Why Grade Yourself?

  1. With guidelines and samples, students generally give accurate grades of their own answers.
  2. It will help you understand what makes a good response, so you can improve!

Rubrics

Click on each aspect to see guiding questions for evaluating each part of your response. If you are strong in one aspect, but weaker in another, average your scores to determine a final ones.

Speaking

ASPECT GRADE
Quality of Content 1 to 4
Quality of Speech 1 to 4
Quality of Language 1 to 4
Final score Average of three scores above

Writing

ASPECT GRADE
Quality of Content 1 to 5
Quality of Language 1 to 5
Final score Average of two scores above

How to Grade Yourself

  1. Review the examples for each grade
  2. Read the explanation for why the example deserves the grade
  3. Listen to your answers.
  4. Compare your answer to the sample answers and assign a grade.

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Speaking Samples

GRADE EXAMPLES EXPLANATION
4 Independent Task Sample


Integrated Task Sample

Independent Task Sample
Although there are a few points in which the student's pronunciation isn't perfect, she speaks fluently, without pausing, and tells a clear story with specific details. She includes advanced grammar, such as in the sentence, "In some places like Germany, they want people to learn German before applying for any university or any jobs there so that they can interact with the local people easily." The student makes no significant grammar or vocabulary errors.

Integrated Task Sample
This student speaks with very clear pronunciation and intonation, including all the key details from the listening and his own opinion. There are a few minor grammar errors, but they do not cause confusion, and his vocabulary is advanced in a conversational way.
3 Independent Task Sample


Integrated Task Sample
Independent Task Sample
The meaning of everything this student says is clear, and her answer is organized, but her vocabulary is quite basic, and she does not speak continuously. She also repeats some vocabulary words mutliple times. There are many small pauses as she chooses words. There is also not quite enough detail in the explanation.

Integrated Task Sample
Although his pronunciation is quite clear and he speaks at a natural speed with conversational phrasing, this student's response becomes hard to follow in the final 15 seconds, as he seems to have trouble finding the right words. The sentence at the end, "And she feel like if she got into that, it's seemingly like take her bribe for like compete in very good group of people," has vocabulary and grammar problems that make it very hard to understand.
2 Independent Task Sample


Integrated Task Sample
Independent Task Sample
In his response, the student takes a long time to make his first point, and he does not offer much detail on the points he eventually makes in the response. The vocabulary is basic and the student seems to be searching for words throughout most of the response, affecting his fluency. He repeats the phrase, "I think that..." several times. The sentence structures are also basic.

Integrated Task Sample
In his response, the student does not summarize the details of the lecture at all. He does not explain the two examples of altruism that were most important for a high grade. What's more, the frequent repetition of the word "also," is confusing and unnatural. Still, his pronunciation is relatively clear, and he uses mostly correct grammar and vocabulary, so his main point is understandable.
1 Integrated Task Sample



Integrated Task Sample
The pronunciation is very unclear, and it is difficult to separate thoughts. The student speaks too quickly and does not make clear sentences, with very little grammatical structure. He frequently uses incorrect vocabulary, as in "His mother was associated," and "he was sadness."

Writing Samples

TOEFL Integrated Writing Sample Essay

The Magoosh TOEFL Blog has a practice Integrated Writing prompt, with a sample response and some brief scorer commentary. Magoosh TOEFL Premium subscribers can see additional example writing and commentary in Magoosh’s video lessons for TOEFL Writing Task 1.

TOEFL Independent Writing Sample Essay, with Explanation (Video).

Magoosh Student Sample Essay #1

Score: 5/5

Technology today is going faster than ever before. There are laptops, tv´s and smart phones everywhere. It does no matter if you are a grown man or woman, a teenager or a small child, most people can have access to these technologies without a problem. All of them serve greatly in communicating and being in touch. However, there are some parents who think smart phones should not be given to their children, and forbid them, and I agree with their opinion.

I believe smart phones are a great tool for people to communicate, but I understand why some parents would not want to give their children a smart phone. First of all, having internet access might be problematic because it is distracting. If children are allowed to take their phones to school, they might not pay attention to classes if they are more entertained with what the WiFi has to offer. There are hardly any restrictions on what they can surf on the web, and it is not the teacher´s job to be confiscating phones.

Having a smart phone also means a kid or a teenager can have access to Facebook or Instagram or any kind of social media, and this can be known to cause severe cases of bullying at school. Anyone can pretend to be someone they are not or a single picture can give the wrong impression, which can cause more probelms.

It also seems that people of all ages tend to ignore those who stand in front of them when having a smart phone. Social interactions are becoming less important in the face of technology. Children might begin to loose their social skills if their face it stuck 24/7 to a phone, a tv or a computer.

I do not disagree that a smart phone functions well in keeping children and their parents in touch in case of an emergency, but a smart phone can cause more problems than solutions. Children can stay in touch with a simple cell phone, without internet access until they are of a certain age. I would propose that they are given a smart phone when they have become responsible people and know that there is a time for everything in life, similar to a rite of passage.

Magoosh Student Sample Essay #2

Score: 3/5

Nobody doubts that we live in the world with rapidly growing technology. It is commonly that we need things to meet our demands. The issue about owning smart phones in children has often been discussed, especially in the technological ages. Many parents may allow thier children to use them, whereas some parents may disagree, and insist that children should not allowed to use smartphones. However, from my point of view, I strongly believe that smartphones are important tools and they should be permited in children. This essay will explore two majors reason, that why I feel this way.

In the first place, smartphones can make life easier. They are convenient tools to contact with parents, friends and teachers. Parents can follow their kids easily than contact with teachers or children friends. Sometimes these persons are not avaliable to answer the call or reply the messsage. For example, my newphew who are ten years old, when his school finishes, he likes to call to my aunt to report her that where he is waiting for picking up. For this reason, kids should own the smartphones to keep in touch with their parents and they are good for them not to bother other people.

Secondly, apart being practical, smartphones can release parents's tasks. It can help kids do homework by themselves. When childrens do not understand the questions or lessons from schools. They can ask their classmates to help them discuss about assignments. Moreover, sometimes parents cannot answer the accurate answers, children can surf their doubts via internet with various interesting sources and enjoy learning through the multimedias. Hence, these tools can assit childrens' works and children also enjoy using them.

Taking these points into consideration, I am of the opinion that children should allow to own smartphones. This is because, they are beneficial both ease to contact parents and supporting them from schools' works.

Magoosh Student Sample Essay #3

Score: 2/5

Modern techology coming into our lives. I think 20 years before we cannot suppose aperiense of this question. The 21 century brins a lot of chages. Now I can not image my life without cell phone with Internet. I use it every day for work, study and rest. It is like small computer with me. What is more, I believe every kid have to use this gadget. It is part of our really which we can not hide.

According some experts kid who use smart phone more clever. It is hapend becase they have to undersand how it is works. So kid can make some fun and study. Besides that you can downlod intresting games for child and use this time for yourself.

Moreover, cell phone is useful for protection of our child. You can turn on gelocation and always know where is your child. For example, it amazing tool when kid did not answering on the phone.

On the other hand, kid can use this phone for serching in the Internet and he can find some thing unheilfy for him. However, parents can always make a parents control on the phone. It is easy .

In conclusion, i would like to say the one of important parent's responsobilyty is protect children. The cell phone can do it if you use it correctly.

More Help

We are happy to help with any general questions you have on how to best answer speaking and writing questions! Just email us at help@magoosh.com or click the green "help" tab on the right side of the page.