Shadowing Practice: TOEFL Writing 2026: Academic Discussion Masterclass | Task 3 Step-by-Step Templates & Strategies - Learn English Speaking with Video

TOEFL writing task three writing for an online academic discussion let's take a deep dive into this topic

so I didn't want to do a whole bunch of different videos this is the video

if you want to score high on this particular TOEFL writing task watch this video over

and over and over

but more importantly practice what you learn in the video it's

important okay test format make sure you understand the actual TOEFL exam.

So with this writing task, you have a professor's post, two student posts, 10 minutes total,

and you're trying to write around 100 to 140 words.

You respond and then engage.

You must respond to the professor's question and engage with at least one student.

This is not optional.

Engagement is part of the score.

You have to contribute something new to the discussion.

What the TOEFL is really testing here,

clear position, strong support, logical flow, academic tone, new contribution.

Summarizing is not enough.

TOEFL wants to see that you add something new to the discussion.

High score structure.

So to get a high score of five out of five, you need to state your position.

You have a reason plus example.

You respond to a classmate.

You have a short conclusion.

This structure, believe it or not, it works for almost every academic discussion prompt.

sentence one state your position i'll give you some examples of how you can do this

so you need to look at these sentences practice them make

them the your own personalize them that's part of the purpose

of this video is to give you a lot of different sentences

that you can use to help you complete this type of writing task i agree with student a

because the explanation clearly shows i agree with student a

because the example they provided helps clarify i agree with student a

because their point about i disagree with student b

because the argument focuses on i disagree with student b because the example they mentioned

so your position must be clear in the first sentence

so don't wait state your position very clearly right in the

beginning okay here are some more examples of what you can do in the beginning

when you state your position i disagree with student b

because they overlook i partially agree

but i think the issue is more complex than i partially agree

but the solution would only work i partially agree

but additional research would be necessary i partially agree but i would argue that the opposing viewpoint.

So I gave you at least 10 here.

These are 10 good sentence starters to help you state your position, which is the first thing you want to do with this writing task.

Okay, how about sentences two through four, reason plus example.

A lot of students, it's the example that kills them.

They give no example.

So here's how you can do this the professor's post highlights

this through the professor explains this by referencing the idea appears

in the professor's example the professor's question implies this outcome the lecture supports this point by

and maybe not lecture but you could say the the one of the discussion posts

or the professor's post students a post illustrates this clearly student

a gives a concrete example student a connects this to the reading

or to the other post students a's explanation helps clarify why

and then student b raises a contrasting example

so this is how you you you do your sentences two through four

so that you actually engage with both the professor

and the student's posts so examples are the difference between a three and a five use real experiences,

not vague ideas.

So let's talk about other example sentences that you can show here.

And the purpose here is you mention a reason plus an example continue.

Student B's post shows a limitation, blah, blah, blah.

Student B focuses on a different factor.

One point from student A shows.

A detail in student B's response suggests this aligns with a professor's original claim.

This extends the idea from student A.

This challenges the assumption student B makes.

The professor's scenario demonstrates this effect.

Student A's reasoning is supported when student B's example reveals a weakness, blah, blah, blah.

So there you go here are example type sentences you can

use once you get past stating the position these are great sentences you can use two through four

so let's take a look at an example you have a

real concrete example driven post high scoring let's look at it together here I agree with a professor

that flexible work schedules can increase productivity especially when employees are trusted to manage their time.

This is clear in the professor's example of technology companies allowing hybrid work.

For instance, the professor mentions that employees who can choose

when to work often complete tasks more efficiently because they avoid peak stress hours.

Student A also supports this idea by pointing out

that fewer interruptions at home can improve focus in real world real world situation now this is very important

because this is

when you contribute you add something new don't forget this part

right a parrot can repeat what everybody else has already said

you're not a parrot right in real world situations this can be seen

when fewer employees schedules demanding tasks during the most productive hours such as early morning

or late evening additionally research from organizational psychology shows

that autonomy often leads to higher motivation

while some structure is still necessary the examples from both the professor

and student a demonstrate that flexibility

when paired with accountability can lead to measurable improvements in performance

so that last sentence while some structure blah blah blah

that synthesis you're now taking the professor's post

and then one of the student's post and then combining that to your own ideas.

That's genius.

That's going to get you a super high score.

Why this works.

Clear position, specific references to professor and student, concrete examples and cause of ecologic, academic, but natural tome.

Example two.

This is not what you want this is vague abstract analysis

only post right low scoring now i wanted to keep it about the same word

so you can see you can write a lot

and say absolutely nothing right so just because you have 100

100

or 150 words does not guarantee a high score i agree

101

that flexible work schedules are generally beneficial because they can help people work better many studies suggest that flexibility is important,

102

and this idea is widely discussed in modern workplaces.

