THUONGMAI UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGLISH
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TMU ENGLISH TEST PREPARATION

WRITING

Hanoi, 2021
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

WRITING OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................... 1

MODULE 1: SENTENCE WRITING ......................................................................................... 2
MODULE 2: EMAIL WRITING ................................................................................................. 5
MODULE 3: PARAGRAPH WRITING ................................................................................... 13
MODULE 4: ESSAY WRITING ............................................................................................... 19
SAMPLE TEST 1 ........................................................................................................................ 24
SAMPLE TEST 2 ........................................................................................................................ 25
SAMPLE TEST 3 ........................................................................................................................ 26
 WRITING OVERVIEW

TEST FORMAT
The writing test consists of 2 tasks with the total time of 40 minutes.
In the first task, you have to write an email of around 80-100 words to your friend to give
information, ask for permission, tell a story or make an appointment, etc.
In the second task, you have to write an essay of about 200 words presenting the advantages and
disadvantages of something.

MARKING CRITERIA
Your writing competence is rated on 4 criteria as follows together with some advice given on how
to meet each criterion:

Task Coherence and Lexical Grammatical

achievement Cohesion (CC) Resource (LR) Range and
(TA) Accuracy (GRA)

How to how well you how well is your how good is your how good is your
interpret answer the text structured vocabulary grammar
the criteria question

How to To increase score To increase score To increase score To increase score

meet the for TA, you for CC, you for LR, you for GRA, you
criteria should: should: should: should:
 present the  manage  use a wide  use a wide range
information paragraphing range of of grammatical
accurately vocabulary structures and
 make sure that
tenses
 answer all parts each paragraph  use less
of the task has a central common lexical  manage
idea items punctuation
 provide a clear
overview  use linking  avoid errors in  avoid errors in
words and spelling and sentences
 include the
cohesive word formation
prompts in the
email (Task 1) devices
 give a clear
position (Task
2)

* Each of these criteria receives a score from 0 to 10 points. An arithmetic mean is calculated
to determine the writing total score.

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 MODULE 1: SENTENCE WRITING

Classified by its structure, a sentence can be of four types: simple sentences, compound sentences,
complex sentences and compound-complex sentences.

1. SIMPLE SENTENCES
- A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb.
- It expresses a single complete thought that can stand on its own.
Examples:
1. The baby cried for food.
^ There is a subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought.
2. Professor Maple’s intelligent students completed and turned in their homework.
^ A simple sentence does not necessarily have to be short. It can have adjectives. In this case,
there are two verbs “completed” and “turned in.” However, the sentence expresses one
complete thought and therefore is a simple sentence.
3. Megan and Ron ate too much and felt sick.
^ Although there are two subjects and two verbs, it is still a simple sentence because both
verbs share the same subjects and express one complete thought.

2. COMPOUND SENTENCES
- A compound sentence has two independent clauses. An independent clause is a part of a
sentence that can stand alone because it contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete
thought.
- Basically, a compound contains two simple sentences.
- These independent clauses are joined by a conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so –
FANBOYS for short).
Examples:
1. The shoplifter had stolen clothes, so he ran once he saw the police.
^ Both sides of the conjunction “so” are complete sentences. “The shoplifter had stolen
clothes” can stand alone and so can “he ran once he saw the police.” Therefore, this is a
compound sentence.
2. They spoke to him in Spanish, but he responded in English.
^ This is also a compound sentence that uses a conjunction to separate two individual clauses.

3. COMPLEX SENTENCES
- A complex sentence is an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A
dependent clause either lacks a subject or a verb or has both a subject and a verb that does not
express a complete thought.
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 - A complex sentence always has a subordinator (as, because, since, after, although, when) or
relative pronouns (who, that, which).
Examples:
1. After eating lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, Tim went to the gym to exercise.
^ The independent clause is “Tim went to the gym to exercise.” The subordinating clause
before it is dependent on the main, independent clause. If one were to say “after eating lunch
at The Cheesecake Factory,” it would be an incomplete thought.
2. Opinionated women are given disadvantages in societies that privilege male
accomplishments.
^ The subject is “opinionated women” and the verb is “are given.” The first part of the sentence
“opinionated women are given disadvantages in societies” is an independent clause that
expresses a complete thought. The following “that privilege male accomplishments” is a
relative clause that describes which types of societies.
3. The woman who taught Art History 210 was fired for stealing school supplies.
^ The dependent clause in this sentence is “who taught Art History 210” because if removed,
the rest of the sentence would stand as an independent clause. “Who taught Art History 210”
is an adjective clause that provides necessary details about the subject, woman.

4. COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES
- A compound-complex sentence has two independent clauses and at least one dependent
clause.
Examples:
1. After the two soccer players lost their game, they joined their other teammates for lunch,
and they went to the movies.
^ If we remove the dependent clause “after the two soccer players lost their game,” we have a
compound sentence. The dependent clause makes this sentence compound-complex.
2. The man believed in the system, and he knew that justice would prevail after the murderer
was sent to jail.

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER: A summary to help you remember the four types of sentences

Type of sentence Independent clauses Subordinate clauses

Simple One None

Compound Two or more None

Complex One One or more

Compound-Complex Two or more One or more

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PRACTICE:
Identify whether the sentences are simple, complex, compound or compound-complex.
Please underline dependent clauses where it applies.

1. Vampires Dairies is my favorite television show, but I also love True Blood.
2. The student wiped the white board that was filthy with last week’s notes.
3. The trendy fashion designer released her new line on Wednesday.
4. Trina and Hareem went to a bar in Hollywood to celebrate their anniversary.
5. Wicked Regina cast a spell on the entire city, so the citizens decided to rebel.
6. While waiting for the paint to dry, Angela went to Home Depot, and Martin organized the kitchen
appliances.
7. After listening to the Kanye West CD, I have new respect for his music.
8. After the teacher chose groups, John and Sara were selected as partners for a project, yet Sarah
did most of the work.
9. She smiled sweetly, and he grinned shyly.
10. Mary and Tom agreed to meet after school.
11. I had a poor background, and the subject was quite difficult; however, the teacher explained
the concepts very clearly.
12. Because the store was closed, we returned home. Complex
13. The old prospector was discouraged; however, when I suggested giving up, he was indignant.
14. Although my friends were lost for a while, they eventually found the restaurant that you
recommended.
15. The runner, who had trained for many months, won the race easily.

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 MODULE 2: EMAIL WRITING

Email is a system of sending written messages electronically from one computer to another. Email
is an abbreviation of ‘electronic mail’. (Collins)
1. INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITING AN EMAIL
In this part of the test, you are given an email from an English friend or relative, and you are
asked to respond to it in about 100 words. This email contains annotations which help you
identify exactly what you need to respond to.
As regards the topics, they are usually not very difficult, as you are expected to write at an
intermediate level about topics you are familiar with: sports, hobbies, TV programmes,
weather, your town / city, best friend etc. Here is a sample email:

You must answer this question. Write your answer in about

100 words on the answer sheet.

Read this email from your English-speaking friend Sandy and

the notes you have made.

From: Sandy
Subject: Your visit!

Hi,
Me too I’m so excited that you’re coming to stay with me for a week!

On your first evening here, there’s a rock concert in our town.

Would you like to go to the concert or would you prefer us to relax Say which
at home?
No, I prefer
Because Also, shall we go climbing in the mountains while you’re here?

Let me know if you have any questions. Ask

See you soon Sandy…
Sandy

Write your email to Sandy using all the notes

As you can see in the example above, we have received an email from a person so-called Sandy,
who is a friend of ours. In addition, we have made some annotations, which are the points we
need to address in your email:
 Me too!
 Say which I prefer
 No, because…
 Ask Sandy…

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2. EMAIL STRUCTURE
The first thing you need to know is the different parts of an email, and these are:
 Greetings: we greet the other person (i.e. say “hi” or “hello”)
 Opening paragraph: we react to the other person’s news and ask them how they are
feeling and whatever else you feel is appropriate.
 Main paragraph 1: in this paragraph we deal with the first important point, which we can
identify in the instructions.
 Main paragraph 2: if there is a different point to deal with, this paragraph will do so.
(We might have more main paragraphs, depending on the task.)
 Closing paragraph: in this paragraph we “start” to say goodbye by wishing the other
person well and asking them to reply to your email.
 Goodbye: we use a short expression to say goodbye.
 Signature: we sign the email with our name.
3. SAMPLE EMAIL
Let’s take a look at the following example of the email where we can see an answer to the sample
task we saw above:

Greeting Hi Sandy,

Opening p Thanks a lot for writing back. I’m also really excited about visiting you!

On my first evening, I’d like to relax at home. I will probably be very tired
Main p.1 from the trip, so I need to rest and get ready for the other days. Is that okay?

Main p.2 As for climbing, I’m afraid I can’t. I forgot to tell you, but I hurt my knee last
week, so I can’t do sport now.

Main p.3 How about visiting some art galleries in your town? If you want, we could
go. You know I love art! What do you think?

Closing p. Well, I have to go now, but please let me know what you think.

Farewell Take care,

Luis
Signature

In the example above, the different parts of an email are well defined. It’s important that
the writing is visually appealing, apart from having good grammar and vocabulary. This
means that the paragraphs should be well defined, with a space in between, and that you
should know when to break lines. This is especially important after greetings, after opening and
closing paragraphs, and after saying goodbye. This will make your text visually appealing, as
it will look like a real email.

