Writing reference

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The Writing paper is Paper 2. It lasts 1 hour and 20 
Read the instructions, i.e. the task (what you have talked
minutes. You do two tasks. about in class, the essay title and the notes) carefully.

Underline the areas you must deal with in the essay title
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In Part 1, there is one task (an essay) which you must do. and in the notes. You’ll lose marks if you don’t deal with
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In Part 2, you choose one of three tasks. them all.

Think and decide what your opinion or position is on
Part 1: Essays the subject of the essay and why you have this opinion.

Think and make notes about how you can cover the
You write an essay. The purpose of an essay is for you to points listed in the notes.
discuss a subject, express your opinion and give reasons 
Organise your notes into a plan. When writing your
for your opinion. plan, decide how many paragraphs you need and what
You are given an essay title and some notes. each paragraph will cover. Your plan should include
short introductory and concluding paragraphs (see
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You must write an essay answering the essay question Units 5 and 11).
and using all the notes. The task will tell you: In your 
Before writing your essay, check that your plan covers
English class, you have been talking about / discussing the three areas.
… Now your English teacher has asked you to write an 
Write your essay following your plan.
essay. 
Make sure you express your opinion clearly in your
The notes outline three areas you must cover. The final answer and that the arguments you express support
note will always be your own idea. your opinion.

When you have finished, read your answer carefully.
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Your essay must be between 140 and 190 words. Check you have written between 140 and 190 words
The title will ask you to write one of UXP types of essay: and correct any mistakes you find.

An essay in which you are asked to discuss a statement Note: If you write fewer than 140 words, you probably
and give your opinion, e.g. Private cars should be haven’t answered the question/task completely and you
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An essay in which you are asked to discuss which of two time, you may make too many mistakes and risk being
things is better, e.g. Is it better for students to study irrelevant. Also, if you write too much, the examiner will
something they really enjoy when they leave school, or stop reading after about 200 words and you will lose
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You should:
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cover the two points you are given in the notes as well
as your own idea in the third point
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organise your answer in a logical way using paragraphs
and linking sentences and paragraphs appropriately
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express your opinion clearly on the subject of the essay
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give reasons and examples to support your ideas
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use a style appropriate for the situation (this should be
quite formal, as it is an essay for your teacher)
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write grammatically correct sentences
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use accurate spelling and punctuation.
You have 40 minutes to do this part (the Writing paper
lasts 1 hour 20 minutes, so if you spend more time on this
part, you will have less time for the other part).
You studied and practised writing essays for Part 1 in
Units 1, 5, 8, 11 and 14.

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 Writing reference

Write a brief
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 introductory

Read this writing task, which asks you paragraph where
to discuss an opinion, and underline you: Although in my country compulsory education finishes at
the areas you must deal with. t
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the age of 16, I believe that young people should continue
present in education at least till they are 18.

Decide what your position or situation
opinion is and why. t
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There are two good reasons for encouraging young people to

Think how you can cover notes 1 and position/ stay at school. Firstly, because jobs are becoming more and
2 to support your position/opinion. opinion.
more specialised and technical, it is almost impossible for

Think what your own idea is and how 16-year-olds to find work. Secondly, if they stay at school,
you can use this to support your they will receive the education and training which will
position/opinion. An essay for your create more opportunities for them in the future.
teacher has quite
/ŶLJŽƵƌŶŐůŝƐŚĐůĂƐƐ͕LJŽƵŚĂǀĞďĞĞŶ a formal style, On the other hand, many students would like to leave
ƚĂůŬŝŶŐĂďŽƵƚŚŽǁůŽŶŐLJŽƵŶŐƉĞŽƉůĞ so don’t use
contractions. school at 16. This is because they find school difficult or
ƐŚŽƵůĚƐƚĂLJŝŶĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ͘ they do not enjoy studying. They would prefer to be working
EŽǁLJŽƵƌŶŐůŝƐŚƚĞĂĐŚĞƌŚĂƐĂƐŬĞĚ and earning money.
LJŽƵƚŽǁƌŝƚĞĂŶĞƐƐĂLJ͘ Use linking words A further point is that unmotivated students disrupt lessons,
and phrases to
tƌŝƚĞĂŶĞƐƐĂLJƵƐŝŶŐall the notes and this causes problems for students who do want to study.
help your readers
ĂŶĚŐŝǀĞƌĞĂƐŽŶƐĨŽƌLJŽƵƌƉŽŝŶƚŽĨ follow the ideas.
Therefore, after 16 they should only study technical or
ǀŝĞǁ͘ practical subjects that interest them.

