This article is for those who want to have a useful, applicable and easy-to-follow manual on writing TOEFL ibt Independent Essay.
Any essay includes 3 parts: Introduction, Body, Conclusion.
But every single part consists of several important segments.
Step # 1 - Introduction
In this part of TOEFL ibt Essay you need to have a look at the essay question or the essay task. You have 3 ways to start your Independent Essay:
1) Paraphrase the question in your own words by using negative or positive prefixes, suffixes as well as synonyms, antonyms and different roots.
2) Replace some adverbs, adjectives and verbs in the initial task question by using some other suitable words.
3) Summarize the question ideas by creating a short, logical, sound and meaningful statement.
Step # 2 - Leading Statement
In this part of TOEFL ibt Essay you need to write down an indispensable idea which will introduce your ideas. Some kind of “step in your area.”
An Independent Writing Part in TOEFL ibt is mostly an Opinion Essay, that’s why you need to quickly create some basic concept which will be the fundamental part of your writing as well as will be some kind of lead-in for your essay.
Step # 3 - Topic Sentence
In this part of TOEFL ibt Essay you need to summarize in 7-10 words the main idea of the first section in your Independent Writing Part.
It must be some relevant and significant concept which will form all of your supporting sentences in the first writing section.
Step # 4 - Supporting Sentence
In this part of TOEFL ibt Essay you need to invent some additional ideas which will support your Leading Statement and Topic Sentence. Remember that all the ideas must be interconnected and closely knit in your text, especially concerning your Topic Sentence. Your supporting sentences must confirm everything you have written in the Topic Sentence and provide the reader with some additional information about your Topic Sentence. Your supporting sentences are your proofs, arguments and reasons which will build up the belief in the reader’s mind that your ideas are rational.
Step # 3 and Step # 4 must be repeated twice or thrice, depending on the number of Argumentative Segments in your essay.
Step # 5 - Connecting Sentences
In this part of TOEFL ibt Essay you need to connect your ideas in-between Introduction, Body and Conclusion. Remember! Your ideas must flow through the text.
For writing any good text you need to know 4 important rules:
1) Relevance: your text must be relevant.
2) Precise: your ideas must be explicit, exact and clear.
3) Readable:
+ your text structure and organisation must be logical;
+ you follow sequential and consequential order;
+ your ideas are sound;
+ your sentences are short enough in order not to miss the point;
+ your text is big enough in order to clearly see the whole picture.
Step # 6 - Conclusion
In this part of TOEFL ibt Essay you need to give an outline of the whole essay, but usually it is just some kind of Introduction Sentence paraphrasing.You can just repeat Step # 1, but including some positive results which will wrap up all of your previous thoughts.
General Tips of Advice:
Remember about:
! Being Short but Precise
! Being Clear
! Coherence
! Cohesion
! Being Logical
! Providing Enough Details
One more reminder:
! If you do not know the spelling of some word, better do not use it.
Extra Tip:
! One essay should contain not more than 3-4 main Arguments (Argumentative Segments, which equal 3-4 Topic Sentences with 3-4 Supporting Sentences). In other words there should be 1 main idea which includes 3-4 confirming points. These confirming points (Topic Sentences) are supported by the additional information, extra details which you will specify and clarify in your Supporting Sentences.
Sincerely yours, Olga Berelkovskaya.