Data assignments on the topic “English language. Unified State Exam. Essay on English" taken from various sources and are offered in addition to the presentation for the textbook. The volume of the essay in English is 200-250 words. The task completion time is 40 minutes.
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Some people think that graffiti is another form of expressing art; others think that graffiti is a vandalism. What is your opinion?
When cinema was invented some people predicted that theater would not last very long but it still exists, attracts large audiences and is not likely to disappear. What is your opinion?
List English words on topic: Art. SOON!
Some people think that you can master the language only if you study it abroad, in the native speaking environment; others believe that you can become fluent in a foreign language without ever visiting the country. What can you say about learning languages in a native speaking environment?
Some people believe that when you experience travel to other places, you new things and learn from them. Other people argue that most people who go on holiday to other countries just lie on the beach and don’t experience the local culture at all. Do you think that young people learn anything by traveling to other places?
The future of education – books or computers? What is your opinion? Are computers going to replace printed books in the future?
It’s reported that billions of dollars are spent on space exploration projects every year. Some people believe that this money should be used to solve problems on Earth. What is your opinion? What problems should humanity solve first of all?
List of English words on the topic: Space Exploration. SOON!
My parents say the way they lived in the past was much quieter. However, I believe that young people are given a lot more life opportunities nowadays. What is your opinion? Which way of life will be more satisfying for generations future?
Life in a big city is attractive to many people. But others consider it tiresome and tiring. What can you say about living in a big city?
List of English words on the topic: City and Country Life. SOON!
In many countries, reality TV shows about the lives and behavior of ordinary people have become very popular. Some people say that these programs are bad and that other kinds of programs are much better.
According to a number of surveys young people can’t imagine their life without modern electronic technologies. Some of them can become dependent on them, which may have a negative effect on their mind. Do you share this point of view?
List of English words
For several years now, the format of the essay on the Unified State Exam has remained unchanged - opinion essay, essay-reasoning. The volume of the essay also does not change: 200–250 words. Evaluation criteria, work plan, task formulation - all this is repeated from year to year, there are no surprises to be expected (if they are planned, you can find out about them in advance from the specifications and demo versions on the FIPI website). Thus, an essay on the Unified State Exam is not so much creative as technical work. In this article, we will look in detail at how to do such work efficiently in order to get the highest possible score.
First, let's see what we actually have to write. The task from the 2017 demo looks like this:
Comment on the following statement.
A pupil cannot study effectively without a computer.
What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?
Write 200–250 words.
Use the following plan:
The assignments from previous years look the same, except that the statement itself is new each time.
As in any opinion essay, the essay on the Unified State Exam should include: introduction, main part And conclusion.
The introduction sets the topic of the essay and poses the problem.. In other words, in the introduction we write that there is a certain situation and there are different views on this situation. Wherein There is no need to write your view on the situation in the introduction, since this may be interpreted by some experts as a deviation from the plan, where “express your personal opinion” is the second point. The safest option is to put your opinion in the second paragraph.
I would like to emphasize that the expression of opinion in the second paragraph is my recommendation, and not the only possible option. There are no direct indications that the opinion should be located there. There is only a criterion for compliance with the plan, which different experts may understand differently.
The main part contains three blocks:
Arguments are the basis of the entire essay. The more objective and accurate they are, the better. Arguments should not be replaced by emotions, examples or too general phrases.
These are not arguments:
A pupil cannot study effectively without a computer. I think so, because when I once tried to spend a week without my PC, it was awful.
In the first case, there is a substitution with an emotional example. Personal experience too subjective to use in an essay on the Unified State Exam. In the second case, the argument is replaced by a general phrase that does not express anything of substance.
In conclusion, we summarize everything that has been said, generalize and draw conclusions. That is, in many ways we repeat the information already mentioned, but, firstly, we use different words, and secondly, we look at it from a slightly different perspective.
You can read more about the role of the introduction, main part and conclusion in the article, and about arguments and common mistakes in the article.
The essay style for the Unified State Exam is neutral. It means that The essay should not contain abbreviations or colloquial expressions. For example, you can't write "don"t, instead we write "do not". You can't write "stupid", instead we write "unintelligent".
To earn the maximum score, you need to understand what exactly will be assessed. Each expert has a list of five criteria by which the work is assessed. Let's look at them in order.