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4. EXPRESSIONS TO USE IN AN EMAIL
In this section, we are going to focus on different expressions to use in the different parts of
the email. While the main paragraphs will vary completely depending on the topic of the
writing, most of the other parts in the email can be practised and memorized almost completely.
Let’s take a look:
4.1. GREETINGS
In order to start the email, we can used different expressions, which are really typical and easy
to remember. We have 3 basic ways to greet in this kind of writing, which is usually for a friend
or family member:
 Hi John,
 Hello John,
 Dear John,
Note: Notice how “Hi” is less formal than “Hello” or “Dear”. Also, don’t forget to write a
comma (,) right after greeting your friend or relative. After greeting the addressee (i.e. the
person who will read the email), you must start the opening paragraph in a new line.
4.2. OPENING PARAGRAPH
The opening paragraph is the place to react to your friend’s or relative’s email. In order to
do so, you can use a number of different expressions. Here we have some examples:
 It’s nice / great / good to hear from you.
 It’s nice / great / good to read your email.
 I’m glad to hear your news.
 I’m excited about … (your news.)
 It’s great to hear that…
 I’m sorry to hear that…
 I’m really sorry to read your news.
 Thanks a lot for writing!
 It was good to receive your email.
 Thank you very much for your email.
Also, it’s a good idea to ask your friend or relative how they are feeling, which you can do
like this:
 Hope you are doing well.
 How’s it going?
 How are you (doing)?
 How are things (going)?
You can also add some information that you think is relevant or necessary, but don’t expand
this paragraph very much, because the important information must go in the main
paragraphs.
4.3. MAIN PARAGRAPHS
For the main paragraphs, there aren’t any fixed expressions which you must use, as it depends
mostly on what you have to write about. However, you should try to make use of connectors
and appropriate punctuation. So let’s take a look at common useful connectors and the
punctuation we use them with:

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  …and…: to connect two similar things or ideas.
I love reading and listening to music.
My favourite meal is fish and chips.
 …, but…: to connect two contrasting ideas.
I love watching TV, but I don’t have a favourite show.
I am reading a book, but I don’t remember the title.
 However,…: to connect contrasting ideas.
Last month, I went to the cinema. However, I didn’t enjoy the movie.
I am a very big fan of this author. However, I haven’t read his last novel.
 Moreover,…: to add more information about something.
 … because…: to justify an opinion or idea.
My mum is the perfect cook because she knows a lot of recipes and has plenty of
experience. Moreover, she experiments with different ingredients all the time.
 Because of that,…: to justify an opinion, fact or idea.
My mum likes to cook using new ingredients all the time. Because of that, she creates
original dishes every month.
 As for…/ Regarding…: to switch to a new topic. For instance, you can use this connector
to start the second main paragraph.
As for/Regarding why I like this cookery show, I think because it’s a great way to see
new recipes.
 Time linkers: then, after that, yesterday, this morning, last summer, etc.
Last night, I watched a very good action film.
With many connectors, we typically use a comma (,) after it when we start a sentence (e.g.:
However, Last night, Moreover, etc.).
4.4. CLOSING PARAGRAPH
As we mentioned earlier, a closing paragraph in this Writing part 3 is used to start saying
goodbye to the addressee and to ask for a response to your email. So we can use the following
expressions:
 Well, it’s time to say goodbye.
 Anyway, I have to go now.
 Well, it’s time to go.
 Anyway, gotta go.
 I really hope to hear from you soon.
 I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
 I hope you write back soon.
 Make sure you write back soon.
Also, if you still have to write more words, you can add a question for a subsequent email.
This question should be related to the topic of your piece of writing.
4.5. SAYING GOODBYE
There are many ways in English to close an informal email. The most frequent used ones are
the following:
 Best wishes,
 Best,
 Sincerely,
 Take care,
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  All my love,
 Love,
 Lots of love,
 See you soon,
 Regards,
Notice how there is a comma (,) after each of the phrases. Also, after writing any of these
sentences, make sure you write your name on a different line. And write your name without
a full stop!

WRITING PRACTICE
Now that we know what expressions we should be using in our writing, we are going to take a
look at another task and then practice your writing:
Read this email from your English-speaking college classmate Alex and the notes you have
made. Write your email to Alex using all the notes.
From: Alex
Subject: College science presentation
Hi,
It’s great that we are going to work together on the college science presentation. Do you
think we should choose the rainforest as our topic?
No, but…
We only have two weeks to prepare, so can we start tomorrow? Where can we go to prepare
the presentation? My cousins are staying at my house at the moment, so we can’t work
there because it’s too noisy.
Sorry… Suggest…
We can give our presentation to the class either in the morning or the afternoon. Which
would you prefer?
Let me know
Tell Alex
Alex
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 Sample answer:
Hi, Alex
I’m very glad to work with you. I think we shouldn’t choose the rainforest as our topic
because I’m not good at this topic. I would like to prepare the science presentation about
deserts. In my opinion, it will be interesting.
Sorry, but my parents have gone to another town and I must look after my little brother so
we can’t start to prepare tomorrow. What about starting in 2 days?
We can prepare the presentation in my house because no one will disturb us.
I would prefer to give our presentation to the class in the afternoon as this is the most
convenient time.
Best wishes
Grette

