2024-2025

PROGRAM FALL

PROGRAM B1
WRITING BOOKLET

Asus
[Şirket adı]
2023-2024
FALL
CONTENTS

Essentials of Paragraph Writing 1

Descriptive Paragraph: Description of a Person 11

Descriptive Paragraph: Description of a Place 20

Narrative Paragraph 26

Order of Importance 35

Essentials of Essay Writing 42

Advantage or Disadvantage Essay 56

Advantage and Disadvantage Essay 64

Opinion Essay 71

APPENDIX

 Writing with the Past Progressive 82

 Transition Signals 87

 Writing with Noun Clauses 94

 Using Parallel Structure 98

 Irregular Verb List 105

 PART 1

ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING

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ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING

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ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING
Read the model paragraph and fill in the chart.

MY BEST FRIEND

My best friend, Freddie, has three important qualities. First of all, Freddie is always ready to have a
good time, so I love spending time with him. Sometimes we play Frisbee in the park. He is very
funny when he chases the Frisbee. Sometimes we just sit around in my room, listening to music and
talking. Well, I talk, and he just listens. Second, Freddie is completely trustworthy. I can tell him my
secrets, and he doesn’t share them with anyone else. Third, Fred is caring and understands my
moods. When I am tense, he tries to make me relax. When I am sad, he tries to comfort me. When I
am happy, he is happy, too. To sum up, my best friend is fun to be with, trustworthy, and
understanding- even if he is just a dog.

The Topic Sentence

The Concluding Sentence

Which sentence has surprising information?

How many supporting sentences does the

paragraph have ?

Some words are written in bold in the paragraph. Why

are they in bold?

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 ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING

TOPIC SENTENCE 1
English is necessary for
many different jobs.
ENGLISH (TOPIC)
TOPIC SENTENCE 2
English borrows words
from other languages.

In the flowchart above, the TOPIC is English, but the controlling ideas are different. This means that
you can write two different paragraphs on this TOPIC.

The controllıng idea can be BEFORE or AFTER the TOPIC.

TOPIC + CONTROLLING IDEA CONTROLLING IDEA + TOPIC

ENGLISH borrows word from other languages. Other languages give words to ENGLISH.
ENGLISH is necessary for many different jobs. Many different jobs require ENGLISH.

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ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING
EXAMPLES

• Good roommates have four characteristics.

• Living with your parents has certain advantages.
• Living with your parents has certain disadvantages.
• Successful managers share several features.
• Successful athletes have certain qualities.

READ the following paragraphs and choose the best TOPIC SENTENCE

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 ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING
SUPPORTING SENTENCES IN A PARAGRAPH

Look at the Topic Sentence below and analyze the supporting

sentences. Good roommates have four characteristics. They ________.

• are neat, tidy.

• are cheerful.
• share housework.
• pay their share of the rent on time

Now it is your turn to write supporting sentences for the given TOPIC SENTENCE.

Successful students share several characteristics.

• _________________________________
• _________________________________
• _________________________________
• _________________________________

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 ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING
When you write supporting sentences, you use TRANSITION SIGNALS. These signals show readers
that the writer is moving on to the next supporting idea.

Read the paragraph. Underline the Topic Sentence and Supporting Sentences. Circle the Transition
Signals.

NURSES

Good nurses have at least five qualities. First, they must be caring. They must show concern for sick,
injured or frightened people. Second, nurses must be extremely organized because they must give a
patient his or her medicine on time. Third, nurses must be quite calm. They have to make a life-and-
death decision in an emergency. In addition, nurses must be physically strong because nursing requires
a lot of hard physical work. Finally, they must be intelligent enough to learn difficult subjects such as
chemistry and psychology. In brief, nursing is a profession for people who are caring, organized, calm,
strong and intelligent.

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ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING
THE CONCLUDING SENTENCE

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ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING

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ESSENTIALS OF PARAGRAPH WRITING
Now, write about the qualities of a good flight attendant. You can use some of the ideas given below,
or add your own ideas.

GOOD FLIGHT ATTENDANTS

friendly
greet passengers and make them feel
comfortable
can calm nervous passengers.. / explain noises

physically strong
open and close heavy doors
push heavy carts along the aisles

self-confident
emergencies
give orders to passengers

GOOD FLIGHTS ATTENDANTS

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

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 PART 2

DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON
Analyze the paragraph below. What are the points that you should mention when you describe a
person? Fill in the chart.
A Close Friend
Jack is my friend at school. We met two years ago. I asked him the way to the cafeteria and we started
talking. He is fifteen years old and he is very handsome. He is tall and slim with pale skin and curly hair.
He has a great sense of style, so he always looks well-dressed even in casual clothes. Jack is also very
outgoing. He is always friendly and loves jokes. He has a fantastic sense of humor and he always makes
me laugh. However, he can sometimes be immature. For example, he acts like a child when his mother
does not buy him clothes. Jack is very keen on water sports. He likes sailing and he spends a lot of time
on his boat. In addition, he enjoys scuba diving. He loves to see life under the sea. All in all, Jack is a
very nice person. It is a pleasure to be with him and I really enjoy his friendship. I am sure we will
always be close friends

DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON

1. Name of that person

2. _??_______

3. _??_______

4. _??_______

5. _??_______

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON

Look at the pictures of people waiting for a

train.
Mr. Wilcox is a tall, thin, middle-aged man. He is
bald and has a black mustache. He wears big
glasses.
Sally is a slender young woman of average
height. She has long, straight, blond hair and a
beautiful smile.
Dennis is a short young man with a round face
and curly red hair. He has big green eyes,
freckles and a dimple in his chin.
Tom is a good-looking teenager. He is average height and weight. He has straight, black hair and
brown eyes.

When you describe someone, you first focus on his / her physical appearance Below is the physical
characteristics word bank that you can use to describe people.

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON
When you describe someone, you not only focus on his /her physical appearance but also his / her
character as in the example below.

1. What is the main idea of this paragraph? Which sentence shows the main idea?

2. What examples support the main idea? Underline them in the paragraph.

A. Analyze the PERSONALITY WORD BANK, and choose suitable adjectives to complete the
sentences below with your own ideas. Use examples to support your idea.

My sister is a generous person because she always buys her family presents.

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON

My friend is very SERIOUS. For example, / For instance, ___________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________
• My neighbor is really ______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
• My grandmother __________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
• My teacher ______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

B. Read the sample paragraph, and fill in the gaps to complete it

• stylish • medium • good-looking

• kindness • curious • straight
• childhood • light
• blonde • open-minded

Jane has been my close friend since (1) ____________________. She is of a (2) __________________
height with (3) ____________________skin and (4) ____________________ (5) _________________
hair. She has brown big eyes and a (6) ________________________ face. She often wears (7)
________________________ clothes. Jane is friendly and (8) ________________________ because
she is willing to learn new different ideas. However, sometimes she is very (9)
___________________ and asks too many questions. Jane is very good at drawing. During the
weekends, she spends her time drawing beautiful pictures. Everybody likes her for her (10)
________________________. All in all, I’m happy to have such a good person as a friend.

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON

C. Read the sample paragraph written by a teacher. Then, fill in the gaps in to write a descriptive
paragraph about yourself.

I am forty years old, rather tall and I have blue eyes and short black hair. I wear casual
clothes as I teach students in a relaxed atmosphere. I enjoy my job because I get to meet
and help so many different people from all over the world. During my spare time, I like
playing tennis. I also love listening to classical music and I must admit that I spend a lot
of money on buying new CDs! I live in a pretty seaside town on the Italian coast. I enjoy
eating great Italian food and socializing with friends.

I am _____________ years old, I ___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________ (your physical appearance). I
wear ___________________________ because _________________________________________. I am a
______________. I like / don't like my job because ___________________________________________. I
______________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________ (your
personality) . I often ______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ (your hobby/ hobbies). I also like
________________ (write about another hobby) because ____________________________________ . I
live in ____________. People in ____________ are __________________________ . I enjoy / don't enjoy
living in ______________ because__________________________________________________________.

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON

D. Read the sentences given below (A-E) and the paragraph that follows. Match the sentences to
the gaps in the article. One of the sentences does not fit.

A. Asterix also has rather an unusual personality for a Gaul.

B. In appearance, Asterix is certainly quite distinctive.
C. In conclusion, it is his combination of bravery and humour which make him such a unique
character.
D. One of my favourite comic strip figures is Asterix the Gaul.
E. What Asterix enjoys most in his life is fighting against the Romans.

THE ONE AND ONLY ASTERIX

(1) _____. He is the main character in the comic strip series by Goscinny and Uderzo. Asterix
lives in a tiny village in Gaul, as France was called then. His village is the only one in Gaul which is not
under the control of the Romans. (2) _____. His most striking feature is that he is extremely short and
thin. He has dark, friendly eyes, a big fat nose and a huge moustache. He always wears a black
sleeveless shirt, a pair of red trousers and a winged helmet. (3) _____. For one thing, he is extremely
clever. As a result, he always finds ways to trick the Romans. However, he can be a very loyal friend
and even put himself in great danger to save his friends from the Romans. What is more, he is good-
tempered and usually stays calm even in the most difficult situations. (4) _____. He sends an
important message to us: all that freedom is worth fighting for . Personally, I hope that he continues
to fight his comic battles for many years to come.

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 DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON
SAMPLE PARAGRAPHS
• My neighbour is called Samantha Field. She is a young woman of 26 from Canada. Samantha is a
de She a ed a d ha a bab She ha fa ha a d b e e e , a d he ea e e-
g a e She e a b he f ; she goes to the gym three times a week. Samantha has an
interesting personality. First of all, she is very brave. Every weekend she goes rock climbing with her
husband. She is also a very reliable person. She never lies and she always helps people. Samantha has
many different interests. For example, she likes watching old movies. She watches black and white
films every Saturday night. She also likes riding her bike. She goes to the hospital every morning on
her bike. Finally, she is very interested in cooking. She takes cooking classes twice a week. All in all,
Samantha is a very busy woman, and a very good neighbor.

