The Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Job Market Trends - TOEFL iBT® Writing Academic Discussion Practice Test

The TOEFL Academic Discussion task evaluates your ability to synthesize information from both reading and listening materials. In this practice test, you’ll engage with the topic 'The Impact of Automation on the Future of Manual Labor', analyzing contrasting viewpoints and formulating a well-structured response.

This exercise will improve your skills in articulating and organizing your ideas, which is essential for success in the TOEFL Writing section.

Writing Instructions:

• You will read a discussion related to an academic topic in class where your classmates have written their opinions on the said topic.
• You have 10 minutes to prepare and write your personal opinion on the academic topic. 
• Try to answer the question based on the discussion. You can also take ideas from the opinions posted by your classmates.
• There is no maximum word limit. However, an effective response should be a minimum of 100 words.
• Your response will be judged on the quality and clarity of your writing with well-supported reasons.

Instruction: Your professor is teaching a class on technology and society. Write a post responding to the professors question. In your response, you should

1. express and support your personal opinion

2. make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.

An effective response will contain at least 100 words. You have ten minutes to write.

Sample Response for the Academic Discussion Writing Task on The Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Job Market Trends

Analyze the two sample responses for the Academic Discussion Writing Task to identify the key characteristics that distinguish a score 3 from a score 5 response:

Score 3 Response

I believe that the rise of AI will have a positive impact on the job market, ultimately creating more jobs than it eliminates. While some jobs may be automated, AI will also create new opportunities in fields such as AI development, data analysis, and cybersecurity. For example, the rapid growth of AI has already led to increased demand for data scientists and machine learning engineers.Furthermore, AI can boost productivity and efficiency, leading to economic growth and the creation of new industries and job roles. By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, AI can free up human workers to focus on more complex and creative work. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity, as well as the development of new products and services.However, it is important to acknowledge that the transition to an AI-driven economy will be challenging for some workers. Those in industries that are heavily automated may face job losses or the need to acquire new skills. To mitigate these challenges, it is essential to invest in education and training programs to help workers adapt to the changing job market.In conclusion, while the rise of AI may lead to some job losses, it is likely to create more jobs overall. By embracing AI and investing in education and training, we can ensure that the benefits of AI are maximized while the negative consequences are minimized.

Rater's Comment: 

This response provides a clear opinion and offers some supporting evidence, but it lacks depth and analysis. The writer focuses primarily on the positive impacts of AI, ignoring the potential negative consequences. The response could be improved by providing more specific examples and evidence to support the claims. Additionally, the writer fails to address the counterargument presented by Oliver, which could strengthen the overall argument.

Score 5 Response