for connections. Never begin a sentence with one of these words.

8. Do not use contractions

A contraction is the combined form of two words. For example, if we have the words are and not, they can be combined as aren't. Theoretically, this is good English. In academic writing, however, it is usually not acceptable to use these short forms.

9. Do not write more than 5 paragraphs

Most TOEFL iBT essays are 4 paragraphs long. An essay with 5 paragraphs is possible, but it is difficult to write because your time is limited. Our recommendation: 4 paragraphs.

10. Never leave a sentence, paragraph, or idea incomplete

Always write in complete sentences and make sure that each sentence ends with the proper punctuation. Similarly, when you write a paragraph, be sure to develop your ideas. You always need at least two or three supporting sentences after the topic sentence. It is usually not possible to have a paragraph with only two sentences.