Pre-TOEFL writing, learning about life by listening to the advice of family and friends or through personal experience

Writing Topic

Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by listening to the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of these two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable? Use specific examples to support your preference.

☆Let’s Think

What does “learning about life” mean? Probably it is acquiring information to live a better life such as moral, how to deal with certain things in life, or avoiding certain activities.

☆Making Sure the Tasks.

Task 1: To compare the advantages of the two ways of learning about life.

Task 2: To decide which way of learning about life is preferable.

☆Hints for Points

Task 1: To compare the advantages of the two ways of learning about life.

♦ advantages of learning about life from the advice of family and friends:

1.    Family and friends have various perspectives about life.

2.    Many of the people around you have more wisdom than you and help you avoid mistakes because they are older and have more experiences than you.

3.    Family and friends understand you, even more than you, so they give you the best advice for you.

♦advantages of learning about life through personal experience:

1.    First-hand experience is more convincing because it is a real experience.

2.    Lessons learned by yourself are easier to remember.

3.    Believing in your own experience is often makes it easier to try new things.

Task 2: To decide which way of learning about life is preferable.

♦ learning about life from the advice of family and friends

1.    It is wise to consult (with) others for advice to be successful in life.

2.    Man is a social animal. We are made to help each other to lead a happy life.

♦ learning about life through personal experience

1.    I would like to do anything by myself.

2.    I learn things better when I do it actively by myself.

☆Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】Both learning about life by listening to family and friends and doing it through personal experience have advantages, but I would rather ask for advice.

【family and friends】Two heads are better than one.

【personal experience】Personal experience helps you learn things better.

【my preference】Learning something the hard way often costs too much.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】 Life is short and advice from others will save you from many losses.

♦Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【family and friends】

【personal experience】

【my preference】

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

☆Sample Paragraph Development of 【personal experience】 in Sample Essay Structure

【Main Idea】Personal experience helps you learn things better.

【Explanation】Reality makes you learn something quickly and forever.

【Example】For example, when you greet a new person in your neighborhood and make good friends with the person, you learn that greeting a stranger is important and keep doing it the rest of your life.

【Follow up】Your parents can tell you the importance of good manners hundreds of times but it is often when you taste their goodness that you start exercising them actively.

【Conclusion】By actually trying as many things as you can, you learn about life deeply.

♦Your test paragraph development:

【Main Idea】

【Explanation】

【Example】

【Follow up】

【Conclusion】