Present the essay topic in your own words.
writing a professional essay
Practice, write & improve, b2 first (fce) essay: how to write an essay (guide).
It is always an essay written for your teacher, and the start of the question wording is always the same:
In your English class you have been talking about [topic]. Now, your English teacher has asked you to write an essay. Write your essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.
We will use the example question below in our writing essay advice:
In your English class, you have been talking about society. Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.
University should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree?
Write about: 1. Taxes 2. Opportunity 3. …………………… (your own idea)
Before you start writing your essay at B2 First exam you need to ask three questions:
If you look at our example task you will notice that we are going to write about society .
In your English class, you have been talking about society . Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.
Knowing this, you can quickly prepare in your head all the words that you associate with this topic or even write them down.
As you can see there are three points included in the task there are two that are already given in our example
Write about: 1. Taxes 2. Opportunity 3. …………………… ( your own idea) <= you have to come up with this one yourself
The first point is taxes , the second is opportunity , and the third one is something you must come up with yourself!
We decided that the third point we would comment on would be economics
In the FCE essay, it’s always your English teacher. It means that you need to write with respect because she is a person with authority, therefore essay has to be written in a formal style.
Formal language is professional and serious rather than relaxed and friendly and is used especially in official situations. It is usually reserved for essays and academic settings, while informal writing is used for more casual settings, like friendly text messages and creative writing.
Below are listed the biggest differences between formal and informal writing styles:
It is advised to avoid contractions (shortened versions of words) in formal language, but they’re acceptable in informal language.
Unfortunately, the team could not replicate the results. (Formal)
Unfortunately, the team couldn’t replicate the results. (Informal)
Formal language is also marked by an absence of colloquial phrases and slang (words or phrases that are common only in everyday speech), but are typically used in informal language.
Everyone was disappointed . (Formal)
Everyone was bummed . (Informal)
Generally, first-person pronouns (like I and we ) are avoided when writing with formal language . However, it’s accepted (and expected) in informal language.
The students were asked to fill out the questionnaire. (Formal) We asked the students to fill out the questionnaire. (Informal)
When using formal language in your B2 writing, it is also recommended to replace phrasal verbs (proper verbs that are followed by one or more prepositions and act as a single verb).
It was something the protestors could endure . (Formal) It was something the protestors could put up with . (Informal)
Formal language tends to use longer, more complex vocabulary. Sometimes it is not recommended to use this type of vocabulary with informal language (depending on what you’re writing) because it can confuse or distract your audience.
They needed assistance while recovering from the outcomes of the hurricane. (Formal) They needed help while recovering from the effects of the hurricane. (Informal)
The purpose of the introduction is simply to tell the reader what the essay is about.
You can start your essay by referring to the question that was asked “ University should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree? ” and writing it in your own words . It is also worth mentioning the three points you are going to describe.
Introduction : There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.
You can use phrases such as:
This essay will discuss … This essay will focus on … In order to discuss …, I will analyse …
Main body paragraphs are the most important part of your essay so they should be the longest and one paragraph should comment on one point. See below:
Write about: 1. Taxes – the first paragraph should comment on “ taxes” 2. Opportunity – the second paragraph should comment on “ opportunity “ 3. …………………… (your own idea) – the third paragraph should comment on “economy”
In addition, every paragraph should start with a topic sentence, which is like an introduction to the paragraph and it tells the reader what exactly the paragraph is going to discuss.
Also, a good idea is to include different linking words/expressions to make sure that your ideas are well connected and in a logical order.
A topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph (which is also the most important )
A topic sentence essentially tells readers about the rest of the paragraph . If the topic sentence says “ Cats are very good pets for several reasons” , then every sentence after that needs to describe that subject.
For example:
Cats are very good pets for several reasons . (<=topic sentence / every sentence after it describes that subject =>) They are naturally good caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so they want to take care of their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you train them to use a litter box, they require almost no cleanup in their areas.
These are words and expressions that help the text flow logically . These words act as signposts, helping the reader easily move from one idea to the next and see connections between sentences or paragraphs.
Linking words is especially useful when you want to indicate that you are going to explain something, provide an example use a time sequence, or present a contrasting point of view.
Between paragraphs:
To begin with, I would like to put forward […] The first possible action is, to improve physical education …[…] A second option would be. … competitive attitudes that […]
Within a paragraph:
[…] which activity is better than the others. Another reason for not financing sports […]
You can see a model answer below:
First paragraph comment on “Taxes” Paragraph 1: Firstly , a majority of people believe that a significant part of taxes should go to education. Opponents might say if someone can afford university, then he/she should pay for it. However , people with higher education have better wages and therefore pay higher income tax after graduation .