103

Student A also seems to agree that flexibility has advantages, which shows that this is a common opinion.

104

In general, people prefer having choices, and this can improve how they feel about their work.

105

Productivity is influenced by many factors, so flexible schedules can be helpful in different ways.

106

Overall, this topic is complex and there are multiple perspectives to consider.

107

While flexibility may not work for everyone, it still plays an important role in today's society.

108

Therefore, it is reasonable to say that flexible schedules can have positive effects depending on the situation.

109

So what have we done here?

110

Nothing.

111

Why this fails?

112

No specific example from professor or students the the writer does mention the student

113

but doesn't give anything specific repeats ideas without developing them abstract language many studies in general

114

so it sounds safe right but it's empty it's kind of like

115

that friend that you know how are you you know he says i'm fine

116

but you never get past that first level of um conversation that's that's superficial talk.

117

You need to get deep into your discussion, and this is not the way to do it here.

118

Okay, sentences five through six, so you need to respond to a classmate.

119

You need to show that you read the other posts.

120

Mention students by name.

121

How do you do that?

122

I'm going to give you a whole bunch of examples.

123

Student A raises a strong point.

124

However, student A's example is useful, but student A focuses on one factor.

125

Yet, student A's argument is convincing.

126

Still, student A identifies an issue.

127

Nevertheless, while student B argues this, I think, while student B emphasizes efficiency,

128

I, Okay, student B presents an alternative view.

129

However, student B's reasoning makes sense,

130

but student B overlooks an important limitation. So let's keep going.

131

Here are some more examples.

132

Remember, we're focusing on the sentence, the fifth and the sixth sentence in your academic discussion.

133

What is it going to look like?

134

Here are more examples.

135

Student B assumes this applies universally,

136

yet student B's conclusion differs from mine because I agree with student A overall,

137

but I agree with student B to some extent, however.

138

Compared to student A's view, I, in contrast to student B's claim, I, student A and I share a view, but.

139

Student B raises a concern worth considering.

140

However, student A provides support, though.

141

Student B's point is valid in theory, but.

142

You see how it works?

143

So now you have sentences one through three, one through six figured out.

144

Remember, practice writing these types of sentences until you're comfortable creating a 100 to 150 word discussion post.

145

Final sentence wrap up.

146

What does that final sentence look like?

147

You just need one.

148

How about here's some examples.

149

For these reasons, this approach is more effective.

150

For these reasons, I support the professor's position.

151

For these reasons, student A's view is stronger.

152

Overall, I believe this solution is practical.

153

Overall, I believe this argument is well -supported.

154

Overall, I believe the evidence favors this view.

155

This is why flexibility leads to better outcomes.

156

This is why the professor's conclusion is convincing.

157

This is why student -age reasoning is persuasive.

158

Taken together, these points support my position.

159

Remember, one good concluding sentence will get the job done.

160

Here are some more examples of how to wrap it up.

161

Taken together, the examples justify this conclusion.

162

Taken together, this discussion favors this approach.

163

In conclusion, the evidence supports this claim.

164

In conclusion, this perspective best fits the evidence.

165

In conclusion, this view addresses the key concerns.

166

As a result, this argument remains the strongest.

167

As a result, this solution seems most realistic.

168

Therefore, this position is more convincing.

169

Therefore, the professor's view is justified.

170

Therefore, this explanation best answers the question.

171

Remember, use these and then kind of play around with them a bit.

172

If you're watching this video, you probably have advanced grammar, right? would be watching in the first place

173

so as you practice trust me you'll begin to combine these sentences

174

or mix certain templates with other templates and you'll develop your own personal style

175

that will work okay let's take a look at a sample five out of five response breakdown right

176

so you have a professor's post on financial literacy and then you'll read many universities

177

graduates struggle with debt budgeting and long -term financial planning.

178

Some argue that universities should require all students to complete a financial literacy course

179

while others believe students should be free to choose what they study.

180

In your opinion, should financial literacy be a required course at universities?

181

Why or why not?

182

So this is basically the professor's question.

183

On the TOEFL, you see like an avatar.

184

You see a picture of a professor.

185

So everything that you write needs to answer this.

186

In particular, you need to focus on that in your opinion should blah, blah, blah.

187

That's very important.

188

So then you'll read two students' posts connected to the professors.

189

writing prompt.

190

So student A says, I think financial literacy should be required because many students graduate without knowing how to manage credit cards,

191

loans, or interest.

192

A required course could prevent serious financial mistakes later in life.

193

Then student B says, I disagree with requiring financial literacy courses.

194

Students already have many mandatory classes And universities should allow them to choose subjects that match their career goals.

