The page is an online resource to help students prepare TOEFL independent writing, a short academic essay of around 300 words. In addition to collecting recent TOEFL essay questions and topics, we also link some of them with sample answers.
These writing questions are from test-takers and other public resources. It's a short list but is maintained weekly. This page only keeps the latest 20 questions, and we moved the early ones to there:
2023-08-15: EssayNo. 1
If the government is somewhat underfunded economically, which part or two of the city could be cut? Reduce the redundancy of personnel in the city hall; Replace the plants that require frequent maintenance in the park lawn with plants that do not require frequent care to reduce costs in this area.
Keywords: government
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-08-15 2023-07-15: EssayNo. 2
Young students have much free time during the evenings after school or on days off school. Which of the following three activities are the MOST beneficial for young students (age 14-18) to do in their spare time? Gaining work experience by working part-time or volunteering in communities; Learning a sport or a musical instrument.
Keywords: student
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-07-15 2023-07-12: EssayNo. 3
When students study these days, many also do other things simultaneously, for example, using their phones, spending time on the Internet, or listening to music. Do you agree or disagree that such activities have a bad effect on learning?
Keywords: study
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-07-12
2022-07-31 2023-07-08: EssayNo. 4
Should the government raise taxes on junk food and drink?
Keywords: government
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-07-08 2023-07-04: EssayNo. 5
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People think people are spending too much on their pets these days and that money could be used better.
Keywords: animal
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-07-04
2022-04-30 2023-06-20: EssayNo. 6
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Governments should not financially support artists (like painters, writers, musicians, etc.) because the arts do not improve people's lives. Instead, they should let artists support themselves.
Keywords: government; art
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-06-20
2021-01-09 2023-06-14: EssayNo. 7
Is it better to classify students according to their test scores or not?
Keywords: student
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-06-14 2023-06-10: EssayNo. 8
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People are more friendly in the past than today.
Keywords: friend
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-06-10
2018-10-20 2023-06-04: EssayNo. 9
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement： It is much easier to be well-educated than it was in the past?
Keywords: education
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-06-04
2020-01-04 2023-06-03: EssayNo. 10
Growing children must engage in new experiences to stimulate their imagination and mental development. Schools should help children have exciting new experiences in other ways. For example, offer children trips to cultural events (art shows, museum exhibitions)or natural locations(parks, nature reserves); help children read interesting books outside the classroom. Which of these two ways is better? Why?
Keywords: children
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-06-03 2023-05-31: EssayNo. 11
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Nowadays, the young people (12-16) misbehave (rude) more often than the young people do fifty years ago.
Keywords: young people
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-05-31
2020-08-19 2023-05-23: EssayNo. 12
Should college students, regardless of their majors, be required to take a course about the culture of another country?
Keywords: student
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-05-23
2022-04-06
2019-12-14 2023-05-20: EssayNo. 13
Some people believe that the government should encourage people to drive by making sure that every person has a car, lowering the price of gasoline, and building more roads and highways. In contrast, others feel that the government should encourage people to take public transportation by building more bus or subway stations and increasing the number of routes. Which view do you agree with and why?
Keywords: government
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-05-20 2023-05-20: EssayNo. 14
Imagine that you have been allowed to advise the government of a city or region (area) you are familiar with to spend more money on ONE thing to benefit the city or region. Which ONE of these do you believe would be the most beneficial for the city or region? Why? 1. Providing more affordable housing; 2. Reducing air and water pollution ; 3. Attracting new businesses to the city or region
Keywords: money; government
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-05-20
2021-07-10 2023-05-13: EssayNo. 15
Which ONE of the following abilities do you think is the most important for a teacher of high school students (aged 15-18) to have? The ability to advise students about planning for their future, the ability to recognize which students in a class need the most help and to provide that help, the ability to encourage students to learn outside of the classroom.
Keywords: teacher
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-05-13 2023-05-10: EssayNo. 16
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The government should make it possible for all children to attend preschool(early childhood education programs for three-year-old children, for example) at no cost to the children’s families.
Keywords: government
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-05-10
2022-06-11 2023-05-06: EssayNo. 17
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Twenty years from now, people will have more leisure time (free time) than today.
Keywords: leisure time
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-05-06 2023-04-18: EssayNo. 18
Some believe friendships become stronger when friends enjoy good times together. Others believe that friendships become stronger when friends talk about their problems with each other and support each other. Which of these two approaches do you feel is most useful in helping make a friendship stronger?
Keywords: friendship
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-04-18 2023-04-12: EssayNo. 19
Do you agree with the following statement? Airplanes emit greenhouse gases and to reduce pollution, the government should impose an ecological tax on airplanes and use the tax revenue to develop low-pollution transportation.
Keywords: tax
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-04-12 2023-04-01: EssayNo. 20
The government is planning to improve transportation. Should it improve private vehicles or public transit?
Keywords: transportation
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-04-01 2023-03-28: EssayNo. 21
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Young people today are more likely to help others than young people were in the past.
