TOEFL Practice Test

TOEFL Practice Test

Please use TOEFL Sample Test as a guide to judge type and level of questions asked in TOEFL Test.

1. Do you have _____ to do this afternoon? If not, I'd like to take you to a movie.

a) many work

b) much work

c) many works

d) much works 2. We _____ that concert.

a) Were disappointed by

b) were disappointed of

c) were disappointing

d) were disappointing in

3. Mr. Johnson has lived here _____ ten years.

a) For

b) during

c) since

d) while

4. The fact ________ money orders can usually be easily cashed has made them a popular form of payment.

of

that

is that

which is

5. Gifted though he was by remarkable natural musical talent, _________ to have had little knack for the necessities of social life at court.

Mozart, who seemed

Mozart seemed

it was Mozart that seeming

Mozart, seeming

6. __________ they are widely perceived as gentle creatures, hippopotamuses are reponsible for more human deaths in Africa than any other animal.

Despite of

Even though

In spite of

Nonetheless

Directions: In questions 7-10, each sentence has four underlined words or phrases. The four underlined parts of the sentence are marked A, B, C, and D. Identify the one underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct.

7. Guppies are sometimes call(A) rainbow fish(B) because(C) of the male's bright(D) colors.

A

B

C

D

8. As the times(A) change, so does(B) the rules of(C) conduct in certain situations(D).

A

B

C

D

9. During November(A) and December, mostly the air carries(B) moist(C) to the northern(D) China.

A

B

C

D

10. Michael Jackson became recognized(A) as the king of pop(B) of his day(C) and was admiration(D) for his vocal range.

A

B

C

D

Sample TOEFL Test 2

In each sentence, identify the one underlined word or phrase that would not be considered correct in standard written English. 1. The British labor movement developed as a means of improve working conditions through group efforts.

a) movement

b) a means

c) improve

d) conditions 2. Roman numericals are written from left to right using the principle of addition.

a) numericals

b) written

c) principle

d) addition

3. After King Alexander's many victories, he seized deserts towns and consolidated his government.

a) Alexander's

b) victories

c) deserts towns

d) his government

4. The book provides general informations about animals and tells why animals are important to human beings.

a) The book

b) informations

c) why animals

d) human beings

5. Poverty in the United Kingdom is noticeably different from that in other country.

a) Poverty

b) noticeably

c) from

d) country

6. Enid Blyton, whose books are still read after her dead, wrote stories about children and their nature.

a) whose books

b) her dead

c) about

d) nature

7. The great English doctor who discovered the circulate of the blood, was born in 1578.

a) English doctor

b) discovered

c) circulate

d) blood

8. Five-credit-hour courses are approved for the student's work in the major field of interest.

a) Five-credit-hour

b) are approved

c) student's

d) of interest

9. A small antelope similar to the chamois lives in rocky places from southern African to the Sahara.

a) antelope

b) rocky places

c) southern African

d) the Sahara

10. Farmers in all parts of the world own their own farms, but tenant farmers are also practiced.

a) Farmers

b) own

c) own farms

d) farmers are

Sample TOEFL Test

1. During the industrial revolution, urban renewal projects cleared land for commerce and offices building.

A) urban renewal

B) cleared land

C) commerce

D) offices building

2. A number multiplied by zero is zero, and a number multiplied by one is the same as number.

A) A number

B) by zero

C) multiplied

D)as number

3. Exercises aids in weight loss by burning calories and ultimately providing a healthy lifestyle.

A) aids

B) burning

C) providing

D) lifestyle

4. The military order of the Poor Knights of Christ, who eventually fell into disfavor with King Philip IV of France, was founded in Jerusalem in 1118 to protect Christian in the Holy Land.

A) fell into

B) was founded

C) to protect

D) Christian

5. The first Amendment was passed in 1918 to ensure complete sharing of information in all the citizens.

A) The first

B) was passed

C) to ensure

D) in all

6. If children with heart disease form an attachment, it predominantly was to inanimate objects.

A) children

B) attachment

C) predominantly was

D) inanimate objects

7. Honesty is define as the quality of being fair, truthful and straightforward.

A) is define

B) the quality

C) being fair

D) truthful

8. The Jacksons do not have to file tax returns this year because of they are over 65 years of age.

A) not have

B) file

C) because of

D) of age

9. Historians postulate that Mughals migrated from Afghanistan to India in several greater movements.

A) that

B) migrated

C) in several

D) greater

10. In the olden days, the bullock carts carried goods and helped people travelled from one place to another.

A) olden

B) carried

C) helped

D) travelled

In many languages, the fundamental unit of composition is the paragraph. A paragraph consists of several sentences that are grouped together. This group of sentences together discuss one main subject. In U.S. formal academic English, paragraphs have three principal parts. These three parts are the topic sentence, body sentences, and the concluding sentence. We will also talk briefly about details in paragraphs.

The Topic Sentence

A topic sentence usually comes at the beginning of a paragraph; that is, it is usually the first sentence in a formal academic paragraph. (Sometimes this is not true, but as you practice writing with this online lesson site, please keep to this rule unless you are instructed otherwise.) Not only is a topic sentence the first sentence of a paragraph, but, more importantly, it is the most general sentence in a paragraph. What does "most general" mean? It means that there are not many details in the sentence, but that the sentence introduces an overall idea that you want to discuss later in the paragraph.

For example, suppose that you want to write a paragraph about the natural landmarks of your hometown. The first part of your paragraph might look like this:

My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful. Also, on the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep.

(Notice how the first sentence begins with "My hometown..." a few spaces to the right of the paragraph edge. This is an indentation. All paragraphs in English MUST begin with an indentation.)

Note how the first sentence, My hometown, Wheaton, is famous for several amazing geographical features,is the most general statement. This sentence is different from the two sentences that follow it, since the second and third sentences mention specific details about the town's geography, and are not general statements.

Here are some examples of sentences that cannot be used as topic sentences. Can you figure out why they are inappropriate?

1. My hometown is famous because it is located by Wheaton River, which is very wide, and because it is built near

an unusually steep hill called Wheaton Hill.