TOP 5 TIPS FOR WRITING AN EMAIL

1. Learn and memorize a set of expressions. Make sure you already know a set of expressions
to use in your greetings, opening and closing paragraphs, and to say goodbye. This will save you
a lot of time while doing a task, and you will avoid making silly mistakes as you will already
know the expressions by heart.
2. Write a well-structured and visually-appealing email. One of the things the examiners pay
attention to is the organization of your piece writing, so make sure not to write a messy email.
Also, remember that punctuation matters, so be sure to separate your sentences with stops and
commas and don’t write excessively long sentences.
3. Brainstorm, write, read and edit. Before starting to write your email, brainstorm a couple
of things and write down some ideas. This can include vocabulary related to the topic. For
example, if you have to write about TV shows, you can write down things like “contestants”,
“cookery show”, “prize”, etc. Then, write your email. After that, read it and look for possible
mistakes or opportunities for improvement (e.g.: adding descriptive adjectives, rephrasing
sentences, etc.).
4. Read carefully and identify the task. Don’t start writing right away. Make sure you read the
task carefully and that you identify exactly what you are being asked. Sometimes, we don’t pay
attention to the instructions and we end up writing about something different. This will mean
losing points, in a very silly way.
5. Experiment at home, be conservative in the exam. Homework is the best chance to be
creative and experiment different ways to express yourself. So make sure you try your hardest
to keep improving when you write at home. On the other hand, when you’re doing an exam,
don’t risk trying out new words or expressions, as you may be making a terrible mistake. So be
safe in your exam and stick to what you already knows works.

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FURTHER PRACTICE
Read this email from your English teacher Miss Jones and the notes you have made. Write
your email to Miss Jones using all the notes.

From: Miss Jones

To: All students
Subject: Visitor to English class
Dear students,
I’m planning to invite a well-known person to come into our English
class and give a talk.
I’d like to invite either a scientist or an actor. Which would be better?
I hope that each student will have a question to ask this person – what
would you like to ask?
We want our visitor to enjoy the day with us – what do you think we
can do to entertain the visitor after the talk?
I’m looking forward to receiving your ideas!
Miss Jones

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Read this email from your English-speaking friend Grace and the notes you have made.
Write your email to Grace using all the notes.

From: Grace
To: Nick
Subject: Family dinner
Hi Nick,
We’re having a family dinner for my mum’s birthday next week
My brothers and I are each going to cook a course. Do you think I
should make the starter, the main course or the dessert?
Where can I find some good recipes?
Have you ever made anything for your family? What did you make?
Was it a success?
Love
Grace

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 MODULE 3: PARAGRAPH WRITING

A paragraph is a series of sentences that are organized and coherent, and are all related to a
single topic.
Almost every piece of writing you do that is longer than a few sentences should be organized into
paragraphs. This is because paragraphs show a reader where the subdivisions of an essay begin and
end, and thus help the reader see the organization of the essay and grasp its main points.
Paragraphs can contain many different kinds of information. A paragraph could contain a series of
brief examples or a single long illustration of a general point. It might describe a place, character,
or process; narrate a series of events; compare or contrast two or more things; classify items into
categories; or describe causes and effects.

1. PARAGRAPH FORMAT
- Most paragraphs in an essay have a three-part structure—introduction, body, and conclusion.
You can see this structure in paragraphs whether they are narrating, describing, comparing,
contrasting, or analyzing information. Each part of the paragraph plays an important role in
communicating your meaning to your reader.
The hamburger model illustrates the structure of a paragraph.

+ Introduction: the first section of

a paragraph; should include the
topic sentence and any other
sentences at the beginning of the
paragraph that give background
information or provide a
transition.

+ Body: follows the introduction

by developing supporting details
which discuss the controlling idea,
using facts, arguments, analysis,
examples, and other information.

+ Conclusion: the final section

presented via the closing
sentence; summarizes the
connections between the
information discussed in the body
of the paragraph and the
paragraph’s controlling idea.

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 The following paragraph illustrates this pattern of organization. In this paragraph, the topic
sentence and concluding sentence (CAPITALIZED) both help readers keep the paragraph’s
main point in mind.

