Do you really know what the TOEFL Integrated Essay is ?

The questions that are frequently popping in our head right now ?

“What will my topic be?”

“Will I have enough time to finish my essay?”

“How badly will my hand (and brain) hurt at the end of the test?”

When you sit down to write the TOEFL Integrated essay, there will probably be many questions going through your mind.

While the other test-takers around you might be bothered by those questions, you will take a deep breath, relax and write with confidence.

Why? Because you will have read this post, your guide to Integrated Writing success!

The first thing to understand is that on the TOEFL, the Integrated Writing section is different from the Independent Writing section. These two essays test different skills. They allow you to show your English knowledge in different ways.

The Integrated essay tests your ability to understand how a reading passage and listening lecture are connected.The Integrated essay asks you to first read a short passage, and then listen to a selection on the same topic.

You will be able to refer to the reading passage (and your notes from the listening lecture) throughout the test. Plan on an academic topic in one of the following areas: Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Physical Science or Humanities.

You will then have 20 minutes to write an essay that combines both the reading passage and the listening lecture. Sound difficult? Never fear! Just follow the steps below to Integrated Writing success.

But first, let’s look at how you can prepare for the Integrated essay.

Before the Test: Prepare!

Great news: You can definitely prepare for this part of the TOEFL.

Here are some ways you can do it:

Set a goal of doing one or two practice essays each week. You will notice your essays improve. You can test your skills with Integrated practice test questions online, or even make your own practice test by using passages from books and free lectures online.
Practice your listening skills daily. You can do this by listening to podcasts, participating in conversation groups and by using FluentU. FluentU takes real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
Read current events about major topics in Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Physical Science and Humanities. There are sites on these subjects that are made for English language learners, like Discovery Earth. Sites like this are great resources for learning about common TOEFL topics. Of course, you can never guess exactly what topic you will get on the day of the TOEFL, but at least you will get plenty of reading practice!
Finally, after all your preparation…it’s test day!

check my post : A 7 step plan to write the TOEFL integrated essay without fear