• John has been my intimate friend since we were in primary school. He a tall and slim young man
with pale skin and curly dark hair. He has small brown eyes and an oval shiny face. He always
wears casual clothes. John is very funny, and he always makes me laugh. Also, he is a very generous
and sensitive person. However, sometimes he can be a little tense. John is very keen on playing
football. During weekends, he spends hours either training with his football team or watching
matches on TV. In addition to that, he enjoys singing and dancing, as well, and he is fond of listening
to pop music. Everybody likes him for his sense of humor and modesty. A a I ha ha e
ch a g d e a af e d a dI e e a a be a ef e d

• M e a e Ma a a d he ea d a d he a ff ce She a a d ha g
brown, wavy hair and she has green eyes. Maria sometimes wears red glasses and she often reads
b he b a Whe he d e ead ca e e f d he he g She e
exercise two or three times a week. Because she likes to exercise, she is thin, strong and healthy. She
is also a very funny person and she loves to talk with people and make them laugh, so she has lots of
friends. Maria has a big, friendly smile and I think she is a beautiful person. Everyone loves her and,
of course, I am very happy that she is my older sister!

• M b he a e Sa a d he e ea d He a e e e a ch de
grade four. He is younger and shorter than I am, but he says that he is the tallest person in his class.
Sam has short, red hair, f ec e b g ea a da a h He d e ea g a e
U f ae he doesn’t like to study very much. He thinks it’s much better to watch TV and play
video games. His favorite game is called ‘Monster Shark Attack!’ He says that he wants to be an
airline pilot when he grows up. Sometimes, on weekends, his friends come over to our home to
play. Sam is my brother, and I like him, but sometimes he’s a little lazy and a little noisy!

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PERSON
PRACTICE

An international film company is hiring actors and actresses to take part in a new TV series. If you are
interested, and want to have an audition, you have to reply to the advert and write about yourself.
Write about your work, physical appearance, personality.

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 PART 3

DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE

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 DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE

Read the descriptions below about different places in Europe. In the first paragraph, SOME
ADJECTIVES TO
adjectives are highlighted. Analyze the others and underline the adjectives
DESCRIBE
PLACES
Venice is a beautiful city in Europe. Each building in Venice is a work of art, and this makes breathtaking
bustling
Venice a unique city. There are a lot of canals across the city. Its magical scenery is
calm
fascinating and breathtaking at first sight. You can experience a real-life fairy tale when contemporary
you go to Venice. cosmopolitan
crowded
delightful
Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and it is in the heart of Central Europe. The city deserted
dull
has stunning Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque era buildings, and majestic squares.
enormous
Tourists can explore these well-preserved historical buildings and squares on foot because exciting
the city center is compact and mostly pedestrianized. fascinating
giant
gorgeous
grand
Lisbon is one of the scenic cities in Europe because it is on a series of hills by the grand huge
Tagus River. Its rich history, colorful traditions and modern tourist attractions make it a industrial
fascinating city. There are many things to do during your visit in Lisbon. For a start, the large
lively
magnificent Castle of Saint George is a must- see place. This castle offers a fantastic view
magical
o e he ci In Bélem he ci po o i can i i a bea if l mona e f om he magnificent
16th century. modern
mysterious
overcrowded
Brussels is a small city in Belgium, but it is one of the world's best preserved medieval peaceful
picturesque
cities. The city is full of gothic and baroque monuments by an oval canal. It combines its
polluted
gorgeous architecture with appealing, peaceful streets and squares. This feature makes quaint
it one of the most magical sites in the world. quiet
romantic
rural
spectacular
tiny
Rome stands on seven hills by the Tiber River in Europe. It is a popular tourist ugly
urban
destination, and its quaint streets are often overcrowded. Because it is a treasure-trove
vast
of monuments, and has a lot of gorgeous squares such as the ones in the Trastevere
area.

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE

Fill in the gaps with an adjective from the list on page 21.
1. Cape Town is one of the world's most f_______________ cities and the Kruger National Park is
one of the most br_____________ places on the planet.
2. Florence is an o_______________ city. A lot of tourists go there for their vacation.
3. São Pa lo is an ex______________ city when it comes to dining and shopping, but there's no
question that it is an u___________ concrete jungle.
4. Istanbul is really mag________________. Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is one of the orld s
architectural wonders.
5. Havana is a rather run-down but at the same time very del__________ city. It is also
li________ and bus__________.
6. Buenos Aires is the most European of all Latin American capitals with go______________
architecture and broad avenues.

SAMPLE PARAGRAPHS

Write a short description of the town or city you grow up in. you
might find the texts and words from the previous page useful

AN IDEAL SEASIDE RESORT

Brighton is a large town on the south-east coast of England. It is located only an hour from
London. It is a charming seaside resort and the perfect destination for a peaceful weekend. Brighton
has several tourist attractions such as the Royal Pavilion and Palace Pier, with its fantastic funfair and
amusement parks. The town center has a large modern shopping center. There are also narrow roads
full of lovely antique shops. These shops are always crowded with tourists. In conclusion, Brighton has
something to offer everyone. You may spend your time shopping and seeing the sights.

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE

OUR NEIGHBOORHOOD
Our two-bed house is by the sea in the south-west of England. It is a fifteen- minute drive to the
nearest village of Portreath. There are lots of beaches, rivers and forests and it is very quiet. We spend
a lot of time reading books, watching films and going for walks. Our area is great for sports like surfing,
kayaking and mountain biking. However, the houses here are expensive, and this can be a problem for
local people. There are no buses or trains here, so it can be difficult to get around without a car.

THE MALDIVES

The Maldives are islands in the Indian Ocean. The islands are near Sri Lanka. The Maldives are famous
f hei g d clima e bea if l beache a d a m ea The ca i al ci f he Maldi e i Malé I i a
modern city with an international airport and a big harbour. Tourism and fishing are the most
important businesses in the Maldives. Many people work in tourist resorts. Others work as
fishermen or in fish factories.

MY HOME IN BEIRUT

My home is near the centre of Beirut, Lebanon, one of the largest cities in the Middle East. There are
lots f café a d e a a but they open late at night. I love it here because it's so friendly and you
can always find what you need-lots of people come to stay to learn Arabic and French. However, it can
be noisy at night, and there is quite a lot of traffic during the day.

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE

AN UNFORGETTABLE CASTLE

Bran Castle is a medieval castle in Europe. It is situated high above the forest in the Carpathian
mountains in Romania. The castle is really amazing and it has a breathtaking view over the countryside
below. It has tall towers and thick walls with small windows. The interior of the castle is dark and
gloomy. Each room has a huge fireplace and simple wooden items. There are no paintings on the
walls, and no carpets on the cold stone floors. It looks grand, but it does not look comfortable. It is not
a typical tourist attraction, but Bran Castle is certainly worth a visit. It is a unique experience.

Read he e A U f ge able Ca le a d c m le e he able i h he i f ma i ab he

castle.

General Facts

Exterior

Interior

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DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH:DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE

Read and reorder the following sentences to write a coherent paragraph.

WELCOME TO THE WHITE HOUSE

a. For example, in the Red Room all the furnishings are red.
b. In addition, there is a swimming pool, a gym, a theatre and a library to entertain the President
and his family.
c. In conclusion, the White House is one of the most exciting buildings in the world.
d. In these rooms, there are valuable art collections of the previous presidents.
e. It is situated in Washington, D.C
f. Many of them are themed.
g. The White House is the official home of the president of the United States of America.
h. There are over one hundred and thirty rooms in the White House.
i. There is also a Green Room and a Blue Room.
j. Visitors to the capital should see the official home of the President of the USA.

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 PART 4

NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH

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NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH
When you write a narrative paragraph, you describe an event. Read the story and number the pictures
to tell the story in the correct time order.

The story above is organized by CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

The writer gives ________________
• Topic Sentence
• Background Information - set the scene (who, where, when, what)
• the Story, or describes the main event
• Explanation or comment - end the story by describing what happened in the end and how
the people felt.

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NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH
In a Narrative Paragraph, we use chronological order signal words. These words make the order of
event clear to the reader. When they are at the beginning of the sentence, use a comma after them.

At first, e didn ell her he ne

For a few seconds, we were too scared to move.

Then we called our parents. (EXCEPTIONS: THEN, SOON, and NOW are usually not followed by a
comma.)

A. Read the sentences below and put them in correct chronological order.

GROUP 1

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NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH
GROUP 2

B. Now use the sentences in the previous activity (GROUP 1 AND 2) to write coherent paragraphs.
Use time –order signal words.

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

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NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH
In a narrative paragraph / essay, we use adverbs to describe actions.
First analyze the information box about ADVERBS. Then, read the blog post below and underline all
the adverbs in the blog post.

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NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH
C. Practice : Analyze/ use the prompts and pictures given, and write a story.

• Afternoon- two weeks ago-Jim-

take pet snake, Slippy vet
(veterinarian)
• put Slippy- sports bag-
• go- underground station.
• on the train- two large men-
• Jim frightened.
• come up to him- knife in hand
• open it - Sli head -
• The men - cry / run
Give me your bag
• Train- stop- next station-
• They- jump off train- run away-
• passengers- feel happy
Help!! Snake....
• Jim- proud

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NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH

SAMPLE PARAGRAPHS

THE WORST MOMENT OF MY LIFE

Last Saturday was the first day of my holiday. I jumped out of bed. I felt really happy, and quickly got
ead ea e f he ai S ai he e I c e I shouted and got into the lift. Ten seconds
later, the lift made a strange sound a d ed dde Ic d be ie e i I c ied f he a d
hea d a a ice ide The e i e ec ici she aid Be a ie I ge he I
waited and waited and finally someone came, but it took them a long time to rescue me. When I got
out of the lift, I looked at my watch. It was too late to get to the airport in time! I went back upstairs
to my flat- not in the lift this time- and sat on the sofa, feeling really miserable. When I turned on the
TV, there was a travel ga He h ida ake he e e e aid ha i Thi eek
e e i S ai a d e a e ha i g a fa a ic i e I think that was the worst moment of my life.
(180 words)

A HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER
I was tired of going to the same place every
year, so last year my family and I decided to
travel round Britanny in France for two
weeks in a camper van. One night I was
driving along the road when I noticed there
were no more signposts. Suddenly I realized
that we were lost. There were no lights
anywhere, so I stopped the camper van for
the night. The following day, I woke up and
the camper van was moving by itself. We were floating on the sea! I called for help immediately.
Meanwhile, my wife was trying to stop water from coming into the van. After a while, a boat arrived
and pulled us back to the beach. A couple of hours later we were home, safe and sound! From then
on, we decided to stay in a hotel for our holidays.
(144 words)

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NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH
THE MOST EMBARASSING MOMENT OF MY LIFE

Last week as I was walking through the park on my way to the bus stop, it suddenly began to rain. I
immediately clashed into a phone box because I did ha e a brella. It was raining heavily, but it
was one of those short autumn showers, so I decided to stay in the phone box until it stopped. A few
minutes later, I saw a young man walk up to the phone box. He was wearing a yellow raincoat and
holding a tool box. I did a g i he rain, so I picked up the phone and pretended I was
talking to someone. I thought the man would go away, but he did He j ai ed a ie Luckily,
the ai bega af e ab e i e Oka M I aid d i he h e I ee
ae he B e I he h ed a d e ed f he h eb I I k
g I aid he a Oh I d a e he h e he e ied and smiled b ad I am
here to repair it. It is out of order I felt myself go bright red in the face, and I walked away with my
head down. That was the most embarrassing moment of my life. (218 words)

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NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH
PRACTICE

What is the most

What is the most embarrassing
annoying experience experience that you
you can remember? have had in your life?