MY HOMETOWN IS FAMOUS FOR SEVERAL AMAZING NATURAL

FEATURES. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and
beautiful. On either side of this river, which is 175 feet wide, are many willow trees
which have long branches that can move gracefully in the wind. In autumn the
leaves of these trees fall and cover the riverbanks like golden snow. Also, on the
other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it is very
steep. Even though it is steep, climbing this hill is not dangerous, because there are
some firm rocks along the sides that can be used as stairs. There are no trees around
this hill, so it stands clearly against the sky and can be seen from many miles
away. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred
feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old. THESE THREE
LANDMARKS ARE TRULY AMAZING AND MAKE MY HOMETOWN A
FAMOUS PLACE.

2. HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH

2.1. INTRODUCTION - TOPIC SENTENCE
- A topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph. Sometimes referred to as a
focus sentence, the topic sentence helps organize the paragraph by summarizing the
information in the paragraph. In formal writing, the topic sentence is usually the first sentence
in a paragraph (although it doesn't have to be).
- A topic sentence tells readers what the rest of the paragraph is about. All sentences after it
have to give more information about that sentence, prove it by offering facts about it, or
describe it in more detail. For example, if the topic sentence concerns the types of endangered
species that live in the ocean, then every sentence after that needs to expound on that subject.
- Topic sentences also need to relate back to the thesis of the essay. The thesis statement is like
a road map that will tell the reader or listener where you are going with this information or how
you are treating it.
- Every topic sentence will have a topic and a controlling idea. The controlling idea shows the
direction the paragraph will take.
Example:
1. There are many reasons why pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the world.
^ The topic is "pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the world" and the controlling idea is
"many reasons."
2. To be an effective CEO requires certain characteristics.
^ The topic is "To be an effective CEO" and the controlling idea is "certain characteristics."
3. There are many possible contributing factors to global warming.
^ The topic is "global warming" and the controlling idea is "contributing factors."
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 - A carefully thought out topic sentence has two functions. First, it helps you, the author, to
stay focused. Second, a clearly stated topic and controlling idea will give readers the tools
they need to clearly understand what you have to say.
- Remember that topic sentences set the tone for the paragraph and should relate back to the
thesis or the main idea of the paper.
PRACTICE: Write a topic sentence for each of the following topics
1. How do people benefit from reading?
2. What do people usually use the Internet for?
3. Why do many young people want to work for multinational companies?

2.2. BODY - SUPPORTING IDEAS AND SUPPORTING SENTENCES

- A supporting idea is an idea with information that supports a main idea or claim.
- Supporting ideas give a reader details to understand a main idea, or evidence to show why a
claim is true or correct. You will find supporting ideas in the middle of a paragraph – after the
topic sentence, and before a concluding sentence or transition.
- A paragraph usually has around 2 – 4 supporting ideas.
Example:

Topic sentence: Schools should start later in the day.

This is a claim that needs to be supported by facts (or perhaps opinions) in order to convince
the reader to accept the claim. Here are some possible supporting ideas:
1. By starting later, school buses can avoid the traffic of rush hour, which saves time and
reduces the likelihood of accidents.
2. Studies have shown that teenagers need more sleep than both younger children and adults
because their rapidly changing bodies need more time resting in order to develop properly.
3. Starting later will give students time to eat a healthy breakfast, which has been proven to
improve school performance.
^ These supporting ideas each give evidence that help the reader agree with your claim. Again,
you would not use all three of these supporting ideas together. Choosing the best supporting
ideas depends on what you are trying to achieve in the paragraph.
- A supporting idea is usually followed by several supporting sentences to illustrate the point
presented in the supporting ideas. The information in the supporting sentences depends on the
type of support needed. Normally, they include one of the following as their main parts: (1)
Descriptions or details; (2) Facts or Figures and (3) Examples.
Example:
Schools should start later in the day (topic sentence). Firstly, by starting later, school buses
can avoid the traffic of rush hour, which saves time and reduces the likelihood of accidents
(Supporting idea). As most companies and offices simultaneously open at 8.00 a.m., people all
need to leave home at around the same time. A big number of people participating in the traffic
means streets usually become overcrowded, as a result traffic congestion and accidents become
far more likely (Supporting sentences).

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 PRACTICE: Write 2 or 3 supporting ideas for each of the three topics presented in (1). For
each supporting idea, find 2 or 3 details to further explain it.