2. There are two reasons why some people like to buy cars with automatic transmission and two reasons why others like cars with manual transmission.

3. Clouds are white.

The problem with sentence #1 is that it contains too many details. Topic sentences are general, and details should appear later in the paragraph. A better topic sentence would be like the one mentioned above, My hometown is famous for several amazing geographical features.

Sentence #2 is not appropriate as a topic sentence because it mentions two topics, not just one. Paragraphs are usually about one main thing and so their topic sentences should also be about only one main thing.

The problem with sentence #3 is that it is toogeneral. It is also very boring! Would you like to read a paragraph with this topic sentence? Most people would not.

We can rewrite sentences #2 and #3 in the following ways to make it better:

There are two reasons why some people like to buy cars with automatic transmission.

OR (in a different paragraph):

There are two reasons why some people like cars with manual transmission.

The shapes of clouds are determined by various factors.

Supporting Sentences Consider again the above-mentioned, short paragraph:

My hometown, Wheaton, is famous for several amazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful. Also, on the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep.

(Again, note how this paragraph is indented on the first line, about five or seven spaces in from the left-hand edge of the paragraph. Always remember to indent your paragraphs!)

When a reader reads a topic sentence, such as My hometown, Wheaton, is famous for several amazing natural features,a question should usually appear in the reader's mind. In this case, the question should be like, "What are the natural features that make Wheaton famous?" The reader should then expect that the rest of the paragraph will give an answer to this question.

Now look at the sentences after the topic sentence. We can see that the second sentence in the paragraph, First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful,indeed gives an answer to this question. That is, the second sentence gives some explanation for the fact that Wheaton is a famous town. Similarly, we can see that the third sentence also gives some explanation for the fact that Wheaton is famous by giving another example of an "amazing natural feature," in this case, Wheaton Hill.

The second and third sentences are called supporting sentences. They are called "supporting" because they "support," or explain, the idea expressed in the topic sentence. Of course, paragraphs in English often have more than two supporting ideas. The paragraph above is actually a very short paragraph. At minimum, you should have at least five to seven sentences in your paragraph. Here we can see our paragraph about Wheaton with a few more supporting sentences in bold font:

My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful. Also, on the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred

years old.In this lesson, we will talk about supporting sentences again in the section, "Details in Paragraphs," below.

The Concluding Sentence

In formal paragraphs you will sometimes see a sentence at the end of the paragraph which summarizes the information that has been presented. This is the concluding sentence. You can think of a concluding sentence as a sort of topic sentence in reverse.

You can understand concluding sentences with this example. Consider a hamburger that you can buy at a fast-food restaurant.* A hamburger has a top bun (a kind of bread), meat, cheese, lettuce, and other elements in the middle of the hamburger, and a bottom bun. Note how the top bun and the bottom bun are very similar. The top bun, in a way, is like a topic sentence, and the bottom bun is like the concluding sentence. Both buns "hold" the meat, onions, and so on. Similarly, the topic sentence and concluding sentence "hold" the supporting sentences in the paragraph. Let's see how a concluding sentence (in bold font) might look in our sample paragraph about Wheaton:

My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful. Also, on the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old. These three landmarks are truly amazing and make my hometown a famous place.

Notice how the concluding sentence, These three landmarks are truly amazing and make my hometown a famous place,summarizes the information in the paragraph. Notice also how the concluding sentence is similar to, but not exactly the same as, the topic sentence.

Not all academic paragraphs contain concluding sentences, especially if the paragraph is very short. However, if your paragraph is very long, it is a good

idea to use a concluding sentence.

Details in Paragraphs

The short paragraph in this lesson is a fairly complete paragraph, but it lacks details. Whenever possible, you should include enough details in your paragraphs to help your reader understand exactly what you are writing about. In the paragraph about Wheaton, three natural landmarks are mentioned, but we do not know very much about them. For example, we could add a sentence or two about Wheaton river concerning HOW wide it is or WHY it is beautiful. Consider this revision (and note the additional details in bold):

My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful. On either side of this river, which is 175 feet wide, are many willow trees which have long branches that can move gracefully in the wind. In autumn the leaves of these trees fall and cover the riverbanks like golden snow. Also, on the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep. Even though it is steep, climbing this hill is not dangerous, because there are some firm rocks along the sides that can be used as stairs. There are no trees around this hill, so it stands clearly against the sky and can be seen from many miles away. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old. These three landmarks are truly amazing and make my hometown a famous place.

If we wished, we could also add more details to the paragraph to describe the third natural feature of the area, the Big Old Tree.

Why are details important? Consider the example of the hamburger, mentioned above.* If the hamburger buns are the topic and concluding sentences, then the meat, the cheese, the lettuce, and so on are the supporting details. Without the food between the hamburger buns, your hamburger would not be very delicious! Similarly, without supporting details, your paragraph would not be very interesting.

A Note on Formality. In addition to having a particular kind of structure, academic paragraphs (and multi-paragraph essays, which will be topic of another lesson) are different from "ordinary writing" (such as letter writing) in that certain kinds of expressions are not allowed. For example, in formal essays, you should not use contractions such as don't or aren't. Instead, you should write out the words in full, for example, do not and are not.

Also, in formal essays you should avoid the first and second person. That is, do not use the pronouns I or you. The pronouns we and us are sometimes used in formal essays in some major fields, but in general you should not use these unless you are certain that they are customary in your field and/or your professor allows them. It is safer simply to use the third person.

ACCEPTABLE

don't do notdoesn't does notaren't are not

weren't were notcan't cannot

couldn't could notwon't will not

Now, if you have understood this lecture, click here to go to Exercise #1.

Click here to return to the IEI TOEFL-prep Writing Main Menu

(a) Write one topic sentence for each of the following topics:

Your hometown A place you would like to travel to.

(Another topic of your own choosing)

(b) Choose oneof the above topics and write ONE complete paragraph about it. You should use a good topic sentence and adequately detailed supporting sentences. You do not have to include a concluding sentence if you do not wish to do so.