195

You see how it works?

196

So typically, one student will agree with the idea, and then the other student will disagree.

197

Then you now have to figure out your position.

198

And that's when you state your position.

199

So this is going to score really high.

200

So this response, it's incorporating everything I've showed you so far in this video.

201

I believe financial literacy should be a required course at universities because many students graduate without essential money management skills.

202

The professor's post highlights problems such as debt and poor budgeting, which often affect graduates long after college.

203

For example, students may have to take out loans or use credit cards without fully understanding interest rates, leading to long -term financial stress.

204

Student A correctly notes that a required course could prevent serious mistakes later in life.

205

While student B argues that students already have too many required classes,

206

I believe financial literacy is different from most electives because it applies to all careers, not just specific majors.

207

And this is when you're adding something new, exactly here.

208

Even students who study engineering or art must manage rent, loans, and savings.

209

For these reasons, requiring a basic financial literacy course would better prepare students for real -world responsibilities after graduation.

210

So notice the response.

211

It states a position, gives a concrete example, and responds directly to one of the students.

212

And of course, it acknowledges what the professor has also said.

213

So here is a low scoring response that will not get a five.

214

It's not going to get 30 points.

215

This is probably between two and three.

216

I think financial literacy is an important topic and both students make good points.

217

Student A says it helps students manage money better, which is true.

218

And student B says students already have many required courses.

219

I agree that learning about money is useful, but students should also have freedom in choosing their classes.

220

Universities should try to balance these ideas so students can learn what they need.

221

So what's the problem here?

222

Well, there's a big problem.

223

There's no clear stance.

224

The writer never clearly agrees or disagrees.

225

There's no concrete example everything is general

226

and abstract it's mostly summary repeats both students instead of contributing

227

and does it even mention the professor at all it doesn't

228

it's a weak organization there's no clear structure no development there's

229

no academic engagement no challenge there's no extension of anything there's no new idea

230

so this response sounds okay

231

but it doesn't add anything knew it mostly repeats what student a

232

and b already said and it never gives a real example

233

or a clear position so because of that this is not going to score higher than three

234

now let's do some practice what is the popular saying hearing is good seeing is better but doing is best

235

so why don't you take out some paper

236

or maybe on your computer write a 150 word response to this practice prompt

237

that you can compare with the example i provide in the video

238

so the professor says universities often emphasize academic success

239

but they also play a role in supporting students physical

240

and mental well -being some educators argue that requiring physical fitness courses encourages healthy habits,

241

reduces stress, and improves academic performance.

242

Others believe students should have the freedom to decide how they manage their own health outside the classroom.

243

In your opinion, could universities require physical fitness courses for all students?

244

Explain your position and respond to at least one classmate's idea.

245

And by the way, I'm a professor at California State University of San Bernardino, and in most of my discussion posts,

246

I have to reply to at least two students' posts.

247

Okay, student A says here, I believe physical fitness courses should be required because many students become inactive due to academic pressure.

248

Regular exercise can reduce stress, improve concentration, and support mental health.

249

A structured course would help students build healthy habits that continue after graduation.

250

So that's the first student who agrees with the idea.

251

Student B disagrees.

252

And student B says this.

253

I disagree with requiring fitness courses because students have different schedules, abilities, and health needs some students already exercise on their own

254

while others prefer activities outside formal classes universities should allow students

255

to choose how they stay healthy instead of forcing a requirement so write a quick response to that

256

now you can compare what you wrote to this so here is an example a five out of five academic response.

257

So you have the position is clearly stated, the student mentions or acknowledges a professor's ideas,

258

and then the student integrates and acknowledges student A and student B and then gives new information to the discussion.

259

How does that sound?

260

I believe universities should require physical fitness courses because they support both physical and mental well -being.

261

The professor emphasizes that universities have a role beyond academics, which includes helping students manage stress.

262

For example, regular exercise has been shown to improve focus and reduce anxiety, especially during demanding academic terms.

263

Student A also notes that structured fitness courses can help students develop long -term healthy habits.

264

While Student B argues that students should choose how to manage their health, I believe a basic fitness requirement does not remove choice,

265

but instead ensures that all students receive guidance on safe and effective exercise.

266

Many students want to be active, but lack knowledge or motivation without clear structure.

267

For these reasons, a fitness,

268

a required fitness course can provide essential support while still allowing students flexibility in how they stay healthy.

269

There you go.

270

So why this response scores five out of five?

271

You have a clear stance.

272

The writer clearly supports requiring fitness courses.

273

There is no doubt.

274

There's a concrete example stress reduction and academic focus are explained.

275

Engagement, direct response to student B, not just agreement with student A.

