WRITING AN ESSAY ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE PRE INTERMEDIATE

 

ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE PRE INTERMEDIATE UNIT 97 WRITING AN ESSAY

 

A The basis of a discursive essay* In a discursive essay you have to express your own ideas and point of view [opinion]. It is also important to show that you understand both sides of an argument [reasons for something and reasons against something]. This means you need to understand and use different link words and phrases such as in addition, however, etc. (See Unit 93.) * an essay that discusses a subject B Expressing a point of view Some people believe [Some people think] that no one should be sent to prison under the age of 18. There is an argument [a reason to think] that everyone should have a university education. Language help   You can express a personal point of view with phrases such as I believe / think that … or It seems to me that … but you can also use less personal and direct ways of expressing a point of view, as in the phrases on the left. Many people think it is better not to use In my opinion in written essays. C Giving both sides of an argument One of the advantages of being an only child is that you have more attention from your parents. However, it can be lonely without the company of brothers and sisters. On the one hand, computers can do so many things faster than human beings. On the other (hand), some people are becoming dependent on them, which is not a good thing. D Comparing and contrasting* We often make comparisons between groups of people, or between the past and the present. Compared with / to my grandparents, I have had much more opportunity to travel abroad. In the past people didn’t have computers, but nowadays there is one in almost every home. Most parts of the developed world have become richer in the last thirty years. In contrast, many countries in Africa have become much poorer. * saying how two things are similar and how they are different E Making generalisations Sometimes a simple statement is not accurate, e.g. Young people prefer to watch American films. This is not true for all young people, so we use certain words and phrases to show that we are making a generalisation [saying that something is true most of the time or in most situations]. In general, Japanese society is more focused on groups than individuals. (syn on the whole) Teenagers tend to have [usually have] more freedom than in the past. F Cause and effect* Poor diet and lack of exercise are the main causes of obesity [reasons for being very fat]. Obesity is often the result of a bad diet and not enough exercise. People don’t eat the right food or get enough exercise, and consequently [because of this; syn as a result] they put on weight. Poor diet can cause obesity, and this can have a bad effect on people’s health. * how something happens, and then makes something else happen EXERCISES 97.1 Match the definitions on the left with the examples on the right. 97.2 One word is missing in each sentence. What is it, and where should it go? 1 It seems√ me that there is a problem. ___to____ 2 One of the advantages studying law is that it should lead to a good career. 3 It is important to give sides of the argument. 4 Too much time spent in front of a television can have a bad eff ect children. 5 People like to have freedom of choice. On the other, too much choice can be a bad thing. 6 Time tends go faster as you get older. 97.3 Choose the correct word to complete the sentences. Sometimes both are correct. 1 There is not enough food, and consequently / on the other hand people are dying. 2 Advertising is so powerful that it causes / affects people to buy things they don’t want. In addition / However, it can help them make the right choice when they buy things. 3 In general / On the whole people have more access to education than fifty years ago. 4 Supermarkets are very convenient because you can buy almost everything you want. On the other side / hand, they are putting small shops out of business. 5 The north of the country is much richer compared with / to the south. 97.4 Complete part of this essay on the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet for children. One of the 1.___ advantages ____of the Internet is that children have access to so much knowledge and information. 2._______________, many children can access this knowledge from their own homes; they don’t have to go to libraries. 3._______________, some of the information on the Internet is unreliable and out-of-date, and there are some websites we would not want our children to look at. 4._______________, we need to control the way that our children use the Internet, and there is certainly an 5._______________ for much stricter controls on the websites that people are allowed to create. If we don’t do this, the Internet could have a bad 6._______________ on children. 97.5 Rewrite the sentences following the instructions in (brackets).   1 People who drink and drive should go to prison. (Show that this is a personal opinion.) ______ I believe that people who drink and drive should go to prison. ______________ 2 People are conservative. (Make this statement a generalisation.) ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3 Cars should not be allowed in town centres. (Make this opinion less personal.) ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4 Children played on their bikes. Children spend most of their time in front of a computer. (Make this a comparison between the past and the present in one sentence.) ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5 Many people work longer and longer hours. They don’t have time for hobbies. (Show the connection between these two statements in one sentence.) ________________________________________________________________________________________

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