1).追根溯源法

　　即从托福写作题目给出的话题中找出这个现象产生的原因来扩展背景句。这种方法适合大多数的话题，考生要尽量在考前做托福作文练习，这样在考试就可以得心应手了。

　　请看下面的例子：

　　There are social, medical and technical problems associated with the use of mobile phones. What forms do they take? Do you agree that the problems outweigh the benefits of mobile phones?

　　这个题目中给出的话题是mobile phone，所以考生可以从它产生的原因来考虑，就是科技的繁荣，而科技的繁荣，手机的广泛使用是在20世纪末，这样背景句就有内容可写了。当然要通过相应的句型来写了。如

　　… (time) witnessed …

　　这个背景句就可以写成： The late 20th century witnessed the boom of science and technology, which gave rise to a series of technological innovations, including the mobile phone.

　　再看一例：

　　Nowadays, some universities offer students skills that assist them to find employment, but some people believe that the main function of a university should be to provide students with access to knowledge for its sake. What is your opinion?

　　这题要求大家讨论大学是提供职业技能还是传授知识。那从传统观点来看，大学是传授知识的地方，为什么会提出要传授技能呢，所以这里考生也可以用追根溯源法思考下，大家肯定可以想到是由于找工作已经成为当今教育的目的之一了，所以很多大学就转移到以传授技能为主了。那当然还是要结合句型，这里可以用as 引导的原因状语从句。

　　参考：As job-hunting has become one of the main purposes of university education, the majority of the universities tend to offer vocational trainings to prepare the students for their future career.

　　2).重述法

　　即对关于这个话题的当前现状的重述。

　　请看一例：

　　Nowadays, people are facing more and more work-related stress. State the possible reasons for this phenomenon and make some recommendations about how to combat it。

　　本题的话题关于压力，那考生可从当前社会现象来考虑这个问题，考生不难想出当下对压力这一现象的情况，即很多人都在承受着或多或少的压力。可用it is generally believed that … 形式主语的句型。

　　参考: It is generally believed that white-collar as well as blue-collars workers are suffering from psychological and physical stress stemming from work.

　　再看一例：

　　Environmental problem is too big for individual countries and individual people to address. In other words, we have reached the stage where the only way to protect the environment is at an international level. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

　　本题话题为环境问题，考生也可用重述法对当前环境问题进行重述，这时，可以用In modern society/ At present, 等表时间的介词短语来引导一个叙述句型。

　　参考：In modern society, environment related issues have confronted ecological scientists, government agencies and the general public.

　　3).定义法

　　即通过对话题词的定义的介绍，这种方法在新托福开头写作中有一定难度，考生需要有渊博的知识，才能做到对名词的解释，但对特别明显的词语，考生可借鉴这种方法。

　　请看一例：

　　The main purpose of public libraries is to provide books and they should not waste their limited resources and space on providing expensive hi-tech media such as computer software, videos and DVDs. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

　　本题中的话题词为图书馆，可以解释的词也是图书馆比较方便容易。那么到底如何解释呢，比如说图书馆在传统意义上来看，是收藏书的地方，而现在因为科技发展，使得图书馆的意义发生改变，从而引出话题。这里同样可以用形式主语：

　　It is generally believed that public libraries are places with a large collection of books; however, the digital time has given it a new means of storing and retrieving information.