Options for essays on the English language exam. Unified State Exam in English

What kind of beast is “esse” and how to fight it? Of course, it is best to tame it. We suggest that together, here and now, we sort everything out and figure out how to write an essay. Often, a successfully written essay can open up a lot of opportunities on the path to realizing ourselves, and at the same time realizing our cherished desires and goals.

What is an English essay

Essay in English- this is a type of creative work that has an arbitrary composition and reveals the author’s opinion on a particular social, cultural or historical problem. This is not an English essay, article, abstract or any other work of a creative genre. The essay proudly occupies a separate hole in the world of journalism. Let's compare it with an article, an essay in English and an essay. To better understand what an essay is and why it cannot be called an article, abstract, etc.

An essay is very similar to a reasoning essay, however, the main difference between these genres is the purpose of writing an essay - an essay in English always has a conclusion, and an essay only encourages the reader to think and make his own. In an essay, the author only discusses, raises current topics, but does not make a final conclusion, unlike an essay. An article is really very similar to an essay, because there is no specific structure, there is a relevant topic. However, an article is a work of journalism, as opposed to an essay. It is this factor that makes the article one and only in the world of the journalistic genre. And so that you don’t have the slightest desire to compare an essay with an essay, let’s look at the last differences. First of all, the abstract is larger in volume - about 5 pages, while the essay most often takes 1.5 - 2 pages. Also, the essay is narrated on behalf of the author, and the abstract is a report on a clearly defined topic.

Where is an English essay useful:

• To pass the international English language exam.
• For entering university.
• For hiring.

However, these are not all the moments where an essay can be useful. It's no secret that writing essays develops imagination and helps develop analytical thinking skills.

Conclusion: if you want to develop, write an essay. It plays an extremely important role in school, university and even at work. It is very important to learn to understand how to write an essay in English correctly, so that you can confidently move towards success from your school years.

Types of essays

There are 3 types of essays in English:

• For & Against Essays.
• Points to consider (“Problem and solution”).
• Opinion Essays.

For & Against Essays

Essay “For and Against” - in this type of essay, the main task is to consider two existing points of view. It is important to objectively evaluate both positions and express your understanding of each side.

1. Structure:
2. 1) Introduction (here it is important to characterize the topic that will be discussed without expressing your own opinion).
   2) Main part (here it is important to express your opinion about the problem, give examples and evidence).
   3) Conclusion (in this section you summarize and summarize all of the above. Remember that in this type of essay you should not draw a specific conclusion, you can only distribute all the arguments into two bowls).

Important! Words I think, I believe,In my opinion, etc. can be consumed only in custody, where you express your position.

Useful phrases :

When considering points of view (beginning of essay):
firstly- Firstly
in the first place- at the first place
to begin with- let's start with
secondly- Secondly
finally- in the end

To indicate benefits:
another- other
an additional advantage of… is... - there is an additional advantage of something
the main advantage of… is... - there is an additional advantage of something

To point out flaws:
a further- next
a major disadvantage / drawback of... - the main disadvantage
the greatest / most serious / first disadvantage- main disadvantage
another negative side of... is another negative side of this...

To represent each point of view:
one point / argument in favor of... - one argument in favor of ...
one point / argument against... - one argument against...
it could be discussed that... - there are disputes that...

When reasoning:
moreover- moreover
in addition- in addition
furthermore- Besides
besides- besides
apart from- except
as well as- as well as
also- Also
both- both
there is another side to the question... - there is another side to this issue ...

To express contrast
however- however
on the other hand- on the other side
still- more
yet- more
but- But
nevertheless- nevertheless
it may be said/ claimed that- they say that...
although- Although
while- while...
despite / in spite of- despite...

Opinion Essays

“Minor opinion” - in this type of essay it is important to express your position regarding a particular issue. It is important to provide examples, arguments in favor of your opinion, and also to express your position quite transparently.

1. Structure:
   1) Introduction (here it is important to indicate the issue that will be considered, as well as your position regarding it).
   2) Main part (it is important to indicate opinions opposite to yours, explain why they have a right to exist, and also give arguments in favor of your opinion).
   3) Conclusion (in this section you once again express your point of view in other words).

Useful phrases:

To express your own opinion:
to my mind,… - my opinion
in my opinion / view… - I think…
I strongly believe... - I am firmly convinced...
I am (not) convinced that... - I'm not sure that...
I (definitely definitely) feel / think that... - I definitely think that ...
it seems / appears to me... - it looks like...

Points to consider essays

The Problem and Solutions essay is written in a formal style. It is important to pose a problem, then consider ways to solve it.

1. Structure:
   1) Introduction (this is where you state the problem).
   2) Main part (it is important to show possible ways to solve the problem and its consequences).
   3) Conclusion (in this section you express your own opinion about solving the problem).

Useful phrases:

To explain the situation:
because- because
due to (the fact that) - thanks to something
the reason is that- The reason is that
thus- Thus
consequently- as a result
so that... - Thus
in order to... - in order to
with the purpose of- with the aim of
intention of (+ing) - with intention

To express probability:
it can / could / may / might be… - Maybe...
it is possible- Maybe
unlikely- hardly
foreseeable- foreseeable
certain that... - I'm sure that...
the likelihood- probability

Rules for writing essays in English

Stick to structure. Don't forget to use a draft. Make notes to yourself, outline a plan for writing an essay in English, sketch out a list of all the arguments before you start writing. It is important to be fully prepared and ready for any topic.

It is best to prepare for writing an English essay in advance, and the more you write, the better. Thus, no matter what topic you come across, you can develop it based on the knowledge and experience that you gained during preparation.

An essay may be perfect in content, but if it contains grammatical errors, everything is lost. Be sure to remember to check your work after writing. It is advisable to do this twice. First, from the very beginning to the end, and then read the entire work in reverse order. The work should be read in reverse order to identify errors in words.

Be sure to follow one of the three essay types throughout your work. It is important to be specific in your essay, but you should not make it too short. Most often, an essay consists of 180-320 words, depending on the purpose of writing. Don't forget about linking words. They show the author's literacy. Use quotes that will confirm this or that opinion.

Important! TO The number of words in an English essay usually ranges from 180 to 320 words.