Second paragraph comment on “Opportunity ” Paragraph 2: Secondly, making university free for all, creates more opportunities for those from low-income backgrounds . Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation , it makes the playing field more level.
Third paragraph comment on “….…… (your own idea)” : economy Paragraph 3: In addition , having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. Namely , the more highly educated people there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. Consequently , more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.
– topic sentence
– linking words/expressions
– interesting/topical vocabulary
Remember, you don’t have to tell the truth! The examiners won’t know, so if you don’t have experience or an opinion you can make something up!
The conclusion comes at the end of your essay, it summarizes the main idea of the essay. You need to write a clear, justified conclusion. You can’t just say, ‘I agree’, or ‘I disagree.’ Think of it like this: you need to convince the examiner that your conclusion is correct.
In conclusion, a university should be free for everyone. It makes economic sense and ultimately benefits all members of society.
– linking words/expressions
Make sure your paragraphs are connected to your conclusion!
There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.
Firstly, a majority of people believe that a significant part of taxes should go to education. Opponents might say if someone can afford university, then he/she should pay for it. However, people with higher education have better wages and therefore pay higher income tax after graduation.
Secondly, making university free for all, creates more opportunities for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation, it makes the playing field more level.
In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. Namely, the more highly educated people there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. Consequently, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.
B2 first (fce) essay: example essays, fce essay sample 1.
In your English class you have been talking about the environment. Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view.
Every country in the world has problems with pollution and damage to the environment. Do you think these problems can be solved?
Write about: 1. transport 2. rivers and seas 3. ………………………… (your own idea)
DEVELOPMENT VS ENVIRONMENT
If we surf the web looking for pollution and environmental catastrophes, we will find out that every country in the world suffers them. This is a natural consequence of the struggle between development and environment.
If a country decided to live isolated from the rest of the world, living on what it can naturally grow and produce, it surely wouldn’t be highly polluted. But we all want exotic food and technological items from all over the world, so we have to pay the price.
Investing on electrical transport would benefit the environment a lot. Even more if this electricity came from a natural source of energy like wind, rivers and solar boards. It’s difficult to achieve this because petrol companies will fight against these actions.
We also have to take care of our rivers and seas. We all have heard about factories throwing highly toxic substances to rivers, without minimizing their poisoning effects. A really strict law should be applied to fine these factories and make them change their policy.
But what about ourselves? We also can do a lot! If, when possible, we bought larger packs of food, we would be producing less rubbish. And this is only an example!
In your English class you have been talking about the fashion industry. Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.
Some people say the fashion industry has a bad effect on people’s lives. Do you agree?
Write about: 1. whether people’s appearance is important 2. the price of clothes 3. …………………… (your own idea)
The society we live today is characterised by technology in constant development, fast speed processes, information travelling and getting to people at a blink of an eye and a complex web of social networking. In this context, the fashion industry is becoming increasingly important and having a more and more paramount role in our lives.
On one hand, the fashion industry is undeniably a source of profit and income. It hires millions of people all over the world and generates millions of dollars every year. Furthermore, such profitable business is also believed to be able to spread and make known the culture of a people, encouraging and enhancing a better understanding of each other.
Nevertheless, for those who are neither impressed nor motivated by numbers and figures, the fashion industry is seen as one which segregates people, isolating those who not fit their laws and commands. It is stated that people place too much importance on appearance and the material, world, sadly true, and the fashion industry just spurs on such situation. Moreover, not only are the costs of fashion item unrealistically high, it is thought to be a money better spent on more pressing issues, such as poverty and hunger.
I do believe that the fashion industry, as it is today, has a harmful effect, because it values a minority of people in detriment to the majority. However, it has such a wide reach that, it put into a good use, it can save lives.
Fce example topic 1.
Your teacher has asked you to write your response to the following statement taken from a recent newspaper article:
Is it true that we help the environment when we plant a tree?
Write about:
Nowadays children are suffering from obesity, that was once considered to be meant for adults only. What are its causes and what solutions can be offered?
Is it better to be the oldest or the youngest in a family?
B2 first (fce) essay: tips.
How long should a b2 essay be.
You need to answer the question with between 140-190 words.
If an answer is too long, you may get a lower score. If you write 200 words, it’s not a problem. However, if you write 300 words, it’s a problem.
Yes! You must make a plan to organise your essay writing . On the day of the exam, you will be stressed and feel pressure. A plan is your way of organising you text and your thoughts.
Nothing… Well, almost nothing. In the past for every 5 words extra, they took away a point, however, now they do not. It is not good to go over 190 words because of time, but you can. I wouldn´t write more than 200 words because they will probably lower the mark they give you for content. They will determine some of it to be unnecessary.