276

And I like how in this one, the student acknowledges student B's idea, but then refutes it.

277

I thought that was really good.

278

New reasoning added, emphasizes guidance and structure, not repetition.

279

There's an academic tone plus transitions.

280

It helps the ideas for logically and it helps the writer stay on topic.

281

So how'd you do on that one?

282

How did your model, how did your actual writing compare to the model I just presented?

283

So let's do it again.

284

Remember, um, hearing is good.

285

Seeing is better, but doing is best.

286

So your goal here is to do another, maybe 100 to 150 word discussion post based on practice prompt number two.

287

The topic, should universities limit students' use of AI tools?

288

So the professor says, artificial intelligence tools are becoming common in academic settings, especially for research, writing, and problem solving.

289

Some educators believe universities should limit students' use of AI to protect academic integrity and critical thinking skills.

290

Others argue that AI is a valuable learning tool that students must learn to use responsibly.

291

In your opinion, student universities restrict students' use of AI tools.

292

Explain your position and respond to at least one classmate's idea. So student A says,

293

I think universities should limit AI use because students may rely on it too much instead of developing their own skills.

294

If AI tools are unrestricted, students might stop practicing critical thinking and academic writing which are essential for long -term learning.

295

Student B says, I disagree with limiting AI tools because they can support learning when used correctly.

296

Many students use AI to brainstorm ideas or check understanding, not to cheat.

297

Universities should teach responsible use rather than banning or restricting these tools.

298

Now, compare your model, your writing, to this example here.

299

So this would get a very high score.

300

I believe universities should not strictly limit students' use of AI tools, but instead focus on responsible use.

301

The professor's post highlights concerns about academic integrity, which are important, but AI can also support learning when used appropriately.

302

For example, students may use AI to generate practice questions or clarify difficult concepts, which can improve understanding.

303

Student B also argues that AI is often used as a support tool rather than a replacement for thinking.

304

While student A is correct that over -reliance is a risk, clear guidelines and instruction can reduce misuse without banning helpful technology.

305

Since AI tools are already common in many professional fields, universities have a responsibility to prepare students to use them ethically.

306

For these reasons, teaching responsible AI use is more effective than strict limitations.

307

So why this score is a five?

308

Let's look at the most important aspects of the writing

309

and this is what you want to look for when you're evaluating your own writing.

310

Clear position stated early in the first two lines,

311

concrete academic example, direct response to both students and the professor, adds new reasoning beyond classmates,

312

consistent academic tone and organization.

313

so how about a mini test you you got even more

314

practice how about do this one read the post the two students uh responses to the post

315

and then write your own and i'm going to go over it right now

316

so uh academic discussion discussion scoring zero to five so the topic is should universities require group projects in most courses.

317

The professor says, some professors believe group projects prepare students for teamwork in professional settings,

318

while others argue they create unequal workloads and grading issues.

319

In your opinion, should group projects be required in most university classes.

320

Respond to at least one classmate.

321

Student A says, I believe group projects should be required because they help students develop collaboration and communication skills.

322

In many careers, employees must work in teams, solve problems together, and manage shared responsibilities.

323

Group projects allow students to practice these skills before entering professional environments.

324

Student B says, I disagree with requiring group projects in most courses because they're often unfair.

325

Some students end up doing more work than others, which can affect grades and motivation.

326

Even with rules, it is difficult to ensure equal participation in group -based assignments.

327

Pause the video and write your response.

328

now in a minute you can compare your response to five different attempts to this assignment

329

and the first one is uh one and then we go to two then three then four then five

330

now i pray that your response does not look like this

331

if it if it does it's a one Group projects can be good or bad.

332

Some students like them and some do not.

333

Student A thinks they are helpful, but student B disagrees.

334

It depends on the situation.

335

Notice how this is a completely grammatically correct writing.

336

It's a score of one.

337

Why?

338

It mentions students but does not engage with ideas.

339

There's no clear opinion.

340

This is good or bad.

341

No examples or explanation.

342

Very limited development.

343

This is not where you want to be.

344

How does your writing compare to this one?

345

If it does, you get a score of two.

346

It's underdeveloped, but it's certainly better than the one.

347

I think group projects can help students work together.

348

Student A says they improve communication, which is true in some cases.

349

However, Student B is also correct that some students do more work.

350

Group projects are common in universities.

351

So why does this score a 2?

352

Position is unclear and inconsistent.

353

No concrete example.

354

Mentioned students, but adds no new reasoning.

355

Ideas are listed, not developed.

356

Now we're at the three.

357

Does yours look like this?

358

This is what we call adequate but basic.

359

I believe group projects should be used sometimes, but not in every course.

360

Student A is right that teamwork skills are important for future jobs.