Keywords: young people
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-03-28
2020-07-22 2023-03-27: EssayNo. 22
You may choose between two professors teaching a course you must take at your university. If the following statements are the only information you have about the differences between the two professors, which professor would you choose? Why? 1. Some professors are voted to be the most popular. 2. Some professors are rewarded for outstanding research.
Keywords: university
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-03-27 2023-03-25: EssayNo. 23
A city is trying to decide what to do with a large building that has become available to make it worthwhile for city residents. Which ONE of the following solutions would you recommend? Why? Develop the building into housing for people who have low incomes; Develop the building into a modern shopping and entertainment center; Tear down the building and develop a park on the land.
Keywords: building
Type: Preference
Tested on:
2023-03-25
2022-10-24 2023-03-18: EssayNo. 24
Do you agree or disagree with this statement? For any business to be successful, it must spend a lot of money on advertisement.
Keywords: environment
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-03-18 2023-03-18: EssayNo. 25
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Environmental concerns should not limit economic growth because economic growth is essential for modern societies.
Keywords: environment
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-03-18 2023-03-08: EssayNo. 26
If the income of rural farmers has declined and the population has been lost, what should the government do to revitalize the countryside? Give money directly; develop new businesses; do nothing.
Keywords: government
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-03-08 2023-02-26: EssayNo. 27
Some people prefer to go shopping in a big supermarket. Some people like to go shopping in small stores near the community. Which do you prefer? Explain why.
Keywords: shopping
Type: Preference
Tested on:
2023-02-26 2023-02-15: EssayNo. 28
Nowadays, many people are pursuing an advanced degree to stay competitive. Suppose you are a full-time employee with a bachelor's degree and have two options. Which do you prefer? A. become a full-time student to get an advanced degree as quickly as possible and then pursue your career later; B. try to get an advanced degree while still working full-time
Keywords: education
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-02-15 2023-02-11: EssayNo. 29
In many places, it has been typical for teachers of high school students (ages 14-18) to lecture or lead a discussion while the students listen and take notes for most of the school day. However, this is not an effective way to prepare students for careers in the modern workplace. Do you agree or disagree with the following view? A better way to do that is for teachers to spend most of the school day on student-led discussions and project-based activities.
Keywords: teacher
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-02-11 2023-02-11: EssayNo. 30
In their free time, many young people (ages 14-18) regularly take part in activities such as music lessons, dance classes, or competitive sports.Some young people participate in several different activities, dividing their free time among the various things they like to do. Others choose to spend most of their free time focusing on only one activity that is very important to them. In your view, which approach is better, and why?
Keywords: teen
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-02-11 2023-02-07: EssayNo. 31
A university is considering establishing a new requirement for graduation in addition to its standard requirements for completing the coursework. All students must attend a public speaking course to develop skills helpful in speaking in front of large groups of people. Do you agree or disagree that a public speaking course should be required for all universities?
Keywords: university
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-02-07
2019-08-10 2023-01-14: EssayNo. 32
When learning to play an instrument or sport, some people believe it is better to practice regularly (for a certain amount each day), while others believe they should practice as much as they want. Which do you think is better and why?
Keywords: play
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-01-14 2023-01-10: EssayNo. 33
Should governments or states use other tax revenue to provide free school places?
Keywords: government
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2023-01-10
2022-11-19 2023-01-07: EssayNo. 34
Teachers are working hard to increase students' interest in learning. Which method do you think works best? Using technology in their classrooms more often, Asking students to work more often in groups or teams instead of alone, and Explaining how the lessons they teach in the school connect to events outside the classroom.
Keywords: student
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-01-07 2023-01-07: EssayNo. 35
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?Some schools decide students (aged 6-18) go to school four days a week and they should stay at school 90 minutes longer than usual every day.
Keywords: school
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-01-07
2022-12-11
2020-12-19 2023-01-04: EssayNo. 36
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers in the past had more influence over students than they do today.
Keywords: teacher
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2023-01-04 2022-12-21: EssayNo. 37
What kind of people need the government's financial support the most, retired older people, young families with children, or workers who have just lost their jobs?
Keywords: government
Type: If / Imaginary
Tested on:
2022-12-21 2022-12-17: EssayNo. 38
A university has money in its budget to do ONE thing to improve its facilities for students: it can either enhance the quality of the technology (for example, computers and printers) that it provides for students, or it can redesign spaces where students hold club meetings and gather with friends in their spare time to make these areas more comfortable and appealing. Which idea do you prefer, and why?
Keywords: university
Type: Preference
Tested on:
2022-12-17 2022-12-10: EssayNo. 39
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents should not make too many decisions about their children's future; children should be allowed to make decisions.
Keywords: child
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2022-12-10 2022-12-07: EssayNo. 40
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Offering outdoor classes once a week is valuable for students' time and school resources.
Keywords: school
Type: Agree & Disagree
Tested on:
2022-12-07