ESSAY WRITING FOR THE TOEFL - THE INDEPENDENT WRITING TASK (TOEFL WRITING 4)

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In my second post on the TOEFL Independent Writing Task, I wrote that an essay had a definite structure.

Furthermore, I also mentioned the three main elements of an essay, which are:

• Introduction  - This includes the topic or thesis statement

• Development – This refers to the supporting ideas of the main topic, each with their own topic or thesis statement

• Conclusion – a paraphrase of the introduction

 

When you define these elements during the “brainstorming” period, you are basically creating the essay plan.

A SIMPLE METHOD FOR PLANNING THE ESSAY

According to my experience, the secret is to use an “idea map” like the one included in this post.

You will see a center circle at the top of the map. In this you briefly write your main idea or topic, or you describe your position on an issue.

Then you define your supporting ideas, which go in the second row of circles on the map.

Going back to the same example I used on a previous post, let’s plan to write about why people like to visit museums when they visit a town for the first time.

Your position or thesis statement would be that – “yes indeed, people do visit museums when spending time in a town for the first time”

Your supporting ideas would be the reasons you have “brainstormed”. These could be:

• Know about the history and culture of the place (Idea 1)

• Find out about the hand crafts that have been developed through time in that place (Idea 2)

• Spend an interesting, enjoyable and inexpensive family afternoon (Idea 3)

 

You would then think about details related to each of these “ideas”, to be included in the respective paragraphs.

These details will be sketched in using the rectangles at the bottom of the map.

THE IDEA MAP

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NUMBER OF PARAGRAPHS DERIVED FROM THIS PLAN

Paragraph 1 is the introduction, which is based on your thesis statement and which also announces the 3 supporting ideas. This tells the reader what you will include in the development of your essay.

 Paragraph 2. Here you would develop your supporting idea 1, which in turn is supported by the details you have sketched on the map

Paragraph 3 corresponds to the same treatment for the supporting idea 2.

Paragraph 4 corresponds to the same treatment for the supporting idea 3.

Paragraph 5 is the conclusion. Here you repeat the introduction, but you don’t “copy and paste”. You tell the reader that you have now finished a convincing exposition as to why people visit museums when they are spending time in a city for the first time.  They do this because… and you repeat the ideas again.

COMMENTS ON THIS METHOD

My first comment is to say that it really works! I’ve watched numerous candidates working with this map, and the essay flows along quite easily.

Another comment refers to the “rule of three”. Do you have to base the essay on three of everything? No, you don’t! But it’s a good idea to stick to the “magic number three”. 

This will give you a well balanced essay and fits in quite well with the time constraints of the TOEFL and also with the minimum amount of words that are needed to complete the essay task: 300 words.

According to my experience, this is definitely a road to success!

CONCLUDING WORDS

The next posts will refer to some details about the style of writing that is expected on the TOEFL, and we will also be developing some examples of essay plans.

So be sure and visit these future posts, they will include important ideas!

A LOVELY FLOWER TO RAISE YOUR SPIRITS!

 

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Source: Pixabay, Public Domain

© 2013  joveron  (Joan Robertson)

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