The words “solving a communication problem” hide the content and style of work. It is assessed how fully you have reflected all the points specified in the assignment and how well the style of your work corresponds to the generally accepted style of essay writing (neutral-formal). The more fully expressed and the more consistent, the more points you will receive. The maximum you can get is 3 points.
There are legends that a “wrong” opinion can result in lower scores on the first criterion. This is wrong. Points are reduced not for the opinion itself, but for the inability to justify it. Let’s say, if you were given the provocative statement “School is evil” (although the topics on the Unified State Exam are usually very neutral), you agreed with the statement, and then saw only 1 point for solving a communicative problem, do not rush to think that this is the machinations of the school’s defenders, who can't come to terms with your point of view. The point, most likely, is that there are no compelling arguments in the work. For example, it is written: “I believe that school is evil, because I generally hate it, and every day spent within its walls is excruciating torture.” These are not arguments, these are emotions. If there are emotions or examples, but no arguments, then one point out of three is an objective, well-deserved assessment.
Criterion No. 1 is the most important. If you receive 0 points for solving a communication problem, then the entire task is automatically scored 0 points, regardless of how well it is written and how well organized.
This criterion evaluates the logic and structure of the statement, compliance with the proposed plan, the use of logical communication (linking words) and division into paragraphs. 3 points maximum.
The criteria do not contain an exact indication of the number of paragraphs in the essay. However, the easiest and safest way is to divide the essay into as many paragraphs as there are points in the proposed outline. IN last years There are five of these points.
This criterion is easy to understand. The words you use should be relevant to the topic you are writing about and should be sufficient to convey all your ideas.
You should try to use advanced vocabulary, because only in this case can you get the maximum score. If you use all the words without errors, but your vocabulary is limited, you will only be given two points out of three.
This criterion is also easy to understand. To get the maximum score, you must write grammatically correct. There are no indications of the complexity of grammatical structures (as opposed to lexical ones), so it is better to use a grammar that is well known to you. Although it is even better to make sure that advanced grammar is well known to you and use it in your essay. The maximum for this criterion is also 3 points.
This criterion weighs less than the others - a maximum of 2 points. To get these points, you need to spell words correctly and use correct punctuation.
The main thing to remember in terms of punctuation is to separate introductory words with commas. Well, periods at the end of sentences, of course, must be present. The rest, as a rule, is not so critical and usually does not cause problems.
You can read in detail the descriptions of each of the five criteria (for what exactly 3 points are given, how many errors are allowed, etc.) in any demo version on the FIPI website.
The required length of an essay for the Unified State Exam is 200–250 words.(every single word is counted, including articles and prepositions). This doesn't mean that if you write 199 or 255 words you will be immediately executed. The fact is that 10% margins are attached to the indicated volume on both sides, that is, in fact, the frames are 180–275 words.
If you write less than 180 words, your essay will not be checked and you will receive 0 points. If you write more than 275, the expert will cross out the first 250 words and check only those. Everything left overboard will not be checked and taken into account, which will inevitably entail a loss of points in content and organization. The best approach is to forget about additional fields during training and learn to fit into 200–250. If during the exam you miss your words out of excitement, the margins will save you. And if you invest in them in advance, the risk of not meeting the limit increases.
Approximately an hour is given to complete the task.. It may be more if you quickly cope with the first half of the written part (letter to a friend) and the remaining sections of the exam, but I recommend practicing within an hour. This time is enough to write a plan and a draft, and then rewrite the work completely.
So, to get the maximum score for an essay on the Unified State Exam, we must write a meaningful, good organized work with a minimum of errors. Let's try this using the 2017 demo task.
Let me remind you of the task. We must comment on this statement: A pupil cannot study effectively without a computer.
The first thing to do is determine what position we will defend and write this position down on a piece of paper. It is necessary to register. Practice shows that in half of the cases, towards the end of the essay, the author forgets his position or, after thinking carefully during the writing process, decides to change it, which leads to sad consequences from a logical point of view. Therefore we write:
Next we make a plan, thinking through arguments, counterarguments and objections to them. If you don’t have a very good idea of how plans are made, read about it in the article. Here is my plan for the essay (the basic part of the plan is written in black, the extended part is written in green):
As you can see from the plan, I'm going to support the statement. Since there is quite a lot of time to complete the task, I will have time to write a draft. I’ll start writing from the second paragraph - arguments in support of my point of view. This order of writing is, of course, not mandatory. It’s just easier for me to write the main part first, and then come up with a frame for it in the form of an introduction and conclusion.