You MUST use complex language at B2 level . You must use attention-grabbing vocabulary and a variety of grammar structures. The passive voice, relative clauses, modal verbs, conditionals, reported speech and inversions all count as COMPLEX grammar forms and you must use them. Otherwise, you can address academic experts and pay someone to write your paper if you need help to write an essay for you.
Introduction.
The trend nowadays is towards …. Over the past ten years or so the media have frequently carried reports of …. Recent research indicates that …. Hardly a week goes by without another report of ……….. appearing in the media. This raises the issue of whether …… Although most people would generally agree that ………… few would deny that ….
As I see it, It seems to me that ………… I would also say that …. I am convinced that …………… I am inclined to believe that ……………… There is no doubt in my mind that ……………… One of the drawbacks of ……. is ………. However, one of the benefits is that ………… Changing topic As regards the causes for this, ………….. Concerning the causes for this, ……… As for the causes, ………..
One justification is often given for ……….. is that…………….. Advocates/Proponents would claim that ……………… Those who object to …………….. often argue that ………………. Another objection is that …… However, it should not be forgotten that ………….. ……….. are opposed to ……………. on the grounds that …………….. From the point of view of …………….. According to ………………..
One factor which has led to ………… is ………….. One of the factors which has brought this about is ……… The problem often stems from ……………….. The situation has been exacerbated by ……………. ………….. has only made the situation worse. One consequence of ……………. is …………….
As regards the most appropriate response to this situation, one suggestion would be to ……… The first step to be taken would be to …….. To alleviate the situation people should ……….. In addition they ought to …………… To begin to tackle this situation society/individuals/the government need/s to This can only be dealt with if ………… To overcome this problem, ………….. Were the government to ……………, the situation would doubtless improve. Individuals can do a great deal to ………… The burden of responsiblity lies in the hands of …….. It is vitally important that ……… Legislation should be introduced to control …………….. It would be a grave error if we ……………..
All in all it seems to me that ……….. The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that ………………….. All things considered, …………. On balance, I tend to believe that ………… The world would surely be a better place to live in if ………….. If people stopped ….ing, we would have/ we could look forward to a …………… The prospects for the future will be bleak/grim unless ……………….
Adding additional information to support a point, words and phrases for demonstrating contrast, adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations, giving examples, signifying importance, summarising.
by fredo21
January 9, 2019
2 Comments
Essay-writing is in itself already a difficult endeavor. Now writing an essay in a foreign language like German ---that’s on a different plane of difficulty.
To make it easier for you, here in this article, we’ve compiled the most useful German essay phrases. Feel free to use these to add a dash of pizzazz into your essays. It will add just the right amount of flourish into your writing---enough to impress whoever comes across your work!
You can also download these phrases in PDF format by clicking the button below.
Now here’s your list!
erstens WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS NOW! Beginner Intermediate Advanced Sign ME Up! | firstly |
zweitens | secondly |
drittens | thirdly |
Einleitend muss man sagen... | To begin with, one has to say... |
Man muss ... in Betracht ziehen | One needs to take ... into consideration |
Ein wichtiger Aspekt von X ist ... | An important aspect of X is ... |
Man muss erwähnen, dass... | One must mention that ... |
im Vergleich zu | in comparison to... |
im Gegensatz zu | in contrast to... |
auf der einen Seite | on the one hand |
auf der anderen Seite | on the other hand |
gleichzeitig | at the same time |
angeblich | supposedly |
vermutlich | presumably |
in der Tat | in fact |
tatsächlich | indeed |
eigentlich | really; actually |
im Allgemeinen | in general |
möglicherweise | possibly |
eventuell | possibly |
im Durchschnitt | on average |
auβerdem | besides; moreover |
jedoch | however |
trotzdem | nevertheless |
in jedem Fall / jedenfalls | in any case |
das Wichtigste ist | the most important thing is |
ohne Zweifel | without a doubt |
zweifellos | doubtless |
verständlicherweise | understandably |
grundsätzlich | fundamentally |
anscheinend | apparently |
äuβerst | extremely |
heutzutage | nowadays |
infolgedessen | as a result of this |
in diesem Fall | in this case |
verhältnismäβig | relatively |
genauso wichtig wie dies ist ..... | just as important as this is ... |
unglaublich | unbelievably |
aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach | in all probability |
im Grunde | basically; fundamentally |
in Wirklichkeit | in reality |
Dieses Beispiel illustriert ... | this example illustrates |
Diese Szene zeigt, dass... | this scene shows that... |
Dieses Ereignis macht klar, dass ... | this event makes it clear that |
wahrscheinlich | likely |
offensichtlich | obviously |
sonst | otherwise |
wie oben erwähnt | as mentioned above |
Es scheint, dass ... | It seems that |
kurz gesagt | in short |
Zusammenfassend kann man sagen | In conclusion one can say .. |
What other German vocabulary list would you like to see featured here? Please feel free to leave a message in the comment section and we’ll try our best to accommodate your requests soon!
