There I gave a small example of an essay for and against in English. In this note, I want to show you a sample of a full-fledged essay, the task of which you may fall for, or EGE. Below is a sample English for and against essay that you can use as a template when writing your own.

From the article you will learn:

How to write a pro and con essay - a quick tutorial

Let's quickly go over the basics of how to write an essay again.

Even if I don't know what to write, I already have an essay template and I can start writing from the end. For example, I know that in the conclusion you need to summarize what has been said or express your point of view again. And all this in 2-3 sentences. Well, it's not difficult and it's written quickly.

Then I take on the introduction - another small part of the essay that is easy to write. In the introduction, you just need to tell where the problem under discussion comes from.

Introduction is done! What to do with the main part? Here, too, everything is simple. Let's break it down into two parts. In the first part we write all the arguments for, in the second - all against. Really, isn't it difficult?

Essay Pet - buy or adopt from a shelter?

Essay topic: "A pet - buy or adopt from a shelter?"

Volume: 450 words

I have highlighted in bold all the introductory words and connecting phrases that need to be used in the essay. You will find more such phrases in the articles "" and "".

Purchasing a Pet or Adopting a Homeless One

It cannot be argued that pets play a significant role in our lives. Cats and dogs have been living in our homes since time immemorial, and now they are kept as pets in more than a half of families worldwide. However, no matter how fun and fulfilling it is, owning an animal is a big responsibility, which starts at the moment you decide to get a new pet. Future pet owners have to answer one important question: ‘Will I buy a pet or adopt a homeless one?’

Purchasing a pet has many advantages. Firstly, it usually ensures that your pet is healthy at the moment of purchase. Secondly, your choice is much wider and you can pick a pet to your liking, including colour, fur texture and, when it comes to pure-bred dogs and cats, even personality. Thirdly, pets are sold at very young age, thus you will get to enjoy their company while they are still adorable kittens and puppies, and it also increases the chances that your pet will become attached to you very quickly and will view you as its rightful owner .

However, there are some disadvantages too. The most important of them is price. Getting yourself a pet can be very expensive, if it is pure-bred. Its health is also of concern. Such animals are more prone to disease and have weaker health in general.

Speaking about adopting street or shelter animals, it has a number of pros and cons as well. On the one hand, taking such an animal home often means saving its life and ensuring its well-being, which is a very good thing. moreover, it usually costs you nothing, and the keeping expenses for these pets are generally lower. Another important consideration is that each pet is unique and has its own appearance and personality.

On the other hand, when dealing with a homeless animal, you can never be sure in what state it is physically and mentally. It is highly likely that it has lasting health problems due to malnourishment and poor living conditions, and its past negative experiences can result in undesirable patterns of behavior that will be impossible to change.

Considering the pros and cons of both approaches, I can make a conclusion that they both are equally valid. The choice between them depends on what a future pet owner wants and sees as more important. Personally, I am inclined to compromise and to purchase an animal that is not pure-bred and, therefore, could be thrown out on the street in the case no one bought it. Nevertheless, I am also not opposed to either of the extremes I discussed in this essay.

Without much embellishment, we can say that in the USE exam in English, the essay is the most difficult task. How can you correctly express your thought, give it logical arguments, support them with examples and explanations, and at the same time format the text correctly and without errors, and even not go beyond the number of words? In this article, we will try to analyze the structure of the essay and give tips on improving the quality of your essay.

Let's start from the end. Your essay will be judged on the following criteria:

The maximum number of points you can get for an essay is 14 points.

Before thinking about the correct fulfillment of each criterion, first let's make our essay in English testable. The most important thing here is volume.

Formally, your essay in English should fit into 200-250 words. This is not to be taken literally and to panic if you have written 198 words. However, keep in mind that the essay will not be checked if the number of words in it is less than 180. If you get more than 275 words, then the reviewer will count 250 words from the beginning of the essay, draw the rest and check everything up to the line. That is, in the first scenario, you lose the entire essay; at the second, most likely, you will lose the conclusion, which is also important.

