INTERMEDIATE – ADVANCED text texttext text2write.com 2write.com2write.com 2write.com How to write IELTS Essays by ROBERT LEWIS M.A. LINGUISTICS how to use this book for self study For self-study, you should work through the book, from page one to the end, checking your answers as you complete each of the exercises. Begin by reading the Introduction and learn about the essay form, the key stages and the language features of the essay that are important for this form of persuasive communication. What is the best way to study? First, find a quiet and comfortable place where you can work. You should feel good working there. Do a minimum of 40 minutes each day. Try to make a regular time for study, so that it becomes routine - the same time and place every day. You will need a dictionary to check the meaning of new vocabulary. At this level (advanced) you should use an Advanced Learners dictionary of English - rather than a bilingual dictionary. Whenever you find common or familiar expressions that you don’t know, learn these words first. They are the “building blocks” for the more difficult vocabulary you will learn later. Develop your vocabulary, step by step. The best way to learn new words is to guess their meaning from the context, check the meaning in a dictionary, and practice using them in your writing. The topics in this book are general topics selected to help develop your academic vocabulary. You should also read widely and become familiar with other topics and issues. It is a good idea to read about topics that are less familiar to you, but still relevant for a general English test, like the IELTS. What else can I do? By completing all the exercises in this book, you are taking positive steps towards achieving your goals. Remember - every page completed is a giant step toward achieving success in essay writing. Find a friend who will practice speaking English with you and discuss together the topics and issues that you read about in this book Of course, an English teacher will be helpful when you need to have your essays corrected and get advice about any errors you might be making in your writing. At the end of each chapter there is a checklist of things to look for in your writing. Check that you have done all these things, and, if you need to, make changes and corrections. Finally, it is advisable to attempt the sample essay questions provided at the end of each chapter. By completing all the exercises in this book, you are taking positive steps towards achieving your goals. Remember - every page completed is a giant step toward achieving success in essay writing. 2 www.text2write.com © copyright Robert Lewis terms & abbreviations / - alternative eg. x/y =. (x) OR (y) claim - to say without proof/evidence something is true context - situation and circumstances diff. - different discuss - (1) talk about, (2) consider two or more sides eg. – example essay - type of persuasive/written text etc. – etcetera : and so on exposition - factual writing eg. explanation, argument, etc. exam - examination formal language – impersonal language used in formal situations gaps – spaces where words are missing genre - type of text. eg. recount, narrative, exposition i.e. – that is IELTS - International English Language Testing System intro - introduction L - left match - put together, link no. - number practice - purposeful activity proposition - a statement or claim that may be true p/w - per week Q. - question or essay question R - right re./ref. - reference to / concerning / about recommendation - final suggestion, advice recount - retelling of past events, story about people structure - form, organization into stages or steps strategy – a way of doing s.t., a method or technique s.o. - some one s.t. - some thing text - a written passage, sometimes transcribed spoken via - through viz. - such as www.text2write.com © copyright Robert Lewis 3 contents I N T R O D U C T I O N T h e E s s a y 4 TOPIC 1 : LANGUAGE LEARNING 7 Reading & Vocabulary 8 Grammar : Be Logical 12 Writing practice 16 Review, checklist, sample questions 23 TOPIC 2 : WORK AND LEISURE 25 Reading & Vocabulary 31 Grammar : Be Authoritative 30 Writing practice 34 Review, checklist, sample questions 39 TOPIC 3 : THE ENVIRONMENT 41 Reading & Vocabulary 42 Grammar : Reason 46 Writing practice 49 Review, checklist, sample questions 56 TOPIC 4 : TV & COMPUTER GAMES 57 Reading & Vocabulary 58 Grammar : Be Cohesive 62 Writing practice 66 Review, checklist, sample questions 75 TOPIC 5 : SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 77 Reading & Vocabulary 78 Grammar : Sound Reasonable 82 Writing practice 84 Review, checklist, sample questions 91 A N S W E R S 93 4 www.text2write.com © copyright Robert Lewis introduction What is an essay? The essay is a form of academic writing widely used in secondary and higher education. The general purpose of the essay is to