Paper 2 - Part 2 (Writing essays)

Lesson 9 – Paper 2: Part 2 (Writing essays)

This lesson is going to focus on how to write a high-scoring FCE essay.

Here is an exam type question:

In your English class, you have had a discussion about young people and computer games. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay with the following title:

Computer games have a positive impact on young people.

Write your essay.

A. Advice for carrying out the task (Recording 9.1)

Before you start thinking about how to answer this question, here is some advice from your teacher.

Listen to your teacher giving you some advice about writing essays. Complete the notes.

Notes

Before you start writing it is important that you

Carefully (1)___________ your response!

When you write your response you must:

Give your (2)___________

Write a general (3)___________ to the subject

Develop your argument in the (4)___________

Give (5)___________ to support your argument

Use a variety of (6)___________ words

Use (7)___________ language

Avoid using (8)___________ e.g. I’m, she’s

Write a conclusion which (9)___________ your arguments and clearly (10)___________ your opinion

We are now going to look again at the essay title and start the planning process.

Essay title: Computer games have a positive impact on young people.

The question is asking you to agree or disagree with the statement.

Speaking activity

B. Answer the following questions out loud.

Do you think computer games have a positive impact on young people?

If yes
How? Can you give any examples?

If no
Why? Can you give any examples?

This type of essay is a discursive essay. Discursive essentially means ‘to discuss’. You are expected to discuss/look at both sides of the argument. This means looking at how computer games both positively and negatively impact young people.

You might expect your essay to be structured in the following way:

· Introduction (introduces the topic and outlines the structure of your essay)

· Main body paragraph 1: Positive impacts + examples

· Main body paragraph 2: Negative impacts + examples

· Conclusion (summarises your main points and gives your opinion)

Let’s think of some of the arguments that could appear in your main body

C. Read the following arguments and decide if they are positive (P) or negative (N).

1. Can be a good source of fun

2. Can cause young people to be anti-social

3. Can cause young people to become obese

4. Some games can help young people carry out homework tasks

5. Allow young people to relax

6. Young people can lose the ability to communicate with real people

Using synonyms

You will notice that most of the arguments repeat ‘young people’. It is important that you think of alternative words (synonyms) for the key words you are going to use in your essay.

D. Can you think of any synonyms for ‘young people’?

Giving examples

It is important when you present your arguments that you also give examples or reasons for the arguments. Let’s look again at the arguments above.

E. For each argument below, give a reason or an example for the argument.

For example:

Can be a good source of fun because young people forget about any problems that they may have whilst they are playing a game.

2. Can cause young people to be anti-social because…

3. Can cause young people to become obese because…

4. Some games can help young people carry out homework tasks because…

5. Allow young people to relax because…

6. Young people can lose the ability to communicate with real people because…

Writing an introduction

In the introduction you should:

· Introduce the topic of the essay
· Outline the structure of your essay

F. Answer the following generic and specific questions:

1. If the essay is 120-180 words, how many words should the introduction be?

2. What is the topic of this essay?

3. How many different parts are there to this essay?

4. Can you think of any key phrases that you can use to introduce the topic or outline the structure?

Check your answers.

Useful phrases

Introduce the topic

· This essay talks about….

· This essay is about….

Outline the structure

· In this essay, I will first show how (computer games have a positive impact on youths), I will then…..

· This essay will be divided into two parts. First of all I will….Then I will….and finally I will….

Now write your introduction.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The main body

We have already thought about some of the arguments we can use. When we are joining these arguments together, we need to use a variety of linking words.

G. Look at the linking words below and decide whether they are:

(1) adding or (2) contrasting information, (3) used to give a reason or (4) used to form part of a time sequence.

1. Additional

2. Contrast

3. Reason

4. Time

· In addition / furthermore / also

· On the one hand / on the other hand / even though / although

· Therefore / because / due to

· Next / finally / firstly

H. Read the paragraph and fill in the gaps with an appropriate linking word from the list above. Do not use the same linking word twice.

(1)______________ computer games can have a positive impact on children, they can also have some extremely negative effects. For example, they can cause some children to adopt anti-social behaviour. This can be (2)______________ they spend such a large amount of time in front of a computer screen and so they forget how to interact with others. (3)______________, these games can cause youths to call behind in their school work. (4)______________, some parents ban their children from using them during the week.

Now write two main body paragraphs using at least four different linking words.

Positive impacts (50 words)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Negative impacts (50 words)

The conclusion

I.Answer the following questions:

What should you include in the conclusion?
How long should the conclusion be?

Useful phrases

Summarising main ideas

· This essay has looked at…
· In this essay I have examined…

Giving your opinion

· From my point of view…
· In my opinion…
· I think that…

J. Put the sentences into the correct order to form a logical conclusion.

Computer games can be extremely dangerous and I think that parents should only allow their children to play them once a week.

In this essay, I have looked at the impacts of computer games on children.

In my opinion there are more negative effects on children.

Now write your conclusion (40 words)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Extra Practice

Now carry out the same process as above to complete the following FCE essay tasks. Remember to write your answer in 120-180 words.

You have recently had a discussion in your English class about teenage fashion. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay, answering the following question:

Do you think you have to spend a lot of money on clothes to look good?

Write your essay.

You have recently had a discussion in your English class about fast food. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay with this title:

What I love and hate about fast food.

Write your essay.

You have recently had a discussion in your English class about different methods of public transport. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay with this title:

Young people should not have to pay to use public transport.

Write your essay.

Answers

Audio script – Recording 10.1

Before you start writing it is important that you

Carefully plan your response!

When you write your response you must:

Give your opinion

Write a general introduction to the subject

Develop your argument in the main body

Give reasons to support your argument

Use a variety of linking words

Use formal language

Avoid using contractions e.g. I’m, she’s

Write a conclusion which summarises your arguments and clearly gives your opinion

1. Plan

2. Opinion

3. Introduction

4. Main body

5. Reasons

6. Linking

7. Formal

8. Contractions

9. Summarises

10. Gives

B. Own answer

1. P

2. N

3. N

4. P

5. P

6. N

Youths, children, boys and girls

E. Own answers

1. The introduction can be anything from 25-40 words.

2. Computer games

3. Two paragraphs. 1 paragraph to show the positive effects and 1 paragraph to show the negative effects.

4. Own answer.

In addition / furthermore / also

On the one hand / on the other hand / even though / although

Therefore / because / due to

Next / finally / firstly

1. Although

2. Due to / because

3. In addition

4. Therefore

Summary of main ideas + your own opinion about the essay title

Same as the introduction – 25-40 words

3.Computer games can be extremely dangerous and I think that parents should only allow their children to play them once a week.

1.In this essay, I have looked at the impacts of computer games on children.

2.In my opinion there are more negative effects on children.