Score
Maximum points – 14
Timing – 40 min
Assessment
| Aspect |
Maximum points |
| Content (Решение коммуникативной задачи) |
3 |
| Structure (Организация текста) |
3 |
| Vocabulary |
3 |
| Grammar |
3 |
| Spelling and punctuation |
2 |
Note: 0 for content = 0 for the whole essay
Structure
5 paragraphs, 200-250 words
- Introduction (stating the problem);
- Your personal opinion and 2-3 arguments to prove it;
- An opposing opinion and 1-2 arguments to prove it;
- Explanation why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion;
- Conclusion restating your position.
Tips
- Stick to the formal style of writing.
- Do not use contractions (don’t, can’t, I’m, it’s).
- Do not use brackets and exclamation marks.
- Do not start a sentence with and, but,also.
- Do not use informal vocabulary
e.g. informal nouns (kids, stuff), adjectives (cute), phrasal verbs (break up) etc.
informal introductory phrases, like well, to tell the truth, actually, anyway etc.
Replace them with neutral ones: really -> extremely, like -> such as etc.
- Do not use commas before because, that.
- Use commas after introductory phrases (Firstly, …, Besides, … etc.)
- Avoid oversimplified short sentences.
- Do not use sensational, overemotional language (hate, despise, stupid etc.).
- Use passive voice to make the writing more formal (e.g. It is stated/argued that…)
Structure (in detail). Useful phrases.
1. Introduction
- State the problem (paraphrase the statement -!)
Nowadays/in the modern world… people are getting more and more concerned about…
Nowadays many people face a difficult decision when they…
There is no doubt that…/It is a well known fact that…/It goes without saying that…/People tend to believe that…./it is generally believed that…
… is one of the most topical/pressing/controversial/burning issues in the modern world.
… has become a hot topic for debate in recent years.
… has become an integral part of our lives.
It is hard/impossible to imagine our life without …
The problem / issue of… has always aroused heated / sharp disputes/debates /discussions /controversy.
The modern world seems unimaginable / inconceivable without …
One issue that causes a lot of controversy is…
Some people believe that …, while others think…
Some people claim that …, while others argue that …/hold an opposite view.
However, some people doubt/challenge the necessity/importance/benefit of…
On the one hand, … on the other hand …
- State the purpose of the essay
In this essay
- I will try to look upon this issue.
- I will express my opinion on this issue.
- I would like to express my point of view on this issue.
2. My personal opinion
In my opinion, …/ From my point of view, …/ To my mind, …/ Personally, I think that …/ I am certain that … / As far as I am concerned, …/ As for me,…/In my view, …/I am convinced that …
It seems/appears to me that …
My personal view is that…
I think/suppose/believe/consider/assume that…
I favour/support the idea of …
I do not approve of/support the idea of…
- Give 2-3 arguments to prove your point of view
1) Firstly, …/ To start with, …/ To begin with, …/ First of all, …
2) Secondly
3) Moreover, …/ Furthermore, …/ What is more…/ Besides, …/ In addition, …/ On top of that,…/ Finally,…
3. An opposing opinion
- Express an opposing opinion
Others believe that …
Some people argue that …
However, some people think that …
It is generally disagreed that…
- Give 1-2 arguments to prove it
Tip: State arguments that you can convincingly disagree with in the next paragraph!
4. Disagreeing
Disagree with the opposing opinion. But don’t repeat the above stated arguments! Just give reasons why you disagree!
I cannot agree with this opinion because …/ I am afraid I cannot agree with this idea because …
As for …,/ Speaking about …,/ As far as … is concerned,…
5. Conclusion
Paraphrase your opinion!
In conclusion, …/ To sum up, …/ To conclude, …/ Summing up…
Despite the fact that …,
I am convinced that …
Although there are different opinions on this problem, I still believe that…
Taking into consideration different opinions on this issue, I believe that …
Phrases for giving arguments
The main argument against/in favour is…
First of all, I would like to consider…
The first thing I would like to consider is…
To begin with, …/ To start with, …
Despite the fact that…/ In spite of the fact that…
On the one hand, … /On the other hand, …
Besides,…/ In addition,…/What is more, …/ Moreover, …/ More than that, …/Additionally, …
Finally, …
However, … / …, though
…although…
Nevertheless,…
Replace 2 words with synonyms and/or change the grammar structure (use other parts of speech)
e.g.
Literature is an important school subject.
– replacing words
Literature is an essential discipline to learn at school.
– changing the structure
Some people consider literature to be an important school subject.
It is good to live in a big family.
– replacing words
It is beneficial to have a large family.
– changing the structure
Living in a big family is good for us.
Examples of synonyms
Important – essential, vital
Teenagers – youngsters
Young people – the young/the youth (+ pl v)
To go abroad – to go overseas
Changing a structure
To influence – to have influence on
To strengthen – to make stronger
To be important – to be of great importance
Essay topics
Extreme sports help to build a character.
- Clothes that people wear influences their behavior.
- Following fashion is a waste of time and money.
