10 Tips to Improve Your TOEFL Essays

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4. Have a thesis statement

The thesis statement is the most important sentence in the essay. It is last sentence in the first paragraph (the introduction), and it tells the reader exactly what your opinion is. Not writing a thesis statement is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.

5. Use topic sentences

A topic sentence is the first sentence of each paragraph in the essay's body. It gives the reader two things: 1) a summary of what will be in the paragraph, and 2) one reason that supports your thesis statement.

6. Learn the conditionals: first, second, and third

Learning the conditionals may actually help you more than studying the tenses. Conditionals are especially useful when expressing opinions and giving reasons, two things that you must do in the TOEFL independent writing tasks.

Each conditional, however, has a slightly different meaning. This depends on reality, possibility, and time. Learn how to use the conditionals, and practice them often. Not using the conditionals correctly is one of the most common mistakes in TOEFL essays.

7. Never begin a sentence with a conjunction

The words and, but, and because are all conjunctions. In English, we only use conjunctions to connect sentences--we almost never begin a sentence with one.