近日,托福ETS发布了TOEFL iBT Technical Manual,在Section 3 Scoring and score reporting(具体内容在第30-31页)
对于口语、写作答案评分的全面描述:Responses to the Write an Email and Write for an Academic Discussion in the Writing section, as well as all speaking tasks, are evaluated using ETS proprietary AI scoring engines as well as human scoring to enhance accuracy and consistency of scores.
邮件题,学术讨论题,以及所有口语部分的答案都将由ETS自主研发的AI评分引擎来评分,同时,真人考官评分将用来提高该AI评分的准确性和稳定性。

今天,我们详细来解读托福写作新题型邮件写作四大满分评分维度。
维度一:Content——有效充实的内容
核心要求:
Elaboration that effectively supports the communicative purpose
这是高分与否的第一道分水岭。它要求你的内容充实且具说服力,完美服务于写作目的。
·满分标准解读:
1.足够的篇幅:邮件需要具备一定的长度(如5-7句或以上),以确保有空间进行充分阐述。一句话的请求或感谢无法展现此能力。
2.逻辑连贯:句子与段落之间衔接自然,有清晰的因果、递进等逻辑关系。使用恰当的连接词(如Therefore, However, For instance),使行文流畅。
3.紧扣主题,有效展开:这是核心中的核心。避免空洞的陈述,必须提供具体细节、理由和例子来支撑你的观点或请求。
·满分范例vs.低分范例:
·场景:请求教授延长论文截止日期。
·低分(空洞):“Dear Professor, I need more time for the paper. Can you give me an extension?”(没有阐述原因,无效沟通)
·满分(有效):“Dear Professor Smith, I am writing to respectfully request a 48-hour extension for the upcoming research paper on climate policy. This is because I have encountered unexpected difficulties in accessing a key database for my data collection, which has set my progress back by two days. I have already contacted the library support and the issue is being resolved, but it will take until tomorrow. I have attached a copy of my current outline for your reference. Thank you for your consideration.”(阐述了具体原因、已采取的行动、并提供了证明,逻辑完整,说服力强)
维度二:Syntactic/Lexical Variety——多变式与地道用词
核心要求:
Effective syntactic variety and precise, idiomatic word choice
此维度考察你的语言丰富度和精确度,证明你不仅能写对句子,更能写好句子。
·满分标准解读:
1.句式多变:能灵活运用简单句、并列句、复合句(如使用定语从句、状语从句、名词性从句等)。避免通篇都是“主谓宾”的单调结构。
2.词汇精准地道:
·使用高频学术/场景词汇:避免过于初级的词汇。
·搭配正确:例如,用submit a request而不是send a request;用heavy rainfall而不是big rain。
·用词具体:用accommodating(乐于助人的)、informative(信息丰富的)来代替good, nice等泛泛之词。
·满分范例:
·句式多变:“While I found the guest lecture incredibly informative, I was wondering if the presentation slides could be made available to us.”(使用了状语从句、主从复合句和被动语态)
·用词地道:“I would like to bring to your attention an issue with the air conditioning in the library.”(“bring to your attention”是比“I want to tell you”更地道、更正式的表达)
维度三:Scocial Conventions——得体的社交惯例
核心要求:
Politeness, register, organization of information
此维度考察你的“社交情商”,即邮件是否符合身份、场合和目的。
·满分标准解读:
1.语气礼貌:
·大量使用情态动词:Could you possibly...?, Would it be feasible to...?, I was hoping...
·使用缓和语气的词语:perhaps, possibly, a little bit, slightly (e.g., "The room was a little bit too noisy.")