demonstrate the importance of a given subject or issue, and persuade an educated reader to consider the writer’s point of view on the issue. What is an exam essay? What do they examine? Exam essays, like the IELTS Task 2, test a student’s ability to think analytically, present persuasive arguments and thus communicate effectively in an academic context. In other words, the writer should show that they can : - answer the question, which requires the careful analysis of the question, - present and develop logical and reasonable arguments, and - communicate clearly, using appropriate language (vocabulary and grammar). What are the key stages of an essay? It is important to remember that the exam essay is a response to a given question, so it should answer the question clearly and decisively. To this end, the writer makes their position clear from the start, and then presents a sequence of arguments in support of their position, before finally restating their position. These are the three key stages of any essay. KEY STAGES INTRODUCTION Position The writer states their position or opinion, in response to the question/s. BODY Sequence of Arguments A sequence of arguments is given to support the writer’s position. Each argument is a claim supported with reasons, facts and examples. CONCLUSION Restatement The writer re-states their position to conclude. The staging of the essay is (in itself) a persuasive device. Statement and repeated restatement reinforce the writer’s position. Depending on the number, strength and logical development of arguments, any given essay will be more or less persuasive – and more or less successful. Most essays include a few optional stages, such as a ‘lead-in’ (which introduces the topic by providing some very general background information/ideas), and the ‘preview’ stage (which previews the arguments that will follow). A recommendation is optional, depending on the essay www.text2write.com © copyright Robert Lewis 5 question. Though many essays will differ, in terms of optional staging, all essays display the same key stages as above. The sample essay below illustrates a more complex staging of the essay genre. This essay (below) is a good example because it has a clear position statement, previews the arguments that follow, and proceeds to develop argumentation logically and coherently. The recommendation stage follows logically from the essay question, as the writer is required to discuss solutions to the problem of gambling. Q. What are the causes, effects and possible solutions to the problem of gambling? STAGING sample essay Lead-in POSITION Preview Sequence of ARGUMENTS 1. 2. 3. Restatement Recommendation GAMBLING Many people participate in gambling as a form of recreation and entertainment. It is very popular in countries, like Australia, where more than 20 billion dollars was spent on gambling in the year 2000. However, gambling is viewed by many as a problem for society . There are causes, effects and possible solutions for the problems related to gambling. Generally speaking, there are a number of causes of gambling-related problems. Many gamblers lose money and some get into debt very quickly. They may spend all their savings, and then borrow more money, to try and get out of debt. In this way, they may get into further debt. The effects of gambling can be devastating on both the individual and their families. If gamblers get into serious debt, their families may suffer hardship and poverty as a result. Some gamblers neglect their children, whom they abandon while they spend time gambling in casinos. If they are caught, the authorities might take their children away. Still others might take out their frustration on their friends or families, and possibly become violent. Solutions to the problems of gambling involve society and the government. In general, people should try to help those with gambling problems. The government should also place restrictions on gambling, and run education programs, to help gambling-addicts and raise people’s awareness and understanding of the related social problems. In conclusion, if we understand the causes and effects of gambling, the solutions become clear . Through education and support programs , it is possible to give people and addicts the knowledge and assistance they need to resist or overcome their gambling problems. In an assessment of a candidate’s essay the examiner will consider (i) whether the writer answers the question, (ii) their expression (grammatical accuracy and vocabulary), and (iii) the cohesion of the text (including whether arguments are logically developed). Therefore, when preparing for a writing exam, it is a good idea to practice developing arguments on many different issues and topics. 