Lesson 32 of 41 in the Test Ninjas TOEFL course: Write for an Academic Discussion, Writing. In Write for an Academic Discussion, agreeing with a classmate is fine, but repeating one isn’t.
Test Ninjas Research · Updated October 1, 2026
Lesson at a glance
Detail
This lesson
Module
Write for an Academic Discussion (Writing)
English focus
Reasons, examples, concession and hedging (because / since, for example / such as, admittedly / although, may / tend to)
Task skill
Adding an original, supported contribution: an angle neither classmate used, a developed reason and a specific example
Time
About 50 minutes
Access
Included in the TOEFL plan
What this lesson teaches
In Write for an Academic Discussion, agreeing with a classmate is fine, but repeating one isn’t.
This lesson teaches the English that turns an opinion into support:
- reason connectors (because, since, so, which means)
- example signals (For example, such as, Imagine a student who…)
- concession frames that admit a fair point, then return to your side (It’s true that…, but…; Admittedly, … Still, …)
- hedges that make a claim easier to defend (often, tend to, may)
Then it shows you how to find an angle neither classmate used and develop it into one supported point that engages a classmate.
By the end of the lesson, you can
Support a claim with a reason connector (because, because of, since, so, which means) and a specific example (For example, …; such as …; Imagine a student who…) that proves the reason, not just the topic.
Concede a point and return to your own position (It’s true that…, but…; Admittedly, … Still, …; Although …, …), and hedge claims (may, tend to, often, in many cases) without hiding your stance.
List what each classmate has already said, choose an angle neither used, and develop it into one supported point that engages a classmate.
What’s inside
Around the 3 teaching cycles below, the lesson opens with a quick check and closes with applied practice, a Check and a debrief. How every course lesson is built.
Teaching cycles in lesson 32
Cycle
Focus
What it teaches
Drills
Cycle 1
English
Reasons and examples
7
Cycle 2
English
Concession and hedging
7
Cycle 3
Task skill
Finding the open angle and developing it
8
Word bank
The 10 words and phrases this lesson teaches. They come from the real course questions you practice on in the Apply step, so you meet each one again in context.
see it differently phrase
to have a different opinion from someone
Mei thinks the new quiet-hours rule is too strict. I see it differently: it’s the only way the third floor stays usable during exams.
Goes with:
I see it differently: …; see things differently
Word family:
differ (verb); different (adjective); difference (noun)
mission noun
the main purpose of an organization
The tutoring center’s mission is to help every student pass their first math course.
Goes with:
a mission to + verb; an educational mission; the company’s mission
Word family:
mission statement (noun phrase); on a mission (to do something)
attract verb
to make people want to come or take part
The night market attracts hundreds of students every Friday.
Goes with:
attract visitors / students / attention
Word family:
attraction (noun); attractive (adjective)
wear out phrasal verb
to become old and damaged from use
The carpet in the main hallway wears out every few years because so many people walk on it.
Goes with:
wear out quickly; the parts wear out
Word family:
worn-out (adjective): worn-out shoes; wear and tear (noun phrase)
a fraction of the cost fixed phrase
for much less money
A second-hand bike did the job at a fraction of the cost of a new one.
Goes with:
at a fraction of the cost / price; in a fraction of the time
Word family:
fraction (noun); fractional (adjective)
replace verb
to put something new in place of something old
The college plans to replace the old printers with faster ones next month.
Goes with:
replace X with Y; be replaced by
Word family:
replacement (noun); replaceable (adjective)
budget noun (also a verb)
the amount of money available to spend
The chess club is on a tight budget, so members bring their own boards.
Goes with:
a tight / limited budget; on a budget; over budget
Word family:
budget (verb): budget for something; budgetary (adjective, formal)
at most adverb phrase
not more than; the largest amount possible
The practice quiz takes fifteen minutes at most, so you can do it before lunch.
Goes with:
a few years at most; an hour at most
Word family:
at least (the opposite); most (determiner)
identify verb
to find and name something
The survey identified two main reasons why students drop the course.
Goes with:
identify the cause / the problem / the wrong cause