In the TOEFL iBT Writing Task 2: Writing for an Academic Discussion, many test-takers lose valuable points due to frequent and avoidable errors. These mistakes affect scores across the four rubric criteria: development, organization, language use, and task relevance.
Understanding these common pitfalls is essential for improving your writing performance. This article outlines the most frequent content-related and language-related errors, along with real examples, explanations, and actionable tips.
Many students only state their opinion but forget to respond to one or more student posts, or they go off-topic entirely.
I think technology is good for education because it makes learning easier.
This response does not refer to the professor’s question or any classmates.
It lacks context and is too general.
It affects your task relevance and development scores.
TOEFL raters expect responses that directly engage with the task.
Carefully read the professor’s question.
Always reference at least one classmate by name.
Focus your response on the exact issue being discussed.
A response that only expresses a personal opinion, without referring to classmates, is incomplete.
I believe students should study abroad because it helps them grow.
This opinion might be valid, but it doesn’t refer to any of the student replies.
The task specifically requires you to agree or disagree with one or more student responses.
Ignoring this part will reduce your task relevance score.
Mention a student by name: “I agree with Student B because…”
Briefly explain why you support or oppose their view.
Some students state an opinion but fail to back it up with a reason or example.
I agree with Student A. That’s the best idea.
There’s no reasoning or explanation.
Weak development = low development score.
Raters are looking for logical support, not vague agreement.
Add one reason or example: “I agree with Student A because having mandatory classes improves student discipline, which is essential for career success.”
Making broad statements without proof or explanation.
Everyone thinks textbooks should be free.
This is an absolute statement that may not be true and lacks support.
Shows a lack of academic thinking.
Reduces credibility and clarity.
Use qualifiers: “Many students believe…” or “In some cases…”
Provide a reason or example to support the point.
Writing about a different issue than the one in the professor’s question.
I think smartphones are bad for health because they cause sleep problems.
If the question is about technology in education, this is off-topic.
Major penalty in task relevance.
Shows a lack of understanding of the question.
Always reread the question and all student responses before writing.
Stay focused on the specific topic in the prompt.
Grammar issues that make it hard for the reader to understand the intended message.
I agrees with Student B because she saying the lecture not important.
Errors in subject-verb agreement, verb tense, and article usage.
Significantly affects your language use.
Too many errors lead to miscommunication.
Practice grammar fundamentals: subject-verb agreement, verb tense, article usage.
Read your sentences aloud to check clarity.
Using the same basic words or phrases multiple times in a short response.
I think digital books are good. They are good for students. Good books help learning.
The word “good” is repeated and vague.
Shows a lack of range in vocabulary.
Reduces the academic tone of your writing.
Use academic synonyms: “beneficial,” “advantageous,” “effective.”
Build a vocabulary list with topic-based words.
Using words inappropriately or selecting phrases that are not natural in academic English.
I’m going with Student C because she makes a cool point.
“Cool point” is too informal for academic writing.
Reduces formality and academic tone.
May confuse the reader.
Replace informal language with precise, academic alternatives: “interesting point,” “persuasive argument,” etc.
Learn collocations and common academic phrases.
Trying to sound advanced by using long or complex sentence structures that become unclear.
Although it is stated by Student A that attendance should be compulsory, which I understand as a reasonable consideration, however, I feel like the argument is not very logical because…
Too many clauses and connectors make this confusing.
Hinders readability.
Causes run-on or fragmented sentences.
Use clear and concise sentences.
One idea per sentence is enough in short responses.
Misspellings or incorrect punctuation can interfere with clarity.
I agree,with Student A because textbooks are expencive.
“Expencive” is a spelling error; extra comma is incorrect.
Affects readability and credibility.
Frequent mistakes reduce language use scores.
Use spell check tools during practice.
Review punctuation rules for commas, periods, and sentence endings.
Use this quick checklist before submitting your response:
✅ Did I clearly state my opinion?
✅ Did I refer to at least one student response?
✅ Did I provide a reason or example?
✅ Is my writing on-topic and relevant?
✅ Did I avoid grammar and spelling mistakes?
✅ Is my vocabulary appropriate and varied?
✅ Did I write between 100–120 words?
Understanding and avoiding common TOEFL Writing Task 2 mistakes is essential to achieving a high score. These frequent errors—such as ignoring the prompt, writing off-topic, using weak arguments, or making language mistakes—can significantly reduce your final band score.
By learning what these mistakes look like and following the strategies to fix them, you can:
Write more focused and complete responses
Demonstrate strong academic writing skills
Improve your confidence and fluency under timed conditions
Remember, scoring well in TOEFL writing isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being clear, relevant, well-organized, and linguistically accurate within a short time frame.