Once again, you can download your copy of the PDF by subscribing using the button below!
For an easier way to learn German vocabulary, check out German short stories for beginners!
A FUN AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO LEARN GERMAN
About the author
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?
Asking questions are genuinely good thing if you are not understanding anything completely, except this piece of writing provides nice understanding yet.
You might also like
Learning Method
German declension: the four grammatical cases in detail, prepositions with dative, accusative, and mixed, learn all about german two-way prepositions: what they are and how to use them, just one more step and you'll get access to the following:.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays
17 academic words and phrases to use in your essay
Here's how to use each word or phrase linked to this category: 11. For instance - Introduces a specific example that illuminates a broader point, helping to clarify complex ideas. 12. For example - Functions similarly to "for instance," offering a direct illustration to support or demonstrate a claim. 13.
Words to Use in an Essay: 300 Essay Words
These useful academic expressions, words, vocabulary and phrases will help you to write a top-notch essay.Writing an essay can be a challenging task. However it becomes simpler if it is divided into manageable pieces. There are three main parts in an essay: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
The Oxford Phrasal Academic Lexicon . The Oxford Phrasal Academic LexiconTMThe Oxford Phrasal Academic Lexicon (OPAL) is a set of four word lists that together provide an essential guide to the most important words and phrases to know in the field. f English for Academic Purposes (EAP). This list gives around 370 important phrases for academic wri.
4. That is to say. Usage: "That is" and "that is to say" can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: "Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.". 5. To that end. Usage: Use "to that end" or "to this end" in a similar way to "in order to" or "so".
Words To Use In Essays: Amplifying Your Academic Writing
While writing an academic essay, you are required to support and expand your ideas and arguments through the use of examples. Phrases that can be used to provide examples include: for example, for instance, to illustrate, to exemplify, to demonstrate. Example: "Climate and weather patterns are changing rapidly and its ramifications are ...
Useful Argumentative Essay Words and Phrases
These are essay phrases that you use when articulating your reasons in the essay. Some of them summarize the relevant ideas or arguments, while others emphasize the relevant arguments. ... We have explored the list of useful phrases for writing great essays. When coupled with the correct vocabulary words, an essay easily scores the top grade in ...
Academic Phrasebank - The Largest Collection of ...
Making an important point in your main argument. Therefore. Example: "Therefore, X proves that A is not possible". This suggests that. Example: "Academic A states that the world is round. This suggests that earth is in fact a globe". Significantly. Example: "Significantly, this piece of evidence shows that…". Importantly.
10 English Phrases to Express Your Opinion in an Essay
For that reason you need to pay special attention to the logical flow of your writing. To enable such flow you should use suitable essay phrases and sentences that will add needed coherence to your work. The essay phrases are used to link your ideas and thoughts or to start a new one. Still, there are definite rules of proper use of such phrases.
1. Start with a Hook. Grab the reader's attention with an interesting fact, quote, question, or anecdote. 2. Provide Context. Give some background information to help the reader understand the topic of your essay. 3. State Your Thesis. Clearly present your main argument or point of view.
Look out for more advanced expressions that you can use in place of phrases that weren't even impressive at the B2 level - phrases like "solve the problem". Here are a few alternative problem and solution phrases to get you going.: a crisis in education which must be addressed. something that must be tackled / be dealt with
How to write an essay? | B2 First (FCE)
4. That is to say. Usage: "That is" and "that is to say" can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: "Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.". 5. To that end. Usage: Use "to that end" or "to this end" in a similar way to "in order to" or "so".
B2 First Writing Part One essays useful phrases brainstorming and key words Write at least two or three useful phrases for doing each of these things in Cambridge First essays: Introduction Background to the topic (why it is important etc) Explaining the structure of your essay Introduction/ Body Giving strong opinions Giving weak opinions
List of Useful Essay Phrases with Examples. October 10, 2021. Today, students are taught according to the relevant educational programs. An integral part of such programs is the completion of individual student work, including writing an essay. This paper is one of the important forms of testing and evaluation of students' knowledge, skills ...
50 Useful German Essay Words and Phrases. Essay-writing is in itself already a difficult endeavor. Now writing an essay in a foreign language like German ---that's on a different plane of difficulty. To make it easier for you, here in this article, we've compiled the most useful German essay phrases. Feel free to use these to add a dash of ...