TOEFL Independent Writing Task
For the Independent Writing task, you’ll have receive a question on a particular topic or issue. The independent writing task is based on an essay prompt only, with a 30-minute time limit. This essay gives you a chance to express your own ideas on a topic and to be more creative in your writing. You’ll need to give reasons that support your decision. It’s recommended that your response to this task be at least 300 words.
You’ll be graded on how well you develop your ideas, how well your essay is organized, and how accurately you use English to express your ideas.
| Score |
Rubric Notes |
| 5 |
- Effectively addresses the topic and task.
- Is well organized and developed.
- Displays strong and consistent language skills with minimal errors.
|
| 4 |
- Addresses the topic and task well, though some points may not be fully elaborated.
- Is generally well organized and well developed.
- Occasional noticeable minor errors in structure, word form, or use of idiomatic language that do not interfere with meaning.
|
| 3 |
- Addresses the topic and task using somewhat developed explanations, exemplifications, and/or details.
- May demonstrate inconsistent facility in sentence formation and word choice that may result in lack of clarity and occasionally obscure meaning.
|
| 2 |
- Limited development in response to the topic and task.
- Lack of details to support or illustrate generalizations in response to the task.
- An accumulation of errors in sentence structure and/or usage.
|
| 1 |
- Little or no detail, or irrelevant specifics, or questionable responsiveness to the task.
- Serious and frequent errors in sentence structure or usage.
|
| 0 |
- Merely copies sentences from the reading, rejects the topic or is not connected to the topic, is written in a foreign language,or is blank.
|