Recommended TOEFL iBT Books for Writing

Not a sexy book. Not an interesting book. No colorful illustrations. This book is simply one of the best writing courses on the market today! Be warned: this is not an easy book to work from. Indeed, working from this book is like going to the dentist: it's both painful and necessary, but in future years you will never regret the experience. If you're looking for a book with fancy graphics and eye-catching illustrations, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a complete course in essay writing to improve your TOEFL iBT score, this book is absolutely essential. A must-have.

Good general introduction to essay writing. The book focuses on TOEFL iBT writing, and introduces concepts and techniques that can be applied to other writing tests such as the IELTS or MELAB. The book is especially good for beginners--the material is presented in a simple, straightforward, and easy-to-understand language.

Boring and not effective. The focus of this book is on grammar, not writing. The practice tests are also grammar-focused, and most of the exercises are, too. The book uses a lot of unnecessary and confusing technical terminology to explain grammar. Some of the explanations are very detail-oriented, but are sometimes concerned with issues that are major problem areas for native speakers of English. If English is your second language, your time is much better spent concentrating on more fundamental issues. Do not buy.

The most trustworthy book on the market. Published by the company that makes the TOEFL iBT, this book gives you the most accurate information about the test format, assessment, and scoring. It offers a detailed description of each of four test sections: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. It may not be the best book for improving your writing skills, but it is certainly the most important book to have if you are preparing for the TOEFL. Buy this book.

Not a bad book for TOEFL writing preparation. It guides you through planning, writing and revsing a TOEFL essay. Along the way, there are practice exercises to build writing skills. There is also a collection of 185 sample essays, useful for analyzing format and structure. Recommendation: buy.

A waste of time, a waste of money, a waste of paper. The book offers no tips, tricks, or advice on how to improve your writing. The only thing you'll find here are sample essays. Moreover, the essays are obviously written by non-native speakers of English--they are full of mistakes! Help save our planet's trees by conserving paper: do not buy this book.