What is the most

amusing experience
you can remember?

Choose one of these topics above and write a narrative paragraph. T e a ma adjec ı e
a d ad e b i a ag a h Be ca ef l i h he ch l gical de a d a i i ig al

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 PART 5

ORDER OF IMPORTANCE

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ORDER OF IMPORTANCE (RANK ORDER)

While writing, you can organize information using ORDER OF IMPORTANCE (RANK ORDER).

When you use ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, you

organize or list your ideas from

MOST IMPORTANT to LEAST IMPORTANT,

OR from

LEAST IMPORTANT to MOST IMPORTANT.

EXAMPLE

There are several ways to learn a new language.

One way is to spend a lot of time watching TV

and listening to the radio.

Another way is take classes at a language school

or university.

The best way to learn a new language is to talk

to native speakers.

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ORDER OF IMPORTANCE (RANK ORDER)
Now, read the model paragraph and answer the questions.

A GREAT EXPERIENCE

Volunteering for the organization “Habitat for Humanity” was one of the best experiences of my life.

First of all, helping to build a house taught me a lot of new skills. These skills are helpful because I plan

to get a job in construction. Secondly, I met many new people in this project, and we became good

friends. Most importantly, I found personal satisfaction as I helped others. Volunteering really helped

me as much as it helped the people who are moving into the house I helped build. I'll never forget my

experience at Habitat for Humanity.

1. What is the topic sentence?

2. What three reasons does the author give to support the main idea?

3. Where does the author put the most important reason?

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ORDER OF IMPORTANCE (RANK ORDER)
TOPIC SENTENCES FOR ORDER OF IMPORTANCE PARAGRAPHS
Like all other paragraphs, an order of importance paragraph needs a good topic sentence.

The topic sentence __________.

• should come first

• should be clear and to the point

• states that you are going to list different reasons (advantages, methods, etc.) to

support your main idea

Look at these example topic sentences for a paragraph organized around order of importance. Notice
the phrases that are used to introduce the topic sentence.

Examples

There are three reasons why I decided to attend Thompson University.

There are several things to consider when you buy a new computer.

There are a number of ways to improve your vocabulary.

I like to study in the library for several reasons.

Walking to work has several benefits.

A. Write a topic sentence for an order of importance paragraph about each of the topics. Then

compare your topic sentences in a small group.

1. exercising at a gym

__________________________________________________________________________________

2. work for a big company

__________________________________________________________________________________

3. live in a big city

__________________________________________________________________________________

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ORDER OF IMPORTANCE (RANK ORDER)
SIGNALING SUPPORTING POINTS

What is a SIGNAL WORD  a word or phrase to connect one idea to the next.
(TRANSITION SIGNAL)?  helps the reader understand the the paragraph more
easily

Study the list of SIGNAL WORDS

ORDER OF IMPORTANCE SIGNAL WORDS

First Most importantly
First of all Another (way/ reason/ example)
For one thing Also
Secondly Finally
Thirdly In addition
The most important (way/ reason/ One (way/ reason/ example)
example) The next (way/ reason/ example)

A. Underline the signal words in the paragraph "A Great Experience" on page 37.

B. Complete the following paragraph with signal words.

Benefits of Riding a Bicycle

There are three reasons that riding a bicycle can be a great alternative to driving a car.
_______________________, you get a lot more exercise by riding a bicycle than by sitting behind
the wheel of a car. _______________________, bicycles are less expensive than cars since they
don't use gas and they cost less to repair. _______________________, bicycles are better for the
environment because they don't cause pollution.

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ORDER OF IMPORTANCE (RANK ORDER)
ORDERING SUPPORTING POINTS
Look at the topics below, and analyze the supporting ideas for each topic. Then, rank then in order
of importance. Use your rank order list to complete each paragraph. Make sure you write the
supporting ideas as complete sentences. Include signal words.

1. Topic: qualities of a good teacher

Supporting points
RANK ORDER

_??_______ has knowledge of subject

_??_______ cares about students
_??_______ can explain information clearly

Qualities of a Good Teacher

A good teacher has several important qualities. First of all, a good teacher_____________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________.

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40
ORDER OF IMPORTANCE (RANK ORDER)
2. Topic: disadvantages of living in a foreign country

Supporting points
RANK ORDER

_??_______learning a new language

_??_______adjusting to unfamiliar customs
_??_______using different currency
_??_______feeling homesick

Disadvantages of living in a foreign country

There are several disadvantages of living in a foreign country. _____________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________.

3. Topic: benefits of a higher education

Supporting points

_??_______have more employment opportunities

_??_______earn higher salaries
_??_______gain prestige
_??_______ learn valuable information

_______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

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 PART 6

ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING

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ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING
What is an ESSAY? It is a piece of writing that is several paragraphs long.

In well-written paragraphs and essays, writers present information in a logical order. This chart
below shows the organization of a paragraph and an essay.

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ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING

A. INTRODUCTION
1. Read the paragraph below and fill in the missing parts with the words given in the box.
last main statement topic general thesis

An essay starts with an introductory paragraph. It introduces the 1) ____________ and presents
the 2) ____________. The organization of this paragraph is like a funnel. This means that the
introductory paragraph moves from 3) ____________ information/ statements to specific information.
The most specific information is found in the 4) ____________ sentence. This sentence is called the
thesis 5) ____________, and it gives the reader the 6) ___________ idea of the essay.

FUNNEL TYPE INTRODUCTION

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ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING
WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT?
TOPIC + Controlling idea = THESIS STATEMENT
Technology has destructive effects on mankind, on animals and on the environment.
(organization by effects)

2. Analyze the THESIS STATEMENT given in the box and fill in the blanks.
The Thesis Statement is made up of __________ parts: _____________ (subject) and the
__________________ ( subdivisions of the topic).

Thesis Statement often includes specific aspects of your topic (controlling idea). The controlling
idea of a thesis statement tells the reader how many body paragraphs there will be in the essay and
what their content will be.

• Smoking is unhealthy because it causes narrowing of the arteries1, heart problems 2 and lung

cancer3. (An ESSAY with 3 BODY PARAGRAPHS)

• Living in a city is more exciting than living in the country because of the variety of things to buy1,

and the fun places to go2. (An ESSAY with 2 BODY PARAGRAPHS)

• Discrimination1, lack of economic opportunity2, and inferior education3 are the three
causes of poverty.

PARALLELISM IN THESIS STATEMENT

Parallelism is the technique of balancing structures (nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, infinitives
with infinitives, gerunds with gerunds etc.)

FAULTY She likes knitting, swimming and to play tennis.

CORRECT She likes knitting, swimming and playing tennis.

3. Complete the following thesis statements, using parallelism.

• A good salesperson needs to like people, to be assertive, and ___________________________.
• When a university student has to live away from home, he has to learn to manage his time,
• to cope with his diet, and _______________________________.
• The three main problems of big cities are pollution, crime, and
____________________________.

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ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING
4. In certain types of essays, the thesis statement indicates the topics of the body paragraphs.
Analyze the following thesis statements and write the number of body paragraphs that will follow
1. The high illiteracy rate among rural women is caused by poverty, the ignorance of parents
and lack of educational facilities. __________
2. The major reasons for traffic accidents appear to be the ignorance of drivers, poor road
conditions and bad weather conditions. __________
3. People shop at street markets because of the variety of the goods sold, the cheap prices and
the convenient location. __________

5. Read the following introductory paragraphs. The sentences are not in proper order. Put the
sentences in the correct order. (HINT: The thesis statement is generally the most specific statement
and is at the end of the paragraph.)
A. (1) This is the result of many time-saving devices such as vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and
all those electrical appliances we use every day to make our work at home easier.
(2) For example, cars and buses provide us with transportation and computers help us at work.
(3) Two major problems have resulted; namely air and sea pollution.
(4) Technology has made our lives more comfortable and provided us with more leisure time.
(5) In addition, there have been a lot of inventions which have made our work easier as well.
(6) However, at the same time, technology has resulted in destroying our world environment and
putting our very lives in danger.
Correct order: ___, 1, _______________
B. (1) Therefore, workaholics' lifestyles can affect their families, social lives, and health.
(2) As a result of working too hard, workaholics may not spend enough time in leisure activities.
(3) Nowadays, many men and women work in law, accounting, real estate, and business.
(4) These people are serious about becoming successful; they work long hours during the week
and even on weekends, so they are called "workaholics".
Correct order: ________________________
C. (1) However, anyone who wants to drive a car must have a driver's license.
(2) It is divided into four steps: studying the traffic laws, taking the written test, learning to drive,
and taking the driving test.
(3) Getting a driver's license is a complicated process.
(4) Driving a car is a necessity in today's busy society.
Correct order: ________________________

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ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING

B. BODY PARAGRAPHS
Each of the topic sentences in the body paragraphs should relate to the thesis statement (TS).

IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT BODY PARAGRAPHS

• The main idea of the body paragraphs should support the thesis statement.
• Ideas in Body Paragraphs should be supported by examples, or statistical
data.
• Each body paragraph should discuss one aspect of the thesis. (UNITY)
• The body paragraph should follow a logical order. (COHERENCE)

Thesis Statement Regular exercise is beneficial to health.