Coherence refers to a certain characteristic or aspect of writing. Literally, the word means "to stick together." Coherence in writing means that all the ideas in a paragraph flow smoothly from one sentence to the next sentence. With coherence, the reader has an easy time understanding the ideas that you wish to express.

Consider the paragraph that we studied in Lesson #1:

My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful. On either side of this river, which is 175 feet wide, are many willow trees which have long branches that can move gracefully in the wind. In autumn the leaves of these trees fall and cover the riverbanks like golden snow. Second, on the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep. Even though it is steep, climbing this hill is not dangerous, because there are some firm rocks along the sides that can be used as stairs. There are no trees around this hill, so it stands clearly against the sky and can be seen from many miles away. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old. These three landmarks are truly amazing and make my hometown a famous place.

Major Connectors

Look at the words in bold font. Do you see how they help guide the reader? For example, consider the words, First, Second, and The third amazing feature. We can call these words major connectors. Major connectors help organize the main parts of your paragraph. This paragraph has three main parts: (1) a part about the Wheaton River, (2) a part about Wheaton Hill, and (3) a part about the Big Old Tree. Another way of saying this is that this paragraph has three main points which are indicated by the major connectors. Using such major connectors is an important way of providing coherence in a paragraph.

Minor Connectors

What about the other words in bold, such as those appearing in the phrases "these trees" and "this hill"? We can call these minor connectors. Minor connectors provide coherence to a paragraph by connecting sentences within each of the main parts of your paragraph. That is, when you write about your main points, you can use minor connectors to link your details to each main point.

Now, look at this paragraph. Can you identify the main points?

Each of the U.S. manned space exploration projects had specific major goals. The Mercury project was designed to test whether or not human beings could survive and function in outer space. The Mercury project tested rockets with the new Mercury space capsule, which could hold one person. The Gemini project was intended to find out whether two people could work in the weightless environment of space. Gemini astronauts took "spacewalks." They floated outside their spacecraft in a spacesuit, connected to it by a tether. Gemini astronauts tried out new flying skills. Some astronauts flew two spacecraft extremely close together; this procedure was called "rendezvous." On some Gemini flights, astronauts physically linked two spacecraft together. Linking, or "space docking," was a major goal of the Gemini program. The Apollo project, with three astronauts, was intended to test spacecraft and skills so that people could actually fly to the Moon and land on it. Performing scientific experiments on the lunar

surface and collecting rocks for study on Earth were goals.

Was this paragraph a little confusing to read? Now consider the same paragraph with a few changes:

Each of the U.S. manned space exploration projects had specific major goals. For example, the Mercury project was designed to test whether or not human beings could survive and function in outer space. In addition, the Mercury project tested rockets with the new Mercury space capsule, which could hold one person. As another example, the Gemini project was intended to find out whether two people could work in the weightless environment of space. One way of doing this was by having Gemini astronauts take "spacewalks." That is, they floated outside their spacecraft in a spacesuit, connected to it by a tether. Gemini astronauts alsotried out new flying skills. For example, some astronauts flew two spacecraft extremely close together; this procedure was called "rendezvous." On some Gemini flights, astronauts physically linked two spacecraft together. This linking, or "space docking," was a major goal of the Gemini program. Finally, the Apollo project, with three astronauts, had the goal of testing spacecraft and skills so that people could actually fly to the Moon and land on it. Other goals included performing scientific experiments on the lunar surface and collecting rocks for study on Earth.

Do you see which of the connectors above are major and which are minor? The major ones are For example in the second sentence, which introduces the first supporting point (the Mercury program); As another example, which begins the second main point (the Gemini program); and the word Finally, which introduces the third and last main point (the Apollo moon program). (In the paragraph above, all of the major connectors are underlined.)

As for the minor connectors, we can divide them into three groups. The first group of minor connectors provides coherence for the first main point (the Mercury program). There is only one minor connector in this first group, In addition, although it is possible to have more than one, depending on how many details you have to support your first main point.

The second group of minor connectors consists of That is, also, and also the phrase For example in the sentence, "For example, some astronauts..." Notice that this last minor connector is the same as the major connector at the beginning of the paragraph. However, the function of each is different, depending on the meaning of the sentences.

The third group of minor connectors in this particular paragraph also has one member, which is Other goals included....

Here is a table of a few common connectors (also called transitions):

For example,For instance,One example of (this) isFirst, Second, Third, etc.

As another example,Another example of [xxx] is (that)Finally,In conclusion, To summarize,

On the one hand,On the other hand,However,..., but...also

Paragraph Unity

Unity is a very important characteristic of good paragraph writing. Paragraph unity means that one paragraph is about ONLY ONE main topic. That is, all the sentences -- the topic, supporting sentences, the detail sentences, and (sometimes) the concluding sentence -- are all telling the reader about ONE main topic. If your paragraph contains a sentence or some sentences that are NOT related to the main topic, then we say that the paragraph "lacks unity," or that the sentence is "off-topic."

Look at the following paragraph, which is similar to the paragraph that we have studied above. Does it have perfect unity? Try to find the sentence that is off-topic:

Each of the Russian manned space exploration projects had specific major goals. For example, the Vostok project was designed to test whether or not

human beings could survive and function in outer space. For another example, the Voshkhod project was intended to find out whether people could work in the weightless environment of space. One Voshkhod cosmonaut experimented with weightlessness by taking a "spacewalk." That is, he floated in a spacesuit outside his Voshkhod spacecraft, connected to it by a tether. The cosmonaut to do this was Alexei Leonov. Several weeks later, Leonov's spacewalk was followed by that of U.S. astronaut Ed White. Finally, the Soyuz project, with three cosmonauts, had goals of testing spacecraft and spaceflight skills so that people could fly long missions in Earth orbit.

This paragraph is generally good, but the sentence, Several weeks later, Leonov's spacewalk was followed by that of U.S. astronaut Ed White, does not have anything to do with the major goals of the various Russian space projects. That is, it is an "off-topic" sentence, so we can say that the paragraph somewhat lacks unity. In order to improve the paragraph, we should omit this sentence, even though it is historically accurate.

If you feel you have understood this lecture, click here to go to Exercise #2aNote: Parts of this website are best viewed

with Netscape Navigator 4.6 or above.