ƐƐĂLJƋƵĞƐƟŽŶ In conclusion, I believe it is a mistake for people to leave

ůůLJŽƵŶŐƉĞŽƉůĞƐŚŽƵůĚĐŽŶƟŶƵĞĂƚ school too soon, because they will miss opportunities which
ƐĐŚŽŽůŽƌĐŽůůĞŐĞƵŶƟůĂƚůĞĂƐƚƚŚĞ may arise in the future.
ĂŐĞŽĨϭϴ͘ŽLJŽƵĂŐƌĞĞ͍
EŽƚĞƐ &YFSDJTF

tƌŝƚĞĂďŽƵƚ͗ Read this writing task and underline the areas you must
deal with.
ϭ͘ƋƵĂůŝĮĐĂƟŽŶƐĨŽƌũŽďƐ
Ϯ͘ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐǁŚŽĚŽŶ͛ƚůŝŬĞƐĐŚŽŽů /ŶLJŽƵƌŶŐůŝƐŚĐůĂƐƐ͕LJŽƵŚĂǀĞďĞĞŶƚĂůŬŝŶŐĂďŽƵƚƚŚĞ
ϯ͘ ......... ;LJŽƵƌŽǁŶŝĚĞĂͿ ĂĚǀĂŶƚĂŐĞƐĂŶĚĚŝƐĂĚǀĂŶƚĂŐĞƐŽĨƚƌĂǀĞůůŝŶŐĂďƌŽĂĚŽŶ
ŚŽůŝĚĂLJ͘
tƌŝƚĞLJŽƵƌessay͘
EŽǁLJŽƵƌŶŐůŝƐŚƚĞĂĐŚĞƌŚĂƐĂƐŬĞĚLJŽƵƚŽǁƌŝƚĞĂŶĞƐƐĂLJ͘
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 tƌŝƚĞĂŶĞƐƐĂLJƵƐŝŶŐallƚŚĞŶŽƚĞƐĂŶĚŐŝǀĞƌĞĂƐŽŶƐĨŽƌ
Read the essay in the next column and LJŽƵƌƉŽŝŶƚŽĨǀŝĞǁ͘
complete this plan for it.
ƐƐĂLJƋƵĞƐƟŽŶ
Para. 1: Introduction: the situation now + /ƐŝƚďĞƩĞƌƚŽǀŝƐŝƚƉůĂĐĞƐŝŶLJŽƵƌŽǁŶĐŽƵŶƚƌLJŽƌĂĨŽƌĞŝŐŶ
Para. 2: Why stay at school: ĐŽƵŶƚƌLJǁŚĞŶLJŽƵŐŽŽŶŚŽůŝĚĂLJ͍
1st reason EŽƚĞƐ
2nd reason tƌŝƚĞĂďŽƵƚ͗
Para. 3: Why leave school: ϭ͘ǁŚŝĐŚŝƐŵŽƌĞŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƟŶŐ
1st reason Ϯ͘ǁŚŝĐŚŝƐĐŚĞĂƉĞƌ
2nd reason ϯ͘ ......... ;LJŽƵƌŽǁŶŝĚĞĂͿ
Para. 4: My own idea: + solution: tƌŝƚĞLJŽƵƌessay͘
Para. 5: My opinion + reason(s)

187
 Writing reference

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Read this essay. It shows a different way of organising an to choose one
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essay from the sample answer in Exercise 2. How is this option or the
other if you t
… because / since …
essay organised differently? think both have t
Because of this, …
advantages. t
For this reason, …
There are strong arguments in favour of both staying in your
own country and travelling abroad. I personally think that t
That is why …
people should do both. t
One of the main reasons is that …

There are several reasons for staying in your own country. It helps the reader
Firstly, I think it’s important to know, enjoy and feel if you have a
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proud of your country and there is usually a lot which is or phrase at the
fascinating about its history and culture, which is important beginning of the
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As a result/consequence, …
to learn and experience. Secondly, you may be able to paragraph stating
save money by finding cheaper accommodation. Finally, the topic.
because you speak the language, you will avoid many of the
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problems you might have when travelling abroad.
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In consequence, …
On the other hand, when you go abroad, you can learn t
Consequently, …
from the way other people live. Also, if you choose the right t
… which means that …
destination, it may be just as cheap as travelling in your
own country, especially if you use youth hostels. Finally, Use a variety
it gives you an opportunity to learn and practise other of grammatical
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languages, which is good for your education. conditionals and
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In conclusion, …
relative clauses.
For these reasons, I think that people should travel abroad t
To conclude, / sum up, /
from time to time, but also spend time visiting their own summarise, …
country to appreciate what is good and interesting in both.

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From my point of view, …
words for contrast

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Some people think/say …
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Many people argue that …
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It is sometimes/often argued/suggested/said that …

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There are two good reasons for …
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On the other hand, there are a number of reasons against …
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Firstly … / Secondly … / Finally …
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Also … / Furthermore … / What is more …

188