Topic sentences should be about how regular exercise is beneficial to health.

THESIS STATEMENT
Regular exercise is beneficial to health.

Paragraph 1 Paragraph 3 TOPIC

Paragraph 2 SENTENCE
TOPIC SENTENCE TOPIC SENTENCE
Exercise is good for blood It keeps the body and muscles
It burns up extra calories flexible.
circulation

THE TOPIC SENTENCE is the most i_ _ _ _ _ _ _ t sentence in the paragraph. It is the main i _ _ _
of the paragraph. The topic sentence controls and limits the ideas in a paragraph.

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ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING

6. Each pair of sentences is about one topic. Which sentence is the topic sentence for a paragraph
(P), and which sentence is the thesis statement for an essay (E)?
1. TOPIC Japanese Customs
A. ______ If you travel to Japan, you should first find out about Japanese customs, taboos, and
people.
B. ______ The worst mistake that a foreigner can make with Japanese customs is standing up
chopsticks in a bowl of rice.
2. TOPIC Education in Taiwan and the United States
A. ______ One difference between the educational systems in Taiwan and the United States
is the role of sports programs in the curriculum.
B. _____ There are several differences between the education in Taiwan and education in the
United States.
3. TOPIC School Uniforms
A. _________ Wearing school uniforms is a good choice for public school students for a number
of reasons.
B. _________ Wearing school uniforms would make student s morning routines much simpler

IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF PARAGRAPHS

UNITY: NO IRRELEVANCIES

A paragraph is a group of related sentences that develop one main idea. All the sentences in a
paragraph must relate to the main idea in the topic sentence. When something does not belong to
your paragraph, it is called irrelevant information/ sentence.

7. Underline the irrelevant sentence.

A. Cats make wonderful house pets. They are very loving and friendly. Cats are also clean. They
do not eat much, so they are not expensive. Unfortunately, some people are allergic to their hair.
Cats look beautiful and they are fun to have in your home.
B. The capital city of a country is usually a very important city. The government offices are in the
capital city, and political leaders usually live there or nearby. There are many different types of
governments in the world. The capital city may also be the center of culture. There are
often museums, libraries, and universities in the capital. Finally, the capital city can serve as a
center of trade, industry, and commerce, so it is often called the financial center of the country.

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ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING
COHERENCE

A paragraph has coherence when the supporting sentences are ordered logically. The sentences are
put in order so that the reader can understand the writer s ideas easil .

Five important cohesive devices are used to

have a coherent paragraph.

This is how your paragraph looks like when it

a. Pronouns lacks coherence

The little boy looked at the birthday cake. He stuck out his
finger and took a taste of it.

b. The Definite Article (THE)

I bought an anniversary present yesterday. The anniversary present is for my grandparents.

c. Demonstrative pronouns (this/ that/ these/ those)

The history of the Wampanoag people is typical. These people lost land and their way of life.
d. Synonyms
rich wealthy affluent prosperous

e. Transition signals (words that connect the idea in one sentence with the idea in another
sentence)

In conclusion, the increase of crime is a problem of every society.

TO LIST TO ADD TO SHOW TO SHOW TO GIVE TO

POINTS MORE CAUSE CONTRAST EXAMPLES INTRODUCE
POINTS /EFFECT A
For example, CONCLUSION
First / Firstly /
First of all And Because But For instance,
Second / Also For However, Finally,
Secondly Too Since Nevertheless All in all
Third Besides As On the other In conclusion
Next / Then In addition So hand To sum up
After In addition to Therefore Whereas In brief,
Finally Furthermore Thus, While
Moreover Consequently despite
As a result

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49
ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING

C. The Concluding Paragraph

It is the last paragraph of an essay. It consists of three elements:
• restatement of the thesis.
• summary of the body paragraphs.
• riter s final tho ght comment recommendation.

Begin the concluding paragraph with a conclusion transition signal word or phrase that tells the reader
that the essay is completed:

In conclusion, ..... To sum up, All in all, (informal)

To summarize, Briefly,
In summary, .... As has been stated ....

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50
ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING
SAMPLE ESSAYS

QUALITIES OF A GOOD UNIVERSITY1

Today a lot of young people are trying to get a good education to have better life standards in

their future lives. To this end, many of them prefer to attend universities and receive higher

education. However, only some of these universities are particularly considered to be good or

prestigious schools. So how to choose? A good university should have various distinctive qualities, but

two stand out.

First of all, a good university needs to have good academicians and instructors. Good lecturers

provide a good education for their students and lead the way for a successful future career. Instructors

in higher education institutions should be in contact with the students and support them as much as

possible, both during classes and their office hours. Most prestigious universities have highly

dedicated academic staff. Moreover, professors and instructors should be knowledgeable in their

areas and train students in every aspect of their future jobs. They should continuously do research

and keep up with the latest developments. That’s how they can pass the necessary information to

their students.

Another major quality of a good and preferable university is having a pleasant and

comfortable campus with lots of facilities. To begin with, universities should have large green areas

and open spaces for students to get fresh air, relax and socialize between classes.. In addition, a good

university should have various other places and buildings necessary for students, such as big libraries

where students can study efficiently or gyms, cafes and seminar halls. In addition, they should have

good dining halls where students can have delicious and cheap meals. University should be a place for

both the academic and social development of students.

In conclusion, a good and prestigious university needs to have good and dedicated lecturers as

well as a large campus with various social and educational facilities. Students would definitely prefer

these institutions over others. Wouldn't you like to get a quality education at a good school?

Hopefully, all universities will have these qualities in the near future.

Word count: 335

1 Sample in-class student group-work essay 2021-2022

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51
ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING

The Benefits of Television

Technology has progressed rapidly in the 20th century, particularly in the areas of
communications and transportation. Communication, particularly, has seen significant
developments with the invention of computers and television. Television has changed the lives of
billions of people. While some people focus on the negative effects of TV on society, we should
note that there are also numerous benefits to it, such as receiving instant news, education, and
entertainment.

One of the most significant advantages of television is that it can provide immediate news
from around the world. Viewers can instantly see the impacts of earthquakes, wars, or political
affairs in other countries. Additionally, there are informative discussion programs that cover global
affairs and current issues within their own country.

Another crucial benefit of television is its educational value, especially for children.
Secondary and university students can find lessons tailored to their needs. Moreover, language
programs help individuals learn new languages, and there are various documentary shows offering
insight into other cultures and lifestyles.

Television also serves as a source of free entertainment for people of all ages. Children
enjoy watching cartoons, young people love concerts and music shows, and working people can
relax with game shows, films and TV series.

In conclusion, television brings several benefits to our daily lives. It provides us with both
local and global news, offers valuable educational content, and provides entertainment for leisure
time. In my opinion, television is a useful invention that has positively impacted society.

Word Count: 243

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ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING
Problems of a Large City

There has been an increase in the number of people who prefer to live in a big city in the
recent years. Some people prefer cities because of the employment opportunities while others
come for education. There are also various cultural activities for all people in the cities. Besides all
these facilities, large cities have many problems including crime, traffic and high cost of living.
The most important problem of big cities is crime. Every year there are thousands of reports
about theft and murder. For example, according to the recent statistics 10 thousand people were
murdered in New York City last year. Because of the cosmopolitan structure of big cities, all sorts of
people including criminals live in large cities. As a result of this, the rate of crime is very high in
crowded cities.
Another problem of large cities is traffic. Due to the high population, traffic jam occurs during
rush hour, and people spend 1-2 hours commuting in cities such as Istanbul, Paris and New York.
Besides, public transportation is not sufficient in these kind of cities because of overpopulation.
The last problem of big cities is that the cost of living is very high. People spend a huge amount
of money for housing, transportation and food. The rents are extremely high especially in cities like
Istanbul. The cost of food is also very expensive compared to small villages. Thus, a person needs a
lot of money in order to survive in a city.
In conclusion, there are some serious problems of metropolitan cities in terms of crime, traffic
and cost of living. It is true that these cities offer attractive lifestyles and opportunities to many
people. However, the hidden problems should also be taken into consideration. So, if you are
planning to move to a big city, think twice!
Word Count 303

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ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING
PRACTICE

Choose one of the topics given below, and write a well-developed coherent essay.

1. Use the prompts given on the left hand margin to write about the job of a company manager. You
can add your own ideas too.

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54
ESSENTIALS OF ESSAY WRITING
2. Use the ideas below to write about the qualities of a good friend. You can also add your own
ideas.

14
55
 PART 7

ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ESSAY

56
ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
In an ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ESSAY, you focus on the topic you are given, and

comment on its advantages or disadvantages.

While writing, you can organize your essay using ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, i.e. RANK
ORDER.

When you use ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, you organize or

list your ideas from

MOST IMPORTANT to LEAST IMPORTANT,

OR from

LEAST IMPORTANT to MOST IMPORTANT.

ORDER OF IMPORTANCE (RANK ORDER) is the most common way to ORGANIZE IDEAS in an essay.
It is mostly used to explain _________________
the ADVANTAGES of something,
the DISADVANTAGES of something,
the BENEFITS or QUALITIES of something,
the CAUSES or REASONS of a problem,
the RESULTS or EFFECTS of a problem, or
discuss or explain the POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS of a problem.

Below are some of the structures that you can see in an essay using RANK ORDER / ORDER OF
IMPORTANCE.

• The most important advantage / disadvantage / benefit / quality of .X.. is that SENTENCE
• One of the most important advantages / disadvantage s/ benefits/ qualities of .X... is ....
Example
• One important advantage/ disadvantage / benefit / quality of .X... is ....
• An equally important advantage / disadvantage / benefit / quality f X i
• Another advantage / disadvantage / benefit / quality is .....
• Finally, .......................... + Example
• The last advantage / disadvantage / benefit / quality is ....

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ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
O GANI A ION
In the chart below, you can see the organization of a(n) advantage / disadvantage essay.

INTRODUCTION
Thesis statement:
Advantages (Benefits/Positive aspects (sides) or Disadvantages
(Drawbacks /Problems/Downsides/Negative aspects ( sides/features)

BODY

CONCLUSION
restate the thesis / write your opinion / make a suggestion

SAMPLE TEXTS

Analyze the sample texts, and answer the questions that follow.

ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE SHOPPING1

Today technology has developed greatly and many technological devices have made our lives
easier, such as household appliance, the phone and the computer. One important development
associated with the computer is the Internet technology. We mainly use it daily on our tablets or
mobile phones to do many different things. We can search for information, chat with our friends,
use the social media or even do shopping using the Internet. Shopping on the Internet, also called
online shopping, has become the most favorite way to purchase things nowadays. Some people may
still believe that it has various drawbacks, whereas others think it brings several benefits to shoppers.
Three of them are being convenient, being cost-efficient, and giving the consumers a wide choice of
goods.
First of all, shopping online is convenient. This is very important for people because today they
ae all e b and don ha e ime fo e e hing The efo e he need hing ha make life
easier for them. At this point, online shopping can help greatly because it is very comfortable. For
example, it is not necessary to leave the house or waste time using public transportation. In
addition, if people drive to the shopping mall, they don need o o abo a king ace The
can buy anything they need by the click of one button. Therefore, online shopping is much easier and
faster.

1
Sample class practice 2021-2022
2

58
ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
Another advantage of online shopping is that it is cost-efficient, or cheap, for both the
customer and the seller. The seller has to pay less rent for a shop or employs fewer staff. This
means that they will have more profit and they sell the products at a lower price than in an actual
store. As a result, the customers buy the goods at a more reasonable price. In addition, there may
be extra discounts on the websites of shops; they may even give discount coupons as gifts. Thus,
consumers can purchase everything cheaper.
The last important benefit of online shopping is the wide variety of products. When you go out
shopping, can you see all products and all options in one store? Probably, not. However, this is
possible while you are shopping on the Internet. For example, when a person needs to buy a certain
clothing item, they can see hundreds of different alternatives. They can also compare the products
as well as their prices and get most things at a cheaper price. In addition, consumers can also read
e ie f he d c he ld like b O he e le c mme he d c c ld gi e
them a better idea about the quality of the product. This may help them to make better decisions.
To conclude, online shopping is an important part of our lives today and it has many
advantages Tha h m ea dm e e le a e i gi e e da I m i i life ha
become much easier with Internet shopping.

1. Underline the Thesis Statement of this essay.

2. What is the topic sentence of the first supporting paragraph?

3. What specific details support it?

4. What is the topic sentence of the second paragraph?

5. What specific details support it?

6. What is the topic sentence of the third supporting paragraph?

7. What specific details support it?

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ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
BICYCLE AS A TRANSPORT3

Today transportation is an imp an a f e le li e People can travel to other countries

or within their own cities easily and fast because there are many different transportation methods
and vehicles, such as subways, trains, trams, ferries or cars. Another important form of transport is
using a bicycle to go from one place to another. Bicycle has two major advantages as a means of
transportation: it is healthy, and cost-efficient.
One of the main advantages of using a bicycle for transport is that it improves your health. How
does it do this? To begin with, it is good for the heart. When you ride a bike, you do cardiovascular
exercise so you may have a lower risk of heart problems in the future. In addition, using a bicycle
strengthens your muscles; as a result, you can have a fit body and become much stronger. Besides,
using a bicycle also has mental health benefits. It reduces your stress levels and you feel happier.
The risk of depression is very low in people doing physical exercise. Therefore, riding a bicycle is
good both for the body and the mind.
Secondly, using a bike as form of transportation is cost-efficien Fi f all d n ha e
a al f m ne b a bike beca e i m ch chea e han a ca Sec ndl d n need
take your bicycle to a garage regularly and pay large sums of money. Repairing a bicycle is usually
chea Finall d n ha e a f e l beca e a bike n n h ical e The ef e
you can save a lot of money. For all these reasons, travelling by your bike is much cheaper than
driving a car.
To sum up, using a bicycle for transport is both healthy and cheap. You can be fit thanks to
physical exercise and you will spend less money than driving a car. Therefore, prefer to ride a bike
for your own health and pocket!

3
Sample class practice 2021-2022
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60
ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
After you read the introduction and conclusion of the following essay, write two body paragraphs.
HOLIDAY IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY2

Having a holiday is good for everyone and the holiday season is always a happy time of the year.
People get tired as they work throughout the year so they need to rest. They often prefer to have a
vacation in their homeland, especially if the country has popular holiday destinations. On the other
hand, some people prefer to go abroad on vacation for various reasons. This kind of holiday brings
many advantages to those who can do it.
_________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
To sum up, spending a holiday in a foreign country is a very good opportunity for anyone’s
personal development. You can meet new people, learn about other cultures, explore new exotic
places or improve your foreign language. As a result, you widen your horizons. I suggest that if you
have the opportunity, you should definitely go abroad for your next holiday.

2
Sample class practice 2021-2022
4

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ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
PRACTICE
Choose one of the topic below. Analyze the prompts given, and ________
1. write a well-developed coherent essay about THE ADVANTAGES OR DISADVANTAGES OF E-BOOKS
You can add your own ideas as well.

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ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ESSAY

2. Write a well-developed coherent essay about the ADVANTAGES OR DISADVANTAGES OF LIVING

ALONE. You can add your own ideas as well.

Advantages of LLiving Alone Disadvantages of Living Alone

• freedom // independence • loneliness

• privacy • lack of support
• budget control • financial difficulties
• flexibility • household chores
• safety concerns

3. write a well-developed coherent essay about the ADVANTAGES OR DISADVANTAGES OF TOURISM

for a country. You can add your own ideas as well.

Advantages of TOURISM Disadvantages of TOURISM

• a source of income • wealthy business owners earn money – not
• jobs for local people local people
• Boost // local and national economy • increase in crime rate
• Improvement // infrastructure and facilities • more pubs and clubs open / / changes in the
• maintain // traditions and culture local culture
• natural environment / / destroy to build
hotels, airports and other facilities

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 PART 8

ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE ESSAY

64
ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
This kind of essay discusses the advantages (positive sides / benefits) and disadvantages (negative
sides / drawbacks) of a given topic.

ORGANIZATION
1. INTRODUCTION
2. MAIN BODY
a. Body Paragraph 1 / Advantages
b. Body Paragraph 2 / Disadvantages
3. CONCLUSION

SAMPLE ESSAYS
AIR TRAVEL

Today transportation has become easier and faster due to new forms of transport. It takes a
much shorter time to reach your destination than fifty years ago. People may choose to travel by
cars, busses, trains or airplanes. A lot of people prefer to travel by air when they go to another
country. However, air travel has both advantages and disadvantages.

Air travel has many advantages. Firstly, it is much faster than any other form of transport. For
example, you can fly from Dubai to London in about seven hours whereas by car it would take about a
week. Secondly, flying is more comfortable and less tiring because you can sleep on a long flight. You
can also watch movies or read. Finally, air travel is safer. More people die on the roads than in the
air.

However, travelling by plane also has some disadvantages. To start with, it can be quite
expensive, especially if you want to travel in the comfort of First Class or Business Class. What is more,
flights are often delayed. This means you may have to spend a long time waiting in the airport. Lastly,
luggage is often lost by airlines. As a result, you may arrive in London while your suitcase has gone to
Abu Dhabi.

To sum up, the airplane is a great invention with many advantages but it also has some
d a back S ill in m ini n he ad an age eigh he di ad an age If e didn ha e lane
it would be very difficult to travel to distant places.

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ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE ESSAY

2
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ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
HOMEWORK

Many children today have to spend hours every evening

doing homework. Some people believe that this will help the children
in their academic career. Others feel that homework is mostly
useless. There are both positive and negative aspects to homework.

There are several advantages to homework. First of all,

students need some practice of the new material learned at school.
They need to sit quietly at home and try to better understand the
new information and ideas. Secondly, homework helps the teacher
kn he den le el f nde anding The eache can hen move on to a new topic in the
classroom. A third point is that homework can involve parents in the education of the child. Family
members can see the child ge

In contrast, there are also negative aspects to homework. To begin with, many teachers give
too much homework so the children do not have free time to relax or play sports. Moreover,
unnecessary assignments raise the stress level of the student. This can actually lower productivity and
performance. Finally, most homework is just boring practice. Students learn nothing new - teachers
just give homework because the administration wants them to do so.

In conclusion, the need to give homework must be considered carefully. It can be helpful in
some occasions, but inappropriate types and amounts of homework may be harmful to students. In
my opinion, finding the balance between free time and homework is necessary to have a happy and
successful school life.

MOBILE PHONES

Today, we have various technological devices in all aspects of our lives. For example, we have
many time saving household appliances that we use in our homes. Similarly, we have other devices for
communication, such as the compute and m bile h ne M bile h ne a e n a fe e ne
everyday lives. Most people find them essential and could not live without them. However, there are
also some drawbacks to owning and using a mobile phone.

There are three main advantages to having mobile phones. Firstly, there is the convenience of
being able to make or receive a phone call at any time and in any place. Secondly, they are essential
for keeping in touch with family and friends. Parents who are worried about their children can always
ring them to check they are safe, and children can let their family know if they are going to be late

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ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
home. Finally, mobile phones can save lives. For instance, if there is an accident, help can be called
immediately.

On the other hand, there are significant problems with the use of mobile phones. In the first
place, using mobile phones can cause accidents, for instance, when people are driving and using their
phone at the same time. In addition, the loud use of mobile phones in public places such as restaurants
and cinemas is rude and can be very irritating for other people. Lastly, there has been an increase in
street crime directly related to mobile phones. People have been attacked and their phones stolen
from them.

In conclusion, I believe that, despite the disadvantages, mobile phones are essential to modern
life and that the advantages of owning one are far greater than the disadvantages.

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ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
After you read the introduction and conclusion of the following essay, write two body
paragraphs.

LIVING LIKE AN ISLAND

Have you realized that the most miserable songs, poems and stories are the ones about
loneliness? Although loneliness may seem hard to cope with, more and more people today prefer
freedom. There is no doubt that living alone has many advantages and drawbacks.

____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
All things considered, living alone has many advantages as well as disadvantages. Even
though many people find it difficult to live alone, I think loneliness is peaceful. I always prefer to be

like an island instead of being a part of the continent!

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ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE ESSAY
PRACTICE
Use the prompts given, and write a well-developed coherent essay on one of the topics.

1. Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Mobile Phones

Advantages Disadvantages

Easy Communication Distraction

Education Ear problems

Social media Wastage of time

Promoting business Addiction to a mobile phone

Good fo eo le afe Health problems

2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Networking

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 PART 9

OPINION ESSAY

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OPINION ESSAY
Opinion essays have an IMPORTANT PLACE in
ACADEMIC WRITING. You might need to give
your opinion on a topic you have discussed or an
article you have read. In such essays, after you

state your OPINION, you need to give

REASONS/FACTS and EXAMPLES to
support it.

WHY STUDENTS SHOULD EAT BREAKFAST EVERY DAY

A lot of people, especially young people, go through the day without having breakfast. Many
eo le belie e ha i i no nece a o he a ha he don ha e ime fo ha and begin hei
day with no meal. I believe that everyone should eat breakfast for some reasons as physical and
mental health.
The first reason why I think you should eat breakfast before going to school is for your health.
When you skip breakfast and go to school, you are more likely to feel tired and sleepy, so in the long
run o can ge ill ea il I e im o an o ha e b eakfa and no le o omach o k em
Otherwise, you will give harm to your immune system, which may lead to serious diseases.
The second reason is that having breakfast is good for your mental heal h If o don ha e
breakfast, your brain lacks the vital energy that it needs to function properly. When you try to learn
something and have nothing in your stomach, you are going to have a lot of trouble succeeding and
focusing on your studies because you have spent the entire previous night without food.
Consequently, you will have concentration problems.
To conclude, you have to realize that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it is
essential for your health, your school and your defense mechanism. It is better to wake up earlier
and have a good breakfast than run to school without eating anything. If you want to do something
good for your health, eating breakfast is a good way to start.

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OPINION ESSAY

ORGANIZATION

As you can see in the sample essay above, the writer has organized their supporting sentences by
listing them according to their ORDER OF IMPORTANCE.

You also use the OREO strategy to remember the steps in opinion writing.

What is OREO strategy? You give your OPINION. Then, you mention your REASONS in ORDER of

IMPORTANCE, and finalize your writing by restating your OPINION.

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OPINION ESSAY

TITLE ZOOS

INTRODUCTION In the past, zoos were places where we saw single animals in small,
empty cages. Today, zoos are changing in design; animals have more space,

OPINION and some live in groups. Many zoos try to put animals in an environment
that is similar to where they live in the wild. Some people who believe in
animal rights argue against having zoos, because they think it is wrong to put
animals in cages. I support the idea of having zoos, because they allow us
to see wild animals that we cannot see otherwise, and they help
endangered species from becoming extinct.

BODY
THE FIRST REASON for having zoos is that they allow people to see wild
animals that they could not see otherwise. Zoos are the only places for most
REASONS people who live in cities to see wild animals. Seeing wild animals on nature
documentary programs or in books is not the same thing as seeing animals
&
in real life. Zoos educate people about wild animals and teach them to
EXAMPLES understand and care about them. That is why there are school trips to the
zoo, where the zookeepers tell student about the animals.

SECONDLY, many endangered species would become extinct if we did

not have zoo. Zoos have saved numerous species from dying out or have
helped animals get healthier and returned them back to the wild. For
example, San Diego Zoo in California has special programs to save the giant
pandas and white rhinoceroses. There is also a great deal of research that
goes on in many zoos to study animal behavior.

For these reasons I believe that zoos have a valuable role to play: they
CONCLUSION
have an educational role and help to preserve certain species. It is
OPINION important for animals to be treated well and kept in an environment which
is as natural as possible. Many zoos today are responding to their critics and
changing the way they keep animals so that they can continue their role
without harming animals.

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OPINION ESSAY
Notice that the writers state their point of views using different phrases/ expressions. When you
want to express your personal opinion, you can use the following expressions.

 I am against ….
 I am in favor of….
 I support the idea that…
 I think (that) …
 I strongly agree / disagree
 I (do not) agree that / with …
 I (firmly)believe (that) ….
 I oppose ….
 To my mind / To my way of
thinking…….
 It seems /appears to me (that) …..
 It is my (firm) belief / opinion / view /
conviction that …..
 In my opinion/ view,
 As far as I am concerned, …..

Read the following beginnings and endings and complete the missing parts in the essay.
a. The other reason is that recycling contributes to the economic development of a state or a
country.
b. To start with, it is very important for people to realize the damage that our rubbish is doing
to the environment.
c. Another important reason is that people destroy many forests as paper is wasted.

Recycling- How Important Is It Really?

Saving certain recyclable materials, such as paper, plastic, glass, aluminum cans and taking them
to recycling centers has become part of the daily routine in many homes. In my opinion, this should
be encouraged for a number of reasons.
(1) _____ . Our towns, rivers and seas are becoming more and more polluted with household
waste. Some of these waste materials take a long time to decompose in nature. Recycling various
materials helps to reduce pollution.
(2) _____ . Hundreds of thousands of trees are unnecessarily cut down to make paper products.
Again, by recycling the paper that we would otherwise throw away, we could reduce this wastage.
This way, we can preserve our natural forests and maintain the balance in nature.
(3) _____. . Waste recycling creates job opportunities for people who are working in waste
management companies. For example, we see some people looking for recyclable materials in
wheelie bins and in this way, they earn money by collecting them. Moreover, recycling saves energy.
This is because less energy is required to process recycled materials than manufacture new materials,
so there is less requirement for raw materials.
All points considered, I strongly believe that people should become aware of the benefits
recycling can bring, and adopt the policy of "Take, Use, Recycle, Reuse". The governments should
encourage their citizens to participate in programs that will help create a cleaner world for everyone
in the future.

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OPINION ESSAY
SAMPLE TEXTS
Topic: Vaccination should be mandatory. Do you agree or disagree? 1
(You try to make the reader see that your viewpoint (side of the argument) is correct)
INTRODUCTION
• General info
• (Say that there are two sides of this controversial topic)
• Thesis Statement. (state your point of view what you believe about the topic clearly state
your position)

Health is one of the most significant issues for all humans and we all try to protect our health in
different ways. Healthy eating, exercising, regular checkups or vaccines are some of the methods to
keep us in good health, especially physically. Among these, vaccines and vaccination are probably the
most argued or debated methods used in contemporary medicine. Some people believe vaccines are
necessary to protect both children and adults against diseases so vaccination should be compulsory.
However, I personally believe vaccination should be completely optional and not mandatory for
people.

BODY

BODY 1
• Topic Sentence
• Support ideas / explanations / examples / statistics
Firstly, mandatory vaccination is against basic human rights and freedom of choice. Every person
should be able to decide on important matters about their body. This is a e a d a a ie
natural right. If governments make jabbing compulsory, they would act against this right. There is a
a i gi blic M b d deci i a d hi i e e A ad l e h ld al a be able
to make decisions about what is going to happen to their bodies. Vaccines are also a part of this
deci i Tha h acci a i ca be a da ed b he g e e i h ld l be he
i di id al ch ice

BODY 2
• Topic Sentence
• Support ideas / explanations / examples / statistics
Another reason why I think vaccines should not be mandatory is that they are not reliable. Some of
the vaccines used today may have adverse effects on some people and they may be dangerous for
these individuals. Some of the most common negative effects are extreme fatigue, pains in different
parts of the body, allergies or even more serious consequences such as heart attack. These things can
be e e el da ge f e e le a d i h aki g he i k I addi i a i ic h
that most vaccines do not work efficiently and people still get the disease. For example, children who
are vaccinated against smallpox still develop this disease in high rates. Why should we get a vaccine if
we will catch the disease anyway?

CONCLUSION
• Summary
• Solutions /suggestions/final sayings on the topic
To sum up, vaccination should not be mandatory for all individuals in a society. Everyone should
have the right to make their own decisions. Governments and medical authorities could try to
persuade and encourage people to get vaccinated against certain diseases but they should not push
them. Do not forget: My body, my decision.

1
Sample class practice 2021-2022

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OPINION ESSAY
MIXED OR SINGLE-SEX? 2
Education is a big part of our lives. Good education is essential for a good future. Therefore,
he impor ance of ed ca ion crea es se eral pes of schools People s preferences for ed ca ion
may be different and there are different kinds of schools that young people attend. Two of the basic
school types are mixed schools and single-sex schools. A lot of people think that mixed schools are
better than single-sex schools and I agree with that because single-sex schools have many
drawbacks.
The first reason of why I do not agree to study at single-sex schools is that these schools are
not natural; i.e. they provide an environment that is different from real life. Students of single-sex
schools can only experience contact with their same sex. However, the society is actually formed of
two different genders: man and woman. If people cannot get used to live with the opposite gender
at school, they may have difficulty in communicating with them in their future lives. In addition, all
people need to do teamwork at some part of their lives and if there is an opposite gender person in
that team, the person cannot work efficiently because they do not know how to interact with the
other person so the teamwork may not be as productive as it should be.
Another significant reason why mixed schools are better than single-sex schools is that there
is less bullying. From my point of view, there is a lot of bullying at single-sex schools because same
gender students may be jealous of each other in many areas, such as physical fea res o hers
achievements etc. There is constant envy and competition among them as to who will be the best.
This kind of degrading and bullying is less in co-educational schools and therefore, these schools
provide a safer environment for pupils.
In conclusion, I believe that mixed schools are better from many perspectives. If we include
co-education in our lives, students will have more experience about real life. In addition, girls and
boys are the two halves of the whole in our life, and it seems illogical to separate them at school.
Thus, mixed schools prepare us to work life better where it is important to communicate with the
opposite sex.