See your homework for Lesson 2.

Click here to return to the TOEFL-prep Writing Main Menu. Decide which transitions to use from the list below the paragraph. Type your answers in the box inside the paragraph. Click on the "Check Your Answer" button to check your work. Next, click Reset to try another transition. Then, click on "Next sentence" below to continue finishing the paragraph.

Second Also Another reason is that For example MoreoverHowever On the other hand First One reason is that The best choice There are three major airports near Washington, D.C., but the traveller to Washington should be careful about which one he or she chooses.

Baltimore-Washington International Airport, which is located near the city of Baltimore, is a good international airport. _________ it is not the best choice for a traveller who wants to visit Washington. _________ it is relatively far from the city of Washington itself. _________ a passenger bus trip between

Baltimore and Washington is somewhat expensive. Dulles International Airport is a slightly better choice, since it is located closer to the city. _________ if a traveller arrives in the early evening, he or she will encounter rush-hour traffic, which is not a good way to begin a trip to the city. _________ may be Washington-Reagan National Airport. There are two reasons for this. _________ this airport is the closest to the city. _________ it is located on the Metro train system, which is a convenient method of transportation, allowing a traveller to travel almost anywhere he or she likes in the city of Washington.

(1Check your answer Reseteaza (2)

Coherence refers to a certain characteristic or aspect of writing. Literally, the word means "to stick together." Coherence in writing means that all the ideas in a paragraph flow smoothly from one sentence to the next sentence. With coherence, the reader has an easy time understanding the ideas that you wish to express.

Consider the paragraph that we studied in Lesson #1:

My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful. On either side of this river, which is 175 feet wide, are many willow trees which have long branches that can move gracefully in the wind. In autumn the leaves of these trees fall and cover the riverbanks like golden snow. Second, on the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep. Even though it is steep, climbing this hill is not dangerous, because there are some firm rocks along the sides that can be used as stairs. There are no trees around this hill, so it stands clearly against the sky and can be seen from many miles away. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old. These three landmarks are truly amazing and make my hometown a famous place.

Reset

Major Connectors

Look at the words in bold font. Do you see how they help guide the reader? For example, consider the words, First, Second, and The third amazing feature. We can call these words major connectors. Major connectors help organize the main parts of your paragraph. This paragraph has three main parts: (1) a part about the Wheaton River, (2) a part about Wheaton Hill, and (3) a part about the Big Old Tree. Another way of saying this is that this paragraph has three main points which are indicated by the major connectors. Using such major connectors is an important way of providing coherence in a paragraph.

Minor Connectors

What about the other words in bold, such as those appearing in the phrases "these trees" and "this hill"? We can call these minor connectors. Minor connectors provide coherence to a paragraph by connecting sentences within each of the main parts of your paragraph. That is, when you write about your main points, you can use minor connectors to link your details to each main point.

Now, look at this paragraph. Can you identify the main points?

Each of the U.S. manned space exploration projects had specific major goals. The Mercury project was designed to test whether or not human beings could survive and function in outer space. The Mercury project tested rockets with the new Mercury space capsule, which could hold one person. The Gemini project was intended to find out whether two people could work in the weightless environment of space. Gemini astronauts took "spacewalks." They floated outside their spacecraft in a spacesuit, connected to it by a tether. Gemini astronauts tried out new flying skills. Some astronauts flew two spacecraft extremely close together; this procedure was called "rendezvous." On some Gemini flights, astronauts physically linked two spacecraft together. Linking, or "space docking," was a major goal of the Gemini program. The Apollo project, with three astronauts,

was intended to test spacecraft and skills so that people could actually fly to the Moon and land on it. Performing scientific experiments on the lunar surface and collecting rocks for study on Earth were goals.

Was this paragraph a little confusing to read? Now consider the same paragraph with a few changes:

Each of the U.S. manned space exploration projects had specific major goals. For example, the Mercury project was designed to test whether or not human beings could survive and function in outer space. In addition, the Mercury project tested rockets with the new Mercury space capsule, which could hold one person. As another example, the Gemini project was intended to find out whether two people could work in the weightless environment of space. One way of doing this was by having Gemini astronauts take "spacewalks." That is, they floated outside their spacecraft in a spacesuit, connected to it by a tether. Gemini astronauts alsotried out new flying skills. For example, some astronauts flew two spacecraft extremely close together; this procedure was called "rendezvous." On some Gemini flights, astronauts physically linked two spacecraft together. This linking, or "space docking," was a major goal of the Gemini program. Finally, the Apollo project, with three astronauts, had the goal of testing spacecraft and skills so that people could actually fly to the Moon and land on it. Other goals included performing scientific experiments on the lunar surface and collecting rocks for study on Earth.

Do you see which of the connectors above are major and which are minor? The major ones are For example in the second sentence, which introduces the first supporting point (the Mercury program); As another example, which begins the second main point (the Gemini program); and the word Finally, which introduces the third and last

main point (the Apollo moon program). (In the paragraph above, all of the major connectors are underlined.)

As for the minor connectors, we can divide them into three groups. The first group of minor connectors provides coherence for the first main point (the Mercury program). There is only one minor connector in this first group, In addition, although it is possible to have more than one, depending on how many details you have to support your first main point.

The second group of minor connectors consists of That is, also, and also the phrase For example in the sentence, "For example, some astronauts..." Notice that this last minor connector is the same as the major connector at the beginning of the paragraph. However, the function of each is different, depending on the meaning of the sentences.

The third group of minor connectors in this particular paragraph also has one member, which is Other goals included....

Here is a table of a few common connectors (also called transitions):

For example,For instance,One example of (this) isFirst, Second, Third, etc.

As another example,Another example of [xxx] is (that)Finally,In conclusion, To summarize,

On the one hand,On the other hand,However,..., but...also

Paragraph Unity

Unity is a very important characteristic of good paragraph writing. Paragraph unity means that one paragraph is about ONLY ONE main topic. That is, all the sentences -- the topic, supporting sentences, the detail sentences, and (sometimes) the concluding sentence -- are all telling the reader about ONE main topic. If your paragraph contains a sentence or some sentences that are NOT related to the main topic, then we say that the paragraph "lacks unity," or that the sentence is "off-topic."

