Are you waiting for the international exam TOEFL, IELTS or others, where one of the stages is writing an essay? Or maybe you are applying for admission to a university and you need to tell about yourself, your achievements and plans in an essay? Either way, your goal is to write a great essay in English. This is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, and we will help you figure it all out.
This article will tell you how to write an essay in English, what types of essays are in English, how to write an introduction to an essay, and what linking words to use in the text.
What is an essay?
Essay (Essay) in English is a short essay in which you express your point of view on a given topic. Writing a quality essay in English requires a high level of language proficiency, a rich vocabulary and the ability to clearly and concisely state your thoughts.
The formal style of narration is one of the features of the English essay, which distinguishes it from essays on a free topic, which we are used to in Russian. The English are serious about the style of presenting thoughts in an essay, so it is not recommended to use abbreviations and, in general, allow yourself to be frivolous in the text. Also, any essay, regardless of the topic, has a certain structure. But first things first.
Essay types
There are three main types of essay in English:
For and against essay (essay "for and against")
The name of this type speaks for itself: in it you need to give arguments “for and against” on a given topic.
Writing plan: in the introduction, you lead the reader to the problem; in the main part, you neutrally describe the arguments “for and against”, without expressing your own opinion; in conclusion - express your opinion about the problem and draw a conclusion.
Opinion essay (opinion essay)
Unlike “pros and cons”, an opinion essay is designed to express your thoughts on a topic. The peculiarity of the opinion essay is that you need not only to express your own opinion on the problem, but to reflect other points of view in the essay. So to say, look at the topic from a different angle.Writing plan: in the introduction, indicate the topic of the discussion; in the main part - express your opinion on the problem, supporting it with confident arguments, and also describe what other points of view there are; in conclusion, you summarize the results that support your opinion on the problem.
Suggesting solutions to a problem essay
Usually in such essays you are given some kind of global problem, and your task is to offer the most possible and relevant ways to solve it.
Writing plan: introduction describes the problem and its causes; in the main part, you need to offer several options for solving the described problem and the possible consequences of each of them; the conclusion summarizes the results and the final decision or recommendations.
Typically, the type of essay depends on the chosen topic and is often indicated directly in the assignment. If there are no type recommendations, then use any one that, in your opinion, is best suited to a given topic.
The above types of English essays are the most common, but there are others. Sometimes you need to write about your achievements and plans for the future (for example, when applying to a university or college), and sometimes a free-form essay about what excites you right now (that is, without a given topic).
Whatever the topic of the essay, when writing it, it is worth adhering to a certain generally accepted structure.
Structure
Usually, an examination essay should be 180-320 words long, but this framework is not rigid and must be indicated in the assignment along with the topic.
Before writing, it is worth remembering that an essay is not a detailed essay-reasoning on a free topic, but only a clear and concise expression of thoughts on a given problem. Therefore, all essays in English have a common structure:
header
The title of the essay, which reflects the topic or problem that will be revealed in the text. The title should be as concise and clear as possible. In fact, the title of the essay is similar to the title of the article: it should contain the main idea, which will be further disclosed in the text.
Introduction
It should indicate what the main part will be about. The introduction should explain the topic of the discussion and how you understand it, be concise (take up about 5-10% of the text), briefly outline the outline of the essay and refer to sources or other data if necessary. Main part
This is the main part of the essay in English, which reveals the problem and your opinion on it, depending on the chosen type of presentation. It provides arguments and examples, as well as other points of view on the topic. At the end of the main body, the text should smoothly lead the reader to the conclusion.
This part of the essay occupies approximately 75-85% of the total text.
Conclusion
At the end, you need to summarize all the thoughts revealed in the main part of the essay.
A good conclusion is not just a dry enumeration of all the above facts, but a well-reasoned conclusion on the topic. It may echo or refer to the introduction, but in different wording. In conclusion, you should not put forward completely new ideas or refute those already expressed, and also, use an apologetic tone for your opinion. Be confident in your point of view and simply state it again. The acceptable amount of text in the conclusion is 10-15%.
If you have an exam on the horizon, then our recommendations and tips on how to write an essay in English will come in handy.
Tips:
1. Sketch a draft
If time for writing is limited, then use a draft. Throw a plan on it and write down the main ideas. This will help you write an essay faster and not make mistakes in the final version.
2. Stick to structure
3. Be concise
Express your thoughts briefly, without delving into reasoning.
4. Argue
Give clear support to the words when expressing your own or someone else's point of view on the topic. Draw conclusions based on these arguments.
5. Stick to a formal style
The formal style of presentation is the best option for an essay, unless otherwise indicated. Do not use abbreviations, slang and colloquial expressions.
6. Use link words
Special words will help you express thoughts consistently, lead the reader to a conclusion and build the correct structure in the text.
7. Diversify vocabulary and grammar
Despite the fact that the essay is written in a formal style, it does not hurt to add a little brightness to it to give the text personality. If thisappropriate, use synonyms for and .As for grammar and compound sentences, use them only if you are confident in your knowledge. Otherwise, mistakes or misuse of time will play into your hands.