We can conclude that the essay is not as scary as it might seem at first glance. The main thing is preparation. Even after reading just this article, you will already have enough information to understand how to write an essay in English. It's just a matter of practice. Write as many essays as possible, get inspired to write an English essay on a topic unfamiliar to you, be it saving animals or trends in world art.

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EnglishDom teachers have repeatedly prepared students to write essays and more. Our students show brilliant results, for which we would like to thank them. In order to make sure of the high quality of training at EnglishDom, you can first register on our website and try to train your knowledge and expand your vocabulary with the help of absolutely free content. We are focused on the knowledge of our students, so you can study with us even for free.

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Writing an essay in English is a standard exam task. It is for this work that the greatest number of points are awarded, because... The task itself is not an easy one. Even in their native language, not everyone will be able to competently and consistently express their thoughts on a certain topic. What can we say if you have to do it in English.

So what is an essay? An essay is a short piece of work, the purpose of which is to convey individual impressions and thoughts on a specific issue. It is such a creative task as writing an essay that makes it possible to characterize you as a person, show your worldview, your knowledge, your potential.

As you already understand, writing an essay in English requires a fairly high level of language proficiency, and since... This task can be called creative; you must learn to express your point of view and develop a given thought. This art is quite possible to master, especially if you follow the plan that we will discuss below. I will give you a couple of very useful tips on writing essays in English that will help you more than once.

Essay structure

An essay in English should include three semantic parts: introduction, main part and conclusion.

Introduction

In the introduction, you should clearly identify the key topic-problem, which you will actually discuss further. That is, first you must communicate the topic of the essay by paraphrasing it using synonyms of keywords. You must show that you understand and comprehend the topic.

It is also necessary to indicate that there are opposing opinions on this issue, and to indicate exactly what position you take. In this case, it is best to use impersonal constructions to emphasize objectivity.

The introduction may contain some commentary on the topic. This could be a definition of a key concept or your explanation of how you understand the topic. You can list which aspects of the topic you will consider and why.

So, a properly composed introduction should give a clear idea of ​​what will be discussed in the main part. To formulate it beautifully and correctly, use the following phrases that will indicate the direction of your thoughts:

• Now I would like to express my point of view on the problem of ... − Now, I would like to express my opinion about ...
• This essay deals with... - This essay examines...
• This essay will examine... - This essay examines...
• This essay will analyze... - This essay will analyze...
• Many people think ... but others do not agree − Many people think that ..., but others do not agree with it
• Let us consider what the advantages and disadvantages of … are − Let us consider what the advantages and disadvantages of … are
• Let’s consider some pros and cons of it − Let’s consider some pros and cons (of this)
• Let us start by considering the facts
• Let us start by considering pros and cons of it − Let's start by considering the pros and cons of (this)
• It is generally agreed today that ... − Today it is generally agreed that ...

You can also use expressions that will define your work plan:

• The essay is divided into three main sections - The essay is divided into three main parts
• The third part compares... - The third part compares...
• Finally, some conclusions will be drawn as to... - Finally, certain conclusions will be drawn about...

Main part

In the body, you should also give several opposing opinions that differ from your personal opinion and tell why you disagree with them. Everything must be reasoned and supported by examples.

All information in the main part should be logically divided (i.e. the text is divided into paragraphs). You must think carefully about the structure of your essay and correctly bring the main part to the conclusion.

The following phrases can be used in the body when thinking about an issue and arguing your point of view:

• To begin with... − Let's start with the fact that...
• You can… − You can (You can)…
• Firstly, ... / Secondly, ... / Finally, ... − Firstly, ... / Secondly, ... / Finally, ...
• The first thing that needs to be said is ... − First of all, it should be said that ...
• One argument in support of… − One of the arguments in support of…
• One should note here that... − It should be noted here that...
• First and foremost… − First of all…
• It is often said that ... − It is often said that ...
• It is true that ... / clear that ... / noticeable that ... − It is true that ... / It is clear that ... / It is noteworthy that ...
• The second reason for… − The second reason…
• Another good thing about … is that … − Another good thing about … is that …
• For the great majority of people… − For the vast majority of people…
• We live in a world in which... − We live in a world in which...
• It is a well-known fact that... − It is well known that...
• It is undeniable that... − It cannot be denied that...
• A number of key issues arise from the statement. For instance, ... − This statement raises a number of key issues. For example, …
• First of all, let us try to understand... − First of all, let's try to understand...
• One of the most striking features of this problem is... − One of the most striking features of this problem...
• What is more, ... − Moreover, ...
• The public in general tends to believe that ... − The public in general tends to believe that ...
• Besides, ... because it is ... − Besides, ... because ...
• Doubtless, ... - Without a doubt, ...
• It is (very) clear from these observations that... − From these observations it is (absolutely) clear that...
• One cannot deny that... − It is impossible to deny that...
• Another way of looking at this question is to... − To look at this problem from the other side, you need to...
• On the other hand, we can observe that... − On the other hand, we can observe that...
• If on the one hand it can be said that … the same is not true for … − And if on the one hand, we can say that …, the same cannot be said about …
• The other side of the coin is, however, that … − However, on the other hand, …
• One should, however, not forget that ... − However, one should not forget that ...
• One should, nevertheless, consider the problem from another angle
• On the other hand, ... − On the other hand, ...
• Although... − Although...
• Besides, ... − Besides, ...
• Moreover, ... − Moreover, ...
• Nevertheless, one should accept that... − However, it should be accepted that...
• Furthermore, one should not forget that ... − Moreover, one should not forget that ...
• In addition to… − In addition to…
• However, we also agree that… − However, we also agree that…

Phrases expressing personal opinion:

• In my opinion this subject is very controversial - In my opinion, this issue is controversial
• In my view... − In my opinion,...
• To my mind... − In my opinion,...
• To my way of thinking… − In my opinion,…
• Personally I believe that ... − Personally, I believe that ...
• I feel strongly that... − I am firmly convinced that...
• It seems to me that... − It seems to me that...
• As far as I am concerned... − As for me,...