What arguments will be in favor of computers? There are many arguments, because computers also provide many opportunities: access to unlimited information, online courses, the opportunity to learn from teachers from other cities and countries, storage of many books and videos, convenient and effective exercises. If I start describing all this in detail, I will never fit it into 250 words. If you simply list it separated by commas, you run the risk of not fully developing the argument. Therefore, from the abundance of my thoughts, I have chosen only two and will share them in the second paragraph:
Personally, I think that computers are essential for effective studying. First of all, when connected to the Internet, computers provide the learner with any information within seconds, which is extremely important for studying and is impossible through traditional sources like printed books. Secondly, computers make it easier and more convenient to store and use the obtained information, enhancing the effectiveness of studying even further.
Note that to list the arguments we used linking words: first of all and secondly. Similar words must be present in the essay.
Now I have to argue with myself argue against computers. This is the part that causes problems for many people. If no arguments come to mind, try to think of someone who shares a position opposite to yours. Maybe you have a grandmother who thinks computers are malicious machines? Maybe a teacher at school who prohibits using the Internet? Imagine what they could say about the issue under discussion.
However, some people believe that the computers" role in education is overestimated. They argue that people studied without using digital technology for centuries and it did not prevent them from making progress. According to this view, while computers are capable of making studying more enjoyable , they do not influence the key factors responsible for effectiveness: persistence and being hard-working.
To contrast these arguments with those listed in the second paragraph, I took the word however. Contrasting linking words are required in the same way as enumerating words.
The next paragraph is an explanation of why we do not agree with the arguments of our opponents. It is very important here not to fall into the “you’re a fool” argument. Instead, you need to delicately supposedly agree with the argument, and then refute it using some kind of logical loophole. For example, in our case it is easy to agree with the fact that people really used to study without computers and felt good about themselves. However, this can be countered by the fact that we do not know what heights the same people would have achieved if they had computers. As for the influence on a person’s qualities, you can find a loophole: computers do not directly change a person’s character, but by creating a favorable environment they can change a person’s attitude towards learning, thus increasing efficiency.
But this opinion is wrong.
This view has nothing to do with real life.
However, such people do not understand that computers are really good.
That may be true, but although computers cannot change a person's attitudes towards study directly, they make education available and more entertaining, thus motivating students and enhancing their chances of success.
As in the previous paragraphs, do not forget to use means of logical connection: but, although, thus, besides.
Now it's up to the introduction and conclusion. In the introduction, I will write that we will talk about the role of computers in education, and that there are different assessments of the importance of this role.
Nowadays computers play an important role in the sphere of education. So important, in fact, that many people believe that using technology is the only way to make studying successful. Others are less enthusiastic about it and prefer traditional studying methods.
In conclusion, I will reiterate the point that this was about the role of computers in education, that there are different views on this, and that I think the role of computers is important.
To conclude, although it has always been and still is possible to study without using computers, the opportunities offered by them are so rich that, in comparison, traditional methods can really be called ineffective.
Here I have given paragraphs that have already been brought to a decent form. In the draft they look different, of course. When writing a draft, the most important thing is to express all your planned thoughts coherently and logically. After this, it will be possible to correct, supplement and polish the proposals. Here, for example, is a piece of the draft:
If you look at this piece, in addition to the corrections, you will see numbers in it. These numbers are the number of words in each paragraph. I recommend counting the words in paragraphs and writing down how many you got. This is insurance against unpleasant surprises in the form of unnecessary words or too little volume.
Since the number of words in the essay is known in advance, the optimal balance can be approximately calculated: 30-40 words for introduction, 30-40 for conclusion, 45-55 for each body paragraph. Wrote - counted. If the first paragraph of the main part contains 100, we cut it, because otherwise there will be no room for counterarguments and refutation. If the conclusion contains less than 30, we think that we missed it, because too short a conclusion is a clear sign of incomplete summing up.
Here is the result of our essay writing efforts:
Nowadays computers play an important role in the sphere of education. So important, in fact, that many people believe that using technology is the only way to make studying successful. Others are less enthusiastic about it and prefer traditional studying methods.
Personally, I think that computers are essential for effective studying. First of all, when connected to the Internet, computers provide the learner with any information within seconds, which is extremely important for studying and is impossible through traditional sources like printed books. Secondly, computers make it easier and more convenient to store and use the obtained information, enhancing the effectiveness of studying even further.
