Academic discussion posts: learn

In this lesson you will

Understand what the TOEFL Academic Discussion task asks you to do and how long you have
Use a simple four-part plan for a post of 100–150 words
Refer to a classmate's idea politely and add a new idea of your own
Write a complete, well-supported post in about 10 minutes

Before you start

Think about these questions, or answer them aloud.

→Have you ever posted in an online class forum or discussion group? How was it different from writing an essay?
→How can you disagree with someone politely in writing?

The task

In TOEFL Writing – Academic Discussion, you see a short post by a professor on an online class discussion board. The professor asks a question about a topic from the course. Two students have already replied, and they usually have different opinions. Your job is to write your own reply.

You have about 10 minutes.
ETS recommends at least 100 words. Strong posts are often 120–150 words.
You do not need special knowledge of the subject. The question is about general issues or everyday experience.
Your post should contribute to the discussion: give your opinion, support it, and add something the other students did not say.

A four-part plan
Part	What to write	Useful language
1. Opinion	Answer the professor's question clearly in your first sentence	In my view, … / I'd argue that …
2. Link to a classmate	Agree or disagree with one student, briefly	I see why Maya thinks …, but … / Like Daniel, I believe …
3. New reason + example	Your own reason, explained with a specific example	The main reason is that … / For instance, …
4. Wrap-up	One sentence that returns to your opinion	That is why I believe … / For these reasons, …

Add a new idea

The most common weakness in this task is repeating what the two students already said. Before you write, read both posts and ask yourself: What did they not mention?

New ideas often come from a different angle:

cost or time
fairness: who wins and who loses?
long-term effects rather than short-term ones
a different group of people: children, older people, small businesses, teachers
a personal experience that shows the issue in real life

Phrases for responding to classmates

I see where Lena is coming from, but I think she overlooks the cost.
Building on Omar's point, I'd add that the change would also help teachers.
While it's true that online classes are flexible, many students need more structure.
From my own experience, group projects work best when everyone has a clear role.
What neither of my classmates mentioned is the effect on local businesses.

Discussion board: Urban planning

Professor Hall: This week we've been looking at how cities can reduce traffic. Some cities have made public transport completely free to encourage people to leave their cars at home. Do you think free public transport is a good use of city money? Why or why not?

Sofia: I think it's a great idea. If buses and trains were free, more people would use them, and there would be less traffic and pollution. It would also help people on low incomes who struggle to pay for travel.

Kenji: I'm not so sure. Making transport free costs a lot of money, and cities would have to raise taxes or cut other services. I think it would be better to spend the money on improving the service, for example by running buses more often.

Model response

Like Kenji, I don't think free public transport is the best use of city money, because the quality of the service matters more than the price. Sofia is right that free travel helps people on low incomes, but cost is rarely the main reason people choose to drive. In my experience, people avoid buses because they are slow and unreliable. In my hometown, for example, a ticket costs very little, yet most commuters still drive, because the bus to the city centre is often stuck in the same traffic as the cars. If the city used the money to create bus-only lanes, journeys would become faster than driving, and people would switch without being paid to do so. Cheaper fares for students and low-income residents could still protect those who really need help. That way, the city would reduce traffic without spending a fortune.

How a strong writer does it

Opinion and link in one sentence. The first sentence answers the professor's question and names a classmate (Like Kenji, I don't think…).
Fair to the other student. Sofia is right that…, but… shows the writer has read both posts.
A new idea. Neither student talked about speed or reliability. The writer adds this angle and a new solution: bus-only lanes.
A specific example. The hometown example makes the argument real.
A compromise. Cheaper fares for some groups answers Sofia's concern about people on low incomes.
A one-sentence wrap-up. That way… returns to the main point.

Length: about 140 words, which is realistic in 10 minutes.

Discussion board: Business studies

Dr Reyes: Several companies have recently tested a four-day working week, in which employees work fewer hours for the same salary. Supporters say it makes staff happier and more productive. Critics worry that it may not work for every type of business. Should more companies adopt a four-day week? Why or why not?

Hannah: Yes, definitely. People who have a three-day weekend come back to work rested and focused. I read that in some trials, companies produced the same amount of work even though staff worked fewer hours.

Marcus: I don't think it suits every business. Hospitals, shops and restaurants need staff every day, so they would have to hire more people, which would be very expensive.

Writing task

Your turn: Academic Discussion

Set a timer for 10 minutes: about 2 minutes to read and plan, 7 minutes to write and 1 minute to check.

Read Dr Reyes's question and the posts by Hannah and Marcus in “Discussion board: Business studies” above. Write a post that responds to the professor's question. Express and support your opinion and make a contribution to the discussion. An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Write at least 100 words · about 10 minutes

10:000 / 100 words

Save words to review them later with flashcards.

contribute
to add your own ideas to a discussion
“Try to contribute something new to the discussion.”
perspective
a particular way of thinking about something
“Her post looked at the issue from a teacher's perspective.”
overlook
to fail to notice or consider something
“I think Lucas overlooks the cost of the change.”
build on (a point)
to use someone's idea as a starting point and develop it further
“Building on Amira's point, projects also teach research skills.”
unreliable
not able to be trusted to work or arrive as expected
“Commuters stopped using the bus because it was so unreliable.”
fare
the money you pay to travel on a bus, train or plane
“Students pay a reduced fare on city buses.”
assess
to judge someone's ability or the quality of something
“Teachers assess students through projects and exams.”
adopt
to start using a new method, idea or plan
“Several firms have adopted a four-day week.”
productive
producing a lot of good work
“Rested employees tend to be more productive.”
compromise
a solution in which each side accepts part of what the other wants
“A mix of exams and projects is a sensible compromise.”

Key points

TOEFL Academic Discussion: read a professor's question and two student posts, then write 100+ words in about 10 minutes.
Give your opinion in the first sentence and refer to at least one classmate by name.
Add something new: a reason, angle or example that the students did not mention.
Support your main idea with a specific example, then finish with one sentence that returns to your opinion.
Use a semi-formal style: polite, clear and natural, not a formal letter or essay.

Check your answers in the practice exercises to record a score.

Up next · Writing B2 Intermediate

Describing tables and pie charts

Go to lesson

Warm-up

In this lesson you will

Before you start

The task

Add a new idea

Discussion board: Urban planning

Model response

How a strong writer does it

Discussion board: Assessing students

Planning a strong post

Discussion phrases

Put the post in order

Discussion board: Business studies

Your turn: Academic Discussion

Key points

Warm-up

In this lesson you will

Before you start

The task

Add a new idea

Discussion board: Urban planning

Model response

How a strong writer does it

Discussion board: Assessing students

Planning a strong post

Discussion phrases

Put the post in order

Discussion board: Business studies

Your turn: Academic Discussion

Key points