What is a Good TOEFL Writing Score? 

What is a Good TOEFL Writing Score: It is crucial for you to get good writing scores to enhance your chances of cracking the TOEFL Exam with flying colours. A score of 24 or higher in the TOEFL writing section is considered to be a good score, and can bolster your overall scores.

The TOEFL writing section is designed to gauge one’s aptitude and proficiency in English writing. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a standardised test that assesses the English language proficiency of non-native English speakers who wish to study or work in English-speaking countries. In this article, we will delve into the specifics of the TOEFL Writing section, explore its scoring system, and discuss what constitutes a good TOEFL Writing score.

Also Read: TOEFL Sample Essays

What is a Good TOEFL Writing Score? 

Determining what constitutes a good TOEFL Writing score can be approached in two ways: using percentiles and considering school requirements. Individuals need to understand these components to get an idea of what is a good TOEFL Writing Score. 

1. Using Percentiles: Percentiles compare a test-taker’s performance to that of other test-takers. A higher percentile indicates better performance. For example, a score in the 75th percentile means the test-taker performed better than 75% of the test-takers. A “good” TOEFL Writing score can be defined as being above average or in the top quarter of scores. Based on percentiles, a scaled Writing score above 24 can be considered good, depending on your benchmark.
2. School Requirements: Many universities and programs list their TOEFL score requirements on their admissions pages. Meeting or exceeding these requirements is a reliable indicator of a good score for that particular institution. If the school’s requirement is a total TOEFL score of 90, then aiming for a Writing score above the average of 22- 24 can be considered a good goal.

How to Score Well in the TOEFL Writing Section?

Now that we are aware of what is a good TOEFL Writing score, let’s aim to learn how to score well in the TOEFL writing section. Achieving a good TOEFL Writing Score requires strategic preparation and effective writing skills. Here are some section-based solutions to help you excel in both Integrated and Independent Writing tasks:

Integrated Writing Task:

1. Carefully read the passage and listen to the audio clip. Take notes on key points and arguments presented in both sources.
2. Identify the main ideas of the passage and audio clip. Focus on the relationship between the two sources and how they contribute to the topic.
3. Create a clear and organized response that addresses the question and integrates information from both sources. Use clear topic sentences and supporting details.
4. Support your points with specific examples from both sources. This demonstrates your understanding and provides evidence for your arguments.
5. Practice timed responses to improve your efficiency. Allocate time for reading, listening, planning, and writing.

Independent Writing Task:

1. Plan Your Response: Spend a few minutes outlining your essay before you start writing. Clearly state your thesis and the main points you will address.
2. Develop Your Ideas: Provide strong and relevant examples to support your argument. Use personal experiences, hypothetical scenarios, or well-known facts to illustrate your points.
3. Organise Your Essay: Structure your essay with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea.
4. Stay Focused: Ensure that your essay directly addresses the prompt and maintains a coherent and logical flow of ideas.
5. Proofread and Revise: Leave time to review and edit your essay for grammar, punctuation, and clarity. A polished essay with minimal errors enhances your overall score.

Also Read: IELTS vs TOEFL: What are the Differences?

TOEFL Writing Section: Types of Tasks

The TOEFL Writing section consists of two tasks: Integrated Writing and Independent Writing. The Integrated Writing task requires test-takers to read a short passage and listen to an audio clip on a related topic. They must then write a response that combines information from both sources to answer a specific question. The Independent Writing task prompts test-takers to express their opinion on a given topic and provide reasons and examples to support their viewpoint.

The Integrated Writing task is scored on a scale of 0-5, and the Independent Writing task is also scored on a scale of 0-5. These individual raw scores are then converted into a scaled score of 0-30, which is the official Writing score.

TOEFL Writing Scoring System: Raw and Scaled Scores

Understanding what is a good TOEFL Writing score and how to achieve it is not sufficient. One must also learn about the TOEFL scoring system to get a good hold of their exam preparation. After completing the TOEFL exam, the essays from both tasks are assigned raw scores ranging from 0 to 5, based on specific rubrics provided by the test administrators. These raw scores are then averaged to calculate the total raw score for the TOEFL Writing section. The average raw score is then converted into a scaled score ranging from 0 to 30, which is the score that test-takers see on their score reports.

Here is a conversion chart showing the relationship between raw and scaled Writing scores:

Writing Raw Score Average	Scaled Score
5.00	30
4.75	29
4.50	28
4.25	27
4.00	25
3.75	24
3.50	22
3.25	21
3.00	20

What is the difference between Raw and Scaled Scores?

Raw scores are like counting the number of correct answers you get on a test without any changes. Imagine you answered 15 questions correctly out of 20 on a test. Your raw score would be 15. Scaled scores are like adjusting your score to make it fair, no matter how hard the test was. Let’s say you and your friend took different versions of a test. You got 80 points, and your friend got 85 points. But your test was a bit tougher. After scaling, you might end up with a higher scaled score than your friend. Scaled scores help compare scores fairly between different tests or versions. Without scaling, a harder test could make your score seem lower even if you did well. Raw scores in TOEFL Writing come from rubrics that grade your essays.

Scaled scores adjust those raw scores to a common scale, like 0 to 30.

FAQs

This was all about “What is a Good TOEFL Writing Score”. A good TOEFL Writing score is a crucial component of your overall TOEFL exam performance. Understanding the scoring system, setting appropriate goals based on percentiles and school requirements, and following effective strategies for both the Integrated and Independent Writing tasks can help you achieve the best possible score. 

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