Look at the following paragraph, which is similar to the paragraph that we have studied above. Does it have perfect unity? Try to find the sentence that is off-topic:

Each of the Russian manned space exploration projects had specific major goals. For example, the Vostok project was designed to test whether or not human beings could survive and function in outer space. For another example, the Voshkhod project was intended to find out whether people could work in the weightless environment of space. One Voshkhod cosmonaut experimented with weightlessness by taking a "spacewalk." That is, he floated in a spacesuit outside his Voshkhod spacecraft, connected to it by a tether. The cosmonaut to do this was Alexei Leonov. Several weeks later, Leonov's spacewalk was followed by that of U.S. astronaut Ed White. Finally, the Soyuz project, with three cosmonauts, had goals of testing spacecraft and spaceflight skills so that people could fly long missions in Earth orbit.

This paragraph is generally good, but the sentence, Several weeks later, Leonov's spacewalk was followed by that of U.S. astronaut Ed White, does not have anything to do with the major goals of the various Russian space projects. That is, it is an "off-topic" sentence, so we can say that the paragraph somewhat lacks unity. In order to improve the paragraph, we should omit this sentence, even though it is historically accurate.

If you feel you have understood this lecture, click here to go to Exercise #2aNote: Parts of this website are best viewed

with Netscape Navigator 4.6 or above.

Basic Essay Structure

In this lesson: Introductions | Body Paragraphs | Concluding Paragraphs | Exercise #3

On the Written portion of the TOEFL, you will be asked to write an essay that is more than one paragraph long. The reason for this is that in U.S. academic culture, essays need to be several paragraphs long in order for students to express

their ideas clearly and for instructors to determine whether or not students understand the material.

Knowing how to organize your ideas in such long essays is very important for academic success.

Generally, academic essays have a similar format. They are at least five paragraphs long, although often they are much longer. Also, the basic structure of each of these paragraphs is the same as that which we have already studied. In addition, the paragraphs in the U.S. academic essay can be divided into three basic kinds: (1) the introductory paragraph, (2) the body paragraphs, and (3) the concluding paragraph.

The Introduction

The first paragraph of the academic essay is the one that is usually the most different from the basic paragraph that we have studied. In Lessons #1 and #2, we saw that a basic paragraph had a topic sentence as its first sentence, followed by supporting sentences with supporting details, and these (sometimes) followed by a concluding sentence.

In the multi-paragraph academic essay, however, the structure is a little different. Like the basic paragraph, the introductory paragraph opens with a very general statement about the topic, and is often followed by some supporting examples, but the paragraph then finishes with a narrow statement about the topic. This narrow statement is called the main thesis. Here is a short example of an introductory paragraph:

Throughout human history, the physical universe has often presented dangers to explorers. For example, when primitive humans left their tribal villages to search for food and water, they risked death or injury from dangerous animals. Later, when people sailed the oceans in search of new lands for settlement or trade, many died in terrible storms. Similarly, the ocean of outer space has many dangers, but it also has several unique challenges for explorers.

Notice how the first sentence, Throughout human history, nature has often

presented dangers to explorers,is a very general statment about the topic, which is dangers in exploration. The next two sentences give some supporting examples of this intital sentence. However, the third sentence of the paragraph gives an example that contrasts in some way with the previous two sentences. Then, the final sentence does something new: It introduces a specific example of the general topic. This specific topic is the main thesis of the entire essay; that is, the rest of the essay will focus on this specific topic, which in this case is several unique challenges for explorers.

This main thesis functions like the topic sentence of the basic paragraph, which we have studied in Lessons #1 and #2. It is the most important sentence of the essay.

Notice how the main thesis is worded. It includes the phrase, several unique challlenges.This raises a question in the reader's mind, namely: "What are these challenges?" The reader will find out what some of the challenges are in the body of the essay, which we will study next.

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The Body

The body portion of the essay is the largest portion. Typically, it has three paragraphs, but it might have two paragraphs and of course it can have many more than three. Each of these paragraphs usually has a topic sentence and several supporting sentences, just like the basic paragraph we have studied. Here is an example of three body paragraphs (which together continue the essay that we have started studying above):

One of the challenges that is unique to space is the fact that space is a vacuum, which is a risk for various reasons. First, in a vacuum there is no atmosphere and therefore no air pressure. Without air pressure, the human body has no oxygen to sustain itself. After too many minutes without oxygen, a person would lose consciousness and eventually die. Also, in a vacuum a person's blood will gradually begin to boil. Finally, without an atmosphere, the rays of

the Sun can cause radiation poisoning.

Another difficulty that is unique to outer space is the presence of meteors and micrometeors. These are pieces of rock and metal that are left over from the formation of the solar system. Many of these objects travel at very high speeds. Under the Earth's blanket of air, people are usually protected from metor impacts. However, in space, people and spaceships are vulnerable to collisions with meteors. It is true that the chance of metor impacts is relatively small, but if even a small micrometeor happens to collide with a spacecraft, it could cause serious damage.

A third special challenge involved with the environment of space involves the fact that it is very difficult to find life-sustaining water off the Earth. For example, the planet Mercury, which is closest to the Sun, is too hot to have water, so space travelers must take water from Earth if they want to visit Mercury. A similar situation exists on the planet Venus, second from the Sun. This planet is likewise too hot for water to exist. Similarly, the fourth planet, Mars, is too cold and dry, although there may be some water frozen at the north and south poles of the planet.

(Note that usually we do not put extra spaces between individual paragraphs, as has been done above. The spaces between the paragraphs above are only for study purposes.)

Recall that the main thesis statement of this essay said, Similarly, the ocean of outer space has many dangers, but it also has several unique challenges for explorers. You can see how the body of the essay is organized according to the challenges that are mentioned in the main thesis. The first body paragraph discusses the dangers of space vacuum, the second body paragraph gives information about meteors, and the third paragraph mentions the fact that water is very difficult to find on other planets.