2.3. CONCLUSION – CONCLUDING SENTENCES

- A concluding sentence sums up the information that is presented in a paragraph. It reiterates
the main point developed by the body sentences and signals the readers that this is the
end of the paragraph.
- The purpose of a concluding sentence is to summarize the argument you just made in your
preceding paragraph. In a single paragraph response, the concluding sentence is essential. It
should tie the whole paragraph together without simply rephrasing the topic sentence. In an
essay, concluding sentences serve a number of different, but equally important purposes.
- To signal the conclusion, linking words or phrases like therefore, thus, resulting, hence, in
brief, to sum up, on the whole and in the end, etc. are very often used.
- It should be noted that the concluding sentence is like a sort of topic sentence in reverse. It
should close the paragraph rather than opens up a new topic for discussion. The concluding
sentence can sometimes include the final thought of the writer towards the subject matter.
Example:
There are several serious health hazards directly linked to smoking. The link between smoking
and cancer is well-known. As well smoking is linked to other lung diseases like emphysema
and bronchitis. Smokers also have a greater risk of heart disease later in life. This is evidenced
in recent court cases in the USA where smokers have been awarded damages from tobacco
companies. Furthermore, there is substantial research that even passive smoking can have long
term effects on heath. Clearly, smoking is a dangerous habit and should be avoided.
- The concluding sentence connects the topic sentence and supporting ideas. It reiterates that
smoking is not good for health and gives the final thought of the writer that smoking should be
banned for its harm to people’s health.
PRACTICE: Write the concluding sentences for each of the topics in (1).

2.4. JOIN THINGS TOGETHER

COHERENCE
- In a coherent paragraph, each sentence relates clearly to the topic sentence or controlling idea,
but there is more to coherence than this. If a paragraph is coherent, each sentence flows
smoothly into the next without obvious shifts or jumps. A coherent paragraph also highlights
the ties between old information and new information to make the structure of ideas or
arguments clear to the reader.
- Along with the smooth flow of sentences, a paragraph’s coherence may also be related to its
length. If you have written a very long paragraph, one that fills a double-spaced typed page, for
example, you should check it carefully to see if it should start a new paragraph where the
original paragraph wanders from its controlling idea. On the other hand, if a paragraph is very
short (only one or two sentences, perhaps), you may need to develop its controlling idea more
thoroughly, or combine it with another paragraph.

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COHESION
- Creating cohesion means ‘tying’ your words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs together, to
create a text where the relationships between these elements is clear and logical to the reader,
giving the text ‘flow’. You can create cohesion at all these levels (word, phrase, sentence and
paragraph) in order to direct readers’ attention to the development of your argument.
- Cohesion can be created by various ways, including repetition (use a particular word or
phrase across different sentences or paragraphs), synonym (use a word or phrase in a later
sentence which has the same or similar meaning to a keyword in the first sentence) and
pronouns (use a pronoun to refer back to a phrase already used). But a very direct way of
emphasizing the inherent logic of a paragraph is through the use of linking words and phrases
which mark transitions within and between sentences.
- Below are some useful transitions:
+ To show addition: again, and, also, besides, equally important, first (second, etc.), further,
furthermore, in addition, in the first place, moreover, next, too
+ To give examples: for example, for instance, in fact, specifically, that is, to illustrate
+ To compare: also, in the same manner, likewise, similarly
+ To contrast: although, and yet, at the same time, but, despite, even though, however, in
contrast, in spite of, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, still, though, yet
+ To summarize or conclude: all in all, in conclusion, in other words, in short, in summary,
on the whole, that is, therefore, to sum up
+ To show time: after, afterward, as, as long as, as soon as, at last, before, during, earlier,
finally, formerly, immediately, later, meanwhile, next, since, shortly, subsequently, then,
thereafter, until, when, while
+ To show place or direction: above, below, beyond, close, elsewhere, farther on, here,
nearby, opposite, to the left (north, etc.)
+ To indicate logical relationship: accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, for this
reason, hence, if, otherwise, since, so, then, therefore, thus
+ To emphasize: Above all, more/most importantly
+ To show order: Afterwards, at the same time, before, firstly, secondly, formerly, lastly,
finally, later, meanwhile, next, now, presently, today, yesterday, last week, next year,
subsequently, then, until, ultimately, while, historically, in the end, eventually
+ To show attitude: Naturally, of course, certainly, strangely enough, surprisingly,
fortunately, unfortunately, admittedly, undoubtedly
+ To give explanation: In other words, that is to say

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PRACTICE:
Choose the appropriate transition word or expression to complete each sentence. Add capital
letters where necessary.

Likewise furthermore as a result in other words

By the year 2000, the population distribution had shifted a great deal. Many more people
had moved to urban and suburban areas and 1_____________, the rural population was
much smaller. 2_____________, the suburban population had grown since 1950. The urban
population had 3_____________ increased. 4_____________, there were now fewer people
living in the countryside and more living in the cities and suburbs.

Then unlike such as what’s more

I know you will have a good time at the party. 5_____________ most parties we go to, at
this one I plan to have live music. 6_____________, the band I have hired plays your favorite
kind of music. My sister-in-law is planning to prepare some really good dishes
7_____________ seafood soup and roast beef. Come early so that you can enjoy the food,
and 8_____________ you can dance all night!

