ESSAY
ESSAY
GENERAL TIPS
Utiliza un registro académico - neutral/formal. No estás escribiendo para un amigo,
debes escribir tus ideas de forma clara, usando razones o ejemplos.
No uses contracciones, utiliza - do not, is not, should not ...
PLANEA tu Essay antes de escribir. En serio, hazlo. Desarrolla cada idea a modo de
esquema: qué vas a decir y qué ejemplo/razón/contrast vas a dar. En tu esquema, puedes
también anotar ideas de vocabulario o expresiones que puedes usar, así al ponerte a
escribir todo fluirá mucho más rápido.
Usa CONECTORES. Intenta empezar cada párrafo con uno de ellos y además incluye
alguno más en tu BODY. Son imprescindibles para dar razones, ejemplos o contrastar.
Intenta dedicarle a cada idea la misma extensión. Aunque no es matemático, sí que da a
tu texto más equilibro.
No repitas palabras. Un error muy común es escribir "people" , "things" o bien la palabra
clave de tu essay demasiadas veces. Usa palabras más específicas para el tema y busca
sinónimos. Por ejemplo, si hablamos de educación puedes usar students, pupils,
educators, instructors, teachers... en lugar de "people".
Usa estructuras gramaticales distintas para darle más riqueza al texto.
Passives - Es más fácil de lo que parece, I promise. Piensa en una frase con objeto,
escríbela en sucio y luego transfórmala. Poco a poco te saldrá natural.
Students must do homework everyday-> Homework must be done (by students) everyday
Impersonal Passives - It is believed / said / reported / thought ...
Modal Verbs - might (probabilidad), ought to=should, could ...
Conditionals - If schools had been more prepared, online education would have been
easier for teachers and students.
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ESSAY
STRUCTURE OPINION ESSAY
INTRODUCTION
PARAGRAPH Simplemente introduce el tema de forma muy general para situar al lector.
1
Puedes expresar (MUY BREVEMENTE) tu opinión. No des ninguna idea aún.
PARAGRAPH IDEA 1
2
PARAGRAPH IDEA 2
3
PARAGRAPH IDEA 3
4
CONCLUSION
PARAGRAPH No introduzcas nada nuevo en la conclusión, expresa tu opinión acerca
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de todo lo que has expuesto o haz una valoración general.
No te limites a mencionar las ideas. Da al menos una razón + ejemplo o bien
contrasta con otro punto de vista. También puedes explicar una consecuencia.
DESARROLLA usando los conectores.
FOR and AGAINST ESSAY / ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES ESSAY
INTRODUCTION
PARAGRAPH
Simplemente introduce el tema de forma muy general para situar al lector.
1
Puedes expresar (MUY BREVEMENTE) tu opinión. No des ninguna idea aún.
PARAGRAPH ADVANTAGES
2
PARAGRAPH DISADVANTAGES
3
YOUR OPINION + CONCLUSION
PARAGRAPH
Puedes posicionarte por una de las posturas o bien hacer balance de todo lo
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expuesto.
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ESSAY
Language Toolbox
INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, it is well known that ...
Most of us are well aware that ...
Nowadays, people share the view that ...
TO START EACH PARAGRAPH
To begin with , / Firstly, / First of all,
Secondly,
Finally, / Last but not least, ....
In conclusion, / To sum up,
TO SUPPORT YOUR IDEAS
It goes without saying that ...
It is undeniable that ...
It is common knowledge that ...
Experts in the field agree that ...
According to teachers/doctors/scientists/experts ...
For instance, / For example, / such as (como por ejemplo)
USEFUL PHRASES TO DEVELOP YOUR IDEAS
People fail to realise that ... (=la gente no se da cuenta de que...) - Teachers fail to realise that
social media has a real impact on their students' lives every single day.
Were parents/educators/citizens to do something, the situation would improve (=si los
padres/los educadores/ciudadanos hicieran algo, la situación mejoraría).
It is necessary for ___________ to + infinitive - It is necessary for parents to respect their
children.
People are expected to + infinitive - Teenagers are expected to study too many subjects and that
might lead to stress.
There is no point in + ing - There is no point in teaching using traditional methods anymore.
It is believed/said/thought that ... (se cree/dice/piensa que ...) - It is believed that this problem is
not as serious as it actually is.
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ESSAY
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, / To sum up,
In my view, / To my mind,
The advantages strongly outweigh the negative points/disadvantages
Although (topic) has some disadvantages, there are advantages to keep in mind as well. -
To sum up, taking health, social interactions and money into account, although living in the
countryside has some disadvantages, there are advantages to keep in mind as well.
CONECTORES QUE TE VENDRÁN GENIAL
Aunque tienes más conectores con ejemplos y explicación en la sección Extra Boost!, te dejo unos
pocos aquí para recordarte la IMPORTANCIA de unir bien tus ideas en tus Essay para asegurarte
puntos y escribir un texto mejor desarrollado.
To add information
Moreover, / Furthermore, (=In addition)
As well as this,
To contrast ideas
Although + sentence - Although technology is evolving quickly, many teachers are not using it in
their classrooms.
Despite this,/+ing (=a pesar de esto) - It has been reported that recycling has a positive effect on
our planet. Despite this/ being aware of it, some people still do not separate waste and keep
using plastic bags on a daily basis.
On the other hand, / In contrast,
Cause and Effect
For this reason,/ Due to this fact, / Because of this, .... - Hunting is not regulated in many areas.
For this reason,/ Due to this fact, / Because of this, many species are endangered.
Therefore/Consequently - Learning a new language requires time and effort. Consequently, /
Therefore, it is impossible to be fluent in just a few months.
