I ESSAY WRITING

1 – Definition and objective

1.1 – Definition
A piece of writing which is often written an author’s personal point of view
1.2 – Objective
Develop a critical mind in the students and their ability to conduct a logical reasoning.
2 – Different types of essay
There are different patterns of writing: cause and effect, argumentative, narrative, definition,
description, and comparison and contrast etc... For the exam purpose, our study is going to
stick to argumentative writing / discussion topic.

2.1. Dialectic Essay 2.3. Comparison Essay

It deals with polemical subjects, for
example: Is money a good master?
Subject patterns:
What do you think of ...?
Do you think that ....?
Do you agree with the author when
he says that ...?
What is your point of view on ...? 2.2. Demonstrative Essay
Discuss this statement ...
Are you sure ...?
Will this be possible?
Articulations:
Arguments for (thesis)
Arguments against (antithesis)
2.4. Cause and Effect Essay
It deals with phenomena, for example: Articulations
Discuss the issue of underdevelopment 1ndelement of description
of African countries.
Subject Pattern:
Analyze the recurrence of ...
What can be the causes, the effects
and the possible solutions to ....?
Articulations:
Causes/reasons/motives/roots, ...
Effects/consequences/impacts, …
Solutions/perspectives/suggestions
It aims to provide the
definition, to show, to
describe or to portray
something. Example: What
is computer?
Subject patterns:
Justify that ....
Why ....? //Describe .....
How (do, will, can, ...) ....
Comment on this
statement, ...
st
2 element of description
3rd element of description
It is similar to dialectic
essay, but it purports to
distinguish the similarities
from the differences.
Subject patterns:
Compare ..... with ...
What is the difference
between ...... and .....?
Is there any difference
between ..... and ....?
Are ..... and ..... the same
thing?
Articulations:
Similarities, resemblances,
....
Dissimilarities,
dissemblance, ...
2.5. Classification Essay
It deals with things having
different elements, groups
within itself.
Example: Study the types of
computers?
Subject Pattern:
Classify...../ Study .....
Determine the categories of
...
Articulations:
1st category/class/type
2nd category/class/type
3rd category/class/type

3- Structure of an argumentative essay

3.1 – Definition
An argumentative writing is a confrontation of opinions. This writing starts with a strong
position on a topic. Evidence should be used and reasons should be given for the position.
This is the type of essay where you prove that your opinion, theory or hypothesis about an
issue is correct or more truthful than those of others. In short, it is very similar to
the persuasive essay, but the difference is that you are arguing for your opinion as opposed to
others, rather than directly trying to persuade someone to adopt your point of view.
3.2 – Objective
To assess students’ argumentative capacity in persuading the reader to share the same point
of view
4 – Parts of an essay
An essay is composed of three parts that are:
- Introduction
- Development / Body
- Conclusion
4.1 – Introduction
This part consists in introducing the essay, the work that is going to be done. It is funnel-
shaped, that is, it goes from the general to the particular. Thus, it places the topic in its
context, raises the problem (problematic) and then plans it.
4.1.1 – Contextualization
Many ways are used to contextualize a topic. Among others we have:
- Opinion confrontation: between the opinion of the author of the assertion under study
and the general opinion or that of other writers on the same topic.
- The historical background of the topic: find referential events in history linked to the
topic
- Established facts: find real facts or statistics connected to the topic
- The definition: define the notion in a notion-topic.
4.1.2 - The problem
- Quotation of the topic,
- Rephrasing (reformulation) of topic
- Questioning of the topic (problematic)
4.1.3 - The plan (outline)
Here, the matter is to say in few lines what is going to be developed in the body according
to a logic order.
4.2 – Development / body
It is here that the questions that have been asked in the introduction are answered. The
thesis-antithesis plan being the most common, you start by the thesis which represents the
position of the author of the assertion under study. Then, you deal with the antithesis by
developing others aspects that somehow contradict the thesis.