361

However, Student B correctly points out that group projects can be unfair.

362

when work is not equally shared in my opinion professors should carefully design group projects to avoid these problems

363

so why does this get a score of three this is

364

probably where a lot of people are going to be I think is between three

365

and four so there is a clear position

366

and the student responds to both positions or both students

367

but lacks specific examples and the reasoning is reasonable but general

368

and very abstract so there's not a lot there

369

if I'm sitting down to eat dinner I feel like I'm only getting a salad I'm eating

370

and I'm getting some nourishment but I'm missing the main course that's how I feel when I see this one

371

now is your writing a score of four does it look like this this is strong

372

but limited depth so I believe group projects should be required in some courses

373

because they help students develop collaboration skills student a correctly explains

374

that teamwork is important for professional environments for example many jobs require employees to work in teams to solve problems However,

375

student B raises a valid concern about unequal workloads.

376

To address this issue, professors could include peer evaluations to ensure fairness.

377

Overall, group projects can be effective when designed carefully.

378

So why this score is a five?

379

I mean a four.

380

Clear stance, concrete example included, responds directly to student B, could add a deeper explanation, a broader insight.

381

I think it needs to acknowledge the professor's ideas more also, I think would be helpful.

382

I think that's one of the key differences between the four and the five.

383

The five acknowledges the professor and the two students post.

384

So if you did this, if your writing looks like this, congratulations.

385

So score five, it means that you're fully developed it's a high -scoring response.

386

Let's look what it looks like.

387

I believe group projects should be required in some university courses because they prepare students for real -world collaboration.

388

The professor notes that teamwork is a key professional skill which student A supports by emphasizing communication and cooperation.

389

Did you guys see that right there?

390

We have two different sources, the professor and his ideas plus student A's ideas.

391

That's synthesis integrating both.

392

It says, for example, many workplaces employees must coordinate tasks and meet shared deadlines similar to academic group projects.

393

And now the student acknowledges student B.

394

While student B argues that group work can be unfair, this problem often results from poor structure rather than the concept itself,

395

professors can reduce inequality by assigning clear roles or using peer evaluations.

396

For these reasons, well -designed group projects offer valuable learning experiences without the drawbacks. that student B describes.

397

So why this score is five?

398

You have a clear, confident position, specific real -world example, direct engagement with both students.

399

It adds new reasoning, not just repetition, so it has more depth and has a logical flow and academic tone.

400

So when I think about when I think about the two or the three, if I'm thinking about eating a meal, it's kind of like this.

401

If you score two or three, I'm sitting down to eat dinner.

402

I expect to get an appetizer or a salad.

403

I'm looking for a main course and then I'm looking for dessert.

404

so if you're writing at the two

405

or the three level i kind of feel like i'm sitting down to eat dinner

406

but i'm only getting a salad however the one

407

that scores a four i feel like i've i've gotten the the appetizer i've eaten my salad

408

and i'm beginning to eat my main course

409

but i don't really have a dessert but the score five

410

that when i'm fully satisfied i have my salad my appetizer I had the main course I'm very happy with,

411

and then I have a dessert even after that.

412

So I am fully satisfied, you know, 1 ,800 calories later.

413

How about that?

414

That's what the five is to me.

415

You want to look at it like that.

416

Now let's take a look at the templates.

417

Now be careful.

418

I'm going to give you 10 templates with different rhetorical kind of purposes.

419

This one is called example, agree, plus example, plus respond.

420

So these are flexible.

421

You want to personalize them any way you can, right?

422

So with this one, you'll say something like, I agree with a professor that, your position, this is because,

423

main reason, which is clearly connected to the issue raised in the prompt.

424

For example, specific example or situation illustrates why this approach is effective.

425

Student A also supports this view by noting, then student A's idea, while student B raises an important concern about student B's point,

426

I believe the issue can be addressed by your response.

427

For these reasons, clear concluding judgment.

428

And remember, these are safe, flexible templates.

429

Personalize them.

430

Now, I think it's important here that you write these down.

431

I would even handwrite them because you want to feel the vocabulary and the grammar of the templates.

432

You don't want to just copy and paste them.

433

That's why I'm not putting the templates in the description below the video.

434

It's better that you write them down, and that's part of the learning process.

435

Template number two, how about a partial agreement focus?

436

While I generally agree with the professor's position, I think the situation is more complex.

437

The main reason is that reason, which affects how the policy works in practice.

438

For instance, concrete example shows both benefits and limitations.

439

Student A highlights student A's idea, which is convincing.

440

However, student B correctly points out student B's concern overall and then present a balanced conclusion.

441

And that gives you the template number two.

442

Template three is disagree respectfully.