You can support your opinion with the opinion of some experts:

• Experts believe that... − Experts believe that...
• ... say that ... − ... say that ...
• ... suggest that ... − ... suggest that ...
• ... are convinced that ... − ... are convinced that ...
• ... point out that ... − ... note that ...
• ... emphasize that ... − ... emphasize that ...
• Perhaps we should also point out the fact that...
• According to some experts ... − According to some experts, ...
• One must admit that... − We must admit that...
• It would be unfair not to mention that fact that ... − It would be unfair not to mention the fact that ...
• Which seems to confirm the idea that ... − What, apparently, confirms the idea (that) ...
• We cannot ignore the fact that ... − We cannot ignore the fact that ...
• From these facts, one may conclude that... − From these facts, one may conclude that...
• One cannot possibly accept the fact that ... − It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that ...
• The most common argument against this is that ... − The most common argument against this is that ...
• Thus, ... / Therefore, ... − Thus, ... / Therefore ...

Conclusion

The conclusion is the final part of your essay. In conclusion, you must summarize the arguments expressed, that is, draw a conclusion and confirm your point of view. Depending on the topic of the essay, it may be appropriate to provide a solid or streamlined answer to the question posed by the topic. Or, you can clarify the prospects and consequences of a given problem.

In conclusion, you should express your opinion, which is supported by the arguments discussed earlier. In the conclusion, it is usually appropriate to list the main ideas of the essay. In this case, you need to refer to the introduction and draw parallels. But don’t repeat yourself word for word, use different wording.

The conclusion may contain a thought-provoking question, a quote, or a bright, effective image (of course, if this is appropriate). Alternatively, in conclusion, you can offer a solution to the problem under discussion, make a forecast of results or consequences, and call for action.

The conclusion is the most important part of the essay. After all, it is in the conclusion that the whole value of your work lies, where you summarize your reasoning. In it, you demonstrate how seriously you took the consideration of a given topic and how generally you are able to reason independently and draw conclusions.

Special phrases that will help you consistently express your thoughts will help you:

• In conclusion… − In conclusion…
• On the whole… − In general…
• To conclude... − In conclusion...
• To sum up... − Thus...
• All in all… − In general…
• All things considered... − Taking into account all the circumstances...
• Finally... − Ultimately... (In conclusion...)
• Lastly... − In conclusion...
• In conclusion, I can say that although ... − In conclusion, I can say that although ...
• Taking everything into consideration… − Taking everything into consideration…
• Taking everything into account… − Taking everything into account…
• So it’s up to everyone to decide whether ... or not − So everyone must decide for themselves ... whether ... or not
• The arguments we have presented ... suggest that ... / prove that ... / would indicate that ... − The arguments we have presented ... suggest that ... / prove that ... / indicate that ...
• To draw the conclusion, one can say that... − To summarize, we can say that...
• From these arguments one must ... / could ... / might ... conclude that ... − Based on these arguments, it is necessary ... / one must ... / one could ... come to the conclusion that ...

If you have already written the main part of the essay, then writing a conclusion should not be difficult. At the same time, I would like to list the most serious mistakes that simply cannot be made in the conclusion of an essay:

1. You cannot put forward completely new ideas in conclusion. It's just not logical. If they are truly important, they should be included in the main body.

2. Do not use an exculpatory tone under any circumstances. You must be confident in your statements. Don't use phrases like:

• I may not be an expert − Perhaps I’m not an expert
• At least this is my opinion − At least I think so

3. Do not focus on too small and insignificant details. Your task is to summarize and draw conclusions.

4. Under no circumstances should the significance of the previous arguments from the main part be refuted.

Volume of sections

The volume of each section may vary depending on the assignment and the topic of the essay. In any case, at least half of your essay should be the main body. The following ratio can serve as a general idea of ​​the volume of each section:

• Introduction – 10 – 25% of the total volume
• Main part - 50 - 80% of the total volume
• Conclusion – 10 – 25% of the total volume

Useful introductory phrases

• Moreover... − Moreover...
• Most of all… − Most of all…
• It is important to note that… − It is important to note that…
• It is important to remember that… − It is important to remember that…
• An important point is that... −
• Аt the moment, … − At the moment, …
• In conclusion, ... − In conclusion, ...
• After all, ... − In the end, ...
• In any case, … / Anyway, … / Either way, … − In any case, …
• Actually, ... − Actually, ...
• Firstly, ... − Firstly, ...
• Instead of… − Instead of…
• In the first place, ... − First of all, ...
• From time to time, … − From time to time, …
• Аs a result of… − As a result…
• Indeed, ... − Indeed, ...
• In order to… − In order to…
• I must admit, ... − I must admit, ...
• In other words, ... − In other words, ...
• It makes sense (to) … − It makes sense …
• It seems that ... − It seems (that) ...
• In short, ... / In a nutshell, ... − In short, ... / In short, ...
• Besides, ... − Besides, ...
• Fortunately, ... / Fortunately, ... − Fortunately ...
• Unfortunately, ... − Unfortunately, ...
• In addition, ... − In addition, ...
• By the way, ... − By the way, ... / By the way, ...
• I should... / I had better... − I should...
• It may seem that... − It may seem that...
• Finally, ... − Finally, ...
• In fact, ... / Actually, ... − In fact, ...
• As far as I know, ... − As far as I know ...
• А as far as I can judge, … − As far as I can judge, …
• It doesn’t matter that... − It doesn’t matter that...
• It is not surprising that… / It is no great surprise that… − It is not surprising that…
• But other than that, ... − But besides this ...
• However, ... − However, ... / However, ...
• It turned out that... − It turned out that...
• Frankly speaking, … / To tell the truth, … − Frankly speaking, … / To be honest, …
• In my opinion, ... − In my opinion, ...
• To tell the truth, ... − In truth, ...
• As a matter of fact, ... − In fact, ...
• First of all, … / Above all, … − First of all, …
• It is self-evident that... − It goes without saying that...
• It goes without saying that... − It goes without saying that...
• It should be noted that… − It should be noted that…
• I advise you (to) ... − I advise you ...
• On the one hand, …, on the other hand, … − On the one hand, …, on the other hand, …
• Also, ... − Also ...
• As well as... − Just like...
• Meanwhile, … / Meantime, … − Meanwhile, …
• It is well known that... − It is well known that...
• As for... / Concerning... − Regarding...
• It can mean, that... − This can mean that...
• I would rather… − I would prefer…
• I would like to… − I would like to…
• I think, … / I believe, … / I guess, … − I think, … / I believe, … / I believe, …

In order not to worry about the clarity of your essay, you must have a clear plan and a deep understanding of the material. Try to use simple phrases, without abstruse expressions. This way you can avoid a lot of mistakes in English. While not overusing complex expressions, you should also avoid abbreviations or slang.

