The TOEFL independent writing task is a 300 words essay that tests the candidate’s ability to write proper essays. The TOEFL writing samples for TOEFL independent writing are a preparation tool to help candidates with properly structured, vocabulary used, coherent, and developed essays. TOEFL writing practice papers are also helpful in preparing the candidates for the writing section.

Model Answer 1:

In today’s world, people have a variety of resources that contribute to their learning process. In my opinion, the knowledge we acquire from our first-hand personal experiences is more valuable than what we gain from printed sources. This is mainly for two main reasons which I have elaborated below.

Firstly, the information provided by books is not always verifiable and accurate. It is often contradictory or unrealistic when compared to the real world. This happens because many a time books are written by unqualified authors and even in cases of well-known and educated academics who are often swayed by their own biases or inadequacies. Even a highly qualified professor writes a book after months of extensive research it may turn out to be faulty due to the dynamic nature and constant shift of affairs in the real world. My own experience of visiting the Republic of Slovakia can be considered a prime example of this. I read a number of books, catalogs, guides on their culture, region as well as the people which described its people as having a conservative nature coupled with restrictions. But when I visited the place, I was taken by surprise because of their welcoming nature and progressive values. The books I referred to were not outdated, they were just a few years and despite that, the information it provided did not coincide with my personal experience.

Secondly, the knowledge we imbibe from our personal experiences lasts longer than book knowledge. Books are often discarded and their knowledge is long forgotten. For example, I was a university student for four years and during that time I read hundreds of books that were a part of my curriculum. It’s been almost ten years since I graduated and I can hardly tend to remember anything I imbibed from them. On the other hand, I have vivid memories of the aforementioned trip to Europe, what I learned about its people, their culture, values, cuisine, etc. This is because of my heartfelt connection to the trip when compared to a temporary, academic connection to my university studies.

In conclusion, I strongly advocate that personal experiences add more to our lives than books. Books are sometimes inaccurate and because our personal memories leave a stronger impression on us than what we read in print.

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Model Answer 2:

Books have always been considered the primal source of knowledge. But in recent times, along with books, real-time experience is also considered equally significant. Why? It is because people are concerned about living their lives through experiences rather than knowledge derived from the book. Boks have definitely paved the past paths but with more pragmatic approaches to learning, people are more likely to gain knowledge from that.

The knowledge derived from books is restrained to particular occupations like scientists, doctors, engineers, teachers, who require bookish knowledge to proceed in their professions. But professions like an event manager, interior designer, hospitality manager, all these are more inclined towards learning from experience or hard headed situations. The foundation is undoubtedly starting from learning from books, but a person from the latter professions cannot prepare only from books. After learning the basics, they need to implement the same in the practical world. Formulas and definitions can be studied from books, and those are beneficial as well. But not everything can be studied from books.

Furthermore, there are some instances that can only be studied from real-life experiences rather than books. Books cannot provide you with the manner of behaving with people, it cannot preach the way to get along with other people, or in many cases modify the behavior to satisfy other people. Experiences help one to learn optimism and examine the traits of people. Learning from experiences is also adjustable. This means, there are numerous solutions to a specific problem, and it also changes according to the situation.

Books and experiences have different purposes to serve. The best combination that can be followed is learning from books and implementing the knowledge through experiences. This way, the person will not only be remembering the lesson but also incorporate it in the long run.