First of all, your essay in English should cover ALL aspects of the assignment, and should also be written in an appropriate style (neutral). It should be logically divided into paragraphs and correspond to the plan proposed in the task.

In order not to get confused in the process of writing your essay, you need to spend 5-7 minutes thinking about the plan and preparing all the arguments. Traditionally, we will divide the essay into five paragraphs.

Paragraph 1. Introduction

There should be a problem statement here. Since the statement of the problem has already been stated in the assignment, your task is to correctly retell it. It is to REPRESENT, not to paraphrase.

Tip: Do not reread the task 10 times until the wording is hammered into your head. Then writing an introduction in your own words will be very, very difficult. Read the given situation in the task once or twice, make sure you understand it correctly. Close the prepared situation and try to retell it in English exactly as you understood it, as if you were telling a friend about it who did not understand what it was about. ATTENTION: after you have done this, be sure to open the situation and make sure that your retelling essentially matches the situation given to you. Now you can go further.

Instead of the banal Some people think ... Others think ..." can be used:

Some people claim that ..., while others argue that ...

After you have described the essence of the problem, you can directly ask the question, which you will answer in your essay. For example: “What is better: ... or ...?”, “What should we do: ... or ...?” etc. In 2018, a clarification was released that classified rhetorical questions as stylistic errors. Therefore, we do not use them.

In the last sentence of the introductory paragraph, you should state the purpose of your essay. This can be done, for example, like this:

In this essay I will try to look upon this issue.
In this essay I will try to express my opinion on this issue.
In this essay I would like to express my point of view on this issue.
In this essay I will try to answer this question. (This is the easiest option, if it will be difficult for you to remember the previous two, remember it)

Paragraph 2. Your opinion

It is most logical to start this paragraph by expressing your position on this issue. Useful phrases (be sure to follow this punctuation!):

In my mind...
From my point of view, ...
To my mind...
Personally, I think that...
I am sure that... (Please note! We do not abbreviate: we write I am...)
As far as I am concerned, ...

Next, you need to give 2-3 arguments confirming your point of view. Arguments can be any, if you correctly interpret them. That is, such that it would be difficult to argue with them (within reasonable limits, of course).

Tip: It is better to give 2 arguments and justify them in detail and give examples in support of them than 3 short and not fully disclosed. Remember that the number of words in an essay is limited.

Here we should not forget about the means of logical connection of sentences. The first argument is good to start with:

Firstly...
To start with, ...
To begin with, ...
First of all...

After you have formulated the first argument, you need to confirm it and / or give an example to support it. Here are the simplest models for how this can be done:

<аргумент>because...
<аргумент>. That is why...
<аргумент>. For example, ...

If you started with “Firstly...”, then the second argument should begin with the word Secondly...

If the first argument came with the phrases “To start with, ...”, “To begin with, ...”, then the second one can be started with the following words:

Moreover, ...
Furthermore, ...
Besides, ...
In addition, ...

The second argument must also be supported by an example or proof.

Paragraph 3. Contrasting opinion

You will begin the paragraph with the statement of the opposite opinion on the proposed topic or issue. You can do it like this:

Others believe that ...
Some people argue that ...
However, some people think that ...

This is followed by 1-2 arguments confirming the opposite opinion. I advise you to think of two first. And how much to write in the end: 1 or 2 - decide in the process, based on the resulting size of your essay.

Tip: You will then have to challenge the opposite arguments, so when you come up with them initially, think about how you will challenge them. If you have nothing to object to the invented argument, it is better to immediately replace it with another one so as not to do this while writing an essay. It's also limited!

Tip: When challenging arguments, you should not repeat anything written in the second paragraph. So if you can't come up with a counterargument without repeating yourself, try coming up with something else. Alternatively, you can come up with other arguments “for” while the essay has not yet been written. In any case, it's better to think it through initially while you are planning an essay, rather than in the process of writing!

Paragraph 4. Your counterarguments

The point of this paragraph is to explain why you disagree with the opposing opinion. You can start a paragraph, for example, with a sentence:

I cannot agree with this opinion because ...
I am afraid I cannot agree with this idea because ...
“I am afraid” sounds a little strange, and not “I"m afraid”, but it’s better not to shorten it, because you can pay for it with precious points.

ATTENTION: if you gave two arguments in the previous paragraph, then both must be refuted. They can be distinguished by the following phrases:

as for...,
speaking about...,
As far as ... is concerned,

Tip: When refuting opposing arguments, it is best to offer ways to solve them, and not prove their incapacity. For example, if someone believes that pets are dangerous, then one should not argue that they are, in fact, harmless. It is better to turn this disadvantage into dignity, saying that, on the other hand, they are excellent guards in country houses.

Paragraph 5. Conclusion

The most common mistake many students make is that they simply state their opinion in the conclusion. This is not enough. After all, the conclusion applies to the entire essay, not just the second paragraph.

Thus, in conclusion, it is necessary to summarize everything that was said in the essay and express your point of view. You can also give your recommendations on the existing problem. Most importantly, the conclusion should not contain any new information.

In conclusion...
To sum up, ...
To conclude...

Further, we let the reader understand that there are two points of view on this problem, and despite the opposite point of view, we still adhere to our own. For example, you can do this in the following way:

Despite the fact that ..., I am convinced that ...
Taking into consideration different opinions on this issue, I believe that ...

Essay language design

After you have written the USE essay in English, be sure to review it again for possible errors. From my experience of the most common mistakes, I advise you to pay attention to the following things.

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

So what is an essay? An essay is a short essay, 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, to show your worldview, your knowledge, your potential.

As you already understood, to write an essay in English, you need 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, which we will discuss below. I will give you a couple of very useful tips for writing an essay in English, which 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 in fact you will discuss further. That is, to begin with, you must inform the topic of the essay by paraphrasing it using keyword synonyms. You must show that you understand and comprehend the topic.

It is also necessary to indicate that there are opposing views on this issue, and 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 the 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 well-written introduction should give a clear idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat will be discussed in the main part. To beautifully and correctly formulate it, use the following phrases, which indicate the direction of your thoughts:

• Now I would like to express my point of view on the problem of …
• This essay deals with ... - This essay deals with ...
• This essay will examine ... - This essay explores ...
• 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
• Let us consider what the advantages and disadvantages of ... are - Consider what the advantages and disadvantages of ...
• 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's 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 …

You can also use expressions that define your work plan:

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

Main part

In the main part, you should also give a few opposing opinions that differ from your personal opinion, and tell why you do not agree with them. Everything should be reasoned and supported by examples.

All information in the body 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 main body when reflecting on a problem 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 ...
• The second reason for ... - The second reason ...
• Another good thing about … is that … - Another positive 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 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 is …
• 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, … - Undoubtedly, …
• It is (very) clear from these observations that ... - It is (absolutely) clear from these observations that ...
• One cannot deny that ... - One cannot deny that ...
• Another way of looking at this question is to ... - To look at this problem from the other side, one must ...
• 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 ...
• The other side of the coin is, however, that ... - However, on the other hand, ...
• One should, however, not forget that ... - Nevertheless, 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, … - In addition, …
• Moreover, … − Moreover, …
• Nevertheless, one should accept that ... - Nevertheless, it should be recognized that ...
• Furthermore, one should not forget that ... - In addition, 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 firmly believe 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 ... - Perhaps we should also point out the fact that ...
• According to some experts … − According to some experts, …
• One must admit that ... − It must be admitted 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 ... - Which, apparently, confirms the idea (that) that ...
• We cannot ignore the fact that ... - We cannot ignore the fact that ...
• From these facts, one may conclude that ... - From these facts, one can 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 give a solid or streamlined answer to the question asked by the topic. Or, you can clarify the perspectives and implications of a given problem.

In conclusion, you must express your opinion, which is supported by the arguments considered earlier. In conclusion, it is usually appropriate to list the main ideas of the essay. In this case, you need to turn to the introduction and draw parallels. But do not repeat word for word, use a different wording.

In the conclusion, there may be a question leading to further reflection, a quote, a bright spectacular image (of course, if it is appropriate). Alternatively, in conclusion, you can offer a solution to the problem under discussion, make a forecast of the results or consequences, 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 sum up your reasoning. In it, you demonstrate how seriously you approached the consideration of a given topic and how much you are generally capable of independently reasoning and drawing conclusions.

You will be helped by special phrases that will help you consistently express your thoughts:

• 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 ... - Considering 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 account ... - Taking everything into account ...
• So it’s up to everybody to decide whether … or not −
• The arguments we have presented ... suggest that ... / prove that ... / would indicate that ...
• To draw the conclusion, one can say that … − Summing up, we can say that …
• From these arguments one must ... / could ... / might ... conclude that ...

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

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

2. Never use an abusive tone. You must be confident in your statements. Don't use phrases like:

• I may not be 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. In no case should you refute the significance of the previous arguments from the main part.

Volume of partitions

The volume of each of the sections may vary depending on the task 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
• The 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 ...
• An important point is that ...
• At the moment, ... - At the moment, ...
• In conclusion, ... - In conclusion, ...
• After all, … − In the end, …
• In any case, ... / Anyway, ... / Either way, ...
• Actually, ... - Actually, ...
• Firstly, … - Firstly, …
• Instead of ... - Instead of ...
• In the first place, ... - First of all, ...
• From time to time, … − From time to time, …
• As 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 ...
• In short, ... / In a nutshell, ...
• Besides, … - In addition, …
• Luckily, ... / 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 ...
• Finally, ... - Finally, ...
• In fact, ... / Actually, ... - In fact, ...
• As far as I know, ... - As far as I know ...
• As far as I can judge, ... - As far as I can tell, ...
• 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 other than that ...
• However, ... - However, ... / Nevertheless, ...
• It turned out that ... - It turned out that ...
• Frankly speaking, ... / To tell the truth, ... - Frankly speaking, ... / Honestly, ...
• In my opinion, ... - In my opinion, ...
• To tell the truth, … − In truth, …
• As a matter of fact, ... - As a matter of 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 ... - As well as ...
• Meanwhile, ... / Meantime, ... - In the meantime, ...
• It is well known that ...
• As for ... / Concerning ... - As for ...
• It can mean that ...
• I would rather ... - I would rather ...
• 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.

Be aware of 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 state the main ideas and issues of your essay clearly and clearly so that the reader can follow the course of your thought without being distracted by unnecessary reasoning.

Ideally, you should strive for a complete absence of grammatical and spelling errors. The general structure, division into paragraphs, punctuation - everything must be done correctly to help the reader feel your reasoning. Here are some tips for writing an essay:

1. Use Academic Writing

• Avoid very categorical judgments and generalizations.
• If possible, avoid personal pronouns.
• Prove what has been said with quotes and data, indicating the source.
• Observe gender equality: when talking about 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 colloquial expressions. For example: kid, a lot of/lots of, cool.
• Don't deviate from the topic.
• Instead of phrasal verbs (get away with, get off, put in), use one-word synonyms.
• Avoid overly general words (all, get, thing). Be precise and specific.
• Do not abuse exclamation marks, parentheses, avoid direct questions.

3. Strive to give the text objectivity

• The use of impersonal constructions is encouraged (It is believed that ., it can be argued that ...).
• Use the passive voice if it is not necessary 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 the categoricalness, use the modal verbs could, would, may, might.
• To avoid generalizations, use qualifying adverbs: some, a minority of, several, many, a few.

4. Connectivity 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 should be smooth, one should seem to follow from the other. You must keep the text coherent and guide the reader. The introductory and connecting phrases discussed above will help you with this. they can perform various functions. For example.

The ability to write an essay requires a fairly high level of knowledge of the language. And few people know this art. We will give you some very useful tips for writing an essay or essay in English, which will come in handy more than once in your life.

Training

It's difficult, but start early. The sooner you start thinking about the topic of the essay, the more time you will have to collect material. When your brain is set to think about a question, the information seems to catch your eye.

The same thing happens when you memorize a new word: it begins to seem that it occurs more often in the text. The thing is that you become more receptive to a certain type of information, paying more attention to it.

To begin with, it is best to sketch out what you know about the topic of the essay: perhaps you know even more than you thought. This will give you ideas on which direction to go next. To act purposefully, make a plan and formulate a preliminary set of questions. When you start to study the material, you will have new, more specific questions, and you will be able to look for answers already to them.

How to overcome the "fear of a blank slate"

Even the most experienced writer at the beginning of work on a new work is sometimes visited by feelings of indecision and fear. But, as they say, the main thing is not in the desire and not in the ability: just start writing. It doesn't matter where you start: the main thing is not to stop writing and for the time being do not worry about style and spelling. Make preliminary sketches of the main ideas of the story and after that proceed to the design of the structure of your future creation.

If you write on a computer, it will not be difficult for you to swap fragments of what you have written, grouping them differently. If you prefer paper and pen, leave a space of one or two lines between abstracts so that you can add something later.

You can even take scissors and cut the sheet into strips to make this process easier. Try to arrange the future essay in the order of development of the main idea. If as a result you get the “golden three”: the beginning (introduction), the middle (the main part of the essay) and the ending (conclusion), then you did everything right.

General essay structure

Introduction

The introduction should contain some commentary on the topic of the essay - perhaps definitions of key concepts or an explanation of how you understand the question. Also in this section, you need to list which aspects of the topic you will consider and why.

Remember that an essay is not a novel, so you need to choose only a few main arguments that reveal the topic. The introduction should give a clear idea of ​​what will be discussed next, and the teacher should see that you are answering a specific set of questions.

So a good introduction should:

• demonstrate your intention to answer the question;
• show that you understand the topic;
• outline the structure of your answer and the main aspects that you will consider (your plan);
• confirm that you have done some research and cite one of your sources;
• fully correspond to the topic;
• be concise and occupy about 8-9% of the total text (for example, 120 words in a 1500-word essay).

Note: For those who find it easier to navigate not in the number of words, but in the number of characters, the following formula is useful: on average, one English word is taken as 6 characters (including spaces), that is, a 500-word essay contains approximately 3000 characters with spaces.

Start your essay with a key phrase that will indicate the direction of your answer. For example:

• This essay deals with... ( « This essay is about... » )
• This assignment will examine... ( « This work examines... » )
• This report will analyze... ( « This report analyzes... » )

Use the same or similar wording as in the essay topic. If the question sounds like "Discuss recent developments in communication technology" ("Consider current developments in communication technology"), then in the introduction you can write: "This essay will consider recent developments in the field of communication technology ..." ("In this The essay will examine current developments in communication technology...”). More certainty: leave no room for the reader to doubt.

You can also use these words and expressions to highlight your work plan, for example:

• The essay is divided into four sections... ("This essay consists of four parts...")
• It will first consider...
• It will then continue to describe...
• The third part compares...
• Finally, some conclusions will be drawn as to...

Main part

The main body should explain each of the arguments using examples and illustrations. Information should be clearly divided logically (for this, the text is divided into paragraphs). You need to think over the structure of the essay and make sure that the body of the essay logically leads to a conclusion.

Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize the ideas expressed. Here it is necessary to answer the question formulated in the topic of the essay. Or, depending on the topic, indicate the prospects or consequences of the problem under consideration.

Also, in this section, you can formulate related topics worthy of further reflection and express personal views - if they are supported by the arguments that you have given earlier.

A good conclusion is:

• not just summarizing. The conclusion should be a thoughtful conclusion to the work, for example, applying what has been written to a real situation.
• quintessence, that is, a short list of the main ideas. It is worth referring to the introduction and draw parallels using the same keywords or images, but using a different wording. Do not repeat word for word.
• reinforcing the ideas of the main part of the work. Different types of essays require different conclusions. A short work does not need a detailed repetition of the main ideas, but a longer one may need it.
• perhaps a suggestive question, a vivid image, a quote, if appropriate.
• as an option - a forecast of results or consequences, a possible solution, a call to action.

However, there are points that should be avoided in the conclusion of the essay:

• come up with completely new ideas. If they are really important, include them in the body.
• use an apologetic tone. Be confident in your statements. Avoid phrases like "I may not be an expert" or "At least this is my opinion" ("I may not be an expert" or "At least I think so").
• focus on too small details.
• refute the validity of previous arguments.

According to many teachers, the conclusion is the most important part of the essay. In it, you demonstrate that you have a good command of the material and thoughtfully approached the consideration of the problem. Don't worry if the conclusion forces you to rewrite other parts of the text. Actually, this is a good sign!

As a general idea of ​​the length of each section, you can use the following formula (this is a recommendation, but not a hard and fast rule):

• Introduction - 7-8% of the essay volume
• Conclusion - 12-15% of the essay volume

Do not overuse complex words and expressions, but avoid slang and abbreviations. In general, try to write in short, simple sentences, breaking them up with longer ones from time to time. The goal is to state the essence clearly and clearly so that the reader can easily follow the course of thought and not be distracted by extraneous reasoning (also read about styles in English).

Needless to say, there should be no grammatical and spelling errors in the essay - make every effort to do so. In addition, you need to remember that you are not writing for yourself, but for another person, so punctuation, division into sentences and paragraphs, general structure - all this should help the reader.

Avoid elements of colloquial speech:

• do not use abbreviations (don "t, they're, it's), always use the full form;
• do not use slang and colloquial expressions (kid, a lot of/lots of, cool);
• write to the point and do not deviate from the topic;
• try to avoid phrasal verbs (get off, get away with, put in - more about phrasal verbs), use one-word synonyms;
• avoid too general words (all, any, every), be specific and precise;
• do not abuse brackets, exclamation marks.

Stick to the academic style:

• if possible, avoid first-person personal pronouns (I, my, we, our);
• avoid too categorical judgments and generalizations;
• support what is said with quotes and data indicating sources;
• Gender equality is important in English: when talking about an abstract person, use person instead of man. Whenever possible, it is better to pluralize the subject and use the pronoun they instead of he or she;
• use the active voice whenever possible, do not complicate the sentences. 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." police").

Strive to give the text objectivity:

• use impersonal constructions: It is believed that... (“It is believed that ...”) , It cannot be argued that ... (“Undoubtedly ...”);
• use the passive voice if you do not want to indicate the performer of the action: Tests have been conducted ("Tests were conducted ...");
• use non-categorical verbs, for example: suggest (offer, suggest, express an opinion), claim (assert, declare), suppose (consider, believe, assume);
• to show your attitude to the issue, but to avoid personal judgments, you can use adverbs: apparently (obviously), arguably (probably), ideally (ideally), strangely (strange), unexpectedly (unexpectedly);
• use modal verbs would, could, may, might to soften the categoricalness;
• to avoid generalizations, use qualifying adverbs: some (some), several (several), a minority of (smaller part), a few (several), many (many).

paragraphs

Each paragraph usually touches on one aspect of the main idea. The two paragraphs may touch on different aspects, but be interrelated - for example, cause and effect, positive and negative sides, the state of affairs before or after.

Sometimes the first sentence of a paragraph is introductory, that is, explaining what will be discussed.

Connectivity

The logical transition from one paragraph to another sometimes causes serious difficulties for the author. To preserve the coherence of the text, it is necessary to guide the reader, give him signals. Introductory and linking words that perform various functions can help with this. For example:

• opposition: but, however, on the other hand, yet;
• example: for example, that is;
• addition: similarly, moreover, furthermore, in addition;
• conclusion: therefore, consequently, as a result, thus;
• enum: then, after that, ultimately.

Quotes and links

When you quote a book or other written source, or convey information in your own words, you must include the author's name and publication date. You can do this in the following way:

• According to Smith (1998), writing a good essay is difficult at times, but definitely not impossible. (“According to Smith (1998), writing a good essay is sometimes difficult, but certainly possible.”)

• Writing a good essay is difficult at times, but definitely not impossible (Smith 1998). (“Writing a good essay is sometimes difficult, but certainly possible (Smith 1998).”)

Checking and editing

"Lifehack": You can dictate an essay on a sound recording device yourself and listen to it. Often this is how it is possible to detect inconsistencies in grammatical structures or inconsistencies in the logical course of things.

Be sure to use a spell checker in a text editor, but don't forget to proofread the text yourself. For example, Word sometimes misses rather curious errors that can greatly spoil the impression of your written work. If you're not sure about something, look it up in a dictionary.

And another useful trick: before you finish the work, set it aside for a couple of hours (even better - for a day), so that you can return to it with a fresh look. This is another reason why you need to start writing an essay in advance, with enough time left.

And at all kinds of competitions, there is a task according to which you must submit your essay to the jury or evaluation commission. It is this work that should characterize you, your perception, your worldview, your knowledge and your potential.

What is an essay? An essay is a prose work of small volume and free composition that conveys individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue. Initially, your own essay is not positioned as a defining or exhaustive treatment of this subject. This is just purely your vision of the issue, which is indicated by the topic of the essay.

BUT ? The essay can be written on a topic that you are offered, or on a free topic that you choose yourself, if the task does not strictly define the topic. If you have to write on a given topic, there’s nowhere to go - you need to try to reflect all your knowledge and worldview in this small piece of text! It seems to me that an essay on any topic of your choice is somewhat easier, since in this case you are free to decide on which issue or problem you understand best, and express your opinion in the proper form.

How to write an essay in English?

Answering the question “how to write an essay in English”, it is worth recalling that any essay consists of several parts. I would identify the top three: introduction, main part and conclusion. In the introduction, it is necessary to indicate the key thought, idea or problem that you will talk about in the main part. It is best if it sounds in the form of some short, but concise, complete statement. By the way, it can be if you manage to pick it up in accordance with the semantic content of this essay in English.

In the main part of the essay in English, it is supposed to present any arguments, evidence or refutation of your main idea, which would express your personal opinion on this issue. You can give examples that will illustrate your point of view. When writing an essay in English, try to avoid abstruse or bookish phrases that will turn your work into a boring creation. In this case, the reviewer may refuse to read this work at all. It is better to use simple, but at the same time good, competent, high-quality English. Use more adjectives and adverbs, but the main advantage of written English in this case is the synonyms of verbs and words in general. Your essay will become memorable, and "beautiful". And yes, mistakes are not welcome!

In conclusion, complete all your reasoning and draw conclusions, which will be the final part of your essay in English. All parts of the essay should flow smoothly into one another, all thoughts should be logically connected. This will help you with special vocabulary, which exists so that you consistently express your thoughts.

For example, when adding, you can use words such as more over(besides, more than that) as well as(same as, as well as) furthermore(besides, besides). If you want to display a contrast or opposition, please refer to but(but), however(but), on the other hand(on the other hand), yet(even, yet, already), on the contrary(actually, the other way around). Limit with words despite / in spite of(despite), express the cause or result of something using the following vocabulary: therefore(for this reason, for this reason) so(so, therefore) as a result(because of this, thus), consequently(hence therefore) this results in(as a result) this leads to(it turns out). Pay attention to adverbs of order and sequence - then(after), next(then, next time) after(after), finally / lastly(finally).

The main problem in determining the key point is " how to write an essay in english”is the inability to briefly but competently state one's thoughts. As a rule, we try, as they say, "to spread our thoughts along the tree" or "to pour water." This is just not worth doing, since a large amount of unnecessary information in your essay in English will not become an advantage of your work, but will be its disadvantage. If you are not writing an essay for an exam, but just preparing for something, ask friends and family to read it and rate it. Re-read it yourself several times to see if you made semantic or grammatical errors, and if present, safely get rid of them.