Redacción en Inglés

Académico
Unit 5.1 Problem/Solution essays
Grado en Estudios Ingleses
Curso 2018/2019
 Types of essays
5.1. Problem/Solution
5.2. Argument and Discussion
5.3. Cause and effect
5.4. Comparison/Contrast
5.5. Process

• Each type of essay will be used for a different

purpose...
→ indicate it in the THESIS STATEMENT
 5.1 Problem/Solution essays

CONTENTS
1. Aim
2. Introduction
3. Main body
4. Conclusion
5. Vocabulary
 1. Aim
• Examine a problem + suggest a range of solutions
• Effective problem/solution essay → locate the
information in the appropriate paragraph and…
– Interest your reader in the problem
(introduction + 1st paragraph of the main body)
– Convince your reader that the problem is important
and needs to be solved
(introduction + 1st paragraph of the main body)
– Explain your solutions clearly
( 1 solution per paragraph)
– Convince the reader that your solutions are the best
 2. Introduction
• Information located in the introduction:
– Background = general info.: picture the problem briefly
– Provide more specific info. about the problem:
here you must introduce the main idea of the given
topic
E.g.: Topic: unsupervised Internet access by younger
generations
– State the aim of your problem/solution essay = Thesis
Statement (ThS)
→To find several solutions to the given problem
 3. Main body
• Information located in the main body:
➢ Paragraph nº 1: Problem paragraph
- Explanation/description of the problem
- Topic Sentence (TS): states the problem
- Supporting sentences (SS): aspects of that
problem

Convince your reader that the problem is important

and needs to be solved
 3. Main body
• Information located in the main body:
➢ Paragraph nº 2: Solution 1 paragraph
- Explanation of the first solution
- Topic Sentence (TS): states the first solution
- Supporting sentences (SS)
➢ Paragraph nº 3: Solution 2 paragraph
- Same as in paragraph nº 2
 Tips to suggest solutions
1. Think of the key 'actors' who are involved
→ a group specifically related to the topic

E.g.: the government, politicians, companies,

parents, the police, universities, schools,
professionals, the society, individuals…
- Education: government, politicians, parents…
- Crime: government, politicians, the police…
- Violence on TV: film producers, parents,
society…
 Tips to suggest solutions
2. Use modals:
E.g.: could, would, should, may, might…
Governments should ensure that adequate
legislation and controls will prevent young people
from accessing dangerous sites
Parents need to closely monitor the activities of
their children and restrict their access to certain
sites
Companies must improve their onsite IT security
systems to make fraud and hacking much more
difficult
 Tips to suggest solutions
3. Don’t forget to use connectors:
E.g.: Regarding the first solution…
As for the second solution…
A third solution could be…
Another possible solution might be…
Another measure to consider would be…
 4. Conclusion
• Information located in the conclusion:
– Summary of the main points covered
(mention the problem + your 2 solutions)
– Restatement of the THESIS STATEMENT
(use different words!!!!!)
– Final sentence of your own
*Do not introduce new solutions in this paragraph
*Do not choose 1 solution over the other. To do so, you
must discuss both solutions first → discussion paragraph
located in the main body
 5. Vocabulary

• Vocabulary:
→ Academic Vocabulary in Use (Unit 45)
E.g.: difficulties, challenge, shortcomings…
suggestion, solutions, proposals, potential/possible
measures…
concerns, worry, issues, rectify…
solve, consider, contemplate, examine, tackle, deal
with, address…
Steps to write a proper problem/solution essay
1st. Analyse the topic → content and academic keywords
Content keywords → About x
Academic keywords → What to do + which type of essay:
to briefly describe a problem and to propose several
measures so as to solve it
2nd. Which type of essay are you going to write? What is the
essay title asking you to do? → Answer: Academic keywords
E.g.: Suggest, propose, measures, solve…
3rd. Brainstorming → think about the problem + as much
solutions as you can → choose 2 solutions
4th. Create an outline → create the skeleton of your essay
 Steps to write a proper problem/solution essay
5th. Think about the Thesis Statement (ThS) of your essay
→ aim of your essay = to propose several measures so as to
solve X problem
6th. Introduction → from general to specific → ThS (last
sentence)
7th. Write the Topic Sentence of the first paragraph → problem
paragraph → state the problem
8th. Provide enough Supporting Sentences
9th. Write the Topic Sentence of the second paragraph → first
solution paragraph → state the first solution
10th. Provide enough Supporting Sentences
 Steps to write a proper problem/solution essay
11th. Write the Topic Sentence of the third paragraph →
second solution paragraph → state the second solution
12th. Provide enough Supporting Sentences
13th. Read your essay to pick up the most important points
→ go to TSs
14th. Go to the introduction to pick up your Thesis Statement
→ you will have to use it again in the conclusion but with
different words
15th. Write the conclusion using steps nº 13 and 14: provide
a summary (TSs), a restatement of the Thesis of your
essay and…
 Steps to write a proper problem/solution essay
16th. End your conclusion with a final sentence of your own
17th. Read again the whole essay and check if…
- the Thesis Statement is clear and concise
(it should include the words: problem + solution;
you can also use synonyms here)
- all Topic Sentences are directly related to the ThS
- all Supporting Sentences are directly related to their
corresponding TS
- the conclusion summarises the main points covered
- the ThS is restated in the conclusion
 Redacción en Inglés
Académico
Unit 5.1 Problem/Solution essays
Grado en Estudios Ingleses
Curso 2018/2019