TOEFL iBT Writing Overview
Section
Writing
Content
Time
Words
Integrated:
20
read, listen, and minutes
write
150─225
Independent:
knowledge and
experience
300
30
minutes
Score
/30
2. Integrated Writing Task
• Reading Passage
 You have three minutes to read and take notes on a 250─300
word academic passage.
 Usually has three main points.
 After you read the passage, it will disappear
but will re-appear when you hear
the question and begin to write.
3. Integrated Writing Task
• Listening passage
 two to three minutes
 developed with three main points
• You will only hear the lecture
once.
 Take complete and accurate
notes.
4. Integrated Writing Task
• Writing your essay
 20 minutes
• Question:
 Summarize main points and show how they support the
reading; OR
 Summarize main points and show how they cast doubt on the
reading.
5. Text Tools
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Copy: copies highlighted text
Cut: cuts highlighted text
Paste: pastes copied or cut text
Undo: Undoes last action
Redo: Redoes action you just undid
Word count: shows number of words written
Enter (twice): starts new paragraph
6. Top Score Features
• The essay is on topic and addresses both parts of the
question.
• The essay:
 summarizes listening and reading content.
 relates reading to listening.
 is written in a logical order (coherent) with sufficient detail
(progression).
 includes transitions to make it cohesive.
 contains a range of vocabulary and
grammar.
7. Independent Writing Task
• Plan, write, and edit in 30 minutes.
• State opinion.
• Give reasons, details, and examples to support
opinion.
8. Top Score Features
• The essay is on topic and answers all aspects of the
question.
• The essay
 is coherent: written in a logical order.
 shows evidence of progression: main points are supported
with sufficient detail.
 is unified: every sentence relates to the thesis statement.
 is cohesive: ideas connect with transitions.
 includes range of vocabulary
and grammatical structures.
9. Scoring
• Essay is scored from zero to five.
• Essays are scored by four ETS raters.
• The final writing score is out of 30.
10. Example Independent Writing
Scoring Rubrics
5 • on topic and responds to the task
• logically organized with main
points, details, and examples
• everything relates to the thesis
statement
• proper language used consistently
• range of grammatical constructions
• appropriate vocabulary and idioms
• may contain the occasional error