2.语域得当:对教授、管理人员应使用正式或半正式语体,避免俚语和过于随意的缩写。
3.结构清晰:邮件应有清晰的结构:开门见山的问候、明确的写信目的、条理清晰的阐述、礼貌的结尾。
维度四:Accuracy/Errors——近乎完美的准确性
核心要求:
Almost no lexical or grammatical errors
这是高分的基石。允许存在在限时写作压力下可能出现的、无伤大雅的常见笔误,但不能出现影响理解的系统性语法或词汇错误。
·满分标准解读:
·语法正确:时态、主谓一致、词性、句子结构等基本无错。
·词汇使用准确:无混淆词义(如effect vs. affect)。
·拼写与标点正确:特别注意常见易错词(如there/their/they're)和标点的规范使用。
总结:满分邮件画像
一封能拿下满分的邮件,是一位思维清晰、语言娴熟、情商在线且做事严谨的沟通者。它需要:
·有血有肉:用具体细节填充内容,让邮件充实可信。
·有声有色:用多变的句式和地道的词汇展示语言功底。
·有礼有节:用得体的语气和结构体现沟通智慧。
·无懈可击:用近乎完美的准确性奠定高分基础
以上四个维度,是官方评判邮件写作的关键。那么要拿下满分,具体要达到哪些要求呢?我们再来看看官方给出的5分(满分)评分标准:
A fully successful respons
The response is effective, is clearly expressed, and shows consistent facility in the use of language.
A typical response displays the following:
•Elaboration that effectively supports the communicative purpose
•Effectivesyntactic varietyand precise, idiomatic word choice
•Consistent use of appropriate social conventions(e.g., politeness, register, organization ofinformation and formulation of actions such as requests, refusals, criticisms, etc.)
•Almost no lexical or grammatical errorsother than those expected from a competent writer writingunder timed conditions (e.g., common typos or common misspellings or substitutions like there/their)
我们来详细解读其中一条核心评分标准:Elaboration that effectively supports the communicative purpose。
这个概念是新托福邮件写作能否获得高分的关键,我们可以把它理解为“为达目的,有效展开”。
下面我将它拆解为三个部分进行解释:
1.核心概念拆解
·Communicative Purpose:指的是你这封邮件的核心沟通目的。你写这封邮件想达到什么效果?
·是请求对方提供课程信息?
·是感谢某人的帮助?
·是投诉一个问题并寻求解决方案?
·是推荐一个餐厅或活动?
·是邀请对方参加某个项目?
你的所有内容都必须围绕着这个单一、明确的目的来展开。
·Elaboration:指的是为了达成上述目的,你所进行的细节阐述、解释和论证。它不仅仅是把句子写长,而是有目的地填充支撑性内容。
·Effectively Supports:这是最关键的部分,意味着你的“阐述”必须直接、有力、且贴切地服务于你的沟通目的。它需要产生实际的效果,让收件人理解、信服,并愿意采取你所期望的行动。
2.什么是“有效的阐述”?
简单来说,就是避免空洞的陈述,提供具体的、相关的、有说服力的细节。
沟通目的❌无效/空洞的阐述✅有效/具体的阐述

总结一下,“有效的阐述”通常包括:
·原因:你为什么提出这个请求/感谢/投诉?
·具体细节:问题是什么?好在哪里?你需要什么?
·影响或结果:这件事对你或对方造成了什么影响?你期望的结果是什么?
·逻辑链条:你的理由和你的请求之间要有清晰的逻辑关系。
3.如何在写作中实现?
1.动笔前先明确目的:问自己:“我写这封邮件到底想让他/她做什么或知道什么?”
2.为每一个核心观点问“为什么”和“比如”:当你写下一个陈述句后,强迫自己追问:“为什么我这么说?”“能举个例子吗?”。然后把答案写进邮件里。
3.站在读者角度思考:你提供的细节,是否能让他人一目了然?是否能说服他们同意你的请求或理解你的处境?
4.结合其他评分标准:有效的阐述需要准确的词汇和多变的句式来呈现。同时,整个阐述过程必须符合社交惯例(如礼貌、得体的语气)。
结论:
Elaboration that effectively supports the communicative purpose的本质就是拒绝空谈,追求实效。它要求你的邮件不仅“语言正确”,更要“内容充实、目的明确、说服力强”。这是将一位“语言正确”的写作者,与一位“沟通高效”的写作者区分开来的关键。
这是一篇邮件写作满分范文,我们一起结合上面的5分呢评分标准来看看,为什么这篇文章能够拿下满分,以及后面我们该如何备考。
询问课程信息Ask for the additional informationabout course
You are a student starting a new semester, and you would like some additional information about a course you are interested in that is taught by Dr. Adams. You want to ensure that the course is suitable for you. Write an email to Dr. Adams. In your email, do the following:
Explain why you are interested in the course.
Ask for the additional information you would like to have about the
course.