8. Be correct
Often the topics for an essay are acute social issues, the opinion on which can be sharply polarized. When expressing your thoughts on controversial issues, you should be as correct as possible and do not forget about elementary delicacy, tolerance and politeness.
9. Check for errors
Obvious but extremely important advice. Take a look at the finished essay to check it for all sorts of errors and typos.
- Remember that you are writing an essay for another person who is not your friend or colleague, which means stick to neutral expressions, use standard speech patterns, write to the point and do not deviate from the topic.
- Do not abuse adjectives, exclamation marks and avoid common words (all, any, every). Also, do not use phrasal verbs (put it, get off, etc.) and abbreviations (can't instead of cannot, don't instead of don't, etc.). Adhere to an academic-informational style of presentation: avoid personal pronouns (I, my, we, our) and give preference to the active voice over the passive voice.
- To give the text objectivity, express your opinion on the topic using impersonal constructions (It is believed that…; It cannot be argued that…, etc.) and non-categorical verbs (suggest, suppose, claim, etc.). Words such as apparently (obviously), arguably (probably) and other adverbs will help you correctly express your opinion on the issue.
- Divide the body of the text into paragraphs according to their meaning, which can be interconnected and complement each other. Do not overload paragraphs with sentences and make them all about the same length. At the beginning of a paragraph, it is better to use linking words that will help to continue the thought expressed earlier.
- If you cite examples or quotations in texts, refer to the source and date of publication of the statement. This can be done in parentheses, indicating the author and year.
Useful words for an essay
Introductory words
Introductory phrases for an essay in English are universal and suitable for any type of essay.
This essay deals with... - This essay deals with...
This assignment will examine… - This work examines…
This report will analyze... - This report analyzes…
This essay will consider… - This essay will consider…
It is believed that ... - It is believed that ...
Some phrases that will help outline the outline of the essay and clarify the content:
The essay is divided into four sections... - This essay is divided into four parts…
It will first consider ... - First considered ...
It will then continue to describe… - After which we will continue to describe…
The third part compares… - The third part compares…
Finally, some conclusions will be drawn as to...
Linking words
Linking words or linkers (linking words) will help you not only express your thoughts logically in an essay, but also make the text easy to read and structured. Take note of these words for everyday speech, because the ligaments make it more logical and bring it as close as possible to the speech of the native speakers themselves.
Linkers for sequencing ideas(linking words to organize thoughts)
Finally - finally, in the end
First(ly)... second(ly)... third(ly) - first (first)... second (second)... third (third)
Lastly - finally, at the end
The first point ... the second point ... the third point - firstly (first point) ... secondly (second point) ... thirdly (third point)
The former... the latter - the first... the last
To begin with... then... to conclude - to begin... then... finally
Linkers for expressing opinions(linking words to express opinion)
According to… - According to…
It cannot be denied that… - It cannot be denied that...
It is said / believed that ... - They say / believe that ...
Some people say that… - Some people say that...
There is no doubt that… - Without a doubt…
We must admit that… - We must admit that...
First person:
As far as I am concerned - As far as I know...
From my point of view - It seems to me that ...
I agree - I agree
I am in favor of - I am a supporter of ...
I am against the idea of - I am against the idea ...
I believe that - I believe that ...
I disagree - I disagree
In my opinion - I believe that ...
Linkers for giving examples(linking words for examples):
As follows - next, as indicated next
For example For instance - for example
Namely - namely
Such as - such as
Linkers for giving reasons(linking words to explain why):
As - since
Because - because
Because of - due to the fact that
Due to - according to
Owing to - thanks
Since - since
Linkers for contrasting ideas(linking words for opposition):
Although / even though - although, even if
But - but
Despite - despite
However - however
In comparison - in comparison
In contrast - unlike
In spite of - despite
In theory - in theory
In practice - in practice
Nevertheless - in spite of, nevertheless
Nevertheless - nevertheless
On the contrary - on the contrary
On the one hand - on the one hand
On the other hand - on the other side
Unlike - unlike
Whereas - then how
While - while
Linkers for adding information(linking words for more information):
Also - also
And - and
Apart from - apart from, along with
As well as - just like ...
besides - besides, besides
Furthermore - more than that
In addition to - in addition to
moreover - in addition, moreover
Linkers for summarizing information and showing the result(linking words for summing up)
As a consequence - as a consequence
As a result - as a result
consequent - consequently
Hence - therefore
In brief In short - in a nutshell
In conclusion - in conclusion
In summary - in the end, summing up the above
Therefore - therefore
Thus - thus
To conclude - drawing conclusions
To summarise - summing up
This summer, a scandal broke out related to the USE in English: 1.5 thousand schoolchildren from the Sverdlovsk region, Primorye and Buryatia wrote an essay with zero points. Many of them were winners of Olympiads in foreign languages and studied in gymnasium classes. We asked Skyeng methodologist and GEF developer Daria Grebenyuk to talk about the essay format and give some tips on how to prepare for it.
Why are the regions dissatisfied?
