Sample Essays for TOEFL, SAT, IELTS, TWE, GRE, or GMAT
Introduction
Here you will find a number of sample essays for tests assessing your writing abilities. These tests maybe TOEFL, TWE, GRE, GMAT, IELTS, or any other specialized test for writing assessment.
These essays are specially written to get good scores and are tailored
according to the specific requirements of the testing authorities particularly for the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Obviously, you should
not copy these essays as one is required to produce original creation while taking such tests. These essays will provide you helpful
information about writing style and other stuff related to not only the
GRE and TOEFL but also for SAT and GMAT or any other writing assessment
test. (Note: You can find more essays, especially for GRE type exams, written by me at my other pages here: GRE Argument Essays, GRE Issue Essays)
Essay Topic 1 (Some Important Characteristics of a Co-worker)
We all work or will work in our jobs with many different kinds of people. In your opinion, what are some important characteristics of a co-worker (someone you work closely with)? Use reasons and specific examples to explain why these characteristics are important.
We get chance to work closely with people at our jobs. The people we work with are of different natures. This diversity in nature of people makes our working with them an interesting experience. While in some instances this could happen to be a bitter experience. This happens because the people we interact with might not have those important characteristics-the characteristics which are essential for a healthy working evironment. In my opinion some of the most important characteristics of a coworker are his cooperative nature, friendliness, and respect to others.
Cooperation among coworkers makes it easier to achieve difficult targets in jobs. If a coworker is cooperative, the working experience will be smooth. It usually happens in jobs that a task is divided into several subtasks. These subtasks are then assigned to different persons. If these people work in close coordination and cooperate with each other, they all will be able to complete the task on time and in a better manner. The feedback given by a coworker about a related task might help a lot to save your time and extra work.
Next important characteristic of a coworker is his friendliness. It makes a person easy to access. It encourages other coworkers to communicate with him easily and this in turn provides a chance to share knowledge and experiences among each other. Moreover, the friendly nature of coworkers will overall improve the working environment and peole will love to work in their jobs.
In my opinion another important characteristic of a coworker is his respect to others. We are bound to deal with several people in jobs and if a person is not respectful to his coworkers, they will certainly face difficulty in coordination in job activities.
In the end I would say that certain characteristics of a coworker are really important; not only for us but also for the organization we are working with. The friendly, cooperative and respectful nature of a coworker will help create a good, healthy and productive environment at job.
Essay Topic 2 (Is Reading Fiction More Enjoyable than Watching Movies?)
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Reading fiction (such as novels and short stories) is more enjoyable than watching movies. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.
I disagree with the statement that it is more enjoyable to read fiction than to watch movies. I believe this because a movie is not only based simply on a story but is a combination of several arts. It provides a shorter way to entertainment which can be enjoyed in company of others and with much ease than books.
As compared to fiction, movies provide a much better form of entertainment. In movies we admire not only the plot, but the other ingredients as well-acting, filming, music, action etc. On the other hand in reading we miss all these. The performance of actors enhances the quality of the story and plot. Similarly, a well placed music will simply make the experience superb. Modern graphics and filming techniques provide us an opportunity to enjoy and witness some of the most beautiful places and sceneries in the world. This helps satiate the aesthetic sense of many viewers.
Another point I like the most is that we can watch movies with our family and friends. So this can be a social activity. Everybody can enjoy not only watching a movie but also the company of their loved ones. Reading a novel or a story book lacks this option.
In order to make it more enjoyable, one also has an option of having snacks while watching movies. Many people love to have some kinds of drinks as well while watching movies. This is the reason why more people tend to buy pop corns, peanuts and some kinds of drinks in the cinemas. On the other hand it is a great hassle to indulge in some kind of eating or drinking activity while reading books.
As this essay has demonstrated I strongly agree that watching movies is more enjoyable than reading fiction. It provides us a hassle free opportunity to admire several arts and can be enjoyed in the company of other people.
Essay Topic 3 (An Important World Leader)
Leaders like John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King have made important contributions to the people of the United States. Name another world leader you think is important. Give specific reasons for your choice.
A leader should be ready to sacrifice anything for his people, he should be ready to fight for the rights of his people, and should guide his peole both politically and morally. He should be firm in his ideas and true to everybody. He should be one who works for bringing peace in the world. Such a leader is the leader whom we term as a great leader and such a leader is really important to the whole world.
Important leaders around the world possess some common qualities. John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King are some of the leaders in the recent past who possesed such qualities. In my opinion, Nelson Mandela is another important leader of our world whom we can be compared to the above mentioned leaders. He belongs to South Africa but is seen as an icon of peace and leadership for the whole world. He worked thoughout his life for the right of independence of his nation-the South African nation.
South Africa is a huge country which was ruled by foreigners until Nelson Mandela succeeded in getting independence. He started the movement of freedom during his youth in a very modest and peaceful way. His policies of non-agression and peace soon gained fame and the number of followers increased exponentially. He thus united his nation on a platform from where they can work together for a mutual cause in a peaceful manner. This indicated his wonderful leadership qualities as he was able to instill the sense of responsibility among the people-the people who were living in some of the harshest living conditions. It was Mandela's wisdom and sagacity that he was able to obviate several bloody events throughout the course of his movement, especially in the intial days. As the movement gained momentum, the ruling foreign power sensed that the wisdom of Mandela will soon cause their government to topple. He was put in a jail, as a result.
Mandela lived the prime years of his life in jail because he was determined to bring his people out of the turmoil they were in. He lived in one of the notorious jails of our time for more than 20 years. Even after living so much of his life in segregation he managed to keep his hope alive and thus rekindled the movement that was subsided temporarily after his arrest. He presented himself as an excellent example to the nation. He showed that he has the determination and patience and the nation should also follow his steps.
It was his patience that succeeded and he was released from jail to finally guide his nation to freedom. He is, in the true sense, one of the most important leaders of our time who contributed his whole life to the freedom of his nation.