443

I disagree with the idea that professors claim

444

because reason this can be seen when specific example

445

which suggests a different outcome student b supports this view by

446

explaining student b's idea although student a argues student a's claim this reasoning overlooks limitation therefore final stance

447

that would be disagreeing respectfully

448

and the purpose of the templates is it's showing you how to integrate your ideas with the professors post

449

and the two students post because that's how you're going to get

450

that high score because

451

that shows high what I call synthesis argument evaluation assessment you're showing a lot of high critical thinking reasoning

452

when you follow these kinds of templates

453

when you're integrating ideas like this okay how about number four here example driven approach template it.

454

I believe your position.

455

mainly due to its real -world impact.

456

The professor's post emphasizes key issue, which is especially important in academic settings.

457

For example, realistic scenario demonstrates how this affects students directly.

458

Student A's post reinforces this by mentioning student A's support.

459

In contrast, students B's concern about,

460

student B's point, is understandable but less convincing as a result than conclusion that would be example driven approach

461

template number five how about

462

if you want to compare student views maybe that's something you'd like to do

463

and you want to practice this remember that these are example templates

464

and you should practice them and get more familiar with them

465

so then when you're taking the TOEFL and you get to the academic online writing discussion, you'll kind of know intuitively which of the templates is going to work better,

466

given the purpose of the discussion post you're trying to do, if that makes sense.

467

So in your opinion, then your stance is the most reasonable position.

468

Student A argues that, student A's view, which highlights an important benefit.

469

Student B, however, claims, student B's view, focusing on potential drawbacks.

470

Well, both perspectives are valid, key difference you emphasize, makes one argument stronger.

471

For example, supporting example supports a conclusion.

472

Overall, then state the final judgment.

473

How about the next one?

474

You have a problem -solution structure to it.

475

And it'll look something like this.

476

I believe your position, because it addresses a common problem discussed by the professor.

477

Many students face problem which affects their academic or personal success.

478

For example, give a clear example illustrates this issue.

479

Student A recognizes this challenge by stating, student A's idea.

480

While student B is concerned about student B's issue, a possible solution is, solution, for these reasons, final position.

481

so the next one it's a cautious academic tone

482

so what would this sound like if you want to do this one cautious means

483

that you don't want to come on as being too strong

484

you have some doubts maybe i tend to support your position

485

although some limitations should be considered the professor's post suggests

486

that key idea which is generally reasonable for example evidence

487

or scenario supports his claim student A agrees with this interpretation

488

noting student A's point student B's concern about student B's concern is valid

489

but it does not outweigh the benefits therefore measure conclusion.

490

The next one, this is what we call a cause and effect focus.

491

I believe your stance because it leads to positive outcomes for students.

492

One major reason is that cause which results in effect.

493

This can be seen when, example, student A supports this by emphasizing student A's idea.

494

Although student B raises concerns about student B's issue, these effects are less significant.

495

Overall, final conclusion, and here is a template where you want to show a very strong argument.

496

I strongly believe your position because it directly addresses the issue raised by their professor.

497

The main reason is clear reason, which affects all students regardless of background.

498

For example, specific realistic example demonstrates this clearly.

499

Student A's post supports this view by explaining student A support.

500

While student B disagrees, your rebuttal, but remember, be respectful, but you can definitely rebut,

501

shows why this concern is limited for these reasons, clear, confident wrap up.

502

So these are good ones.

503

These are strong templates to help you.

504

Now let's move on to the next part.

505

Let's get into what we call different kinds of reporting verbs.

506

Reporting verbs are important because you're explaining information which comes from either the professor's post or prompt or the student's post.

507

So there's different verbs that will do different kinds of things.

508

And notice how all the verbs I'm going to show you.

509

I'm going to keep them in the simple present using the third person present singular inflection S.

510

So if you don't want to judge or make any argument, you want to be neutral.

511

You can use things like states, describes, explains, notes, reports, outlines, present, summarizes, identifies and observes.

512

Right.

513

You're making no judgment.

514

You're just kind of explaining the information.

515

now what if you want to show agreement or support

516

so here are reporting verbs

517

that show alignment with something maybe you agree with the student student b maybe

518

or student a or so you'll use words like agree supports confirms endorses of firms reinforces validates concurs upholds and then backs.

519

These are all verbs.

520

So use these as you're practicing this type of writing task.

521

Remember that reporting verbs help your writing sound academic and not conversation.

522

So it gives you the right formal tone you're looking for.

523

Now how about disagreement or critique?

524

So use Use these verbs to show opposition or criticism, disagrees, challenges, disputes, criticizes, questions,

525

refutes, rejects, encounters, opposes, or contradicts.

526

How about argument and claim making?