Purpose
In order to (=para) - It is important to have a break in order to be an effective worker.
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ESSAY
Example 1
You have been discussing problems and solutions for environmental problems. Your teacher
has asked you to write an essay. Use 140-190 words.
What can we do to be responsible and take care of our planet?
Notes
Write about:
1- Recycling
2- Transportation
3- Your own idea
Nowadays, it is well known that more should be done in order to protect our planet.
However, some people fail to realise that the future is in our hands.
Firstly, it goes without saying that every family should recycle at home. For instance, it is
vital to separate items such as plastic, cardboard, cans and glass containers. However,
some parents do not encourage it enough and this might pass on to the next generations.
Secondly, using public transport or riding a bike instead of going by car everywhere is also
a great idea to help our environment. Vehicles which are not eco-friendly are a source of
air pollution and therefore we must find other green alternatives.
Last but not least, according to experts, many species will become extinct in a few decades
due to deforestation, hunting and climate change. Creating more rules against the
destruction of their habitats would be a sensible solution to tackle this problem.
In conclusion, from my point of view, if we recycled at home, changed our transport habits
and protected endangered species, the planet and future generations would be grateful .
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ESSAY
Example 2
You have been speaking about foreign languages in your English class. Your teacher has
asked you to write an essay. Use 140-190 words.
Why is it important to learn a foreign language?
Notes
Write about:
1- Travelling
2- Career choices
3- Your own idea
Most of us are well aware that being fluent in a second language has many advantages not
only professionally, but also when travelling or even when watching TV.
To begin with, it is undeniable that speaking the native language of the country you are
visiting on holiday will make the experience much more enjoyable. For instance, if you are
able to understand locals, you might even make friends and you will undoubtedly learn
more about their culture and traditions.
Secondly, it is common knowledge that many employers look for candidates who can
communicate in more than one language, especially if the job consists of dealing with
international customers. As a result, being bilingual could certainly be an advantage over
other potential employees.
Last but not least, enjoying films or books in their original version is also a positive point to
keep in mind. Since we have easy access to foreign productions, understanding them with
ease will make them far more interesting and gripping.
To sum up, although it is a slow and hard process, speaking a second language has many
benefits, and it should be encouraged from an early age.
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ESSAY
Example 3
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES ESSAY
You have been speaking about online education in your English class. Your teacher has asked
you to describe its advantages and disadvantages in an essay. Use 140-190 words.
Is online education positive for students?
Explain advantages and disadvantages of this type of education and include your personal
opinion.
Nowadays, it is well known that online platforms and new technologies are used by
teachers and students all over the world on a daily basis.
On the one hand, online learning has many advantages. Firstly, it is convenient since
lessons are taken and taught from home. For this reason, many pupils have pointed out
that they save money and time since they do not need to commute and the tuition fees
are usually lower. Moreover, students develop their digital competences and therefore
they will be more prepared for their future.
On the other hand, drawbacks should also be mentioned. To begin with, social interaction
is more limited unless the instructor sets pair or group tasks to promote it. As a result,
communication skills might not be properly developed and this is an essential ability in
many jobs. Furthermore, experts agree that using devices for many hours can lead to
health issues such as eye strain and headaches.
In conclusion, from my point of view, the advantages strongly outweigh the negative
points and students and educators should get used to this new way of learning because it
is here to stay.
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ESSAY
TASK 1
You have been speaking about social media in your English class. Your teacher has asked you
to write an essay. Use 140-190 words.
Some people say social media platforms might be harmful for teenagers. Do you agree?
Notes
Write about:
1- Comparing yourself to others
2- Influencers selling products
3- Your own idea
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ESSAY
TASK 2
You have been speaking about friendship in your English class. Your teacher has asked you to
write an essay. Use 140-190 words.
Nowadays it is difficult to keep and make friends. Do you agree?
Notes
Write about:
1- Busy lifestyle
2- Being always honest
3- Your own idea
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ESSAY
TASK 3
You have been speaking about career choices in your English class. Your teacher has asked
you to write an essay. Use 140-190 words.
Having a fulfiling job is more important than earning a big salary. What do you think?
Notes
Write about:
1- Timetable and free time
2- Type of work
3- Your own idea
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ESSAY
TASK 4
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES ESSAY
You have been speaking about shopping online in your English class. Your teacher has asked
you to write an essay. Use 140-190 words.
Is online shopping a good option?
Explain its advantages and disadvantages and include your personal opinion.
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ESSAY
Checklists
TASK 1 TASK 2
I have at least 4-5 paragraphs I have at least 4-5 paragraphs
I have mentioned every single idea I have mentioned every single idea
My idea 3 is different from the others My idea 3 is different from the others
I used connectors to open the paragraphs I used Connectors to open the paragraphs
I used connectors to link my ideas I used connectors to link my ideas
Each idea has a reason/example/contrast Each idea has a reason/example/contrast
I have not used contractions I have not used contractions
I have included varied grammar I have included varied grammar
I have not repeated words I have not repeated words
TASK 3 TASK 4
I have 4 paragraphs
I have at least 4-5 paragraphs
I have mentioned 2-3 advantages
I have mentioned every single idea
I have mentioned 2-3 disadvantages
My idea 3 is different from the others
I used Connectors to open the paragraphs
I used Connectors to open the paragraphs
I used connectors to link my ideas
I used connectors to link my ideas
Each idea has a reason/example/contrast
Each idea has a reason/example/contrast
I have not used contractions
I have not used contractions
I have included varied grammar
I have included varied grammar
I have not repeated words
I have not repeated words
ct!
akes perfe
Practice m
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