However, some people believe that the computers" role in education is overestimated. They argue that people studied without using digital technology for centuries and it did not prevent them from making progress. According to this view, while computers are capable of making studying more enjoyable , they do not influence the key factors responsible for effectiveness: persistence and being hard-working.
That may be true, but although computers cannot change a person's attitudes towards study directly, they make education available and more entertaining, thus motivating students and enhancing their chances of success. Besides, we will never know what diligent students of the past would have achieved if they were given modern technology.
© Ekaterina Yakovleva, 2016–2019
Without much embellishment, we can say that in the Unified State Examination in English, the essay is the most difficult task. How can you correctly express your thought, give it logical arguments, support them with examples and explanations, and at the same time format the text correctly and without errors, and also not go beyond the limit on the number of words? In this article we will try to analyze the structure of the essay and give tips on improving the quality of your essay.
Let's start from the end. The essay you write will be assessed according to the following criteria:
The maximum number of points you can receive for an essay is 14 points.
Before you think about correct execution each criterion, first let's make our English essay testable. The most important thing here is volume.
Formally, your English essay should be within 200-250 words. This should not be taken literally and panic if you have written 198 words. However, keep in mind that the essay will not be checked if the number of words in it is less than 180. If you get more than 275 words, then the examiner will count 250 words from the beginning of the essay, mark out the rest and check everything down to the line. That is, in the first scenario you lose the entire essay; with the second, you will most likely lose the conclusion, which is also important.
First of all, your English essay must cover ALL the aspects outlined in the assignment, and must also be written in an appropriate (neutral) style. It should be logically divided into paragraphs and correspond to the plan proposed in the assignment.
In order not to get confused in the process of writing your essay, you need to spend 5-7 minutes thinking about the plan and preparing all the arguments. Traditionally, we will divide the essay into five paragraphs.
There should be a problem statement here. Since the statement of the problem is already stated in the assignment, your task is to correctly retell it. It is RETELL, not paraphrase.
Advice: Do not re-read the task 10 times until the wording is hammered into your head. Then writing the introduction in your own words will be very, very difficult. Read the situation given in the task once or twice, make sure that you understand it correctly. Close the finished situation and try to retell it in English exactly as you understood it, as if you were telling a friend about it who did not understand what was being said. ATTENTION: after you have done this, be sure to open the situation and make sure that your retelling essentially coincides with the situation given to you. Now you can move on.
Instead of banal “ Some people think, ... Others think, ..." can be used:
Some people claim that ..., while others argue that ...
After you have described the essence of the problem, you can ask the question directly, which you will answer in your essay. For example: “What is better: ... or ...?”, “What should we do: ... or ...?” etc. In 2018, a clarification was issued that classified rhetorical questions as stylistic errors. That's why we don't use them.
The last sentence of the introductory paragraph should state the purpose of your essay. This can be done, for example, like this:
In this essay I will try to look upon this issue.
In this essay I will try to express my opinion on this issue.
In this essay I would like to express my point of view on this issue.
In this essay I will try to answer this question.
(This is the simplest option, if it is difficult for you to remember the previous two, remember it)
It is most logical to start this paragraph by expressing your position on this issue. Useful phrases (be sure to follow this punctuation!):
In my opinion...
From my point of view, ...
To my mind...
Personally, I think that...
I am certain that...
(Please note! We do not abbreviate: we write I am...)
As far as I am concerned, ...
Next, you need to give 2-3 arguments confirming your point of view. There can be any arguments, as long as you interpret them correctly. That is, such that it would be difficult to argue with them (within reasonable limits, of course).
Advice: It is better to give 2 arguments and justify them in detail and give examples to support them, than 3 short and not fully developed ones. Remember that the essay has a word limit.
Here we must not forget about the means of logical connection of sentences. The first argument is good to start with:
Firstly...
To start with, ...
To begin with, ...
First of all...
After you have formulated the first argument, you need to confirm it and/or give an example to support it. Here are the most simple models, How can I do that:
<аргумент>,because...
<аргумент>. That's why...
<аргумент>. For example, ...
If you started with the word “Firstly,...”, then the second argument should begin with the word Secondly...
If the first argument came with the phrases “To start with, ...”, “To begin with, ...”, then the second argument can be started with the following words:
Moreover...