Remember the difference between written and spoken language. Use as many adjectives and adverbs as possible to make your essay colorful and expressive. In general, you should present the main ideas and problems of your essay clearly and clearly so that the reader can follow your train of thought without being distracted by unnecessary arguments.

Ideally, you should strive for a complete absence of grammatical and spelling errors. The overall structure, paragraphing, punctuation - everything must be done correctly to help the reader connect with your reasoning. Here are some tips when writing an essay:

1. Use an academic writing style

• Avoid very categorical judgments and generalizations.
• If possible, avoid personal pronouns.
• Support your points with quotes and data indicating the source.
• Maintain gender equality: when referring to an abstract person, use person instead of man. It is also better to use the pronoun they instead of he or she.
• Try to use phrases that are based on a noun rather than a verb. For example, instead of “Crime was increasing rapidly and the police were becoming concerned,” write “The rapid increase in crime was causing concern among the police.”

2. Don't use colloquial elements

• Always use the full form instead of don't, they're, it's, etc.
• Eliminate slang and colloquialisms. For example: kid, a lot of/lots of, cool.
• Stay on topic.
• Instead of phrasal verbs (get away with, get off, put in), use one-word synonyms.
• Avoid too general words (all, get, thing). Be precise and specific.
• Do not overuse exclamation marks, parentheses, and avoid direct questions.

3. Strive to give objectivity to the text

• The use of impersonal constructions is encouraged (It is believed that ., it can be discussed that ...).
• Use passive voice if there is no need to indicate the performer of the action (Experiment had been conducted).
• Use non-categorical verbs (suggest, claim, suppose).
• To avoid personal judgments, but to show your attitude to the issue, you can use adverbs: apparently, ideally, arguably, unexpectedly, strangely.
• To soften categoricalness, use the modal verbs could, would, may, might.
• To avoid generalizations, use qualifying adverbs: some, a minority of, several, many, a few.

4. Coherence of the text

In order for your essay to be pleasant to read, in addition to the fact that the thoughts in it must be expressed sequentially, the transition from one thought to another must be smooth, one must flow from the other. You must maintain coherence and guide the reader. The introductory and connecting phrases discussed above will help you with this. they can perform various functions. For example.

The Cossacks, who in this picture are writing a letter to the Turkish Sultan, could not imagine that their descendants in the 21st century would experience no less difficulties when writing an essay in English for the Unified State Exam.

How to get around all the pitfalls and write task 40 for the treasured 14 points– in my article!

general information

Task 40 on the Unified State Exam in English is a task of an increased level of complexity and is officially called “an extended written statement with elements of reasoning (your opinion).” For the sake of brevity, our sister, in the article I will simply call this beast “essay” or “composition”.

Here's what it looks like:

An essay is a tasty task because it can bring 14 points on the exam. And if I recommend writing straight to a draft in order to save time, it is better to plan out the essay and write it as a draft, and then transfer it to the answer form (you can download one here -).

From the demo version of the Unified State Exam 2019 from the FIPI website, it is clear that now the student can choose any of the two proposed essay topics!

Criteria for evaluation

To understand how to write need to, let's get acquainted with the assessment criteria for task 40 from the FIPI website.

Solving a communication problem

As you can see, according to the criterion “solving a communication problem” you can get the maximum 3 points. I’ll decipher what they are given for:

• Essay written according to plan
• In an essay enough words
• Style neutral

Writing Plan essays are carefully given in the assignment itself (see above):
– 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

Word count required to obtain the maximum score is also indicated - “Write 200-250 words”. A deviation from the specified volume of 10% is acceptable. That is, you can write from 180 to 275 words. Achtung! Attention! If you write less than 180 words, the essay will not be checked - the expert will give 0 for solving a communicative task, and 0 for this item means 0 for the entire task. And the satisfied teacher checks one less essay. And if a student exceeds the threshold of 275 words, the expert will cross out the 250th word and simply won’t check further. That is, if there are counterarguments or conclusions left behind 250 words, they simply will not be counted and you will not see the maximum for this criterion.

About word count criteria. When determining whether the scope of the submitted work meets the above requirements, all words are considered, from the first word to the last, including auxiliary verbs, prepositions, articles, and particles. Wherein:
- numerals expressed in numbers, i.e. 1, 25, 2009, 126 204, etc., are counted as one word;
 numerals, expressed in numbers, together with the symbol of percentages, i.e. 25%, 100%, etc. are counted as one word;
- numerals expressed in words are counted as words;
 complex words such as good-looking, well-bred, English-speaking, twenty-five are counted as one word;
 abbreviations, for example USA, e-mail, TV, CD-rom, are counted as one word.

Neutral style is met if task 40 contains no abbreviations (I’m sure/ doesn’t matter/ wasn’t stated) and colloquial vocabulary (it is stupid to think so/ this opinion sucks/ the people wearing such clothes are mad).

Even when writing an essay, I strongly advise you to avoid rhetorical questions (But have you ever wondered...?), because Ms. Verbitskaya’s opinion on their use is inconsistent - one year they can be used, another year they cannot be used. Also, I would not recommend writing a phrase that begins with Let’s.... It can be regarded as colloquial. Better safe than sorry.

One more note in the paragraph about the communicative task - about plagiarism. If more than 30% of the answer coincides with the published source, then 0 points are assigned according to the criterion “Solving a communicative problem”, and, accordingly, the entire task is assessed at 0 points. So there is no point in memorizing excerpts from topics; you will have to think on your own.

Organization of text

The maximum for this criterion is also 3 points. You can get them if:

• the essay is correctly divided into paragraphs
• the essay is logical and has means of logical communication

It is clear that you need to write as many paragraphs as are in the plan ( five paragraphs!) and everyone must convey a thought corresponding to this point of the plan.

Below is more information about what to write in these five paragraphs and what means of logical communication use in them.

Introduction (paragraph No. 1)

The “correct” introduction consists of 2-3 sentences and paraphrases stated topic, and also shows the existence two opposing points of view on the problem.

Let's take the topic from the assignment above - Makinga good salary is more important than job satisfaction.

The introductory paragraph below paraphrases the theme ( career choice is one of the most important decisions in our life; it is essential to love what you do; whereas others focus on high salary while choosing a future profession) and indicates the existence of different points of view ( Some people believe that …, whereas other focus on …).