- Young people pay too much attention to fashion.
Dieting – the only way of losing weight.
- A person can have only one true friend.
- Friendship /love is the most important thing in life.
- Money – the only way to success.
- Family is the most important thing in life.
- Travelling by plane is inconvenient.
- Tourism broadens our mind.
- Tourism ruins everything.
- Buying souvenirs is a waste of money.
- Cultural differences cause problems
- In order to get a good education one should go abroad.
- On-line education is good.
- School trips are a waste of time.
- Exams are a fair way of testing students.
- A University degree is a must for success in modern world.
- It is good to take a gap year after school.
- It is the government’s responsibility to protect the environment.
- Cars should be banned from the centers of big cities.
-
Pollution is the greatest problem caused by people.
-
Growth of cities is harmful for the environment.
- Technical progress is harmful for the environment.
- Circus is the best entertainment for children.
- Children should avoid playing computer games.
- Teenagers should consult with their parents about a job.
- Digital literacy is the key to success in any occupation.
- Science is the first thing to be financed in the modern world.
- Technology is an important part of our lives.
- Technical progress is always harmful for the environment.
- Modern technologies make life more convenient.
Sample Essays, My Students’ essays
Nowadays more and more people are choosing to fly to their destinations. Some people think that the plane is one of the most convenient transport to use while travelling. Others argue that travelling by plane is inconvenient at all.
As far as I am concerned, I prefer traveling by plane rather than by train or car. Firstly, flights do not take as much time as train and car journeys do. For example, the distance from Moscow to Sochi is about 1200 km – not too much, so you can get to Sochi from Moscow by car and it will take about 2 days to get there. Although, you can buy a ticket on a plane and get to the Southern capital of Russia in 2,5 hours. Secondly, there are comfortable seats in cabins, especially in business class, which is very convenient.
However, there are people who argue that traveling by plane is inconvenient. They claim that flights are stressful and dangerous for people as there are many articles about plane crashes on the Internet.
I cannot agree with the opposing opinion. The statistics shows that car crashes happen more often than plane ones, thus traveling by plane is safer.
To sum up, I want to say that plane is the most convenient transport to use while traveling because it is safe, fast and comfortable.
By Mariya Saratovskaya
One of the most complex problems in the modern world is global warming. Some people think that climate change is a serious issue, while others are not worried about this problem. In my essay, I am going to consider these two points of view and express my own opinion.
I think that climate change is a huge problem that should deal with more actively. Otherwise, we will either die or will have to find another planet to live on. Firstly, global warming leads to floods that can easily destroy entire cities and even small countries. Secondly, climate changes have already made some species of plants and animals extinct (others are threatened with extinction). It means that people will have some problems with manufacturing in the future. It may lead to starvation and wars.
However, there are people who think that global warming is not a big deal. They prove it by saying that they do not see any changes now, so they should not worry about climate change.
I cannot agree with the opposing opinion. Some regions of the planet already suffer from heatwaves and floods that are provided by climate change, which is a fact.
To conclude, I want to say that climate change is a serious concern and hums should take measures to prevent bad effects of global warming.
By Mariya Saratovskaya
Circus is a popular entertainment nowadays. A lot of parents take their children to have fun there. There is an opinion that going to the circus is a perfect leisure time activity for children. I do not agree with this point of view.
Firstly, in circuses animals are often kept in poor conditions. In these places, animals are often beaten for not following commands, so they live in fear. Circus is a place where animals are imprisoned and locked up. Watching the treatment of animals there, children might learn to be cruel and uncaring. Besides, animals are poorly fed and cared for there. Thus, children may get used to such behavior towards the world creatures.
However, there is another opinion. Its supporters consider that circus is a good entertainment for children. They believe that they can have fun and a good time watching jugglers, clowns and animals in circus. They also say that in the circus children spend time with their family, which is good for the formation of their character.
I do not agree with this point of view because circus is a terrible place for animals. People should pay attention not only to what they see, but also to think about the living conditions of animals in these places.
In conclusion, circus is not the best entertainment for children. To my mind, animals should live in freedom. Parents should think carefully before they take their children there.
By Dmitry Pozharov
1. Correct the mistakes
a)
1) Well, I’m not a big fan of video games.
2) Electronic books will be really helpful.
3) I’m not into things like messengers.
4) Kids are good at using electronic gadgets.
5) When people use electronic gadgets and all, they waste their time.
6) There’s no way robots will totally replace humans.
7) They can’t figure out why it’s so important.
8) But there are those who disagree.
9) And these people claim that it has a lot of benefits.
10) And furthermore I do not consider it rude to ask personal questions at interviews.
b)
1) Personally I find it really stupid.
2) All in all, it’s a bad idea.
3) The number of people watching TV is going down.
4) This is impossible!
5) Lots of people think that it is impossible.
6) Why do they disagree?
7) They believe, that technological progress will do good.
8) I strongly disagree, because I think that robots cannot totally replace people.
9) Actually it is very good.
10) In conclusion I would say that people shouldn’t pay so much attention to fashion.