Thank Dr. Adams for taking the time to respond. Write as much as you can and in complete sentences.
Dear Dr. Adams,
I just read the catalog description for ENG 204 and loved the emphasis onturning personal experience into polished narrative; as a Psychology major who keeps detailed journals,I am eager to explore how storytellingcan illuminate human behavior.(表达喜欢)
I am writing to ask whether the course is appropriate for students who have only taken freshman composition and no previous creative-writing workshops.Could you tell me how many longer essays we will draft and revise, and whether class meetings are conducted mainly as lectures or as peer-workshop sessions? I would also like to know if the final portfolio is graded solely on improvement or if a baseline writing level is expected.Finally, should a recommended reading list exist, would it be possible for me to begin it over winter break, or is prior preparation unnecessary?(询问信息)
Thank you very much for taking the time to respond; your guidance will help me decide if this course fits my schedule and goals for the semester.(表达感谢)
Sincerely,
Jordan Lee
范文评分维度深度解析
1. Content -有效充实的内容
核心要求:elaboration that effectively supports the communicative purpose
这篇范文的沟通目的是:咨询ENG 204课程的具体信息,以判断自己是否适合选修。
·如何体现:
·足够的篇幅:全文共约10句,提供了充分的空间进行详细阐述,远超“简单提问”的层次。
·语篇连贯:逻辑链条清晰无比:
1.开头建立联系:明确提及课程(ENG 204)并表达兴趣(loved the emphasis...),说明写信的缘由。
2.阐明自身背景:说明自己是心理学专业并保持写日记的习惯(as a Psychology major who keeps detailed journals),这为后续的提问提供了合理的动机,回答了教授可能存在的“你为什么要问这些”的疑问。
3.具体问题层层递进:问题从入学门槛(是否适合仅有基础写作课的学生)→课程结构(作业量、授课形式)→评分标准(作品集如何评分)→课前准备(阅读清单),覆盖了选课决策所需的所有关键信息。这些问题不是随意罗列,而是有逻辑地深入。
·紧扣提示:全文紧密围绕“选课咨询”这一核心目的,没有任何离题废话。
2. Syntactic/Lexical Variety -多变句式与地道用词
核心要求:effective syntactic variety and precise, idiomatic word choice
·如何体现:
·句式多变:
·状语从句开头:As a Psychology major who keeps detailed journals,...(丰富的句首变化)
·名词性从句:...whether the course is appropriate...; ...if the final portfolio is graded...(作为宾语,语法结构复杂)
·被动语态:...class meetings are conducted mainly as lectures...(体现语体正式和句式多样性)
·虚拟倒装:Finally, should a recommended reading list exist, would it be possible...(高级语法结构,展现语言驾驭能力)
·用词精准地道:
·高频学术词汇:emphasis, polished narrative, explore, illuminate, conducted, portfolio, baseline。
·搭配正确:polished narrative(打磨过的叙述),illuminate human behavior(阐明人类行为),final portfolio(最终作品集),baseline writing level(基准写作水平)。这些搭配都非常地道。
3. Social Conventions -得体的社交惯例
核心要求:politeness, register, organization of information
·如何体现:
·语气极度礼貌:
·大量使用情态动词和缓和语:I am writing to ask whether..., Could you tell me..., I would also like to know..., would it be possible...。全程使用委婉的询问,没有任何命令式语气。
·表达感谢:Thank you very much for taking the time to respond; your guidance will help me...不仅感谢,还说明了对方帮助的价值,显得真诚。
·语域得当:全文使用正式、学术的语体。称呼为Dear Dr. Adams,落款为Sincerely。句子结构完整严谨,没有缩写或口语化表达。
·结构组织清晰:采用经典的三段式结构:
1.段落一:表明身份、建立联系、说明来意。
2.段落二:分点列出具体问题(虽未用序号,但用句子清晰分隔)。
3.段落三:表达感谢并说明其帮助性。
4. Accuracy/Errors -近乎完美的准确性
核心要求:Almost no lexical or grammatical errors
·如何体现:在通篇范文中,几乎找不到任何语法、用词或拼写错误。所有句子结构完整,时态一致,主谓一致,标点符号使用规范。这完全符合“在限时写作条件下,几乎无错误”的满分要求。