Furthermore,...
Besides...
In addition...
The second argument must also be supported by an example or proof.
You will begin the paragraph by stating an opposing opinion on the proposed topic or issue. You can do it like this:
Others believe that...
Some people argue that...
However, some people think that...
This is followed by 1-2 arguments confirming the opposite opinion. I advise you to initially think about two. And how much to write in the end: 1 or 2 – decide in the process, based on the resulting size of your essay.
Advice: You will have to challenge opposing arguments later, so when you come up with them initially, think about how you will challenge them. If you have nothing to object to an invented argument, it is better to immediately replace it with another, so as not to have to do this while writing an essay. It's also limited!
Tip: When challenging arguments, you should not repeat anything written in the second paragraph. Therefore, if you cannot come up with a counterargument without repeating yourself, try to come up with something else. Alternatively, you can come up with other arguments in favor while the essay is not yet written. In any case, it is better to think about this initially while you are planning your essay, rather than during the writing process!
The point of this paragraph is to explain why you disagree with the opposing opinion. You can start a paragraph, for example, with a sentence:
I cannot agree with this opinion because ...
I am afraid I cannot agree with this idea because ...
“I am afraid” rather than “I"m afraid” sounds a little strange, but it’s better not to shorten it, because you can pay for it with precious points.
ATTENTION: if you gave two arguments in the previous paragraph, then you must refute both. They can be distinguished by the following phrases:
As for...,
Speaking about...,
As far as... is concerned,
Advice: When refuting opposing arguments, it is best to suggest ways to solve them, rather than prove their ineffectiveness. For example, if someone believes that pets are dangerous, then one should not argue that they are, in fact, harmless. It is better to turn this disadvantage into an advantage, saying that they are excellent guards in country houses.
The most common mistake many students make is that in conclusion they simply express their opinion. This is not enough. After all, the conclusion applies to the entire essay, not just the second paragraph.
Thus, in the conclusion you need to summarize everything that was said in the essay and express your point of view. You can also give your recommendations on the existing problem. The most important thing is that the conclusion should not contain any new information.
In conclusion...
To sum up...
To conclude...
Next, we let the reader understand that there are two points of view on this problem, and despite the opposite point of view, we still adhere to ours. For example, this can be done according to the following scheme:
Despite the fact that ..., I am convinced that ...
Taking into consideration different opinions on this issue, I believe that ...
After you have written Unified State Exam essay in English, be sure to review it again for possible errors. From my experience the most common mistakes, I advise you to pay attention to the following things.
on Verbitskaya
Comment on the following statement:
Some of my friends say there’s nothing better than reading a good book while others would rather watch its film version.
What is your opinion? How would you prefer to get to know the characters and the plot of the book?
Write 200–250 words.
Show the plan and assessment scheme for criterion K1
Use the following plan:
− make an introduction (state the problem)
− express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion
− express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing
opinion
− explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion
− make a conclusion restating your position
Assessment scheme for the criterion “Solving a communicative problem”:
a) the volume of the statement corresponds to the task
b) introduction - statement of the problem;
c) the author’s opinion with 2-3 arguments;
d) an opposing point of view with 1-2 arguments;
e) explanations why the author does not agree with the opposing point of view (counterarguments);
f) conclusion (conclusion).
Essay text.
Some people prefer reading books, but other people think that it is better to watch film version. For my mind, this problem is very actuality today, because there are many good books and interesting films were shot by this books.
I think that people should read books and after that watch film versions of this books. For me, this is the right way.
There are many bad films. And if you do not read the book, you will have a wrong opinion about this piace of art. But it is not right!
For me, if you read a book, you become more clever,
more wiser. When you read your brain is working. When you read, you can know what a writer thiks, when he writes this book. And this is very mainly when you are reading.
But when you watch television or book’s film version you become stupid, I think. Your brain does not work so hard, because it is more easier to watch the film then to read a book.
In conclusion I want to say that people should read books. And after that if they want, they should watch this film. But reading books it is necessary, for my mind. (201 words)
1.1. Is there an introduction stating the problem? - Eat. The author tried to slightly paraphrase the problem, which is indicated in the instructions for the assignment, and explain its relevance.
1.2. Has the author's opinion been expressed on the issue and is it reasoned?
— Opinion expressed: I think, that people should read books and after that watch film versions of this books. However, the argument is weak and chaotic, in fact it is not an argument: For me, this is the right way.