Parents of schoolchildren insist that the reason for poor results is the different level of difficulty of tasks for Moscow and for other regions. They are sure that the Muscovites got easier topics. On this occasion, they even created a petition addressed to the president demanding that the grades of children be reviewed. As Natalia Riis, the author of the petition, told Kommersant, “now it turns out that Moscow is writing an essay about friendship, and the Urals is writing about digital literacy.”
At the same time, the FIPI (an institution that develops USE tasks) does not want to support the petition - they say that the students were poorly prepared and did the tasks incorrectly. For example, they arbitrarily simplified the topic “Early choice of a profession is the key to success” to a laconic “My future profession”. According to the representative of the FIPI, students do this in order to "reproduce the topic learned by heart instead of their own opinion and their own reasoning." State Duma deputy from the Sverdlovsk region Alexei Balyberdin asked the Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Olga Vasilyeva to figure out what was the matter and who was right - FIPI or parents.
Some regions did indeed perform poorly in essays. In the Novosibirsk region, almost 56% of those who took the test received zero points, in the Kemerovo region and in Buryatia - 35%. They coped better in Irkutsk and Rostov - there the percentage of those who wrote zero is less than 10. In the whole country, 40% of schoolchildren did not cope with the essay.
How to write an essay in the exam in English?
Essay - a task of an increased level of complexity (corresponds to B2, the threshold advanced level of Intermediate). This is a discussion on the proposed topic, in which there are five structural parts:
- Introduction(introduction), where the problem is indicated;
- the position of the student and two or three arguments in support of it;
- the formulation of an alternative point of view and one or two arguments in its favor;
- an explanation of the student why he does not agree with these arguments;
- conclusion(conclusion), which summarizes the main position of the student.
Ideally, the essay is divided into five paragraphs. The student must correctly use the means of logical connection - such introductory words and phrases as in my opinion(in my opinion), however(Nonetheless), in conclusion(in conclusion) and others. Pay attention to punctuation: write each sentence with a capital letter and end it with a period. Use question and exclamation marks only where appropriate.
And, of course, follow all the grammatical rules. For one or two minor errors, points will not be reduced, but it is better to strive for the ideal. The vocabulary that the student chooses must also correspond to the topic, the style of presentation and be diverse - as far as level B2 suggests.
The student did just that. Why are points reduced?
1. The content is not fully relevant to the topic
The most important criterion is the solution of the communicative problem. If the content does not correspond to the topic of the essay, then even perfect grammar, excellent lexical constructions and sustained volume will not help. Relatively speaking, if you see the Produkty store, go inside and see spare parts on the shelves, even if they are beautiful and expensively packaged, this is at least strange.
Let's say you have a topic friendship, and you write about a trip to your grandmother and how you had a wonderful time with friends. Like the word " friends” sounded, but this has nothing to do with the topic. This year there was a terrible topic in the Sverdlovsk region - “ Digital literacy is the key to success in any occupation” (“Digital literacy is the key to success in any profession”), but it was disclosed incorrectly. The USE participants wrote about what gadgets and technologies teenagers now use, but they had to express their attitude to the use of information technologies in the world.
2. Essay is larger or smaller than specified in the assignment
Another reason why you can fail the work is not meeting the criteria for the number of words. Remember, the optimal number of words for an essay is from 200 to 250. If the student wrote too much, the verifier cuts off the excess from the bottom and takes into account only those words that are included in the volume. Lack of volume also leads to loss of points.
Examinees do not always count words correctly. For example, some people think: a word written with a hyphen counts as two (in fact, it doesn't). Another example: the phrase " it is”, experts, of course, will consider this as two words, but they will consider it a mistake: they will decide that you do not know how to use the generally accepted abbreviation it's. And this, by the way, is already one word, not two. Here's what counts as one word:
Auxiliary verbs, prepositions, articles, particles;
- short forms can't, didn't, isn't, I "m and so on;
- numerals expressed in numbers (25, 2018, 126 204);
- numerals with percentages (25%);
- compound words such as good looking, well-bred, English speaking, twenty-five;
- abbreviations ( USA, TV).
3. The student does not pay attention to the design
This year, one of my students got nervous and wrote an essay on the back of the form. A personal letter and an essay are tasks with an open type of answers (they are checked by living people), but in any case, the forms that the student submits are first processed by the computer. If we do not respect the fields, an automatic check will detect violations. You can not score on technical requirements and write as God puts on the soul.
And how then is it better to prepare for an essay?
1. Start preparing for the exam with him
The first thing you need to work on is not listening, not grammar, but an essay. Firstly, it will help you see all the problem areas: what is wrong with grammar, vocabulary, punctuation. Secondly, this is the most difficult thing in the exam - the earlier you start, the more likely you are to prepare better.
2. Learn to express your thoughts - and only then hone the structure
To begin with, you should not adjust yourself to the framework of the exam - it's better to just learn how to express your thoughts. Take any topic and write, and then check if it is disclosed. Do you like what you wrote, do you understand the idea of your text. Then you can take an excellent textbook by Radislav Milrud (which describes four types of essays) and practice writing an essay according to the given parameters.