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The Conclusion

The concluding paragraph does not always appear in an academic essay. In particular, on the Written portion of the TOEFL, which lasts 30 minutes, there may not be enough time for you to include a formal concluding paragraph. However, here is an example of a concluding paragraph for you. Notice how it summarizes the main points of the preceding body paragraphs:

There are other difficulties involved with space exploration, but these are three of the most important ones. In summary, without adequate air pressure, the unprotected human body may be seriously harmed in a vacuum. In addition, meteors can threaten human life and damage spacecraft. Finally, the lack of water in space means that human life may have a difficult time surviving on other planets. As one can see, the challenges of space travel are rather different from terrestrial dangers.

Here is another example of a concluding paragraph:

As mentioned above, the Earth's natural environment has often presented dangers to explorers. Dangerous animals, vast oceans, and violent weather have presented risks to humans. However, the new frontier of outer space, with its vacuum, meteors, and lack of water, presents unique challenges to people who desire to explore it.

Note: If you want to see the above essay in its entirety, click here.

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If you feel you have understood this lesson, click here to go on to Exercise #3

Click here to return to the TOEFL-prep Writing Main Menu

Sample Multi-paragraph Essay

Throughout human history, the physical universe has often presented dangers to explorers. For example, when primitive humans left their tribal villages to search for food and water, they risked death or injury from dangerous animals. Later, when people sailed the oceans in search of new lands for settlement or trade, many died in terrible storms. Similarly, the ocean of outer space has many dangers, but it also has several unique challenges for explorers. One of the challenges that are unique to space is the fact that space is a vacuum, which is a risk for various reasons. First, in a vacuum there is no atmosphere and therefore no air pressure. Without air pressure, the human body has no oxygen to sustain itself. After too many minutes without oxygen, a person would lose consciousness and eventually die. Also, in a vacuum a person's blood will gradually begin to boil. Finally, without an atmosphere, the rays of the Sun can cause radiation poisoning. Another difficulty that is unique to outer space is the presence of meteors and micrometeors. These are pieces of rock and metal that are left over from the formation of the solar system. Many of these objects travel at very high speeds. Under the Earth's blanket of air, people are usually protected from metor impacts. However, in space, people and spaceships are vulnerable to collisions with meteors. It is true that the chance of metor impacts is relatively small, but if even a small micrometeor happens to collide with a spacecraft, it could cause serious damage. A third special challenge involved with the environment of space involves the fact that it is very difficult to find life-sustaining water off the Earth. For example, the planet Mercury, which is

closest to the Sun, is too hot to have water, so space travelers must take water from Earth if they want to visit Mercury. A similar situation exists on the planet Venus, second from the Sun. This planet is likewise too hot for water to exist. Similarly, the fourth planet, Mars, is too cold and dry, although there may be some water frozen at the north and south poles of the planet. There are other difficulties involved with space exploration, but these are three of the most important ones. In summary, without adequate air pressure, the unprotected human body may be seriously harmed in a vacuum. In addition, meteors can threaten human life and damage spacecraft. Finally, the lack of water in space means that human life may have a difficult time surviving on other planets. As one can see, the challenges of space travel are rather different from terrestrial dangers.

View of Earth from lunar orbit, December 1968, as seen from the Apollo 8 spacecraft.

Photo courtesy NASA

Assignment: Write a short essay that includes:

An introductory paragraph with a focused main thesis statement at the end of it. At least two (2) body paragraphs. Each body paragraph must have a clear topic

sentence and at least five supporting sentences with supporting details. (Don't forget to use transitions, which we studied in Lesson #2.) You do not have to include concluding sentences if you do not want to.

A short concluding paragraph.

You can choose any topic that interests you. However, try to avoid the use of first- and second-person pronouns ("I," "me," "you").

Try to submit your essay to me by e-mail at [email protected] before the beginning of next week.

Write a short paragraph on a topic of your choice, using at least six of the eight transitions (connectors) in the box below. Be sure to write a topic sentence that helps the reader anticipate the organization of your paragraph, and try to maintain paragraph unity. You do not have to write a concluding sentence if you do not want to.

After writing the paragraph, send it to me by e-mail at [email protected] by Wednesday, March 29, 2000.

(a) The best choice(b) However,(c) On the other hand,

(d) Also,(e)Another reason is that

(f) For example,(g) Moreover,(h) One reason is that

Back to Coherence lecture Click here to return to Exercise #2(a)

Click here to return to the TOEFL-prep Writing Main Menu

A. Baseline data (Pretest)

The pretest essays below were responses to the following prompt, taken from Phillips, D. (1996). Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL Test, Vol. A, 2nd ed. White Plains, NY: Addison-Wesley, p. 354:

Do you agree with the following statement?

People should never live at home with their parents after the age of twenty-five.

Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

(N.B.: 30 minutes were given to write these essays. All student errors are retained in the typescripts. The spacing between paragraphs is not a feature of the original student responses but is editorially inserted to enhance readibility.)

Student A: Pretest

I am disagree with the statement for different reasons, which will be explained in this essay.

First at all is necessary to know the economic conditions of the person. For example, iF a person is living with his parents and they don't have much money to pay his studies in a University far from his city, the person must live with his parents untill he finish his studies. In my country [N.B.: name of country given here but withheld from this report for reasons of privacy] is difficult for a young couple to buy an apartment because they are very expensive, then the couples must to live with his parent untill they have enought money to buy o rent an apartment. Second, It is important to analize the composition of the family. Some familes only have one child and they hope that the boy o oril live with them all the life because they feel very well when they are together, in this case is difficult to the boy o girl go away.

I think that there are different oportunities for people live at home with his parents after the age of twenty five

tudent A: Lesson 1 (Basic Paragraph Structure)

Three topic sentences:

Caracas, my home town is called the city of eternal spring. I would like to travel to Paris because this city has many things that I want to

know. I am learning English because I need to speak this language for my job.