2
Sample class practice 2021-2022

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77
OPINION ESSAY
SINGLE-SEX OR MIXED?3
Education is one of the most significant
parts of a pe on life and a good ed ca ion
helps us to succeed in life. Many different types
of institutions are trying to provide young people
with a good education and real-life skills. Thus,
there are various types of schools around the
world. Two common types of school are single-
sex schools and mixed ones. Many people
believe that mixed schools give a better
educational opportunity to students; however, in
my opinion, single-sex schools are much better in
terms of education than mixed ones.
The first reason (why single-sex schools
are superior to mixed schools) is that here
students can totally focus on their academic
studies. In many co-educational schools, students might get more interested in the opposite sex as
they grow older. Falling in love, having platonic crushes, or getting involved in the other sex are
common things among students. On the other hand, in a single-sex school you will not have these
distractions. It is much easier to focus on academic studies rather than getting engaged in activities
with the other gender. Therefore, according to many statistics students in single-sex institutions
score higher points in standardized tests.
Secondly, male and female students have different needs and interests in education. Girls
and boys obviously have their natural differences, especially in terms of interest areas. Many female
students might be more interested in social subjects and handicrafts whereas male pupils might get
into more technical areas and be more sportive. In a single-sex school, it is much easier to adapt the
curriculum according to the differing characteristics of boys and girls as well as (to) cater to their
different needs. In a mixed school this may not be possible.
All in all, mixed schools cannot provide the best educational environment for many students.
In single-sex educational institutions, young people may have a better chance to concentrate and
d acco ding o hei o n in e e a ea Tha h I o ld al a p efe o end m child o a
school where she can study with peers of her own gender.

3
Sample class practice 2021-2022

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78
OPINION ESSAY

79
OPINION ESSAY
PRACTICE
People have invented new things to make life better, easier and safer. Which invention do you think
is the most important one? WHY?

Write your opinion and the three reasons. REMEMBER the O.R.E.O Strategy.

OPINION: _____________________________

REASON 1 & EXAMPLES : _________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

REASON 2 & EXAMPLE: ___________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

REASON 3 & EXAMPLES: __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Write an ESSAY about the invention you think is the most important one. Support your opinion with
the reasons you have written above. Use ORDER OF IMPORTANCE to organize your essay. Do not
forget to give your essay a TITLE.

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80
APPENDIX

81
 WRITING WITH THE PAST PROGRESSIVE (Continuous)

ACTIVITY 1

Fill in the blanks with the correct PAST PROGRESSIVE form of the verb in parentheses. Use not when it
is there.

1. When she lived in Portugal in the early 1990s, J. K. Rowling _________________________ (teach)
English.
2. From 1909 to 1913, the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright ________________________ (live) in
Germany.
3. In the 1960s, many African-Americans _________________________ (fight) for civil rights.

4. Barack Obama _________________________ (work) in poor neighborhoods of Chicago during the

mid-1980s.

5. During the 2008 financial crisis, it was difficult for college graduates to find jobs because many industries
_________________________ (not, hire) new employees.
6. John Lennon_________________________ (tour) Britain in 1963 when his son Julian was born.

7. Barbie dolls _________________________ (not, sell) well in China, so Mattel closed the Shanghai Barbie
store.
8. When Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook, he _________________________ (attend) Harvard.

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WRITING WITH THE PAST PROGRESSIVE (Continuous)

ACTIVITY 2

Fill in the blanks with the correct PAST or PAST PROGRESSIVE form of the verb in parentheses. In some
cases, either form is correct.
1. In 2014, Apple _________________________ (download) a U2 album onto everyone's mobile
devices, whether they wanted it or not.

2. Due to the Depression, 6 million Americans _________________________ (look) for work in

1931.

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WRITING WITH THE PAST PROGRESSIVE (Continuous)

3. About 75 homeless people _________________________ (live) in the New York Subway tunnels
during the early 1990s.

4. Hiroshi Amana was traveling from Japan to Germany when he _________________________

(hear) that he had won the 2014 Nobel Prize in physics.
5. More than half a billion people were watching TV when Neil Armstrong ________________ (step) on
the moon.

6. The Berlin Wall was about to come down. People _________________________ (gather) at the wall.
They were chanting "Tor auf!" ("Open the gate!").

7. it was the summer of 1847 James Marshall was working at John Sutter's sawmill in California.
Marshall_________________________ (dig) in a stream to create power for the mill. Suddenly,
Marshall saw some shiny objects in the stream.

8. Naval engineer Richard James was working with springs when one of them _____________________
(fall) to the floor and kept bouncing from place to place. From this experience, he invented the popular
Slinky toy in 1943.

ACTIVITY 3
Fill in the blanks with the correct PAST or PAST PROGRESSIVE form of the verb in parentheses.
1. In 1929, Andrew lrvine and George Mallory ___________________ (climb) Mount Everest when
they ___________________ (disappear).
2. When he ___________________ (form) his first band, American jazz composer and bandleader

Duke Ellington___________________ (live) in Washington, D.C.

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WRITING WITH THE PAST PROGRESSIVE (Continuous)
3. The crew and passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 ___________________ (fly) over the Hudson
River when one of the plane's engines ___________________ (stop).
4. Director Ang Lee ____________ (make) his first film while he _____________ (study) at the Tisch

School of the Arts.

5. Queen Elizabeth II ___________________ (visit) Kenya when she ___________________ (learn)

that her father, King George VI, was dead.

6. Benjamin Franklin _______________ (fly) a kite in a storm when lightning ______________ (hit)
the kite string.
7. While he ______________ (serve) time in prison, Nelson Mandela _____________ (write) a 500-
page autobiography.

ACTIVITY 4 Steps to Composing

Read the paragraph below. Then follow the directions in the 10 steps to revise your paragraph. Be
careful with capitalization and punctuation. Check your answers with the class.

NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH

The First and Last Trip of the Titanic

1 On April 10, 1912, the RMS Titanic left England for the United States. 2 It was the largest passenger

ship ever built. 3 It was so big and so safe that people called it "unsinkable."4The ship was carrying a
total of 2,240 passengers. 5 At around 11:30 p.m. on the fourth night of the trip, the Titanic was sailing

in calm water under a clear sky. 6 Most of the passengers were sleeping. 7The ship was moving at full

speed. 8 Suddenly one of the ship's crew members, Frederick Fleet, saw an iceberg. 9The ship was

heading directly toward it. 10 Fleet rang a bell and called the captain.11The captain tried to turn the

ship to avoid the iceberg, but it was too late. 12 The Titanic turned. 13 It hit the iceberg while it was
turning. 14The ship began to sink.15By the next morning, the ship was underwater. 16More than
17They are all gone now, but some
1,550 people died in the disaster, and close to 700 people survived.

remaining parts of the Titanic are still lying at the bottom of the ocean today.

1. Combine sentences 1 and 2. Delete It was and put the rest of sentence 2 between the RMS

Titanic and left tor England. Remember to put commas around the phrase.
2. In sentence 3, change it to The Titanic to be clearer and to avoid using it again.
3. In sentence 4, give specific details about the passengers to make the narrative more interesting.
(Hint: The passengers were a combination of wealthy people and immigrants on their way to
America.)
4. Combine sentences 5 and 6 with and.
5. Combine sentences 7 and 8 with when.

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WRITING WITH THE PAST PROGRESSIVE (Continuous)
6. Sentences 12, 13, and 14 are short and choppy. Combine them into one sentence. (Hint: Use the
verb turn only once, in the past progressive. Use and to add sentence 14.)
7.In sentence 15, add the exact time and date after By. Details make a narrative more interesting.
(Hint: The event happened at 2 a.m. on April 15th.).
. In sentence 15, replace the ship with the Titanic to avoid repetition.
In sentence 15, add the intensifier completely to add drama to the narrative. (Hint: it is an
adverb, so it goes after the main verb in the sentence.)
10.In sentence 17, replace some remaining parts of the Titanic with the remains. It says the
same thing without using too many words.

YOUR REVISED PARAGRAPH

The First and Last Trip of the Titanic
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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O TRANSITION SIGNALS

TRANSITION SIGNALS are the linking words and phrases that are used to show relationship between
ideas. They can be used to join two or more sentences or clauses (a clause is a group of words which
contains a subject and a verb). It is important in writing to use TRANSITION SIGNALS effectively.

Here is a list of the most common linking words and phrases:

ATRANSITIONS OF SEQUENCE (NARRATION / PROCESS)

First,
In the first place, Meanwhile,
Firstly, In the meantime,
Second, Afterwards
Secondly, After that, ·
Third, Finally,
Thirdly, ·
Eventually = finally
Next,
Before
· that,

First, open your books. Then, do exercise number 5.

TRANSITIONS OF ADDITION + +/ - - ·
Additionally
IDEA A IDEA B
Also
As well (as)
In addition (to) ·
Moreover, ·
Besides, ·
Furthermore,
Similarly ·
Likewise ·
In the same way ·
Not only ... but also
✔ The film was boring. In addition, it was long.

✔ The film was boring. Besides, it was long.

✔ The film was boring in addition to being long. (IN ADDITION TO + VING / A NOUN)

✔ In addition to these arrangements, extra ambulances will be on duty until midnight.

✔ The film was boring besides being long. (BESIDES VING / A NOUN)

✔ Apart from being boring, the film was also long. (APART FROM + Ving / NOUN)
✔ The film was both boring and long.

✔ The film was boring. It was long, TOO.

✔ The film was boring as well as long.

✔ The film was boring and long as well.

✔ They advertised the new movie on television, and in newspapers as well.

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O TRANSITION SIGNALS

C. TRANSITIONS OF CONTRAST

BUT, YET,

HOWEVER, NEVERTHELESS, NONETHELESS, STILL

(UNEXPECTED / SURPRISING CONTRAST)

ON THE OTHER HAND,

IN CONTRAST (COMPLETE CONTRAST)

WHILE, WHEREAS, UNLIKE (DIRECT OPPOSITES)

ALTHOUGH
EVEN THOUGH SENTENCE + SENTENCE
THOUGH

DESPITE
INSPITE OF NOUN / VING / SENTENCE

DESPITE THE FACT THAT

IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT SENTENCE

✔ He works hard, but he doesn't earn much.

He works hard. However, he doesn't earn much.

(But is more informal than however. It is not normally used at the beginning of a
sentence.)

✔ Ahmet is hardworking. Yet, his twin brother is lazy.

✔ While/Whereas some countries are rich, others are poor.

✔ Some countries are rich while/whereas others are poor.

✔ Some people work better with music while others do not.

✔ Unlike tthe UK, the USA has cheap petrol.

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O TRANSITION SIGNALS
✔ Although/Even though/Though he works hard, he can't get good grades.
✔ He can't get good grades although/even though/though he works hard.

✔ Despite/In spite of + a noun / Ving, main clause (S+V).

Despite/In spite of her old age, she still goes for long walks every day.
Despite/In spite of being old, she still goes for long walks every day.