To join, I would recommend using the following tools: logical connection:

• Some people think/believe/consider that …, whereas other think/believe/consider that …
• The problem / issue / question of… has always aroused heated / sharp disputes / debates / discussions / controversy
• Our modern world is unthinkable / unimaginable / inconceivable without... However, there are plenty of people who believe that it is not necessary / doubt the necessity / importance / use / benefit / good of...
• …gaining increasing popularity today, many still dispute / doubt / challenge / bring into question / cast doubt on its use for the society
• It is often difficult to decide which position to take whenever there is a debate regarding a choice between… and…

In the essay plan, in the second paragraph the student is asked to express his opinion and give 2-3 arguments in support of it. I would stop at two arguments in favor to fit into the required number of words. And the arguments “for” should be detailed - that is, we don’t just say “I think so,” but explain the point of view.

I also advise you to rush to prove not your point of view, but to defend a position for which you can come up with more arguments. At the training stage to plan the structure of an essay, it would be good to draw mind maps:

This thing will also come in handy during the exam. Helps to gather thoughts together before writing a draft.

In the topic about working for an idea or money, it was easier for me to find arguments about the superiority of the spiritual over the material:

Ligaments to express your opinion:

• I believe/ I consider that…/ I am convinced that…
• I personally favour…
• To my mind…/ In my opinion…/ It seems to me that…
• I can't but agree that...
• I am against…/ I don’t approve of…/ I don’t support the idea of…/ I personally frown on…
• It is said/believed that…
• It goes without saying that…

Ligaments to express arguments:

• Firstly / first and foremost / first of all ...
• A major benefit is that…
• To begin/start with, it is important to emphasize that…
• Furthermore/ Moreover/ What is more/ Besides, …
• A further convincing argument is that…
• Another (positive/negative) aspect of…
• Finally/Lastly

Opposite point of view (paragraph No. 3)

In paragraph 3 you need to state that there is an opposing point of view and support it arguments. There can be 1 or 2 of them (arguments) - it all depends on the number of pluses in the previous paragraph. I adhere to the rule “3 pluses in the 2nd paragraph - 1 minus in the third paragraph”, “2 pluses in the 2nd paragraph - 2 minuses in the 3rd”, otherwise you may not fit into the amount of words. Personally, I prefer the scheme in the evening - money, in the morning - chairs 2 arguments for - 2 arguments against.

Here's what I got with the opposite point of view.

Connectives for expression opposite opinion.

• However, not all people share my point of view. They say that...
• They assume/suppose…
• They are in favor of... / They approve of... / They favor...
• There is another side to the issue/question of …
• There are people who have the opposite opinion./ Not all people share my viewpoint.

Counterarguments (paragraph No. 4)

This is one of the most problematic parts of the essay. The arguments “for” and “against” are invented; need more refute the arguments against, which were presented in paragraph 3. And do it neutrally. That is, write in the style of a troll from the forum: “Look, give him a good salary too!” You can’t sit on two chairs!” it is forbidden. =(

At the planning stage of drawing mind maps, you should think about which argument is best suited for counterargumentation and do not write it in the paragraph with your opinion, but save it “for dessert” - that is, for the fourth paragraph.

Let me emphasize once again that in the fourth paragraph we are precisely we refute the arguments of the third paragraph, and let's not come up with any more arguments“to the heap.” The opposite opinion in paragraph 3 talked about the importance of money to satisfy material needs and improve the standard of living. Let us object that pleasure from work and, as a result, professionalism are directly related to the size of the salary.

Connectives for expression counterarguments.

• To a certain extent it is right, but we should not forget that… / we should consider the fact that… / one should not disregard… / one should take into account …
• However veracious it sounds, I would not agree with the above mentioned idea.
• However, I disagree with these contentions.
• I am afraid I cannot agree with these people here as I think …

Conclusion (paragraph No. 5)

At the end of the hard-won essay, you need to do it again declare the problematic nature of the topic(indicate two points of view) and your opinion. It is important here not to repeat yourself in wording and thoughts.

In conclusion I would like to state that work occupies a great part of everyday routine. Evidently, it is more logical to choose an occupation you fancy over the one that brings in only money.

Expressions for the final paragraph:

• To conclude/ sum up/ summarise
• All in all...
• All things considered…
• Taking all this into account/ consideration…
• In short/conclusion…

Vocabulary, grammar, spelling and punctuation

Now that we’ve sorted out the plan for writing an essay, let’s move on to the grammatical, lexical and spelling and punctuation of the essay. The table below explains the criteria for evaluating these parameters:

Lexical errors

Let's look at what errors are proudly called “Lexical”. This:

• incorrectly used word in context (I would not speak so instead of I would not say so)
• compatibility error (make homework instead of do homework)
• omitting a word if it does not affect the grammatical structure of the sentence (My parents are very well familiar (missing the preposition with) the topic)
• errors in word formation if the part of speech does not change (for example, unresponsible instead of irresponsible)
• error in phrasal verb (give in smoking instead of give up smoking)
• a spelling error that changes the meaning of a word (thing instead of think, whether instead of weather)

But you not only need to avoid making mistakes, you need to remember that vocabulary in the essay should correspond to the task. That is, if the essay is about food, all sorts of synonyms and expressions on the topic “food” should be used. The lexical composition of the essay should be varied. If the author uses simple words and expressions (I think, I need to say, It’s good/bad to) or repeats vocabulary, the wedding will not receive a maximum score for the “vocabulary” criterion. To get the coveted point, you need to use collocations (start doing – take up), phrasal verbs (meet friends – meet up), and tricky vocabulary (think – consider). For example, the essay given as an example is replete with set expressions ( fulfilling job, be of primary importance, sooner or later), it contains a phrasal verb ( bring in) and synonymous chains career-job-work-occupation/ love – be keen on – be fond of – fancy/ satisfying job – fulfilling job – favorite job/ high salary – material aspect – well-paid job.