3. Calculate time
When training, be sure to put a phone with a timer next to it. It is naive to believe that, having come to the exam, you will be able to meet the time the first time. Many write an essay on a draft, but do not have time to transfer it to the official form. This means that the task failed, it is pointless to file an appeal in this case. I would allow 10-15 minutes to transfer the essay to a clean copy, and five more to count the words.
4. Always be mindful of alternative opinions
Often, students in an essay indicate only positive arguments or, conversely, only negative ones. But we must definitely consider the problem from two sides. To make it clearer, here is a topical example: “I am a pensioner and I support an increase in the retirement age. I want to work, I signed up for the Sobyanin program “Moscow Longevity”. But my neighbor Nyura Petrovna is 67 years old, and she is falling apart, she is even too lazy to go down from the third floor - in general, she is categorically against it.
In the end, you must definitely emphasize what you stand for - for Sobyanin or for Nyura Petrovna. Like, of course, I respect the opinion of my neighbor, but in general I am an active pensioner, I love my country, I am ready to die at work. Everything is wonderful, rye is earing, milk yields have increased.
You can start actively preparing for the exam in English right now - for this, Skyeng has developed. Classes are held on an interactive online platform at any convenient time. And the teacher will help you find gaps in the language and get rid of them (but in such a way that you won’t be bored). Sign up.
Dear Guest! Writing an essay in English is not so difficult if you understand what is checked in this type of work, except for grammatical and spelling errors. But let's start in order. There are two types of essays: an essay with arguments "for" and "against" and an essay with elements of reasoning. Recently, essays of the first type have been removed from the written part of the exam, and therefore this article will focus on an essay with elements of reasoning or"opinion-composition" (an essay expressing a personal opinion). The maximum score for an essay is 14 points.
From this article you will learn:
The first thing that matters is essay structure. A good essay is divided into 4 paragraphs. If you carefully read the task BELOW, you will see what these paragraphs are:
note that there are 5 points in the plan for the task, and four paragraphs. As a rule, the fifth paragraph does not contain much information, because you have already disclosed your point of view in paragraph 2, so it turns out to be short. It is better to combine the fourth and fifth paragraph of the plan into one paragraph.
Essay structure in English
1) Introduction (introduction) 2) Your informed opinion (2-3 arguments in defense of your point of view, one needs to be disclosed more fully) 3) Reasoned opinion of other people on the problem raised in the essay (1-2 arguments) and one more of your counterarguments (why do you disagree with them) 4) Conclusion (conclusion)
THIS IS IMPORTANT essay should ideally be 250 words (minimum 180), then the volume of paragraphs is approximately the following:
introduction - 50 words main body (second paragraph) - 80 words main body (third paragraph) - 70 words conclusion - 50 wordsIt does not follow from this, however, that words must be counted. In no case! This will take time, and on the exam every minute counts. You just have to understand that the introduction and conclusion are approximately the same in volume, and the second paragraph of an ideal essay is equal to the third. But this is ideal, in reality, of course, everything goes as it goes ...
So your essay consists of 4 paragraphs, and you are about to proceed with the first, which is the introduction. First, read the task carefully and try to understand the essence of the problem. To be honest, it was easier to write an essay before, since the task itself already spoke about the dual nature of the problem, and for the introduction it was necessary to simply rephrase the task in other words. Now you have to do it yourself. Let's get back to the task (taken from the USE task bank from the FIPI website): 
The task is extremely short and there is nothing special to paraphrase. So, then let's put the writing of the introduction aside for now and start THINKING!
So, how to write an essay in English?
STEP 1. The first thing to do is to make your own point of view. And try to be categorical. That is, in this particular example, you would say: Yes, I believe that extreme sports help the formation of character (+). OR Not, I do not believe that extreme sports help the formation of character (-)Then you take a draft and write your arguments.
Yes, I believe that extreme sports help the formation of character, because 1) 2) 3) You can write arguments on a draft in both Russian and English. This will be the outline for your second paragraph. EXAMPLE- STEP 2. Similarly, you write down on a draft the arguments of people who think differently. 1) 2) 3) this item may not be This will be the outline for your third paragraph. EXAMPLE So, you wrote the arguments on the draft, and the most important THOUGHT on this topic. Now you already know what to write in the introduction? STEP 3. Now we write the introduction to the draft. Here are the phrases to use.Essay phrases (introduction)
In an introduction, it's good to start with a general introduction to the topic and use the following phrases. Also, already in the introduction, it is desirable to indicate the dual nature of the problem (that is, two opposite points of view "+" and "-"), using unions: though-although, yet- nevertheless, etc.An example of an introduction to an essay in English on the topic "Extreme Sports" (three options):
In today's world of fierce competition, it is important for young people to get well-prepared for the challenges of the future. Thus sports and extreme sports in particular build character though it is not also without its problems. There is no doubt that living in today's world of fierce competition takes much effort to be successful in life. People have always believed that sport is a good way to help a young person build character. As for extreme sports, they can be regarded as too dangerous and often are criticized. There is no doubt that doing sports is useful both for body and character. almost all people have agreed on this matter. Yet the question of extreme sports is rather controversial and has always been widely discussed in our society.