Homework Essay:

I WOULD LIKE TO TRAVEL TO PARIS

I would like to travel to Paris because this city has many things that I want to know. First, I want to see the Eiffel Tower. I have seen many television programs and photographs of this tower; also I have red that this tower is the twenty-century symbol in Paris. Second, I would like to visit the Louvre Museum. In this museum there are the greatest collection of painting in the world. I would like to see "The Mona Lisa",

painted by Leonardo da Vinci, and other paintings done by Picasso, Manet, Monet etc. Third, I would like to visit The Triumph Arch and The Champs Elise Avenue, which is located in the center of the city. The most prestigious stores are located at this avenue. Finally, I would like to go to Paris because in this city the are many good restaurants, and I love to eat very well.

Student A: Lesson 2(Coherence)

The grand development of communications has changed our manners to do business. For example, if you want to do a business in some place in Africa, you can be in touch all the time with this people by telephone or Internet. Also, you can ask them about the business and they can answer at the moment, and moreover you can have a videoconference whit them. One reason is that you can see the face and gestures of the people and this helps you to understand what they are thinking. Another reason is that you can show features of your business and they can suggest you changes. However in some complex business it is necessary to have personal meetings because it is important to work together to reach final decisions.

Pretest | Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3

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Student B: Lesson 2 (Coherence)

Making something is sometimes faster than buying something. For example, making homemade pasta is faster than buying pasta. However making homemade pasta seems to be difficult, it is very simple. One reason is that making homemade pasta doesn't need buying anything because it is made from only eggs, flour, salt, and olive oil. These ingredients are usually in kitchen. And also it doesn't need special equipment. Another reason is that it takes only 20 minutes to make homemade pasta because the process is just mixing, spreading, and cutting dough. Moreover it takes only three minutes to boil homemade pasta and it is more delicious than dry pasta.

Though making something seems to take time, thus it is sometimes faster than buying.

A. Baseline data (Pretest)

The pretest essays below were responses to the following prompt, taken from Phillips, D. (1996). Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL Test, Vol. A, 2nd ed. White Plains, NY: Addison-Wesley, p. 354:

Do you agree with the following statement?

People should never live at home with their parents after the age of twenty-five.

Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

(N.B.: 30 minutes were given to write these essays. All student errors are retained in the typescripts. The spacing between paragraphs is not a feature of the original student responses but is editorially inserted to enhance readibility.)

Student A: Pretest

I am disagree with the statement for different reasons, which will be explained in this essay.

First at all is necessary to know the economic conditions of the person. For example, iF a person is living with his parents and they don't have much money to pay his studies in a University far from his city, the person must live with his parents untill he finish his studies. In my country [N.B.: name of country given here but withheld from this report for reasons of privacy] is difficult for a young couple to buy an apartment because they are very expensive, then the couples must to live with his parent untill they have enought money to buy o rent an apartment. Second, It is important to analize the composition of the family. Some familes only have one child and they hope that the boy o oril live with them all the life because they feel very well when they are together, in this case is difficult to the boy o girl go away.

I think that there are different oportunities for people live at home with his parents after the age of twenty five

Top | Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3

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Student B: Pretest

I agree this statement that people should never live at home with their parents after the age of twenty-five. The reason why I agree is as follows.

It is said in [name of student's country here] that it is important for parents to live without children who become adults. If parents live with their children, the children is forever children after they become adults.

People, over fifty-five age, can live by himself or herself because they usually finish school and they can work. I actually did like this way.

People living without their parents can understand the value and kindness of their parents. I realized the thing when I lived alone, I did housework, and I went shopping with my money which I earned.

I think it important that people live without their parent. But I also think it important that people living without their parents should keep good relationships with their parents, and say their regards.


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Student C: Pretest

It had better to live alone after the age of twenty-five, because people can get good experiences. Of cause sometimes they get bad experiences, but more or less, it is better for them. there are some reason, I agree with it.

First, they have to take care of themselfs; such as, washing clothes, cooking,

washing dishese, cleaning their room, and so on. Maybe. they didn't do such kind of house work. when they live with their family.

Another thing is they have to get money and pay for apartment or house. I think it is so difficult and hard matter that living alone is it manages to live by themselves. It is hard for them to get money, that is also good experience for them.

Finaly. they can get freedom, but they have to control themselves. Freedom is such a wonderful word. However, if they don't control the freedom, the living alone will be not good for them. If experience; control their lives, are very important on their lives.

Housework, to get money, control their lives are good for them to live with their own family;their wife or husband and children.


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B. Lesson #1 Homework.

Student A: Lesson 1 (Basic Paragraph Structure)


Caracas, my home town is called the city of eternal spring.

I would like to travel to Paris because this city has many things that I want to know.

I am learning English because I need to speak this language for my job.

Homework Essay:

I WOULD LIKE TO TRAVEL TO PARIS

I would like to travel to Paris because this city has many things that I want to know. First, I want to see the Eiffel Tower. I have seen many television programs and photographs of this tower; also I have red that this tower is the twenty-century symbol in Paris. Second, I would like to visit the Louvre Museum. In this museum there are the greatest collection of painting in the world. I would like to see "The Mona Lisa", painted by Leonardo da Vinci, and other paintings done by Picasso, Manet, Monet etc. Third, I would like to visit The Triumph Arch and The Champs Elise Avenue, which is located in the center of the city. The most prestigious stores are located at this avenue. Finally, I would like to go to Paris because in this city the are many good restaurants, and I love to eat very well.


Appendix Menu

Student B: Lesson 1 (Basic Paragraph Structure)


I introduce my hometown, Yokohama. I would like to travel to Florida. I study at IEI in University of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign.

Homework Essay:

I introduce my hometown, Yokohama. Yokohama is one of the biggest cities in Japan. The population is almost the same as Chicago's population. Yokohama is near to Tokyo which is capital of Japan. Yokohama is famous for Chinatown and port. Yokohama's Chinatown is the biggest Chinatown in the world. You can enjoy good Chinese food. Yokohama's meaning is bay. Yokohama has beautiful bay and big port, which is a gate to foreign countries. These are features of my hometown, Yokohama.

Unrequested Paragraph Revision after Teacher Feedback:

Accompanying student comments: "Thank you for you[r] feedback. I understand that I have to attempt ["attract"?] readers in thesis statement. [In this revision] I don't use "I" and "you". I try to organize paragraph using 'first', and so on."