Grammatical errors

When checking task 40, the expert puts a grammatical error in the margins if the error:

• in any grammatical form, be it the form of a verb, plural noun, degree of comparison, and in any topic from the “Grammar Topics” section of the codifier
• in the order of words in a sentence (for example, I don’t know what they are thinking about. – In the second part of the sentence, the word order is reversed, although there is no question mark)
• there is a missing word that affects the structure of the sentence (for example, These people are wrong. – The linking verb “are” is missing)
• in word formation, if the part of speech changes (for example, they wanted to write “politician” (politician), but they wrote politic (political)

Also, if a student makes do with simple sentences, points are deducted. The essay welcomes complex structures, modal verbs, phrases with the passive/infinitive/participles, conditional sentences, the main thing is not to overdo it and “do not write everything beautiful at once”, to the detriment of the meaning. For example, in my essay, in addition to all sorts of complex sentences, there are degrees of comparison ( the most important, higher), modal verbs ( can't, have to), passive ( are underpaid or underestimated), conditional sentence ( If a person is fond of his work, he will eventually become a professional in his area), construction with comparative adjectives ( The more money you have, the better life you can afford).

Spelling and punctuation errors

The following are considered spelling errors in an essay:

• All errors that do not change the meaning of the word (for example, collegue, becouse, languaege)
  (If an error changes the meaning of a word, it becomes lexical - for example, thing instead of think, whether instead of weather)
• If a word in a work is written correctly once, but the rest are written incorrectly, this is considered an error.
• If a letter or word is written illegibly, the word is considered incorrectly written

In the entire written part of the exam, the student can choose either the British or American spelling of the word - favorite / favorite, colour / color, drugstore / pharmacy, crisps / chips. And stick to the chosen option until the end. That is, if color is written in one sentence and favorite is written in another, such variability will be recorded as an error.

Now about punctuation. Forget about abbreviations in essays (don’t/wouldn’t/mustn’t) - they will take away points from you. They can and should be written in a letter to a friend (), but not in an essay.

And if the work is written “like a chicken with its paw” (hello to our Russian language teachers =)) - that is, there will be a lot of strikethroughs in it - the expert has the right to reduce the grade by half a point.

Essay example

Makinga good salary is more important than job satisfaction.

It is common knowledge that career choice is one of the most important decisions in our life. Some people believe that it is essential to love what you do, whereas others focus on high salary while choosing a future profession.

In my opinion, a satisfying job is a better option. It fills life with positive emotions giving the energy to accomplish different tasks as we manage our daily routine. Another positive aspect of a fulfilling job is that your performance and, consequently, results are higher if you are keen on the task you are doing.

There are people who have the opposite opinion, for them the material aspect is of primary importance. The more money you have, the better life you can afford. Besides, money means opportunities – opportunities for better housing, education, entertainment and simply higher quality of life.

However veracious it sounds, I would not agree with the above mentioned idea. If people are fond of their work, they will eventually become professionals in a chosen area, and specialists are rarely underpaid or underestimated. A favorite job becomes well-paid sooner or later.

In conclusion, I would like to state that work occupies a great part of everyday routine. Evidently, it is more logical to choose an occupation you fancy over the one that brings in only money.

Attention! When you rewrite your answer on the exam form, do not forget to write the task number at the beginning - Task 40. Also, from this year you cannot write on the back of form 2 (that is, the one where you need to write the essay). If something doesn’t fit in you – and it won’t fit, I guarantee you that – ask for the next form. I advise you to ask for the next form in advance, because the exam assistants may run out of them, and searching for new ones may take some time, which is so important.

And organize your time so that during the exam you have time to rewrite the entire written task on the form. An essay written as a draft is not checked.

Algorithm for writing an essay for an exam

1. Allow 60 minutes to write.
2. Read the topic and draw a mind map on the topic. After drawing, make sure that all the arguments given are clearly on the topic (not on a similar one that you have already written). Every year the exam writers come up with something new, so don't expect to get a topic you're already familiar with and don't slip into another one that's similar. This is fraught with a score of “0” for the CP criterion, that is, a score of “0” for the entire task 40.
3. Read your arguments again and select the most appropriate arguments in the 3rd and 4th paragraphs - that is, arguments against and a counterargument to it.
4. Write a draft essay. If you have little time left, write to the final copy right away.
5. Check for errors. Here I advise you to remember your typical “blunders” and check your work on them.
6. Rewrite it as a clean copy. Check for mistakes, check that you wrote “Task 40” before the essay.

P.S. – If you are reading a topic for an exam and realize that you don’t know a word in the topic, don’t panic! Calm down and try to guess how this word can be translated.

Preparation

I would advise preparing for task 40 when the student’s level corresponds to at least B1 (ideally B2, because it is stated as the key to success on the Unified State Exam).

With level B1, I start preparing for this task about 6 months before the exam - first we analyze the assessment criteria, then we read and analyze essays from previous years, and at the end we try to write our own essays.

For practice, I would recommend purchasing Khotuntseva’s book; it is the most useful of all the manuals that claim to help you prepare for the written part. The other books presented below are also good, but Khotuntseva’s book is the best.

Buns

I will leave here the essay assessment scheme that the expert uses when checking assignment 40.

It is useful to show this chart to the student during preparation and fill it out together, using it first to evaluate the essays of previous years, and then the student’s own essay.

Please note that this article is current for the Unified State Exam 2018. In subsequent years, the requirements for writing this assignment may change and my advice will no longer be relevant.

Materials used when writing this article from fipi.ru– the most reliable source for preparing for the Unified State Exam and the Unified State Exam. Anything you read on other sites may contain incorrect information - be careful! (Yes, I've seen a few of these sites with incorrect information and bad essay examples!)

I recommend looking at examples of examination essays with analysis in the article about.

An essay in a foreign language requires high-quality content and a good organizational structure, as well as competent language design.

It is one of the most problematic tasks when passing the Unified State Exam. In terms of complexity, only listening can compete with it. Therefore, training in essay writing should be especially intense and intense.

Since 2012, the time allocated for the entire foreign language exam has been increased to 180 minutes. Since the rest of the exam tasks have not been changed, we recommend that you spend additional time on the written part (80 minutes). Moreover, the plan for the assignments is clarified, which can make the task of writing easier.

In my opinion, cars should not be allowed into the city centers as they add to pollution and poison the air we breathe. We must also think about the people who live in the center and suffer from the noise made by cars. Moreover, the streets in the center are usually narrow therefore people are often stuck in traffic for many hours and, as a result, arrive late at their destination. Final-ly, with ho cars in city centers, there would be no need for large ugly car parks, which would allow more space for parks. However, many people believe we would not be able to survive without cars because most of the products for shops and other businesses are transported by cars. Besides, they are afraid that public transport would be overloaded. I am sure it is possible to solve these problems by introducing a reliable high frequency tram service as well as developing the underground. As for goods, we could use electric vehicles for their delivery.

