How to write an essay

What’s an essay?
An essay is a piece of writing where you have to discuss a subject, express your opinion
and give reasons for your opinion.

You are given an essay title and some notes. You must write an essay answering the essay
question and using all the notes. These outline three areas you must cover. The final one
will always be your own idea.

You might be asked to write:

- An essay in which you discuss a statement and give your opinion.
- An essay in which you discuss which of two things is better.
You should…
► Cover the two points you are given in the notes as well as
your own idea in the third point.
► Organise your answer in a logical way using paragraphs and
linking sentences appropriately.
► Express your opinion clearly on the subject of the essay.
► Give reasons and examples to support your ideas.
► Use an appropriate style (quite formal and/or academic).
► Write grammatically correct sentences.
► Use accurate spelling and punctuation.
How is an essay assessed?
- Content: it focuses on how well you have fulfilled the task, in other
words if you have done what you were asked to do.
- Communicative Achievement: it focuses on how appropriate the writing
is for the task and whether you have used the appropriate register.
- Organisation: it focuses on the way you put together the piece of
writing, in other words if it is logical and ordered.
- Language: it focuses on vocabulary and grammar. This includes the
range of language as well as how accurate it is.
Essays are normally assessed in different scales:

Responses are usually marked on each scale from 0 to 5.

How are the scales assessed?
Let’s analyse an example…
SAMPLE 1

What do you think about

this essay?

Use the content criteria to

evaluate it and spot any
possible mistakes.
SAMPLE 1

CONTENT

Where’s the third point?

What would you add?

SAMPLE 1

COMMUNICATIVE
ACHIEVEMENT

- Contractions are used.

- The conclusion doesn’t
seem formal or
academic enough.
SAMPLE 1
ORGANISATION

The text is clearly separated

into paragraphs, and each of
them deals with a particular
topic (though the third one is
considerably shorter).

However, not a lot of

cohesive devices are used,
and some of them feel too
simple for the level.

Can you add or replace any

of them?
SAMPLE 1
ORGANISATION

It’s a good idea to start

paragraphs with an open
question, a conditional
sentence or a linking word.

Don’t forget to connect

points already mentioned
using pronouns.

Inversion and superlatives

are also advisable, especially
to finish the composition.
SAMPLE 1
LANGUAGE

- There are several spelling and

some punctuation mistakes.
- Some phrases are not
accurately articulated.
- There are a few prepositional
problems.
- Some expressions are
redundant, repetitive or too
simple for the level.

How can you improve the

underlined phrases?
SAMPLE 1
LANGUAGE

- Use Passive Voice,

Conditionals, Relative
Clauses, Inversion,
Comparison, Modals and
varied Verb Tenses.
- Beware of repetition. Find
synonymous expressions
or more sophisticated
words.
- You need to prove your
knowledge, but feel
natural. Find the balance.
SAMPLE 1
This improved version is about
250 words. Don’t lose track of the
amount you need to use.
While not strictly penalising,
writing fewer words than asked
may mean you are leaving
important information behind.
Writing too many more words, on
the contrary, may mean you are
including unnecessary
information.
Action plan to write an essay
1. Read the instructions carefully and patiently.
2. Underline the areas you must deal with in the essay title and notes.
3. Think and decide what your opinion or position is on the subject of the essay and why you have this
opinion.
4. Think and make notes about how you can cover the points listed in the notes.
5. Organise your notes into a plan. When writing your plan, decide how many paragraphs you need and
what each paragraph will cover. Your plan should include short introductory and concluding paragraphs.
6. Before writing your essay, check that your plan covers the three areas.
7. Write your essay following your plan.
8. Avoid writing only very simple sentences. Use varieties of tenses and cohesive devices.
9. Make sure you express your opinion clearly in your answer and that the arguments you express support
your opinion.
10. When you have finished, read your answer carefully. Check for spelling, punctuation, repetition,
vocabulary and grammar.
Let’s practise…
Follow the aforementioned plan to
start thinking about your essay.

What things do you have to

consider before writing?

What expressions or vocabulary

come to your mind when you read
the essay subject?

What’s your opinion about it?