✔ Despite the fact that/In spite of the fact that + a clause, main clause
Despite the fact that/In spite of the fact that she is old, she still goes for long walks every day.

D. TRANSITIONS / CONNECTORS OF CAUSE AND EFFECT

Therefore, ·
Consequently, ·
As a result (of),
As a consequence (of) ,
Thus, ·
For this reason, ·
Because/ As / Since ·
Because of ·
In order to ·
So

✔ I was late for school because/since/as the traffic was heavy.

✔I can't take evening classes because/ since/ as I work at night.

In FORMAL WRITTEN LANGUAGE we can use FOR to mean because, but it cannot begin a sentence.

✔ Peter has given up sailing, for he doesn't have the time.

✔ We listened carefully, for he brought news of our families.

Because of /due to / owing to + A NOUN / VING,
Because of / Due to / Owing to the heavy traffic, I was late for school.
Because of being stuck in heavy traffic, I was late.

BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT,

DUE TO THE FACT THAT, she didn't study regularly, she failed the exam.
OWING TO THE FACT THAT the traffic was heavy, I was late to school.

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O TRANSITION SIGNALS

The reason why…SENTENCE ........... is / was that ……SENTENCE……

The reason for + NOUN / VING
The reason for the car accident was (the fact) that the driver didn't see the cyclist.
The reason for the delay was that there was a heavy rain.
The reason for the car accident was that the driver didn't see the cyclist.
✔ The traffic was heavy, so I was late for school.
RESULT / EFFECT

THUS = as a result of something just mentioned SYNONYM hence, therefore

✔ Someone has removed all the evidence. Thus, it is now impossible for the police to continue
their investigation.

E. TRANSITIONS / CONNECTORS FOR ILLUSTRATION (GIVING EXAMPLES)

For example,
For instance,
such as,
like,
namely

✔ There are several problems to consider. For example,

/For instance, the is a lack of public transport.
✔ Colors can have different meanings; for example, white
is the color of weddings in some cultures and of funerals
in others.
We normally use a comma before SUCH AS when we present a list of examples. Where there is just
one example, we don’t need a comma:

✔ He is keen on doing sports , such as skiing, tennis and swimming.

✔ The shop specializes in tropical fruits , such as pineapples, mangoes and papayas.
✔ Wild flowers such as primroses are becoming rare.
✔ Countries such as Sweden have a long record of welcoming refugees from all over the world.

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O TRANSITION SIGNALS

“SUCH AS" is similar to "LIKE" for introducing examples, but IT IS MORE FORMAL, and IS USED MORE
IN WRITING THAN “LIKE":

✔ She has worked in several countries where English is spoken as a first language, such as Australia,
New Zealand, and Canada. (or, less formal, . like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and so on.)
✔ In this country we eat a lot of junk food like hamburgers.

✔ It was another color, namely blue.

✔ Some groups, namely students and pensioners, benefit a lot from the new tax.

F. TRANSITIONS / CONNECTORS FOR CONCLUSION /

SUMMARY

In short, In brief, To conclude, In conclusion, To sum up, In

summary, On the whole, All in all, All things considered, As (it)
was previously stated, etc.

✔ To sum up, the film was a complete waste of time.

(We normally use these words at the beginning of the
sentence to give a summary of what we have said or written.)

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O TRANSITION SIGNALS

Practice 1 Join the sentences using the words in brackets.

1. Amanda is polite. She is thoughtful, too. (AS WELL AS)

2. Professor Wilson teaches at the university. He does research for the Science Institute, too.

(BESIDES)

3. Studying abroad is exciting. Students learn about another culture, too. (WHAT IS MORE)

4. This sofa is uncomfortable. It is also expensive. (IN ADDITION TO)

5. They are very rich, but they live a simple life. (DESPITE)

6. The children tried to save the injured bird. It died. (HOWEVER)

7. The plane ticket was extremely expensive, so she borrowed the money from her parents.

(THE REASON WHY)

8. Eve doesn't study very hard. She is very clever. (ALTHOUGH)

9. There was a power cut yesterday, so I didn't finish my work. (DUE TO)

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 TRANSITION SIGNALS

Practice 2

Choose the correct answer.

1. the athletes were exhausted, they were extremely happy.

a) Although b) Yet c) Besides

2. My grandfather is quite old. , he is in great shape.

a) As well b) Still c) While

3. Paris is not only the center of European fashion, also a cosmopolitan city which never
sleeps.

a) but b) yet c) nor

4. He is probably one of the most famous authors of our times. , he leads a simple life and
avoids the public eye.

a) Despite b) Nevertheless c) Therefore

5. More and more people are becoming aware of the dangers facing our planet. , we still

have a lot of work to do before our environment is safe again.

a) Neither b) In spite of the fact that c) On the other hand

6. his inexperience, he wasn't able to find a job easily.

a) Besides b) Owing to c) Although

7. Mr. Barnaby can be a bit stubborn at times. , he is a very friendly man.

a) So b) Despite c) However

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 WRITING WITH NOUN CLAUSES
A noun clause _________
• is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb,
• plays the role of a noun,
• cannot stand alone as a sentence.

Look at sentences with the highlighted NOUN CLAUSES

What you think does not matter.
I like what I see.
I know that patience has its limits.
I do not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.
That she loves me is certain.

A noun clause can be used as the SUBJECT or the OBJECT in the following forms:

• What you think does not matter. (subject of the sentence)

• I don’t know what you think. (object of the sentence)

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 WRITING WITH NOUN CLAUSES
TYPES OF NOUN CLAUSES EXAMPLES (NOUN CLAUSES are highlighted)
That noun clause Statement: The earth is getting warmer.

That noun clauses are formed from

statements. THAT the earth is getting warmer is well-known.
(AS THE SUBJECT)

Scientists know THAT the earth is getting warmer.

(AS THE OBJECT)

Wh- question noun clause How did she survive the plane crash? It was a
•
mystery.
Wh- noun clauses are formed from wh- HOW she survived the plane crash was a mystery.
questions. (AS THE SUBJECT)
• How did she survive the plane crash? No one
Use statement word order. could explain it.
Noone could explain HOW she survived the plane
crash. (AS THE OBJECT)

• Where does he live? It is unknown.

WHERE he lives is unknown. (AS THE SUBJECT)
I don’t know WHERE he lives. (AS THE OBJECT)

• Question: What did she do?

WHAT she did was a secret. (AS THE SUBJECT)
Noone knew WHAT she did. (AS THE OBJECT)

IMPORTANT NOTE IMPORTANT NOTE

***When the wh- word is the subject of a Question: WHAT happened in the city thousands
question, the word order stays the same of years ago?
in the noun clause. (BE CAREFUL wh- word is the SUBJECT OF A
QUESTION)

Scientists don’t know WHAT happened in the city

thousands of years ago.

If / whether question noun clause Question: Was the experiment a success?

Zoologists wanted to find out if the experiment
If / whether question noun clauses are was a success.
formed from yes / no questions.
Question: Did the researcher add the correct
Use statement word order. chemical?
They were not sure whether the researcher added
the correct chemical.

Important NOTE
1. When a noun clause is the subject of a sentence, the verb is singular.
How governments respond to disasters IS important.
Whether he knew the thieves WAS unclear.

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WRITING WITH NOUN CLAUSES
2. When a that noun clause is an object, that can be omitted.
Scientists know THAT THE EARTH IS GETTING WARMER.

SOME MORE EXAMPLES (NOUN CLAUSES are highlighted)

• I don’t agree with their decision.  I don’t agree with what they decided.
• Have you ever been to our house?  Have you ever been to where we live?
 I don’t understand how you do it.
• I don’t understand this method.
 That he passed the exam surprises me.
• It surprises me.
 How the country could fall into chaotic situation
• The matter was a chief concern
was a chief concern.

• I cannot describe the matter

 I cannot describe what happened.
• The teacher teaches the students emergency
 The teacher teaches the students what they
management.
should do in emergency situations.
• She gave me assistance.
 She gave me what I needed.
A. Rewrite the underlined phrases, using WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHY, or HOW and a phrase* from the
box. (*phrase= a small group of meaningful words within a sentence or clause)

she decided he did he knows you live he is doing it

she does they are going they did it wrote it
1. I am not pleased with his actions. I am not pleased with what he did.
2. Do you know their destination? __________________________________________ .
3. Can you explain their method? __________________________________________ .
4. Is that his reason? __________________________________________ .
5. I don’t know the author of that book. __________________________________________ .
6. Is this your address? __________________________________________ .
7. Her job isn’t very exciting. __________________________________________ .
8. Her decision seems rather selfish to me. __________________________________________ .
9. His knowledge is important. __________________________________________ .

B. Complete each sentence. Write a noun clause using the sentence in parentheses.

1. (Why are more young adults moving to cities?)

a. This research paper discusses _________________________________________________.
b. ___________________________________________is the main focus of this research paper.
2. (The coronavirus came from bats.)
Scientists know________________________________________________________________.

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WRITING WITH NOUN CLAUSES
3. (Can we reduce gun violence through restrictions?)
People wants to know___________________________________________________________ .
4. (There is a connection between food waste and climate change.)
The study suggests ______________________________________________________________.
5. (How do certain ants become queens?)
Scientists analyze_______________________________________________________________ .
6. (How do certain ants become queens?)
________________________________________________________________ is still unknown.
7. (Cigarettes cause cancer.)
Research shows ________________________________________________________________.
8. (Was there water on Mars?)
NASA scientists wanted to know ___________________________________________________.
9. (Trees take up carbon from the atmosphere)
Botanists know _________________________________________________________________.
10. (People are remarkably good at making quick judgments.)
New research suggests___________________________________________________________ .

C. Read each sentence. Underline the correct missing word from the choices given in bold.

1. Historians are not completely certain where/ what caused the Great Depression in 1929.
2. Ancient people thought that / what the Earth was flat.
3. Scientists discovered that / what sugar and salt caused real health problems.
4. Biologists observed that / what happens to young elephants after their parents’ death.
5. That / What caused the Dancing Plague of 1518 is not known, but about 400 people in
Strasbourg danced for days without stopping.
6. This paper discusses that / what there are some important factors in successful weight loss.
7. This research shows that / what financial problems negatively affect student success.
8. Scientists found that / what the virus came from rats.

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IRREGULAR VERB LIST

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