To sum up, I believe that a clean, reliable and environmentally friendly public service would encourage people to use public transport and help smooth the transition to a car-free zone.

Learning a foreign language is the best thing to do, learning it in the country where it is spoken. Do you agree

Nowadays people spend lots of money in order to go to an English-speaking country to improve their language skills. But is it really the most effective way of learning a language? In my view, studying in a foreign country has certain drawbacks. Firstly, this way is very expensive as the tuition fee for overseas students is rather high. Besides, when you study abroad, you have to adapt to a very different way of life, which can be quite stressful. What is more, English teachers do not speak Russian so if you don’t know English well, you will not understand their explanation.

It is often assumed that it is better to study a language abroad because you can always use it speaking with native speakers. However, I doubt that we will have lots of opportunities to speak abroad as we do not know many people there. It is also believed that Russian teachers are not as qualified as those in England. I totally disagree with this opinion because Russian teachers can compare two languages ​​and explain grammar rules better.

To sum up, I would argue that the best way to learn a language is to study it in your native country because you can always get the necessary help from your teachers. Moreover, today we have lots of opportunities to improve our skills such as communicating with English pen-friends over the Internet. I think that we should travel abroad so as to practice a language but not to study it.

Foreign languages. Nowadays 2-3 languages ​​are taught in schools. Pros and cons

Most people understand that without knowledge of foreign languages ​​it is difficult to survive in the modern world. Therefore they send their children to schools where they can study two or even three foreign languages. However, is it good to study several languages ​​simultaneously? On the one hand, foreign languages ​​are the main part of our culture so they help us to expand our outlook. We cannot broaden our minds if we see the world only from the perspective of our own culture. In addition, learning languages ​​is a good exercise for the intellect. Moreover, if pupils know at least one foreign language, they learn new languages ​​much faster. On the other hand, many pupils find it confusing to learn two or three languages ​​at a time, especially languages ​​that are similar, because children usually mix up lots of words. Besides, some languages ​​are tricky enough to learn. For example, in English there are more exceptions than rules. In this case, children can be overloaded with homework. More than that, some pupils do not know their native language well and learning several foreign languages ​​could prevent them from mastering their own language.

In conclusion, I want to say that learning languages ​​is extremely beneficial and I would like to know different foreign languages. However, I believe children should not learn too many languages ​​at the same time so as not to get confused. They ought to get a solid base in one language before they start learning a new one. 16. Internet. Pros and cons We live in the age of information technology and nowadays the Internet is nearly as common as the telephone. No doubt that it is a unique invention, which has influenced all areas of our lives. However, some people consider the Internet one of the greatest evils of our time. On the one hand, the Internet is very useful, because it lets us access a world of facts, figures and knowledge. In addition, with the Internet, it is now possible to speak to friends and relatives any-where in the world cheaply and quickly. Other services are also available through the Internet such as booking tickets or buying things. Moreover, the Internet allows a lot of talented people to show the world their achievements and makes it easier to find a job. On the other hand, the Internet can become a disaster for our society, because people spend hours in front of their computers and neglect their everyday duties. Another worry is the activities of cybercriminals. For example, hackers can steal your money or even your property while cyberterrorists may ‘attack’ the world’s computers, causing chaos, and making planes and trains crash. What is more, leaders of different terrorist or oppositional organizations can use the Internet to find new followers.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that despite the criticisms by some and the fears of others, the Internet seems to have changed our world to the better and we must try to make the best use of it.

Cloning. Pros and cons

Recent advances in genetic biology have led us to quite a doubtful situation. People all over the world argue whether human cloning research should be controlled by the government as solving problems connected with human cloning is definitely not a piece of cake. In my opinion, human cloning experiments are extremely dangerous because there are huge risks of abnormalities in human clones. Moreover, if clones have been made, they will obviously have serious psychological problems connected with their unusual birth. Finally, there is no doubt that human cloning will change our perception of what is the value of a human life as we might change from having children to manufacturing them. However, scientists claim that human cloning could be very beneficial as therapeutic cloning could provide stem cells for regenerative medicine and tissues for transplantation. Besides, re-productive cloning will probably give parents who are both infertile an opportunity to have children. I am afraid that this technology is not safe enough to use on humans. It is also possible that clones will age quicker since the cell used in the cloning procedure has already been used in a real life individual.

To sum up, we must question whether human cloning is really worth it when weighed against the problems it raises. From my point of view, human reproductive cloning should be under the tight control of the government and the UN because it is dangerous to interfere with nature and the consequences can be really disastrous.

Books or computers. Who will win in the future

The latest advances in information technology make people think that schools of the future will use computers instead of printed books. Although electronic books have not been widely accepted yet, they have certain advantages over traditional paper volumes. But will they be able to replace printed books? In my opinion, students will be widely using computers for studying in the future. To begin with, computers can store lots of books in their memory and modern software allows us to quickly find the necessary information. Besides, with the interactive programs on computers studying will be much more exciting. What is more, electronic books will not degrade overtime like their counterparts printed. On the other hand, lots of disbelievers argue that computers will not replace printed books because a printed book is better for human eyes than a computer screen. In addition, books are cheaper and easier to use since they do not need electricity or the Internet connection. I cannot agree with this because modern computer screens emit no radiation and allow us to read even in low light conditions. Of course we will have to pay for electricity but I think it will be cheaper than to pay for printed books, which are very expensive nowadays.

To sum up, I think computers and printed books will peacefully coexist for years to come, but in the future technological progress will make it possible for students to carry laptops or even palmtops instead of traditional bags with lots of heavy books.

Computer games. Pros and cons

People have always had different hobbies but technological progress has caused the appearance of computers and computer games, which can keep a child occupied for hours. However, adults consider computer games a complete waste of time. As for me, I believe computer games are more than mindless entertainment. To begin with, computer games can teach people to achieve their aims as they regularly put obstacles and traps in the way of players which are necessary to overcome in order to progress through the rest of the game. Additionally, computer games can be a valuable source of accidental learning that can be applied to school, home, and social events. Moreover, teachers have also started to appreciate educational games as an opportunity to make their lessons more exciting. Nevertheless, quite a few people are against this activity as they find it rather addictive and harmful for children’s health. They argue that computer games make students neglect their school work. However, if we learn to control our computer use and play games for an hour just to relax after a hard day at school, this will not do us any harm. What is more, modern technology made it possible to eliminate the bad effect of computers on our eyes.