527

So when you want to take a position, use these reporting verbs argues,

528

claims, contends, asserts, maintains, insists, proposes, suggests, posits, and advances.

529

And the key is to use a variety of these reporting verbs.

530

Don't just pick two and then use them the entire time.

531

Maybe you'll take five or six.

532

Five or six good, strong reporting verbs, I think, during your discussion posts,

533

I think would really showcase your wide range of kind of vocabulary

534

and it will give you the right formal tone you're looking for.

535

Emphasis and strengthening ideas.

536

So if you want to show the importance or you want to show the intensity of something, you can use these verbs.

537

Emphasizes, highlights stresses underscores prioritizes foregrounds draws attention to focuses on accentuates spotlights

538

and remember that reporting verbs they help the writing sound academic not conversational you don't want to feel like

539

when you go to church right if you're going to church on Saturday or Sunday and you go to church in shorts,

540

sliders, a t -shirt and a Budweiser cap, you're not fitting in.

541

That's not what a lot of people look like when they go to church.

542

You're going to be more dressed than that.

543

How about this?

544

Conversely, if you go to the beach, right, you don't want to go to the beach wearing a suit and a tie, a white shirt, a tie,

545

you know, black shoes, dark socks, whatever, that's not going to be the right dress for the right occasion.

546

So I'm telling you that these reporting verbs and

547

that everything I've been showing you in this video is going

548

to give you the right tone for this type of writing task so you can score high.

549

Cause -effect explanation.

550

So when you want to share relationships or reasoning, you can use things like explains,

551

demonstrates, illustrates, shows, reveals, indicates, links, associates, attributes, accounts for.

552

Those are strong verbs in those cases.

553

Comparison and contrast.

554

So if your purpose is to show similarities or differences between your ideas

555

and one of the discussion polls from either the students or the professor, you can use these types of reporting verbs.

556

Compares, contrasts, distinguishes, differentiates, parallels,

557

aligns, diverges, separates, equates, or sets apart.

558

Those are all strong verbs there.

559

evaluation and assessment so here are some good reporting verbs

560

if you want to judge value effectiveness or quality Here are some very strong verbs,

561

evaluates, assesses, examines, analyzes, appraises, reviews, critiques, judges, measures, or ways.

562

Those would be strong verbs for evaluation or assessment.

563

Now, if you want to show limitation or caution, so these are reporting verbs that help you to show restrictions, uncertainty, or balance.

564

acknowledges concedes, qualifies limits, cautions warns,

565

moderates tempers contextualizes narrows so these are helpful in these cases show limitation or caution

566

how about conclusion or synthesis So use these reporting verbs when you're going to wrap up or you want to integrate ideas.

567

Concludes, determines, infers, synthesizes, integrates,

568

summarizes, consolidates, revolves, generalizes, draws a conclusion that.

569

So these are all important to help you with this purpose.

570

Okay, so finally, if you've gotten to the end of this video, I apologize for it being so academic, but this is who I am.

571

I'm a professor of linguistics and composition at California State University, San Bernardino.

572

I'm helping you not just score high on the TOEFL exam,

573

but I'm trying to equip you with the skills you need to communicate professionally and academically.

574

And those types of environments and this video you follow what I've been teaching you so far will help you.

575

So the final reminders here when you're doing this academic discussion writing task, take a clear position.

576

Don't try to stay in the middle.

577

Add something new.

578

By all means, you must contribute.

579

You cannot just re -explain what everybody has already said.

580

Use examples.

581

Remember, if you're thinking about concrete versus abstract details, use the concrete type examples.

582

They're very effective in supporting your argument.

583

Don't forget, engage with classmates.

584

Keep it academic.

585

Very, very important.

586

So here's my final video here.

587

I like this quote by Bruce Lee, and that's why I put it here says I fear not the man who has practiced 10 ,000 kicks once

588

but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10 ,000 times how about

589

that think about that for a minute so think about the sentences

590

and the templates and everything I've given you

591

so far in the video what if you take some of what I'm teaching you

592

and you practice it over and over and over and over what do you think is going to happen, right?

593

You're going to improve your grammar skills.

594

You're going to improve your syntactic variety type skills.

595

You're going to improve your reasoning, critical thinking.

596

You're going to improve a lot of really, really good writing type proficiency.

597

I'm telling you.

598

Now in the next video, I know I've given you some practice with, I gave you some mini tests and some practice tests here, but I know, and you know, that's not going to be enough.

599

You remember what Bruce Lee said?

600

I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10 ,000 times.

601

So in the next video in this playlist, I'm going to give you a test bank.

602

I'm going to try to get close to 100 questions there so you can practice this at least 100 times.

603

Maybe not 10 ,000 times, but you're going to do it 100 times.