In practice, the author's thesis that it is better to first read a book and then watch its film adaptation is not substantiated.
1.3. Does the essay present an opposing point of view with 1-2 arguments from its supporters? – The essay does not present a different point of view on
this problem and there are no arguments from its supporters.
1.5. Is there a conclusion with a conclusion?
– There is a conclusion: In conclusion I want to say that people should read books. And after that if they want, they should watch this film. But reading books it is necessary, for my mind.
However, it is not clearly stated, since the author indicates that "you need to read the books and then, if people want, watch the movie." The examinee does not specify which film or books it is about. we're talking about: about everyone or about those that are later filmed. The final phrase repeats, but does not clarify the author’s thought: “you need to read books.”
2.1. Is there division into paragraphs and is it done correctly? – The author does not always logically divide the text into paragraphs. The first, second and third paragraphs should be combined into one paragraph, since at the beginning there is the author’s thesis that it is better to first read the original and then watch its film adaptation; then the author tries to provide an argument to support the thesis put forward.
2.2. Is the written statement logical and are the means of logical communication used correctly? – The construction of a logical statement is hampered by its insufficiently precise division into paragraphs and the minimal use of means of logical communication; in some cases there are errors in their use: for my mind, for me.
3.1. Does the vocabulary chosen by the graduate correspond to the assigned communicative task? - In general, it corresponds.
3.2. Is the examinee’s vocabulary sufficient, how diverse is it, and does it correspond to a high level of complexity?- In general, yes. However, monotonous vocabulary indicates a poor vocabulary.
3.3. Does the author follow the rules of word formation? and collocations, are the words used correctly in a particular context and do errors (if any) affect the understanding of the content?– There are lexical errors, but they do not make it difficult to understand the content of the text, for example, the word “relevance” is used incorrectly in the context, and word formation is also disrupted.
| Aspect | Maximum number of points |
| Solving a communication problem (content) | |
| Text organization (structure) | |
| Grammar | |
| Spelling and punctuation |
The maximum number of points you can receive for an essay is 14 points.
Before thinking about how to properly fulfill each criterion, first let's make our English essay testable. The most important thing here is volume.
Formally, your English essay should be within 200-250 words. This should not be taken literally and panic if you have written 198 words. However, keep in mind that the essay will not be checked if the number of words in it is less than 180. If you get more than 275 words, then the examiner will count 250 words from the beginning of the essay, mark out the rest and check everything down to the line. That is, in the first scenario you lose the entire essay; with the second, you will most likely lose the conclusion, which is also important.
First of all, your English essay must cover ALL the aspects outlined in the assignment, and must also be written in an appropriate (neutral) style. It should be logically divided into paragraphs and correspond to the plan proposed in the assignment.
In order not to get confused in the process of writing your essay, you need to spend 5-7 minutes thinking about the plan and preparing all the arguments. Traditionally, we will divide the essay into five paragraphs.
Paragraph 1. Introduction
There should be a problem statement here. Since the statement of the problem is already stated in the assignment, your task is to correctly retell it. It is RETELL, not paraphrase.
Advice: Do not re-read the task 10 times until the wording is hammered into your head. Then writing the introduction in your own words will be very, very difficult. Read the situation given in the task once or twice, make sure that you understand it correctly. Close the finished situation and try to retell it in English exactly as you understood it, as if you were telling a friend about it who did not understand what was being said. ATTENTION: after you have done this, be sure to open the situation and make sure that your retelling essentially coincides with the situation given to you. Now you can move on.
Instead of banal “ Some people think, ... Others think, ..." can be used:
Some people claim that ..., while others argue that ...
After you have described the essence of the problem, you can ask the question directly, which you will answer in your essay. For example: “What is better: ... or ...?”, “What should we do: ... or ...?” it. d.
The last sentence of the introductory paragraph should state the purpose of your essay. This can be done, for example, like this:
In this essay I will try to look upon this issue.
In this essay I will try to express my opinion on this issue.
In this essay I would like to express my point of view on this issue.
In this essay I will try to answer this question.
(This is the simplest option, if it is difficult for you to remember the previous two, remember it)
Paragraph 2. Your opinion
It is most logical to start this paragraph by expressing your position on this issue. Useful phrases (be sure to follow this punctuation!):
In my opinion...
