Writing PART 2 - AN ESSAY

Writing Part 2 (120-180 words)

General Advice

Read the question carefully, underlining the points you must deal with.

Make a plan with the main ideas for each paragraph.

Think of vocabulary you want to use and note it down.

Write following your plan.

An essay (Formal)

In writing part 2, one task my be an essay in which you are asked to give your opinion on a subject. The first thing you must do is decide if you should write an opinion essay or an argumentative one. If you decide that the best thing to do is to write an opinion essay, have a look at the following scheme/ layout.

An opinion essay

In an opinion essay you must give your opinion on a subject so, you must basically say if you agree or disagree with the statement. This type of essay is ideal if you feel very strongly about something and you have more than one reason for your opinion.

Paragraph 1 / Introduction

Present the topic of discussion and express your opinion. You must imagine that whoever reads your essay has no idea what the topic is. You must also show clearly that you’ll be expressing one opinion, either in favour or against.

Paragraph 2

Explain your first reason for your opinion. Talk about possible consequences and give examples or vice versa.

Paragraph 3

Explain your second reason and maybe a third one, but only if it is closely related. Mention possible consequences and give examples, or vice versa.

Paragraph 4 / Conclusion

Summarise your reasons and / or talk about possible consequences if nothing is done. You can also give a more personal opinion and even finish your essay with a rhetorical question.

Useful language for an opinion essay

Introduction

-There are people who claim/ believe/ say/ think (that)...
-There is no doubt that...
-I feel...

-According to... /...new research,...

-It is believed... / said (that)... 

-It is believed by experts / scientist (that)...

-It seems / appears that...

(Use the expressions above but introduce  the topic in your own words. Do not use the exact words in the question and say what your opinion is clearly. Although you are expressing your opinion, some of the expressions above allow you to distance yourself from the ideas).

Body

Paragraphs 2-3

State your first / main reason like this:

-I think that...

-Firstly/ first of all/ to start with...

-I think there are two aspects of... The first is...

Give an example/ examples

-For example: For instance/ -ing illustrates the way/ how...

Talk about consequences

As a result,
Therefore,
Consequently,
In this case,

The second aspect is...
Secondly,
Another reason why...
We should also consider the fact that...

Another matter/  aspect to consider...
Let us not forget...


Conclusion
Paragraph 3 or 4


In short,
In brief,
To conclude,
In conclusion,
Do we really want to make our children pay for our mistakes?

An argumentative essay

When you write an argumentative essay, you should try to keep a balance between opposing ideas. It is also very important to use connectors to organise your reasoning. And finally, don't forget to introduce your ideas, explain them, and give examples and / or talk about possible consequences.

Paragraph 1 / Introduction

Explain the topic and / or problem in your own words. Assume the reader doesn't know anything about the question.

Body

Paragraph 2

Present the positive or negative aspects of the topic / problem. 

Deal with each one separately and try to give an example and mention a possible consequence. Add another reason if you can and repeat the process.

Paragraph 3

Present opposite points of view. Deal with each one separately and try to give an example and mention a possible consequence. Add another reason if you can and repeat the process.

Conclusion / Paragraph 4

Summarise and give your own personal opinion whether in favour or against.

Useful language for an argumentative essay

Introduction

Many people think that... / It is thought that... Others believe that... I will present both points of view and express my opinion on the matter.

Here, I've presented the opposing points of view and explained  that will not only talk about the differences but also give my personal opinion. You'll have to be brave in the conclusion.

Body

Paragraph 2

On the one hand... / First of all, I should like to consider... / The first thing to be considered is... For instance, / To be specific,... Consequently,... In addition (to this), / A second benefit is... / Furthermore, we should also consider the fact that... / -ing illustrates the way... / For example,... As a result, / Therefore, ...

In this paragraph I've presented a positive / negative aspect of the problem. I've then given an example and mentioned a possible consequence. Then, I've added another reason to support this particular view and repeated the process of giving an example and / or mention a possible consequence. You can also talk about the consequences first and then give an example or even more than one, but be careful with word length.

Paragraph 3

On the other hand, / However, there are also disadvantages. The most important of these is that... Consequently,... For instance,... The second point is that, / Secondly, / Furthermore, / In addition, ... For example,... Therefore,... / Due to the fact that... / Finally, it is worth stating that...

In this paragraph you must present one or two opposing points of view and explain the consequences and / or give relevant examples.

Conclusion / Paragraph 4

In my opinion, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. To sum up, / On the basis of the arguments I have presented in favour / against, it can be concluded that... All in all, I personally believe...

Yes, summarise and give your own personal opinion.