STEP 4. You wrote an introduction to a draft and corrected it. Now write the introduction on a clean copy. STEP 5. Then you write all essays on a clean copy. Use when linking your arguments into long sentences. At the same time, it is desirable to reveal various aspects of the problem, namely social, economic, moral. STEP 6. Finally, let's move on to the last paragraph - the conclusion.. This is the conclusion, in which you summarize all of the above. In terms of volume, the conclusion is approximately equal to the introduction (about 40-50 words). In conclusion, once again emphasize the inconsistency of the problem and express the hope for finding a compromise or your opinion.Phrases for an essay (conclusion)
An example of a conclusion to an essay in English on the topic "Extreme sports" (three options):
All and all, extreme sports may arouse mixed feelings but still thousands of young people continue doing them in spite of some risk. One can only hope that they will do them wisely, minimizing the danger and taking full advantage of sports in general.
to sum up, I strongly believe that sports and extreme sports in particular can be regarded as a good way to build character though it is not also without its risks. One can only hope that young people will do them wisely to take full advantage of sports in general.
In conclusion, I can say that every question always has its positive and negative sides and the point is that doing extreme sports young people should be aware of the risk involved. One can only hope that they will do it wisely to minimize the danger and unnecessary risk.
So you've learned write an introduction and conclusion and realized how to write an essay in english (in theory). Now it's up to practice! Practice and write an introduction and conclusion for all essays posted on the FIPI website in the open task bank —> http://www.fipi.ru/content/otkrytyy-bank-zadaniy-ege. Use the suggested methodology to think through topics and arguments in advance. That's all for now! , we will consider in the next article. Good luck everyone!
Respectfully to all your readers, Tatyana Nabeeva
according to Verbitskaya
Exercise:
Comment on the following statement:
It's reported that billions of dollars are spent on space exploration projects every year. Some people believe that this money should be used to solve problems on Earth.
What is your opinion? What problems should humanity solve first of all?
Write 200–250 words.
Show the plan and scheme of evaluation according to the criterion K1
Use the following plan:
− make an introduction (state the problem)
− express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion
− express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing
opinion
− explain why you don't agree with the opposing opinion
− make a conclusion restating your position
Evaluation scheme for the criterion "Solution of a communicative task":
a) the volume of the statement corresponds to the task
b) introduction - statement of the problem;
c) the opinion of the author with 2-3 arguments;
d) opposite point of view with 1-2 arguments;
e) explanations why the author does not agree with the opposite point of view (counterarguments);
e) conclusion (conclusion).
Essay text
Our science have changed every year. Nowadays a lot of money is spent on space exploration projects. Many people think that it is not right because this money should be used to solve problems on Earth. Let's consider both views on this issue.
In my opinion, space exploration is very importand for us because we must know more about universal, planets, stars and meteorits. Scientists haven’t already know all about them and if they are dangerous for us. Secondly, when scientists studied the sun they discovered new chemestry elements for example gelius. Also when they study the sun they study how our healthe depends from it. Thirdly, we can travel on space and see Earth from space-ship.
People spend a lot of money for this traveling so they give this money for new discoveries.
On the other hand, some people who think that space exploration it is a waste of time and money because this money can help people who have very dangerous illnesses. Secondly, government can help spend this money on our education. They can buy new equipmen for school. Thirdly, this money can be used for helping poor countries and people who live in them. This money can help make their life better.
In conchesion, I would like to say that it's better to spend money on space exploration because in future people will live in space. (231 words)
Parsing and evaluation:
Criterion 1 - the solution of a communicative task.
The communicative task here is to compare the possible benefits of investing large sums of money in space research, or what they will spend on solving problems on earth. It also raises the question of the relative importance of the problems that need to be addressed and how urgent their solution is. The author did not cope with this task.
1.1. Is there an introduction with a problem statement? – Yes, there is, but practically without paraphrasing. In addition, the problem is posed incorrectly: the author proposes to consider " both points of view on the problem ”, although he gives only one point of view. Thus, as a problem to consider, " issue » We are invited to the disagreement of many people with spending on space. The question of the assignment is clearly not about that.
1.2. Has the author's opinion on the problem been expressed and is it argued? - The opinion is expressed, but the argumentation is weak and chaotic. The author argues that space research is important and gives scattered facts (asteroids may be dangerous; new chemical elements were discovered during space exploration; the sun affects people's health), but does not show how these facts are related to each other and how they confirm his position. The fourth argument is not directly related to the topic of the essay: "the profits from space tourism partially cover the costs of research."
1.3. Does the essay present an opposite point of view with 1-2 arguments of its supporters? – The opposite point of view is represented by three arguments.
1.4. Is there an explanation why the author does not agree with this opposing point of view (counterarguments)? — No, the author does not explain why he does not agree with the point of view of his opponents, therefore it is impossible to evaluate his argumentation.
1.5. Is there a conclusion with a conclusion?
– There is a formal conclusion, but the conclusion is not connected with the previous arguments of the author: in the paragraph 2
the author talks about the benefits of comic research for practical life on the ground
, and in conclusion connects the costs of space research with the fact that in the future people will live in space
.
