THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION CHILE

THE NATIONAL ENGLISH WRITING COMPETITION 2014

The competition consists of both essay writing and creative writing.
CATEGORIES
1
st
: Secondary school pupils not older than 19 on 31
st
December, !1"

nd
: #dults $no longer at school% aged between 1& and & on 31
st
December, !1".
ELIGIBILITY
'articipants must be resident in (hile for at least three years and have Spanish as their
first language.
PARTICIPATION
'articipants must hand in an original argumentative essay written in )nglish.
The main feature of an argumentative essay is the development of an argument, using
reasoning and e*amples, which shows that a particular point of view is the right one,
having considered all options. If in dou!" #$%&'% ()%(* on in!%+n%!" o+ ,+i!% !o !)%
o+-&ni.%+' +%/u%'!in- in'!+u(!ion' &ou! )o, !o ,+i!% &n &+-u0%n! %''&1
SCHOOLS 0u'! '%$%(! !)% fi2% %'! %''&1' ,+i!!%n 1 i!' #u#i$'3 Those who are
still at school may not participate in the second category. Those who have won a pri+e
of a trip in other )S, (hile competitions of any type will not be considered for the first
pri+e in this writing competition. -f a school is not participating then individual students
may participate privately prior permission from the organi+ers.
STRUCTURE AN4 RULES O5 THE COMPETITION
5i+'! S!&-%6
)ach competitor should write an original argumentative essay in )nglish, of between
.!! and &!! words $1
st
(ategory% or between /!! and 1!!! words $
nd
(ategory%, on
one of the following themes:
10 1onesty is not always the best 'olicy. Do you agree2
0 (areers: Should these be chosen according to what the mar3et dictates2
30 #pps and video games are the new opiates of the masses. Discuss.
"0 Should (reativity be taught at school.
.0 -s holding the 4orld (up benefit or a disadvantage to the host country2
The themes are not titles. E&() (o0#%!i!o+ ')ou$d (+%&!% )i'7)%+ o,n !i!$% related
to one of the themes and develop a personal point of view in the argument. T)% !i!$%
')ou$d &##%&+ on !)% fi+'! #&-% of !)% !%8!3
1
The essay must be original. No!)in- ')ou$d % (o#i%d f+o0 !)% In!%+n%! un$%''
&!!+iu!%d !o i!' &u!)o+" &' !)i' ,i$$ +%'u$! in di'/u&$ifi(&!ion3 5ibliographic 6uotes
should appear between inverted commas and their author should appear at the foot of
the page. The sources used in the preparation of the essay should appear on the last
page.
T)% d%&d$in% !o '%nd in !)% %''&1 i'6 Mond&1 4
!)
of Au-u'!" &! !)% $&!%'!3
S%(ond S!&-%6
The finalists in each category, selected by the 7udges on the basis of the essays, will be
invited to ta3e part in an individual creative writing session on 9
th
September, !1".
The nature of the writing tas3 will be announced at the start of this session.
5ORMAT 5OR THE ESSAY
The essay must be sent by email as &n &!!&()0%n!. The following information should
be included In !)% od1 of !)% %0&i$:
10 (ategory $1
st
or
nd
%
0 Theme and title of essay.
30 (omplete names of the writer
"0 8,T number
.0 Date of birth
90 :or (ategory 1: ;ame of School
/0 :or (ategory : ;ame of ,niversity or place of wor3
&0 1ome address, !%$%#)on% nu0%+' &nd %-0&i$ &dd+%'' of !)% ,+i!%+
90 1ow you heard about this competition
;o part of the essay itself must appear in the body of the email.
The essay should be attached to the email as a 4ord document. -t should be double
spaced, #rial font, si+e 1. The title you have chosen must appear at the top of each
page, but no other personal information should be included on any page.
The essay must be sent in by email to: prensa<britanico.cl entitled =)S, )nglish
4riting (ompetition>.
9U4GES
The 7udges for both stages of the competition will be teachers of )nglish, writers and
other suitably 6ualified people.
The 7udges will only have access to the essay, and will not 3now the names or origins
of the writers.
9U4GING CRITERIA
&: 5i+'! S!&-%6 The 7udges will assess the essays according to the following
criteria:
i% ,se of language
ii% #nalysis of the chosen argument
iii% 'resentation and structure
2
: S%(ond S!&-%6 The 7udges will assess the creative writing wor3 according to
the following criteria:
i% ,se of language
ii% ?riginality
iii% @uality of response to a given stimulus
PRI;ES
'ri+es will be awarded principally to the best creative writing pieces of wor3.
The first pri+e awarded will be as follows:
1
'!
C&!%-o+16
1
st
pri+e: #ir tic3et to )ngland, a wee3 stay and wee3 )nglish (ourse
with ):
2
nd
C&!%-o+16
1
st
pri+e: #ir tic3et to ,S# or (anada, a wee3 stay and wee3s )nglish
These and other pri+es will be awarded at a special ceremony at the 5iblioteca
;acional on ;ovember 13
th
, !13 with the attendance of the 5ritish #mbassador,
during which the winning stories will be read aloud.
KEY 4ATES
"th #ugust: Deadline for reception of essays
3rd wee3 of September: ;otification sent to finalists
9
th
September :inal stage at the 5iblioteca ;acional: (reative 4riting
13
th
;ov: 'ri+e0giving and coc3tail at the 5iblioteca ;acional for
finalists and guests
RECEPTION O5 ESSAYS
)ssays should be sent in on$1 by email to prensa<britanico.cl
SPONSORS
The competition is organised by the )S, in partnership with the -nstituto 5ritAnico
(hileno de (ultura
4ith the special sponsorship of ): $)ducation :irst%,
The 5irchman Broup,
5iblioteca ;acional
4aitrose
3
5INAL POINTS
The decisions of the 7udges, appointed by the )nglish0Spea3ing ,nion (hile and the
(hilean 5ritish -nstitute, will be final.
The )nglish0Spea3ing ,nion (hile
4