To sum up, I believe that computer games have more advantages than drawbacks. They make us persistent, develop our logical reasoning and help us to escape from everyday problems. The thing is to find a right balance between virtual reality and everyday reality.

Space. Pros and cons of space exploration

Space exploration can mean a major leap for mankind. However, it is often criticized because the price for these space experiments is too high, especially while poverty still exists in many parts of the world. On the one hand, space research is extremely beneficial as it advances technology. As a result of this work, we have lots of inventions, which have made our lives much more comfortable. In addition, through the exploration of space, we could find new elements, minerals or even discover new laws of physics and eventually learn more about ourselves. What is more, space exploration will allow us to establish a human civilization on another planet as a hedge against the catastrophe that might occur on the Earth. On the other hand, the benefits of space exploration are not self-evident, no matter how real they are. It costs billions of dollars to fund the projects of space science whereas this money should rather be spent on meeting the needs of the underprivileged. Besides, some of the technology we develop through space science can be used in a destructive manner if it is in the wrong hands. Finally, a travel to space can be dangerous as we may discover something that is extremely harmful for the living beings on Earth.

To conclude, I want to say that space exploration satisfies the human desire for adventure therefore most people are interested in space research. Nevertheless, I believe our governments should find the right balance between social and space programs.

Do you have an exam coming up soon? Then you are probably interested in learning how to write excellent essays in English. We will tell you about the types and correct structure of essays, and give tips that will teach you how to write such works in English quickly and competently.

What is an essay in English? This is a short essay with a specific structure in which you discuss a specific topic and express your point of view on a given topic.

Essay structure in English

How many words should there be in an English essay? Each exam has an optimal amount of written work. Typically, the assignment involves writing an essay ranging from 180 to 320 words in length, depending on the exam. If you are going to take an English test, we recommend that you clarify the required amount of written work in advance and practice writing text of the appropriate length.

The structure of the English essay is universal for all exams. The written work consists of the following parts:

1. Title - the name of the essay, reflecting the theme of the story.
2. Introduction - 2-4 short sentences revealing the topic of the essay.
3. The main part is 2-3 paragraphs describing the essence of the essay. In them you need to reveal the topic as fully and competently as possible, present arguments and argue for them.
4. Conclusion - 2-4 sentences summing up what was written. In this part, you make a general conclusion about 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 the Topic Sentence.

To learn how to write an essay strictly according to plan and clearly structure your thoughts, use the website theeasyessay.com or. On this resource you can create an outline for the perfect essay, following simple instructions. Practice writing papers according to this plan, and in the exam it will be easier for you to write a good argumentative essay.

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 specified 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. Pros and cons. For and against essays

The name speaks for itself: you present arguments for and against a phenomenon. The outline of the essay in English is as follows:

• Introduction. In it, you lead the reader to the topic of discussion.
• Main part. You give arguments for and against some action or phenomenon. At the same time, there is no need to express your point of view, adhere 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 the textbook Successful Writing by Virginia Evans, Intermediate level):

2. Opinion essay. Opinion essays

You express your thoughts on a given topic. It would seem that any composition 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 strong arguments.

Plan for an opinion essay in English:

• Introduction. You indicate the topic of discussion.
• Main part. You express your opinion and confidently justify it. Here it is advisable to consider an opinion opposite to yours and explain to the reader why you do not share this point of view.
• Conclusion. You summarize, finally formulating your point of view on the proposed topic.

An example of such an essay:

3. Proposing a solution to the problem. Suggesting solutions to problem essays

In this type of written work, you will be asked to consider a global issue or issues. Your task is to offer solutions.

The plan for this type of essay is as follows:

• Introduction. You state the problem and its causes or consequences.
• Main part. You suggest ways to solve problems and the possible consequences of such actions. Be clear about why certain measures should be taken and what they will entail.
• Conclusion. Summarize your reasoning.

An example of such an essay:

Rules for writing an excellent English essay

Before writing an essay in English, familiarize yourself with some rules for writing it. These simple guidelines will help you successfully complete your written work.

1. Stick to the 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 through the points: title - introduction - a few body paragraphs - 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 allocated for writing an essay in English, the draft must be used wisely. If time is short, we advise you to immediately write down your thoughts and arguments in the form of short abstracts after receiving the assignment and becoming familiar with the topic. This will allow you not to forget important thoughts while writing the final draft.

3. Prepare for any topic

An English essay shows not only your level of language knowledge, but also your erudition. Therefore, before preparing for the exam, read texts on different topics. This will help you broaden your horizons and remember new words, phrases and clichés that you can use in your written work in the exam.

4. Leave time for review.

Allocate your time so that at the end of the exam you have at least 5 minutes left to check your essay. As a rule, the grade is not reduced for accurate corrections, so this is a real chance to “save” your work by correcting detected errors.

5. Find the right style

6. Be concise

An English essay is a short written piece of work. Some students think that the “more is better” principle works and write huge opuses. Alas, the examiners will not only not increase, but will also lower your grade for not meeting the required scope.

7. Give reasons for your reasons

Every written thought should not sound unfounded. Support it with arguments, a clear example, statistics, etc. Your written work should show the evaluator that you know what you are writing about and are confident that you are right.

8. Use linking 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 a sequence of actions, etc. We recommend studying such useful structures in the article “ Linking words in English".

9. Use varied vocabulary and grammar

Avoid repetition of words, use synonyms and complex grammatical structures - 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 structures and different tenses to express your thoughts. A text in which all sentences are written in Present Simple will receive a low grade.

10. Express your thoughts correctly

An essay is a written expression of your thoughts on a specific topic. And here it is important not to forget about basic delicacy. If possible, avoid touching on politics, religion and other “slippery” topics. If the task involves the consideration of some “painful” topic, express your point of view tolerantly and politely. In this case, it is better to adhere to a formal tone and avoid violent manifestations of emotions.

11. Write softly

Although you should write your thoughts on this issue, try not to often use structures of the following type: “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 excellent essays in English. In order for this theoretical knowledge to bring you practical benefit in the form of a high grade in 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 grade in it, we suggest enrolling in English at our school.