TOEFL Writing Practice Test (Email and Academic Discussion)
The TOEFL Writing section changed completely in January 2026. The old Integrated Writing task — summarising a lecture and reading passage — was removed entirely. In its place are two new task types that test real-world academic writing skills: composing a formal email and contributing to an academic discussion. Practising with authentic 2026 tasks is now the only way to prepare effectively.
The 2026 TOEFL Writing Format
The Writing section runs for approximately 23 minutes and contains three task types, completed in sequence:
| Task | Type | Time | Min. Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build a Sentence | Ordering words into correct grammar | ~6 min total | N/A (drag and drop) |
| Write an Email | Formal/semi-formal email response | 7 min | ~120 words |
| Academic Discussion | Written contribution to a class discussion | 10 min | 100 words |
Build a Sentence questions are drag-and-drop grammar tasks — you arrange scrambled words into a grammatically correct sentence. These are scored automatically. Write an Email and Academic Discussion are evaluated by AI and carry the most weight in your Writing band score.
Task 1: Write an Email
You are given a scenario (e.g., 'A professor has offered you an opportunity to participate in a research project. Write an email accepting the offer and asking about the next steps.') and three bullet points you must address. Your email must use appropriate register — formal for an authority figure, semi-formal for a peer.
You have 7 minutes. Strong responses typically run 130–180 words. Common mistakes include: writing too informally (using contractions like 'I'm', 'can't' in formal emails), missing one of the three bullet points, writing too few words, and failing to include an appropriate greeting and sign-off.
- ▸Structure: Subject line → Formal greeting → Opening sentence (state purpose) → Three body paragraphs (one per bullet point) → Closing → Sign-off.
- ▸Register: Use 'I would like to...' not 'I want to...'; 'I am writing to...' not 'I'm writing to...'
- ▸Timing: Aim to finish in 6 minutes, leaving 60 seconds to proofread.
Task 2: Academic Discussion
You are shown a professor's question and two student responses (each 60–80 words). Your task is to write a contribution to the discussion that adds to what the students have said — not just agreeing with one of them, but introducing your own idea, example, or analysis.
You have 10 minutes. The minimum is 100 words, but most Band 5.0+ responses are 130–170 words. The most common mistake is writing a response that simply paraphrases the students' posts. Examiners — and AI scoring models — specifically reward novel ideas and specific examples.
How AI Scores Your Writing
At englishtestpractice.com, your Email and Discussion responses are evaluated by an AI model trained on the 2026 TOEFL iBT Writing rubric. It produces a band score (1.0–6.0) for each task and an overall Writing band, which is the weighted average of both task scores.
The AI evaluates five criteria for each task:
- ▸Task Achievement: Did you address all required bullet points (Email) or contribute a genuinely new idea (Discussion)?
- ▸Coherence and Cohesion: Does your response flow logically? Are connective phrases used accurately ('Furthermore', 'However', 'As a result')?
- ▸Lexical Resource: Do you use a range of vocabulary appropriate to formal academic writing?
- ▸Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Do you use varied sentence structures? Are grammatical errors occasional or frequent?
- ▸Response Length: Responses under the minimum word count receive automatic score penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is spell-check available during the TOEFL Writing section?
No. The real TOEFL iBT Writing interface does not include spell-check or autocorrect. The practice test on englishtestpractice.com also disables browser spell-check to accurately simulate test conditions. Practise writing without autocorrect from the start of your preparation.
Can I go back and edit my Email after starting the Discussion task?
No. Once you advance to the next Writing task, you cannot return to a previous one. This is the same on the real exam. Submit your Email response only when you are satisfied with it.
What happens if my Academic Discussion response is under 100 words?
Responses under 100 words in the Academic Discussion task are penalised in scoring, both by the real TOEFL examiners and by the AI at englishtestpractice.com. The practice test shows a live word count as you type. Aim for 120+ words to give yourself a safety margin above the 100-word minimum.