From my point of view, ...
To my mind...
Personally, I think that...
I'm certain that...
As far as I am concerned, ...
Next, you need to give 2-3 arguments confirming your point of view. There can be any arguments, as long as you interpret them correctly. That is, such that it would be difficult to argue with them (within reasonable limits, of course).
Advice: It is better to give 2 arguments and justify them in detail and give examples to support them, than 3 short and not fully developed ones. Remember that the essay has a word limit.
Here we must not forget about the means of logical connection of sentences. The first argument is good to start with:
Firstly...
To start with, ...
To begin with, ...
First of all...
After you have formulated the first argument, you need to confirm it and/or give an example to support it. Here are the simplest models of how this can be done:
,because...
argument. That's why...
argument.
For example, ...
If you started with the word “Firstly,...”, then the second argument should begin with the word Secondly...
If the first argument came with the phrases “To start with, ...”, “To begin with, ...”, then the second argument can be started with the following words:
Moreover...
Furthermore,...
Besides...
In addition...
The second argument must also be supported by an example or proof.
Paragraph 3. Opposite opinion
You will begin the paragraph by stating an opposing opinion on the proposed topic or issue. You can do it like this:
Others believe that...
Some people argue that...
However, some people think that...
This is followed by 1-2 arguments confirming the opposite opinion. I advise you to initially think about two. And how much to write in the end: 1 or 2 – decide in the process, based on the resulting size of your essay.
Advice: You will have to challenge opposing arguments later, so when you come up with them initially, think about how you will challenge them. If you have nothing to object to an invented argument, it is better to immediately replace it with another, so as not to have to do this while writing an essay. It's also limited!
Tip: When challenging arguments, you should not repeat anything written in the second paragraph. Therefore, if you cannot come up with a counterargument without repeating yourself, try to come up with something else. Alternatively, you can come up with other arguments in favor while the essay is not yet written. In any case, it is better to think about this initially while you are planning your essay, rather than during the writing process!
Paragraph 4. Your counterarguments
The point of this paragraph is to explain why you disagree with the opposing opinion. You can start a paragraph, for example, with a sentence:
I can't agree with this opinion because ...
I'm afraid I can't agree with this idea because ...
ATTENTION: if you gave two arguments in the previous paragraph, then you must refute both. They can be distinguished by the following phrases:
As for...,
Speaking about...,
As far as... is concerned,
Advice: When refuting opposing arguments, it is best to suggest ways to solve them, rather than prove their ineffectiveness. For example, if someone believes that pets are dangerous, then one should not argue that they are, in fact, harmless. It is better to turn this disadvantage into an advantage, saying that they are excellent guards in country houses.
Paragraph 5. Conclusion
The most common mistake many students make is that in conclusion they simply express their opinion. This is not enough. After all, the conclusion applies to the entire essay, not just the second paragraph.
Thus, in the conclusion you need to summarize everything that was said in the essay and express your point of view. You can also give your recommendations on the existing problem. The most important thing is that the conclusion should not contain any new information.
In conclusion...
To sum up...
To conclude...
Next, we let the reader understand that there are two points of view on this problem, and despite the opposite point of view, we still adhere to ours. For example, this can be done according to the following scheme:
Despite the fact that ..., I’m convinced that ...
Taking into consideration different opinions on this issue, I believe that ...
Language design of the essay
After you have written your Unified State Exam essay in English, be sure to review it again for possible errors. From my experience of the most common mistakes, I advise you to pay attention to the following things:
Go through each noun separately. If a noun is countable and singular, it must be preceded by an article! Most likely, you should have it undefined (but look for yourself in the context).
Go over all the introductory words and phrases and make sure they are followed by commas. On the contrary, there should be no comma before the word ‘that’: “I think that...”, “Others believe that...”.
If the subject is expressed in 3rd person singular (he/she/it), do not forget to add the ending –s to the verb!
There is a separate discussion about “smart” words. There is a separate item in the assessment criteria: Vocabulary. Believe me, it is better not to use a buzzword than to use it incorrectly and get minus points for it.
Tip: If you don’t know a lot of “smart” vocabulary, cram it as much as possible into pre-memorized phrases. For example, instead of the banal “for example” you can use “for instance”; Instead of “I think” use “I believe / suppose / presume”. That is, in essence, you need to come up with vocabulary that you can definitely use in your English essay, no matter what topic you come across.