My hometown, Yokohama, has several interesting things in it. The first thing is that Yokohama is one of the biggest cities in Japan. The population is almost the same as Chicago's population. The second thing is that Yokohama is near to Tokyo which is capital in Japan. It takes only 30 minutes by train between Yokohama and Tokyo. The third thing is that Yokohama is famous for Chinatown and port. Yokohama's Chinatown is the biggest Chinatown in the world. You can enjoy good Chinese food. The forth thing is that Yokohama's meaning is bay. Yokohama has beautiful bay and big port, which is a gate to foreign countries. These are features of my hometown, Yokohama.


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Student C: Lesson 1 (Basic Paragraph Structure)


My hometown,Kyoto,has some reason to be very famous in Japan.

I have some reasons why I'm interested in Europe. For some reason, many women doesn't marry.

Homework Essay:

My hometown,Kyoto,has some reason to be very famous in Japan. The first reason, Kyoto is a old capital. About one thousands years ago my hometown,that was called "MIYAKO", is a capital in Japan. There are many old temple and shrine,such as:"KINKAKU Temple" and "KIYOMIZU Temple",which are another reason. Kyoto also has many interesting old traditional festivals. For example, "Gion Mtsuri" is held on July. Many tourists come to see this festival from all over the world. For these reason, you understand my hometown is very old and famous in Japan.


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C. Lesson #2 Homework.

Student A: Lesson 2(Coherence)

The grand development of communications has changed our manners to do business. For example, if you want to do a business in some place in Africa, you can be in touch all the time with this people by telephone or Internet. Also, you can ask them about the business and they can answer at the moment, and moreover you can have a videoconference whit them. One reason is that you can see the face and gestures of the people and this helps you to understand what they are thinking. Another reason is that you can show features of your business and they can suggest you changes. However in some complex business it is necessary to have personal meetings because it is important to work together to reach final decisions.


Appendix Menu

Student B: Lesson 2 (Coherence)

Making something is sometimes faster than buying something. For example, making homemade pasta is faster than buying pasta. However making homemade pasta seems to be difficult, it is very simple. One reason is that making homemade pasta doesn't need buying anything because it is made from only eggs, flour, salt, and olive oil. These ingredients are usually in kitchen. And also it doesn't need special equipment. Another reason is that it takes only 20 minutes to make homemade pasta because the process is just mixing, spreading, and cutting dough. Moreover it takes only three minutes to boil homemade pasta and it is more delicious than dry pasta. Though making something seems to take time, thus it is sometimes faster than buying.


Appendix Menu

Student C: Lesson 2(Coherence)

Have you ever thought to study abroad which is very popular in all over the world, in United State also there are many international students. One reason is that there are many exchange program in almost university. Also, there are many exchange students in there. Moreover, almost university and college have a language school, which is for international students who don't have enough TOEFL score or just study English. Another reason is that students have curiosity and want to have experiences in another country. It is very good to have many experience in young age. For example, you can make many foreign friends, so you can get many things which you don't know and haven't heard about. Your world is spread out. On the other hand, some students have problems, such as, home sick, mental illness, to get accidents,and so on. HOwever, it is good experience also.


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D. Lesson #3 Homework.

Student A:Lesson 3 (Multi-paragraph Essay)

(Note: The spaces between paragraphs are added to aid readability and were not part of the original student essays.)

Since humans have lived in the earth, they have used a kind of communication, which has been changed with the evolution of the people. For example, when the wheel was invented, the travels were shorter, after when the man could fly travels were still shorter. When the man could speak by telephone, was a revolution in the world. In the last years the changes in the communications have been so quickly that our lives have change in different aspects such as our way of doing business, our diary live at home, and the education.

First, the grand development of communications has changed our way of doing business. For example, if you want to do business in some place in Africa, you can be in touch all the time with people there by telephone or Internet. Also, you can ask them about their business and they can answer at that moment, and moreover, you can have a videoconference whit them. Why should we use videoconferencing? One reason is that you can see the faces and gestures of the people and this helps you to understand what they are thinking. Another reason is that you can show features of your business and they can suggest changes. However, in some complex business it is necessary to have personal meetings because it is important to work together to reach final decisions.

Second, on line communications like Internet have changed our diary live at home. For example, now it is possible to pay most of the home accounts by Internet such as electrical power and telephone. Also if you want to buy something, you can search in the web page, purchase the item on line and have it delivered to your house by mail. You have more time to spend with your family. Additionally, you are informed watching television about what is happening anywhere in the world.

Finally, The development of the communications has helped to improve the education in many countries. For example some towns far from the big cities, which have difficult access, receive the education by television using microwave or satellite

equipments. Another example is that students have access through Internet to much more information. They can access to a library anywhere in the world to search a specific issue. They can ask questions to their teacher via e-mail, and they can get the answer from them quickly.

The next century will begin soon, and the changes will be bigger than in this century. We don't know what is going to happen but it will have many developments in the communication field, which will change our lives even faster.


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QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Do you feel that the online lessons helped you improve your English essay writing?

2. Were the lesson webpages easy to use? If not, why not? 3. Was the interactive exercise in Lesson #2 Part (b) useful? Why or

why not? 4. How might the online lessons be improved?

E. Questionnaire Responses.

Student A

1. Yes, I feel that the on line lessons helped me improve my English essay writing.

2. Yes, I liked to used the lesson webpages. 3. I used the interactive exercise in lesson # 2, but I could not find the right

answer. (My computer had a message "Mistake in line 61".??) 4. I think that you would put more interactive exercises like the exercise in

lesson # 2.

Student B

1. Yes, because typing is essential in CBT. I can understand how to write English essay because of reading your homepage. Before reading, I studied how to write English essay in reading and writing class, but I couldn't understand.

2. Yes. For me it's very good because after reading, I can write assignment. However, the most important part is your email response because even if after reading, I can't understand everything.

3. This is interesting, but I couldn't use because I didn't have enough time and I mistook answers, "check your answer" didn't work.

4. I think many people who study English visit your page and study. They may have a good idea. You might add your email address on the WebPages like your homepage.

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