Also, the author does not compare the benefits of space research with the benefits of investing money in solving earthly problems, that is, having partially answered the first question of the assignment (expressing one's opinion), the author completely ignores the second - a comparison of problems.
the communicative task was partially fulfilled: 1 point.
Criterion K2 - Organization of the text.
2.1. Is there a division into paragraphs and is it done correctly? - There is a division into paragraphs, but there is no part devoted to the author's counterarguments and refutation of the position of his opponents.
2.2. Is the essay logical and are the means of logical connection used correctly? - The essay is illogical. The author does not show the connection between his arguments and does not use the means of logical connection to oppose his arguments to the arguments of opponents or develop his thought.
Of the two uses "Because ” in the first one, the logical structure of the argument is violated: what the author presents as an argument “ we must know more about…"in fact, it is not an argument, but is a paraphrase of the author's position" space exploration is very importand for us". Of the other introductory words, the author uses only those that reflect the order (First, second, and so on). introductory word “in conclusion” cannot be considered an example of the use of logical connection tools, since this introduction is formal.
In general, this criterion will be given 1 point.
Criterion K3 - lexical design of speech.
3.1. Does the vocabulary correspond to the set communicative task? - In general, it corresponds.
3.2. Is the vocabulary sufficient, how diverse is it, does it correspond to a high level? - Is the vocabulary sufficient, how diverse is it, does it correspond to a high level? - The essay uses an unlimited vocabulary: of the modal verbs, only "can" is used, there is no
paraphrasing the topic in the first paragraph, and the phrase "space exploration" repeats itself throughout the text.
3.3. Does the author follow the rules of word formation and compatibility (collocations), is it correct Are words used in a specific context and do errors (if any) affect understanding of the content? – A large number of lexical errors - 6
the number of errors exceeds 4: 1 point
Criterion K4 - Grammar.
4.1. Is the choice of using grammatical means appropriate for the purpose of the utterance? – The choice of grammatical means is generally appropriate.
4.2. How diverse are the grammatical means and does their complexity correspond to a high level? - The arsenal of grammatical structures used is small, their complexity does not correspond to a high level. In almost all sentences, the basic construction "Subject + Predicate in active voice" is used. The only attempt to construct a relative
subordinate clause - unsuccessful.
4.3. How correctly and accurately are grammatical means used? - Numerous grammatical errors: “science have changed every year”, “haven't already know”, “about of them” “spend a lot of money for” “give this money for” “ome people who think that space exploration it is a waste of time and money because this money can help people who have”, “can helps spend this money” “help to make” “depends from it”, “travel on space”, “space exploration it is a waste of time", "for school.", "this money can be used for helping".
a large number of errors: 1 point.
Criterion K5 - spelling and punctuation.
Spelling errors - 6. Syntax errors - 3.
a large number of errors: 0 points.
Overall rating for this work: 4 points.
Essay text source - Methodological materials for chairmen
and members of regional subject commissions for checking the fulfillment of assignments with a detailed answer to the exam papers of the Unified State Examination (Verbitskaya, Makhmuryan)
HOW TO IMPROVE AN ESSAY ON
USE-2018 UP TO 14 POINTS
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How to build a clear argument in an essay in English
We have seen that the mark for solving a communicative task is also given according to the quality of the argument (Methodological recommendations for the organizers and experts of the Unified State Examination, Verbitskaya, Makhmuryan). That is, firstly, there should be no unnecessary off-topic arguments, and secondly, they should be consistent and convincing. That is, you can completely solve the communicative task in the essay for the USE 2018 if you correctly select arguments and examples. In this article, as an example of a real essay, I will show
how to do it, but for now a little theory.
How to argue correctly?
Imagine the argument as a simple mathematical fraction. There is a numerator (top), there is a denominator (at the bottom). The argument is always based on comparing or contrasting two concepts with a "common denominator". The "common denominator" is some characteristic that will be common to all concepts, but the "numerators" will be different - this is how this characteristic is expressed.
example 1
- Swimming and running are both beneficial, but swimming develops all the muscles, while running only develops the legs and ligaments ( benefit- "denominator" develops all muscles / only legs and ligaments- "numerators").
- Football and tennis are both sports, but one is a team sport and the other is an individual sport.
In our text, we will compare the benefits of investing money in space research with the benefits of spending money on solving problems on earth.
The "denominator" will be such characteristics as "time", "amount" / "size", "probability", "distance".
- time: now / then, now / before
- amount: many / few
- size, scale: man / mankind, big / small
- probability: accurate / inaccurate
- distance: close / far
Example 2
- The results of space research will only possibly bring benefits in the future, but at the same time to all people inhabiting the Earth or those who will move to other planets.
- Distance- long away
- Time- after
- Confidence- inaccurate (negative characteristics)
- Scale- all mankind (positive characteristic)
2. To spend money on earthly needs means to help specific patients, and to do it right here and now. Or here and now to organize education in poor countries.