In addition but above all in other words

Physical education classes help children develop in numerous ways. Academics strengthen
children’s minds, 9_____________ physical education strengthens their bodies.
10_____________, it contributes to their good health. 11_____________, physical
education classes help children learn about winning and losing. This is an important life
skill. 12_____________, in physical education classes, children have the opportunity to
learn about teamwork. This might be one of life’s most important skills.

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 MODULE 4: ESSAY WRITING

An essay is an extended piece of writing that presents and supports a thesis or proposition.

An essay model is a theoretical

framework that can be used as the
structural basis of all essay types.
The model has three structural
components:
+ Introduction: an introductory
paragraph that introduces the
essay’s thesis or ‘big idea’.
+ Body: middle paragraphs that
support this thesis and convince
the reader of its validity.
+ Conclusion: a concluding
paragraph that restates the thesis
and draws together the threads of
the argument presented in the
essay.

1. ESSAY FORMAT
1.1. INTRODUCTION
- Purpose: the Introduction lets the readers know the topic, aspect of the topic to be dealt with
and your attitudes towards the topic.
- Components: the Introduction normally includes at least two main parts:
+ General statements: give readers background information about the topic, lead them
gradually from general idea to a very specific idea.
+ Thesis statement: introduces the main idea of the essay. A thesis statement is like the
answer to the question your paper explores.
Example:
Question: Childhood obesity is increasing at rapid rates in developed countries. What are some
of the causes of this problem? What are some ways in which childhood obesity rates can be
reduced?
Plan the introduction:
+ General statement: Childhood obesity is rising all over the world…
+ Thesis statement: Many causes and many ways to overcome…
Sample introduction:
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 As nations become wealthier, starvation or hunger is less common and new challenges are
created. Childhood obesity is one such challenge and it has started to become a problem all
over the world, particularly in developed countries (general statement). There are many causes
of obesity in children; however, with action we have the ability to reduce the incidence of this
childhood problem (thesis statement).

1.2. BODY
- Purposes: the Body explains, illustrates, discusses and proves the thesis statement.
- Components: the Body consists of several paragraphs (usually two to three), which all refer
to the thesis statement presented in the Introduction
- Key points to remember when writing the Body:
+ One paragraph discusses one aspect of the main topic.
+ The controlling ideas in developmental paragraphs must echo the main idea in the thesis
statement.
+ Developmental paragraphs should have coherence and unity.
+ To write a paragraph in the Body, you should almost always start with a topic sentence
which contains the main idea of the paragraph. The supporting ideas are usually written in
the second and maybe third sentences of a paragraph and the examples generally follow the
supporting ideas.
Example:
Question: Childhood obesity is increasing at rapid rates in developed countries. What are some
of the causes of this problem? What are some ways in which childhood obesity rates can be
reduced?
Plan the Body:
+ Body Paragraph 1: Causes - too much fast food, too much time playing computer games,
not enough sport/exercise
+ Body Paragraph 2: Ways to reduce - parents cook meals not buy takeaway, limit time on
computers, more sport at and after school
Sample Body:
Obesity in children may be caused by several factors (topic sentence). The most obvious is too
much fast food (supporting idea 1). Nowadays, parents often work long hours and are too busy
to cook so they buy their children takeaway food. This food is much higher in fat than home-
cooked meals and as a result youngsters put on weight. Another cause of childhood obesity is
that children are spending more time on computers and less time doing exercise than in the
past (supporting idea 2). Children used to come home from school and play outside; however,
since computers have become commonplace, they prefer to play computer games.
There are many ways to reduce the rate of childhood obesity (topic sentence). Firstly, parents
should cook more meals for their children (supporting idea 1), and if they have to eat at
McDonalds, for example, they could choose the healthier meals that are now on the menu. In
addition, parents need to limit the time that children are allowed to play on computers and they

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 should enroll their children in after-school sports or go together to a park and exercise
(supporting idea 2).

1.3. CONCLUSION
- Purpose: the Conclusion signals the ends of the essay and summarizes the main points and
restates the thesis.
- Components: the Conclusion usually consists of the following parts:
+ Concluding word: signals the conclusion.
+ Restatement: summarizes your main point and restates the thesis.
+ Final thoughts: gives your opinion on the subject matter.
- Key points to remember when writing the Conclusion:
+ The Conclusion should not bring up a new topic.
+ The Conclusion can be conveniently written by paraphrasing the thesis in the
Introduction.
Example:
Question: Childhood obesity is increasing at rapid rates in developed countries. What are some
of the causes of this problem? What are some ways in which childhood obesity rates can be
reduced?
Plan the Conclusion:
+ Concluding words: In conclusion,
+ Restatement: Many causes and many ways to overcome…
+ Opinion: Problems can be solved
Sample Conclusion:
In conclusion, childhood obesity is a growing problem in today's busy world, and although the
causes are many, I feel that this issue is easily overcome. Parents need to help their children
eat better and exercise more.