604

That'd be great, right?

605

remember that you can get personalized feedback

606

if you follow me my youtube channel you'll notice

607

that i don't post all my feedback online

608

but sometimes students give me permission

609

and i post the feedback i'm giving them either speaking

610

or writing feedback i'll post it to my youtube channel

611

so you know the kind of feedback i give my students

612

so if you want that kind of personalized TOEFL speaking and writing feedback, you can visit my website at bettertoeflscores .com.

613

It has the same name as my YouTube channel.

614

And I'm telling you, I give a lot of feedback, especially with accent reduction.

615

A lot of students need a lot of help with their speaking.

616

So I do have speaking and writing feedback.

617

And the way that works, is, um, it's, it's a $99 a month fee.

618

It's not free.

619

Believe me, it, it, it takes me a lot of time to give feedback

620

and students send me daily speaking and daily writing practice.

621

So if you send me like a, you can basically send me one writing practice test per day, or you can send me 60 seconds of speaking or pronunciation practice per day.

622

But think about that.

623

If that's 60 seconds per day over a month.

624

I mean, that's a lot.

625

That's a lot of feedback you're getting for only $99.

626

Remember that if you, if you try to meet with me face to face by zoom, I charge minimum $50 an hour, 50 for one hour.

627

Uh, anyway, thank you for watching the video.

628

Don't forget, subscribe to my YouTube channel.

629

You'll be notified when I have more videos coming out

630

and i hope that you've enjoyed this particular video and remember

631

that this is part of a youtube playlist so

632

if you look below this video i'll have a pinned comment sending you to the next video in this series

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This C1 speaking lesson is built on the video “TOEFL Writing 2026: Academic Discussion Masterclass”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: student, example, position, academic, professor. This video has 632 sentences and 7103 words to shadow. The speech runs for 55:19. The speaker talks at a steady 128 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
verb noun	/vɝb/	A word that indicates an action, event, or state of being.
template noun	/ˈtɛm.plɪt/	A physical object whose shape is used as a guide to make other objects.
disagree verb	/dɪsəˈɡɹi/	To fail to agree; to have a different opinion or belief.
emphasize verb	/ˈɛm.fə.saɪz/	To stress, give emphasis or extra weight to (something).
literacy noun	/ˈlɪtəɹəsi/	The ability to read and write.
limitation noun	/lɪmɪˈteɪʃən/	The act of limiting or the state of being limited.
integrate verb	/ˈɪn.tɪ.ɡɹeɪt/	To include as a constituent part or functionality.
prompt verb	/pɹɑmpt/	To lead (someone) toward what they should say or do.
flexibility noun	/ˌflɛksɪˈbɪlɪti/	The quality of being flexible, whether physically or metaphorically.
stance noun	/stæns/	The manner, pose, or posture in which one stands.
classmate noun	/ˈklæs.meɪt/	A student who is in the same class at school.
personalize verb	/ˈpɜː.sə.nə.laɪz/	To adapt something to the needs or tastes of an individual.
teamwork noun		The cooperative effort of a team of people to achieve a common goal.
illustrate verb	/ˈɪl.əˌstɹeɪt/	To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison.
synthesis noun	/ˈsɪnθəsɪs/	The formation of something complex or coherent by combining simpler things.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
point out verb		To identify among a group of similar subjects, or in a scene where the subject might not be readily seen or noticed, with a gesture of the body.
wrap up verb		To cover or enclose (something) by folding and securing a covering entirely around it.
figure out verb		To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.
get past verb		To continue around a blockage; to get around (something); to surpass something that is in the way.
take out verb		To remove.
come out verb	/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/	To be discovered; to be revealed.
end up verb		To bring to a conclusion.
go over verb		To look at carefully; to scrutinize; to analyze.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

That's going to get you a super high score.
How do you do that?
You see how it works?
How does your writing compare to this one?
Did you guys see that right there?

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on	I've been showing · I've been teaching
Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result	if you look below this video i'll have
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	has already said · have we done · have advanced
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	is supported · are trusted · can be seen

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 113 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “sh” and “zh” sounds: limitation /lɪmɪˈteɪʃən/, repetition /ˌɹɛp.əˈtɪʃ.ən/, cautious /ˈkɔːʃəs/, caution /ˈkɔːʃ(ə)n/, graduation /ˌɡɹæd͡ʒuˈeɪʃən/
Long words — get the stress right: literacy /ˈlɪtəɹəsi/, limitation /lɪmɪˈteɪʃən/, flexibility /ˌflɛksɪˈbɪlɪti/, personalize /ˈpɜː.sə.nə.laɪz/, appetizer /ˈæpɪˌtaɪzə/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like verb, template, disagree.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →