English essay plan. How to write an essay in English (preparation for the Unified State Exam)

Data assignments on the topic “English language. Unified State Exam. Essay on English" taken from various sources and are offered in addition to the presentation for the textbook. The volume of the essay in English is 200-250 words. The task completion time is 40 minutes.

English language. Essay. Topics for preparation (task C2)

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1.1. Essay on the topic: Art. Graffiti

Some people think that graffiti is another form of expressing art; others think that graffiti is a vandalism. What is your opinion?

1.2. Essay on the topic: Art. Theater and Cinema

Comment on the following Statement.

When cinema was invented some people predicted that theater would not last very long but it still exists, attracts large audiences and is not likely to disappear. What is your opinion?

List of English words on the topic: Art. SOON!

2. Essay on the topic: Languages

Comment on the following statement.

Some people think that you can master the language only if you study it abroad, in the native speaking environment; others believe that you can become fluent in a foreign language without ever visiting the country. What can you say about learning languages ​​in a native speaking environment?

3. Essay on the topic: Traveling

Comment on the following statement.

Some people believe that when you experience travel to other places, you new things and learn from them. Other people argue that most people who go on holiday to other countries just lie on the beach and don’t experience the local culture at all. Do you think that young people learn anything by traveling to other places?

4. Essay on the topic: Books or Computers

Comment on the following statement.

The future of education – books or computers? What is your opinion? Are computers going to replace printed books in the future?

5. Essay on the topic: Space Exploration

Comment on the following statement.

It’s reported that billions of dollars are spent on space exploration projects every year. Some people believe that this money should be used to solve problems on Earth. What is your opinion? What problems should humanity solve first of all?

List of English words on the topic: Space Exploration. SOON!

6.1. Essay on the topic: City and Country Life

Comment on the following statement.

My parents say the way they lived in the past was much quieter. However, I believe that young people are given a lot more life opportunities nowadays. What is your opinion? Which way of life will be more satisfying for generations future?

6.2. Essay on the topic: City and Country Life

Comment on the following statement.

Life in a big city is attractive to many people. But others consider it tiresome and tiring. What can you say about living in a big city?

List of English words on the topic: City and Country Life. SOON!

7. Essay on the topic: TV shows

Comment on the following statement.

In many countries, reality TV shows about the lives and behavior of ordinary people have become very popular. Some people say that these programs are bad and that other kinds of programs are much better.

8. Essay on the topic: Modern Technologies

Comment on the following statement.

According to a number of surveys young people can’t imagine their life without modern electronic technologies. Some of them can become dependent on them, which may have a negative effect on their mind. Do you share this point of view?

List of English words

Very often, the final type of work when testing English language knowledge is writing an essay. Many students do not like it because their level of language proficiency is not high enough. The reason lies in the fact that to write a coherent text you need to have a good command of the grammatical structure of an English sentence and have a rich stock of active vocabulary. But in fact, writing in a language is not that difficult, the main thing is to understand where to start.

It is a mistake to believe that the word "essay" came to us from the English language. In fact, it has French roots, but this word was brought into English culture by a world-famous philosopher and politician.

In England, this genre became part of journalism and gained enormous popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries. An essay is a short prose text that expresses a person’s subjective attitude to what is happening. in English contains an introduction, main part, and conclusion.

Signs

Any genre has a specific pattern in its structure, an essay in English is no exception. The writing sample is formed on the basis of certain characteristics. With the help of them, you can easily determine that in front of you is nothing more than this genre of literature. Knowing the characteristics of the genre will also help to better understand its structure and determine which components must be present in this type of essay. Let's look at the elements that set essays apart from other genres of literature:

• Narrow focus. Unlike other genres of literature, this type of work cannot cover several problems. On the contrary, it is aimed at revealing one issue, but very deeply.
• Subjectivity. This genre is not intended to show how everyone feels about the problem; it is intended to show the opinion of one person, to reveal the attitude not of society, but of the individual.
• The essay evaluates not the information that the author gives us, but his internal qualities, the ability to think logically, worldview and everything that distinguishes him from other people.

What types of essays exist in English?

The general purpose of writing an essay in English is to express your thoughts about some phenomenon, process or object. But you can express your thoughts in different ways: find positive and negative sides of objects, look for pros and cons. Therefore, in English there are several types of essays:

1. Opinion Essay- it needs to express your thoughts about a specific question. The problem is that when writing this type of essay, it is important to be able to find different approaches to the problem, to look at it from different angles. This essay cannot strictly defend its position.
2. For and against, or For and against essays. The type of essay that forces a person to look at an object from two sides. Nothing is absolutely perfect or absolutely flawed. Therefore, you need to be able to find both bad and good sides in any issue. You need to learn very well how to write this type of essay in English; the Unified State Examination requires writing exactly this.
3. Suggesting ways to solve a problem, or Suggesting solutions to problem. The main problems are always global negative phenomena in the environment and society. Having looked at a certain issue holistically, the student must propose a solution.

How many parts is the essay divided into?

Since school, we know that a text usually consists of several parts: an introduction, the body of the text and conclusions. An essay has the same structure, but unlike a simple narrative, it should have more concise information, while containing as many facts and subjective arguments as possible. The entire content of the work is a consistent chain of statements and evidence for them. Logicality is the main quality that will help a child write an essay in English. The Unified State Exam tests not only knowledge, but also the ability to think.

Introduction

The introduction is an important component in the structure of the story. It is in this part that the author outlines the problem that he poses for himself and tries to convey to the reader how he relates to the issue raised in the main part. Also in the introduction, he forms a list of the main issues and facts raised. The introduction should be as concise as possible and contain the key elements of the problem. In addition, the examiner develops a psychological portrait of the subject in his mind. An essay in English reveals a person’s way of thinking.

Main part

It should contain all your thoughts about the question asked. The main part of the text consists of the chain “argument - proof”. You cannot talk about any phenomena or objects if you cannot prove them. In order to properly structure and logically present information, it is imperative to divide the text into paragraphs. It should be said that when written, the arguments in the main part will present two opposites. And only with the correct structuring of the text can you write a good essay in English.

Conclusion

Conclusion - what conclusions were drawn when considering this issue. It is in this part that you need to sum up all the results of your reasoning. Write the general provisions that were previously stated in the introduction and explained in the main part. Use linking words to help indicate that this is the end of the essay and you are summing up everything that has been written so far. As you can see, the structure of an essay in English must be taken into account when writing.

What plan should I use to write?

By sticking to a specific writing plan, it will be easier for the student to concentrate and not get stressed. Essentially, any essay is a text formed according to certain logical rules. It is important to be able to use both deductive (analysis of information from general to specific) and inductive (from specific to general) methods of logical reasoning. If the work is based on logic, then when writing an essay in English, a plan is an important part of the preparation. Below is the writing algorithm:

• Think carefully about the question you want to cover in your essay.
• Determine how you feel about this issue (form an introduction from this).
• Highlight the facts that best define the problem posed to you.
• Support your facts with specific arguments
• Select a separate paragraph for each fact and its argument to structure the text.
• Indicate all the most significant points of the essay in the conclusion.

In order to write an essay easily and efficiently, we have prepared several recommendations. By following them, you can not only learn to write essays well in English, but also understand how to handle the text:

1. Essay topics in English are very diverse, so develop your knowledge by reading books and encyclopedias.
2. Learn to understand English grammar and try to memorize as much vocabulary as possible. Incorrect sentence structure and low vocabulary are immediately visible, and this indicates that you do not know the language.
3. Always keep a draft with you, but you need to know how to use it wisely. Don’t try to write the entire essay there first and then rewrite it into a clean copy. On the contrary, in your English essay draft, outline a writing plan, the most important facts and arguments for them.
4. Don't forget that it plays a very important role. Unstructured text looks ugly, and most importantly, it confuses your thoughts and does not allow you to sort information into categories.
5. The style of this genre is formal, but if it is difficult for you to write in an official language, you can choose semi-formal, but in no case use slang forms of communication.
6. Conciseness is not always a bad quality; in an essay, it is very important to be able to select the main information and make the text as informative as possible and as less cumbersome as possible.
7. Always keep in mind that you need not only to write the text, but also to check it. Calculate the optimal amount of time you will need to write, taking into account rereading.
8. Any fact that you cover must be reasoned and logically justified.
9. Learn to express your thoughts correctly. Never present facts about which you know nothing or know very little. Be sure that the words you write are correct.
10. Learn linking words that serve to connect parts of the text and move smoothly through them. Remember that in English essays clichés are a common occurrence (We cannot ignore the fact that..., One must admit that..., In addition to..., According to some experts).
11. Be gentle in your beliefs. Since the essay shows a subjective perception of the proposed problem, never emphasize that you are completely right, because other people have their own opinion on this matter, and it may not coincide with yours. Also, do not touch sensitive topics, including politics, religion, etc.

Introductory phrases: what they are and how they can help

An English language essay contains standard usages that help the author formulate his thoughts, emphasize the importance of a statement or objectivity in his assessments. These are called introductory phrases. With their help, the essay becomes more structured and lively. For each part of the statement there is a huge number of introductory phrases. For example, for the introduction they use phrases that attract the reader’s attention (Many people think ... but others do not agree), in the main part they use comparison phrases (From the other hand), in the conclusion phrases that indicate drawing conclusions will be relevant (To sum up). Be sure to use the above options, they help to express thoughts clearly.

The most common mistakes

Writing an essay in English is not without its drawbacks, and this fact is very important to take into account, because forewarned is forearmed.

Carefully study the list of the most common mistakes, which will be presented below, and draw conclusions for yourself: see which of the listed mistakes you do not make, and which you need to work on. This way you can find out your weak points and try to improve them. The most common mistakes are:

- Boring start to the story. It is very important to interest the evaluator from the very first lines, to show that he is reading your essay not because he just needs to evaluate it, but because he will find useful information for himself.

- Work not personally verified by you. Only by re-reading your text will you be able to find flaws and missing elements in it. When a person rereads what is written, he perceives it holistically. Don't forget to take the time to check your essay.

- The essay is based on unsubstantiated facts. It's better to do less, but better. Choose only those facts that you can correctly substantiate.

- The question is not fully answered. Despite the fact that essay topics in English are varied (“Animals in the zoo. How do you feel about this”, “Computer games. Pros and cons), learn to fully disclose your position.

- You are trying to be something you are not. Always write your essays from the heart and say only what you think. Only then will you be perceived as an individual.

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 considers...
• 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.

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.

Preparation for the OGE and the Unified State Exam

Secondary general education

Line UMK M.V. Verbitskaya. English language "Forward" (10-11) (basic)

Line of teaching materials of O. V. Afanasyeva, I. V. Mikheeva, K. M. Baranova. "Rainbow English" (10-11) (basic)

English language

We analyze the Unified State Examination in English: section “Writing”

Analysis of tasks in the “Writing” section with the teacher. Methodological tips, building the logic of the answer, writing examples and essays.

Jalolova Svetlana Anatolyevna, English teacher of the highest qualification category. Winner of the competitive selection for the Moscow Grant in the field of education in 2010. Senior expert of the State Examination Agency Unified State Exam in English. Winner of the All-Russian Olympiad of English Language Teachers “Profi-Kray” 2015. Certificate of honor from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation 2014, Certificate of winner of the competition for the best teachers of the Russian Federation 2007, Diploma of the winner of the competition for the Moscow Grant 2010. Work experience - 23 years.

Nedashkovskaya Natalya Mikhailovna, English teacher of the highest qualification category. Winner of the PNPO 2007. Winner of the competitive selection for the Moscow Grant in the field of education 2010. GIA OGE expert in English. Conducted a pedagogical examination of educational publications at the Russian Academy of Education 2015-2016. Certificate of Honor from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation 2013, Certificate of the winner of the competition for the best teachers of the Russian Federation 2007, Diploma of the winner of the competition for the Moscow Grant 2010. Work experience - 35 years.
Podvigina Marina Mikhailovna, English teacher of the highest qualification category. Winner of PNPO 2008. Winner of the competitive selection for the Moscow Grant in the field of education 2010. Senior expert of the State Examination Agency Unified State Exam in English. Conducted a pedagogical examination of educational publications at the Russian Academy of Education 2015-2016. Certificate of honor from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation 2015, Certificate of winner of the competition for the best teachers of the Russian Federation 2008, Diploma of the winner of the competition for the Moscow Grant 2010. Work experience - 23 years.
Trofimova Elena Anatolyevna, English teacher of the highest qualification category. Senior expert of the State Examination Agency Unified State Exam in English. Certificate of honor from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation in 2013. Work experience - 15 years.

39. Task 1. Let's get straight to writing. It is better to write the letter straight away: this will avoid wasting time and energy. To correctly formulate answers to questions, you can make preliminary sketches in the form of keywords that can be easily converted into a complete thought, for example:

Russian cuisine, healthy and delicious, pancakes and cabbage soup called shchi, pancakes

When preparing answers to questions, it is important to remember that your real opinion on a particular issue does not matter in the exam. If you have forgotten how this or that Russian word is translated into English, simply answer the question differently, the main thing is that your answer sounds clear and believable. The beginning of the letter is the same for all letters, so you just need to memorize it. We write a short address in the upper right corner. There is no need to write the street and house number - no one will appreciate our wasted efforts. In addition, stupid mistakes are possible. Let's just limit ourselves to Moscow, Russia (separated by a comma) or without a comma under each other.

Under the address we write the date, simply 04/17/17 (you can use words, but there is no need for this, and the risk of stupid mistakes increases). What follows is a typical homework for the first paragraph (let’s first take a look at the task and remember the friend’s name):

Dear Stuart, (can be without a comma)

Thank you for your letter. I was very happy to hear from you again.

You can also start the second paragraph with a fairly typical, but nevertheless winning phrase, which will serve as a kind of “bridge” before moving on to the main part of the work.

In your letter you asked me some questions about the food I like (or the cuisine I prefer) and now I"m ready to answer them.

Let's take a quick look at our notes and answer the first question, which consists of two parts. For example, I prefer Russian national cuisine because it's healthy and delicious.

There is no need to give long and lengthy explanations of the reasons here. This can be done if you are sure that you write absolutely correctly, have a good supply of time, and also that you will not exceed the established word limit. Otherwise, save your energy for the essay. The answer to the second question can be preceded by an introductory word, for example,

As for my favorite dishes, I love pancakes and cabbage soup called shchi.

And finally, the answer to the third question. Note that the question is simply about what kind of dishes you generally know how to cook, which means that the dishes definitely need to be mentioned. You can do this: Unfortunately, I can't cook very well. I can only fry potatoes and make a sandwich.

Alternatively, you can link the answer to the previous statement: I can cook pancakes very well. Also I can fry potatoes.

Of course, we can say that we don’t know how to cook at all: I can't cook at all.

So the second paragraph of the letter might look like this:

We take a look at the task and make sure that we have answered all the questions asked. Now you can move on to the third paragraph: questions for a friend. You can start a paragraph with a pre-prepared phrase: Now I want to ask you some questions about the cooking camp.

Or you can simply use the conjunction by the way before the first question. For example, Wu the way, where is the camp located?

Now let's get to the questions. According to the assignment, we have to ask a friend about the culinary camp. To avoid the typical mistake (off-topic questions), you can simply ask questions where the phrase cooking camp will be the subject, for example, Where is it located? What facilities has it got? Is it a popular among teenagers? How big is the camp?

There is no need to try to ask different types of questions. The type of questions does not affect the score. Please note: questions that are only indirectly related to the camp will not be accepted. For example, Who recommended the camp to you? (This is not about the camp itself, but about where you got the information) How long are you planning to spend there? (This is more about the author's plans than about the camp).

The third paragraph might look like this: Now I want to ask you some questions about the cooking camp. Where is it located? What facilities has it got? How big is the camp?

We end the letter with standard phrases:

Write back soon.

Best wishes,

Misha

Our finished work looks like this:

Thank you for your letter. I was very happy to hear from you again.

In your letter you asked me some questions about the food I like and now I"m ready to answer them. I prefer Russian national cuisine because it"s healthy and delicious. As for my favorite dishes, I love pancakes and cabbage soup called shchi. Unfortunately, I can't cook very well. I can only fry potatoes and make a sandwich.

Now I want to ask you some questions about the cooking camp. Where is it located? What facilities has it got? How big is the camp?

Write back soon.
Best wishes,
Misha

Methodical hint

All that remains is to check. In order to do this in the most effective way, I suggest imagining yourself in the place of an expert who will check the work. The first thing the expert will do is count the words. It can be very disappointing when a competent and interesting piece of work loses points because the author got too carried away and wrote a letter that was too long. It is important to remember that the maximum length of the letter should not exceed 154 words. If the letter is longer, then the expert counts 140 words, and everything else is not taken into account. Most often, in such cases, the author’s signature, the final phrase, mention of subsequent contacts, and even 1-2 questions are not taken into account. In this case, the author loses points for the content, logic, and design of the letter. In our case, the letter contains 109 words. The expert cannot have any complaints about the volume of the letter. Next, we check the letter according to the criteria.

It is important to remember here that the work is assessed according to three criteria: in terms of content, logic and linguistic design. As for the content, we tried to check everything paragraph by paragraph. You can take another look at the task and the letter and make sure that it contains answers to all the questions asked (there is an answer to the question of what national cuisine we prefer and why, an answer to the question about our favorite dishes and an answer to the question what we can do prepare). All three questions are about the camp. We did not forget to thank our friend for the letter, mention previous contacts, and express hope for future ones. The letter contains the correct form of addressing a friend (by name), the correct closing phrase and signature (name only). Thus, we have every chance to believe that the score for content will be maximum (2 points).

We evaluate the logic and structure of the text. The text is correctly divided into paragraphs (classic division: introduction, answers to questions in one paragraph, questions in a separate paragraph). Address to a friend and the author's signature on a separate line. The letter contains linking words (and, because, as for), and they are used appropriately. There are logical bridges between paragraphs, there are no violations of logic. The score for this criterion is 2 points (maximum). Thus, even with very superficial knowledge of grammar and not having a large vocabulary, you can get at least 4 points out of 6 for this task if you follow these simple recommendations.

The last criterion is language design. Here, the most typical errors are the absence of an article before a countable singular noun (a sandwich), the word order in questions (should be reversed, except for dividing questions), and the absence of auxiliary verbs in questions. Also often forgotten are the endings –s in 3rd person singular verbs and the plural endings of nouns.

You also need to check your spelling. Some mistakes can be avoided if you look at the assignment carefully. For example, the word cuisine can simply be copied from the assignment. Our task is to reduce the number of possible errors to a minimum, remembering that according to the criteria, if there are no more than two grammatical or lexical errors and/or spelling and punctuation errors, the highest score is given for this criterion (2 points out of 2).

40. Task 2. Essay expressing your opinion on the topic: “Playing videogames is a complete waste of time”.

Just like a letter, it is better to write an essay straight away, having first drawn up a detailed plan. The outline for the plan might look something like this:

Means of communication

In addition to the “content” column, where we will write down ideas regarding what to write in the paper, the plan must include the “vocabulary” and “communications” columns. In the vocabulary column we will write down interesting lexical units and expressions that we will later use in the essay. This is very important, since in an essay, unlike a letter, the vocabulary used is assessed. The “means of communication” column will contain the conjunctions necessary to present our ideas logically. A detailed plan will allow us to think through the essay in advance, concentrate on important points and avoid going off topic.

As for dividing the essay into paragraphs, it is better to follow the plan given in the assignment. In accordance with this plan, in the first paragraph it is necessary to state the problem. It would be more logical to start the essay with an introduction to the topic, and then write about the two existing views on this issue. The topic is what we will write about (in this case, we should write about video games). The problem is the existing disagreements on this issue. One of the opinions is given in the assignment; all we have to do is paraphrase it, i.e. express using other lexical means (synonyms, antonyms) or grammatical structures (other parts of speech, passive instead of active). Another opinion must be formulated carefully and precisely, making sure that it is exactly the opposite of the first. This is very important, since inaccurately wording opinions can later lead to a deviation from the topic.

Paragraph: Introduction
Content: Theme: playing videogames. Opinion 1: a waste of time. Opinion 2: a useful activity
Vocabulary: Nowadays, become popular, useless, leisure-time activity, a lot of benefits
Means of communication: Think, believe

The next paragraph should contain our own opinion on this issue and arguments proving its correctness. Our opinion must coincide with either the first or second opinion from the first paragraph. It is absolutely forbidden to write something compromising, for example: “It depends on the person,” or “It depends on the video game the person plays.” The essay requires you to take one side and defend your position. At this stage, we need to clearly decide which opinion we will defend. Of course, nothing prevents us from writing what we really think about this issue. However, the most important question we will have to answer is: “Which position is easiest for us to formulate arguments for?” Sometimes the argument for one position looks much stronger and more interesting than for another, and it will be easier for us to defend this particular point of view. As for argumentation, we must remember that a strong argument consists of two parts: the idea and its evidence. To prove an idea, you can use the following methods: give an example, refer to existing statistics, explain the reason, or describe the consequences. In accordance with the plan, we must give 2-3 arguments. Experience shows that two arguments in this paragraph are quite enough, since we will need another argument later to dispel the opposing opinion.

Paragraph: 2 (my opinion and arg)
Content: Opinion: disagree (it is useful), arg 1: entertaining, reason: good plots, arg 2: helps make friends, statistics: popular activity
Vocabulary: Can hardly be called, gripping, good for uplifting, socialize, the majority of
Means of communication: In my opinion, firstly, this is because, secondly, according to statistics

Next, we proceed to the formulation of the opposite point of view and the argumentation of its supporters. It is important to remember that we are not writing about the pros and cons of video games, but we are writing about two opposing points of view on this activity. The opposing point of view should correspond to that stated in the introduction. Since we have given two arguments to defend our point of view, here it will be enough for us to have one argument supported by evidence.

Paragraph: 3 (opposing opinion+arg)
Content: Opinion: absolutely useless. Arg: not educational. Example: shooting, chasing
Vocabulary: A way to kill time, do not do any good, do not lead to developing skills
Means of communication: However, other people are convinced, they say, because

In the fourth paragraph, our task is to disagree with the opposing point of view and refute the argument given in the previous paragraph. We should start with the fact that we do not agree with the opinion of the opposite side, and then choose an argument that will repel the argument of our opponents.

Paragraph: 4 (explain why we disagree)
Content: Arg: a lot of games, which teach players take decisions, coordinate their actions, consider possible solutions to the problem
Vocabulary: A lot of upsides, come in handy
Means of communication: Nevertheless, I still argue, for instance

And finally, we formulate a conclusion. The main thing in the fifth paragraph is to once again confirm your conviction that you are right. However, it will not be enough if we limit ourselves to just one sentence stating our opinion. A conclusion containing a link to an opposing opinion and a sentence summarizing our main arguments will look much more interesting.

Paragraph: 5 (conclusion)
Content: My opinion
Vocabulary: Approve of, not only…, but also, amusing, exciting
Means of communication: In conclusion, although, I am still in favor

Another erroneous approach when completing this task is to write the essay first in a draft, and then rewrite it into a clean copy. This is very labor-intensive work, and during the exam there is often no time for this. In addition, rewriting is often done in a hurry, which leads to numerous errors. It is much more correct to plan your essay by writing down key words, as we did. Thus, as a result of detailed planning, we receive a carefully thought-out draft of the future essay, containing not only outlines of ideas, but also useful vocabulary. Unfortunately, many people skip this important stage of work, believing that it takes too much time and effort, and that it is much easier to write right away, without a preliminary plan. This kind of approach leads to various kinds of errors, such as avoiding the topic, weak argumentation, and logical errors. It happens that, under the influence of stress, by the middle of the essay the author of an essay forgets what position he defends and switches to the position of his opponent. Correcting such errors in the finished work takes much more time than planning.

Now, based on the template, we write an essay. We should not forget that the essay is written in a more formal style, one of the features of which is the absence of short forms with an apostrophe (for example, don"t). The finished work might look something like this:

Nowadays playing videogames is becoming a popular leisure-time activity. Some people think that it is a useless way to spend free time. Others believe that this hobby has got a lot of benefits.

In my opinion, videogames are worth playing. Firstly, they are very entertaining and can be used for uplifting. This is because their plots are often gripping and one cannot help feeling amused playing them. Secondly, this activity helps people socialize. According to statistics, videogames are enjoyed by the majority of teenagers, which means that adolescents can easily make friends among those who share their interest.

However, other people are convinced that playing videogames is just a way to kill time. They say that videogames are not educational and do not do any good because most games are based on chasing or shooting which do not lead to developing any useful skills.

Nevertheless, I still argue that videogames have got a lot of upsides. Plenty of modern videogames help develop different skills which will come in handy in real-life situations. For instance, one can practice taking decisions in stressful situations, or coordinating their actions with actions of other players, or considering possible solutions to various problems which they face in games.

In conclusion, although there are people who do not approve of playing videogames, I am still in favor of this pastime activity. Not only are they highly amusing and exciting but also make people more skillful in certain spheres.

After finishing the work, you need to count the number of words. The minimum allowed number of words is 180 (minus 10% of the lower limit indicated in the assignment), and the maximum allowed is 275. The resulting essay contains 242 words, which indicates correct preliminary planning of the work. After counting the words, you need to check your work for grammar and spelling.

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