In one case or another, you have to sustain your ideas/arguments with examples: quotations,
events….Avoid examples from your own life experience except if the topic is related to it.
Your ideas must be clear, simple and legible. You must be impersonal in your work.
Remember to use transitional sentences between the different parts of your work.
4.3 – Conclusion
Here, you make a balance sheet of your work through a short summary of your ideas. Then,
you give your opinion about what has been said but in an impersonal way. It is advised to
leave an open door for further discussion.
 LINKING WORDS LIST
TO START A STATEMENT  for all…, despite … (malgré…)
 First, firstly, first of all, in the first place, first in spite of (en dépit de)
and foremost, to begin / start with TO GIVE EXAMPLES
 My first impression is…  for instance, for example, such as, like
TO DEVELOP AN IDEA  namely (c'est-à-dire)
 Secondly, thirdly, then, next  above all (surtout)
 at first sight (à première vue) TO EXPRESS THE CAUSE/REASON/MOTIVE
 as a matter of fact, in fact (en fait)  as (étant donné que)
 at all events, in any case (en fait)  because (parce que)
 on second thoughts (à la réflexion)  for (car)
 actually (effectivement, vraiment / en fait)  since (puisque)
 anyway (de toutes façons)  This is the reason why (C'est la raison
 in most cases (dans la plupart des cas) pour laquelle)
 in this respect (à cet égard)  because of (à cause de)
 to some extent (dans une certaine mesure)  owing to (en raison de)
 as far as … is concerned (en ce qui  thanks to (grace à)
concerne)  due to (du fait de)
 from a (adjectif) point of view  out of + nom (par + nom) Ex.: out of pity
(d'un point de vue + adj.)  on account of (étant donné)
TO EXPRESS THE PURPOSE EXPRESS THE CONSEQUENCE
 To, in order to, so as to + BV  so that (de telle sorte que)
 For + nom/ pronom + TO + BV  so…that (si…que)
TO EXPRESS THE CONDITION  so much so that (à tel point que)
 if (si)  that's why (c'est pourquoi)
 in case (au cas où)  as a result of (en conséquence de)
 suppose/ supposing (à supposer que)  therefore (c'est pourquoi)
 provided/providing (pourvu que)  accordingly (en conséquence)
 on condition that (à condition que)  consequently (par conséquent)
 so long as / as long as (à condition que)  so, thus (ainsi)
TO EXPRESS CONTRAST  hence (d'où)
 whereas / while (tandis que) TO EXPRESS THE TIME
 unlike (à la différence de)  eventually (finalement)
 contrary to (contrairement)  till / until (jusqu'à ce que)
 as against (en opposition à)  while (pendant que)
 on the one hand…, on the other hand…  as long as (tant que)
(d'une part…, d'autre part)  whenever (chaque fois que)
 conversely (inversement)  since (depuis que)
 on the contrary (au contraire)  once (une fois que)
 in contrast to (en contraste avec)  meanwhile (pendant ce temps-là)
 or else (ou alors)  in the meantime (entre temps)
 otherwise (autrement)  at times (parfois)
TO EXPRESS RESTRICTION TO ADD AN ELEMENT
 although / though (bien que)  in addition to (outre)
 as though / as if (comme si)  besides (d'ailleurs)
 even though / even if (même si)  furthermore (en outre)
 no matter what (peu importe ce que)  moreover, what is more, on top of that (de
 whatever (quel que soit) plus)
 no matter how (peu importe comment)  as well, also, too (aussi)
 however + adj. (si + adj. soit-il / elle)  similarly (de même)
 unless (à moins que) TO CONCLUDE
 whether … or … (que … ou que…)  To conclude, in conclusion, as a conclusion, in
 yet / still (pourtant) brief, in short, to put
 however (cependant)  it in a nutshell, at last, finally, last but not least
 nevertheless, nonetheless (néanmoins)