- Time- now
- Distance- here,
- Confidence- exactly (positive characteristics)
- Scale- a single person (negative characteristic)
These are the first thoughts that automatically come to mind. Those who “believe that money should be spent” on solving earthly problems are guided by positive characteristics “ here» « now" and " for sure«.
We can solve the communicative task of an essay in two ways: to defend space exploration or to agree with its opponents. Depending on this, we will build an argument.
Termination of research
- Just agree with the arguments of their opponents and give examples of how the redirection of cash flows will make everyone happy
- In the third paragraph, talk about the benefits of research in such a way that it is clear that this is not serious.
In a step-by-step guide to improving the sample essay, we will defend the research and use both methods of argumentation.
The task contrasts the distant benefits of research with close problems, that is, according to the "denominator" distance (close against long away), time (now against after) and probability (for sure against Maybe).
Let's bring space closer to us: " discoveries are already being used in medicine". Let's strengthen the connection with the person: cosmic rays + gene mutations. Let's add scale: the survival of all mankind against one patient.
Too bad it's already 230 words. That is, almost the upper limit, and we still have to write counterarguments. Oh yes, still need to paraphrase in the first paragraph. And remove the superfluous about “Our science have changed every year” - there is no question about changes and time in the task. In this phrase, the "denominator" - change, It was against became. But this is not in the question.
Along the way, we will diversify grammar and vocabulary, as well as improve the logic of the text.
VIEW RESULT
In my opinion, space exploration is extremely important for us and humanity should carry on with it. First of all, it allows us to know more about the universe, planets, cosmic rays and asteroids. Distant planets should be studied as the potential home for humanity in the future, and asteroids may be dangerous for the Earth now. followers, life of all humanity may depend on how much we know about these. What is more, while studying space objects, scientists already make discoveries which change life on Earth right now. For example, new chemical elements like helium can be found during such research. Also, information about the influence of the space and the stars on humans’ health can be obtained as a result of space studies, like the role of cosmic rays in gene mutations and the evolution itself.
On the other hand, space exploration is often claimed a waste of time and money. Those who think so believe that this money should be spent on finding a cure for dangerous deseases and saviung people on earth right now. They also encourage governments to invest more in education saying that thousands of schools, especially in poor countries, may be equipped with this money.
However, they forget that new materials and technologies obtained in space experiments are already being used in modern medicine, in particular – in artificial organs, or arms and legs. Moreover, the issue of inequality in living conditions between countries had been around long before the first man in space, so it is unreasonable to try to solve this issue at the experience of science.
All in all, I believe that current and possible benefits that space exploration can give us are so great and important that it definitely should continue.
(339 words)
Almost everything worked out, now there are five paragraphs, clear and coherent arguments, only there are almost a hundred more words. At the next stage, we will try to cope with this, and now we will analyze what we have just done:
We shorten the words in our essay.
Nowadays scientists conduct multi-billion research in space, which provokes strong opposition from those who believe that there are more immediate and more important problems on Earth which this money may help to solve. Let's consider whether or not space research should be abandoned in favor of issues on our planet. (50 words)
Nowadays scientists conduct multi-billion research in space, which some opposition claiming that there are urgent problems on Earth which require attention. Let's consider whether space research should be abandoned in favor of more apparent issues. (35 words)
In my opinion, space exploration is extremely important for us and humanity should carry on with it. First of all, it allows us to know more about the universe, planets, cosmic rays and asteroids. Distant planets should be studied as the potential home for humanity in the future, while asteroids may be dangerous for the Earth now. followers, life of all humanity may depend on how much we know about these. What is more, while studying space objects, scientists already make discoveries which change life on the Earth right now. For example, new chemical elements like helium can be found during such research. Also, information about the influence of space and the stars on humans’ health can be obtained as a result of space studies, like the role of cosmic rays in gene mutations and the evolution itself. (138 words)
Are you having an exam soon? Then you are probably interested in learning how to write an essay in English perfectly. We will tell you about the types and correct structure of an essay, give you tips that will teach you how to write such papers in English quickly and competently.
What is an essay in English? This is a short essay with a specific structure in which you talk about a specific topic and express your point of view on a given topic.
Essay structure in English
How many words should be in an essay in English? Each exam has an optimal amount of written work. Typically, the assignment involves writing an essay between 180 and 320 words, depending on the exam. If you are going to take an English test, we recommend that you clarify in advance the required amount of written work and practice writing a text of the appropriate length.
The structure of an essay in English is universal for all exams. Written work consists of the following parts:
- Title - the title of the essay, reflecting the theme of the story.
- Introduction - 2-4 short sentences that reveal the topic of the essay.
- The main part is 2-3 paragraphs describing the essence of the essay. In them, you need to fully and competently reveal the topic, bring arguments and argue them.
- Conclusion - 2-4 sentences summing up what has been written. In this part, you make a general conclusion on the topic of the essay.
Each of the paragraphs in the body of the essay begins with an introductory sentence (Topic Sentence), this is the “introduction” to the paragraph. The following sentences develop and confirm the idea expressed in Topic Sentence.