2. BRAINSTORMING IDEAS
- An important step in the essay-writing process is to brainstorm ideas or think of the ideas that
you would like to use in your essay.
- Brainstorming means that you write down everything you know on a topic. There are many
different ways to brainstorm; however, the most commonly used techniques are listing, mind
mapping and tabling. You need to choose a technique that suits both you and the time
constraints of Task 2. Remember, you have around 30-35 minutes, with only a few minutes to
brainstorm.
Example:
Write about the following topic:

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Mobile phones are considered essential by most people nowadays. Discuss the advantages
and disadvantages of mobile phones and state your opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience. Write about 200 words
+ Listing:
Advantages:
• small, portable
• cheaper than landlines
• can SMS rather than call - cheaper, more convenient
Disadvantages:
• expensive, especially in poorer countries
• addictive
• may cause cancer - unknown but suggested
+ Mind-mapping:

+ Tabling:

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3. ESSAY WRITING PRACTICE
- In the TMU English Test, you are supposed to write an essay of around 200 words presenting
the advantages and disadvantages of something.
- Here is the list of the topics to be used in the exam. Exam questions will be developed from
these topics. You can practice brainstorming ideas for the topics so that you can be better
prepared for the writing exam.
1. City and country life (advantages and disadvantages of living in the city, advantages
and disadvantages of living in the countryside…)
2. Means of transports (advantages and disadvantages of travelling by air/ bus/ car/
bike…)
3. Tourism (advantages and disadvantages of tourism to the economy, advantages and
disadvantages of travelling abroad…)
4. Technology (advantages and disadvantages of technology in family life/ at work/ in
study…)
5. Fast food / home-cooked food (advantages and disadvantages of fast food/ home-
cooked food…)
6. Advertising (advantages and disadvantages of advertising to customers…)
7. Work (advantages and disadvantages of teleworking/ advantages and disadvantages of
job hopping / advantages and disadvantages of staying in one job for a long time…)
8. Entertainment (advantages and disadvantages of watching TV/ advantages and
disadvantages of computer games…)
9. Family life (advantages and disadvantages of being an only child/ advantages and
disadvantages of co-habitation/ advantages and disadvantages of having no children…)
10. Study (advantages and disadvantages of studying overseas…)

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 SAMPLE TEST 1

You have 40 minutes for the two writing tasks.

TASK 1
Write an email:
Read this email from your English teacher Mrs Lake and the notes you have made. Write
your email to Mrs Lake using all the notes.
Write about 80 – 100 words.

From: Mrs Lake

Subject: End of year party
Dear Class,
I’d like our class to have a party to celebrate the end of the
school year.
We could either have a party in the classroom or we could go to
the park. Which would you prefer to do?
What sort of activities or games should we do during the party?
What food do you think we should have at the party?
Reply soon!
Anna Lake

TASK 2
Write an essay on the following topic:
Many people love to change their jobs frequently while others choose to stay in one job for a
long time.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of changing jobs regularly?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.
Write about 200 words.

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 SAMPLE TEST 2

You have 40 minutes for the two writing tasks.

TASK 1
Write an email:
Read this email from your English-speaking friend Robbie and the notes you have made.
Write your email to Robbie using all the notes.
Write about 80 – 100 words.

From: Robbie
Subject: Birthday meal
Hi,
It’s my birthday soon, and I’m thinking of having a meal in a
restaurant with all my friends – including you! Do you think it’s
a good idea?
There’s a good new restaurant in town, which serves all kinds
of delicious burgers, or there’s also a great vegetarian
restaurant. Which one would be better?
If you need transport to the restaurant, I can come and pick you
up.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Robbie

TASK 2
Write an essay on the following topic:
A lot of people are now leaving their hometown and moving to the city to live.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in the city?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.
Write about 200 words.

25
 SAMPLE TEST 3

You have 40 minutes for the two writing tasks.

TASK 1
Write an email:
Read this email from your English-speaking friend Jo and the notes you have made. Write
your email to Jo using all the notes.
Write about 80-100 words.

From: Jo
Subject: Beach holiday
Hi,
I’m really glad you want to come with me on the holiday I won
as first prize in the photograph competition.
I’ve now got some more information – we’re going for a week
to a great hotel near a beautiful beach! There’s plenty to do
there. Do you want to do activities like surfing and sailing? Or
we could just lie on the beach!
We have to decide when to go, so are you free for a week in
August?
Do you have any questions about the holiday?
See you soon!
Jo

TASK 2
Write an essay on the following topic:
More and more people are choosing to travel by air plane.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of travelling by air?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.
Write about 200 words.

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