To learn how to write an essay strictly according to plan and clearly structure your thoughts, use theeasyessay.com or. On this resource, you can plan the perfect essay, guided by a simple instruction. Practice writing papers according to such a plan, and it will be easier for you to write a good reasoned essay during the exam.
Types of essays in English and their features
The type of English essay you need to write depends on the given topic and is sometimes indicated in the assignment. According to an authoritative source - the book Successful Writing by Virginia Evans - it is customary to distinguish three main types of essays:
1. For and against. For and against essays
The name speaks for itself: you give arguments for and against some phenomenon. The outline of the essay in English is as follows:
- Introduction. In it, you bring the reader to the topic of discussion.
- Main part. You give arguments "for" and "against" some action or phenomenon. In this case, you do not need to express your point of view, stick to neutrality.
- Conclusion. Only here you express your attitude to the topic and draw a conclusion.
An example of such an essay(all examples taken from Successful Writing by Virginia Evans, Intermediate level):
2. Essay-opinion. Opinion essays
You express your thoughts on a given topic. It would seem that any essay is an expression of one's own thoughts. What is the point of this type of essay? In Opinion Essays, you need to not only reflect your point of view, but also look at the proposed topic from different angles. Consider all aspects of the issue, write your opinion and be sure to support it with confident arguments.
Essay-opinion plan in English:
- Introduction. You indicate the topic of discussion.
- Main part. You express your opinion and confidently argue it. Here it is also desirable to consider an opinion opposite to yours, and explain to the reader why you do not share this point of view.
- Conclusion. You sum up, finally formulating your point of view on the proposed topic.
An example of such an essay:
3. Offer a solution to the problem. Suggesting solutions to problem essays
In this type of writing, you will be asked to consider a global issue or issues. Your job is to suggest solutions.
The plan for this type of essay is as follows:
- Introduction. You specify the problem and its causes or consequences.
- Main part. You suggest ways to solve problems and the possible consequences of such actions. Explain clearly why certain actions should be taken and what this entails.
- Conclusion. Summarize your reasoning.
An example of such an essay:
Rules for writing a great essay in English
Before writing an essay in English, read some rules for writing it. These simple guidelines will help you succeed in writing.
1. Stick to essay structure
Once you have received the assignment, determine the type of essay and the plan according to which you will write it. After that, go straight to the points: heading - introduction - several paragraphs of the main body - conclusion. Be sure to follow this strict essay structure, otherwise your work will not be highly appreciated.
2. Use a draft
Since there is little time for writing an essay in English, a draft should be used wisely. If time is running out, we advise immediately after receiving the assignment and getting to know the topic, sketch out your thoughts and arguments for them in the form of short theses. This will allow you to not forget important thoughts while writing a clean copy.
3. Prepare for any topic
An essay in English shows not only your level of knowledge of the language, but also erudition. Therefore, before preparing for the exam, read texts on various topics. This will help you broaden your horizons and memorize new words, phrases and clichés that you can use in your writing on the exam.
4. Leave time for review
Allocate time so that at the end of the exam you have at least 5 minutes left to check your essay. As a rule, the mark is not reduced for careful corrections, so this is a real chance to "save" your work by correcting the errors found.
5. Determine the right style
6. Be concise
An essay in English is a short written work. Some students think that the principle “the more the better” works and write huge opuses. Alas, the examiners will not only not increase, but will also lower your grade for not meeting the required volume.
7. Argue your arguments
Each written thought should not sound unfounded. Support it with arguments, a vivid example, statistics, etc. Your written work should show the reviewer that you know what you are writing about and are sure that you are right.
8. Use link words
Introductory words for an essay are important links that connect sentences together, forming a logical chain of your thoughts. They will help to combine sentences or show contrast, indicate the sequence of actions, etc. We recommend that you study such useful constructions in the article "Linking words in English".
9. Use a variety of vocabulary and grammar
Avoid repetition of words, use synonyms and complex grammatical constructions - show the examiner that you speak English at a high level. Instead of the boring good, use, depending on the context, remarkable, gorgeous, fascinating. Use complex constructions and different tenses to express your thoughts. A text in which all sentences are written in Present Simple will receive a low mark.
10. State your thoughts correctly
An essay is a written expression of your thoughts on a particular topic. And here it is important not to forget about elementary delicacy. If possible, do not touch on politics, religion and other "slippery" topics. If the task involves consideration of some “painful” topic, state your point of view tolerantly and politely. In this case, it is better to keep a formal tone and avoid a violent display of emotions.
11. Write softly
Although you should write your thoughts on this issue, however, try not to use structures like this often: "I am sure that ...", "I know that ...", etc. Write softer, for example , “It seems to me ...”, “In my opinion ...” - this will sound more formal and correct in relation to the opinions of other people.
For those who want to learn how to write better, we recommend watching the following video:
Now you know how to write an essay in English perfectly well. In order for this theoretical knowledge to bring you practical benefits in the form of a high mark on the exam, actively use it. Practice writing essays on different topics - this will be the best preparation for the exam.
And if you need to quickly and efficiently prepare for an English exam and get a high mark on it, we suggest enrolling in English at our school.