6 www.text2write.com © copyright Robert Lewis the language features of the essay The language features of an essay reflect the writer’s purpose, namely, to persuade the reader of their position (opinion) on a given issue. We have already mentioned that the staging of the essay is itself a persuasive device – by repeatedly stating and expanding on their arguments, the writer is being persuasive. The language features of an essay also reflect the persuasive strategies commonly used in argumentation : be logical, reason effectively, sound authoritative and reasonable (don’t exaggerate), and communicate effectively (precisely and cohesively). The relevant strategies and language features are summarised in the table below : PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES Language Features 1. Be LOGICAL CONJUNCTIONS for Listing, Addition etc. 2. Be AUTHORITATIVE TECHNICAL VOCABULARY & Nominalisation 3. REASON Language of CAUSE and EFFECT 4. Be COHESIVE REFERENCE WORDS 5. Sound REASONABLE Language of GENERALISATION Each chapter of this book discusses one of these five persuasive strategies and relevant language features as outlined above. In the Grammar unit of each chapter, further explanation and exercises are provided to help the reader become more familiar with the key language features and their effective use in writing short exam essays. www.text2write.com © copyright Robert Lewis 7 topic 1 language learning … in this chapter learn new vocabulary and read about the topic learn about conjunctions : being logical learn about three types of essay question develop ideas and write an essay on the topic a Bizzy moment… visualise (n) to see in your mind, imagine visualisation (n) process of imagining, in your mind’s eye 8 www.text2write.com © copyright Robert Lewis reading & vocabulary language learning 1.1 Match the word/expression with the meaning (R). 1. effectively a) a positive thing, a benefit 2. context b) situation, circumstances 3. memorise c) way of doing s.t., technique 4. method d) put into the memory 5. advantage e) with a good effect, result 6. interaction f) suggest, advise 7. recommend g) exchange between two 8. distinction h) relies on, conditional 9. comparatively i) purpose, aim 10. goal j) ability to function 11. functional proficiency k) clear difference 12. depends l) in comparison to s.t. else 1.2 Fill the gap using expressions from 1.1 above. 1. The main . goal …. of school is preparation for life. 2. Many language tests are designed to assess ………………… ……………… 3. Success in exams, ……………… on how hard you work. 4. In the …………………… of the classroom, students can practice speaking. 5. One way to prepare for the test is to …………………… facts. 6. ……………………… speaking, classroom learning is easier than self-study. 7. The best ……………. for learning new words is using them! 8. Sally’s teacher ……………………………. that she does more study. 9. The discussion was a very positive ………………………. 10. One …………………… of studying abroad is making new friends. 11. The most obvious ………………. between America and China is language. 12. Deaf people communicate …………………… using sign language. www.text2write.com © copyright Robert Lewis 9 1.3 Complete the table below, and revise vocabulary from Topic 1: language learning. Adjective Noun Verb Adverb 1. study 2. 3. learnt 4. 5. ___________ 6. 7. copy ___________ 8. 9. understand 10. 11. memory/isation 12. 13. enjoyable 14. 15. 16. repetitive 17. 18. 19. 20. acquisition 21. 22. 23. 24. instruct 25. 26. 27. teach ___________ 28. 29. ___________ methodically functional/ing 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. dependently 36. interaction 37. 38. 39 recommendation 40. ___________ contextual 41. 42. ___________ 43. advantage 44. 45. serious 46. ___________ 47. 48. 49 text ___________ 50. proficiency 51. ___________ conversational 52. 53. ___________ 54. speech 55. ___________ necessary 56. 57. 58. [...]... strong Students have to communicate if they want to survive They have to do things, such as buy food, find accommodation and make travel arrangements They are also exposed to the same language patterns many times and repeatedly practice what they need to say This process enables students to learn their new language through using it in actual communication 10 (355 words) www.text 2write. com © copyright... learn to use the language effectively The reason for this is that most people study a foreign language the same way they study a subject at school They memorise words, like facts or telephone numbers, but don’t know how to use the words to communicate Sometimes, their teachers do not understand the distinction between studying and really learning a language The main goal should be to teach students to. .. likes them 4 The new cars run on solar power ……………… petrol is too expensive 5 Silvy sleeps all night ……………… she sleeps in the afternoon too 6 Action films are popular ……………… cartoons are even more popular 7 Izumi was born in Tokyo ……………… she lives in New York 8 Chinese writing is very beautiful ……………… difficult to learn 9 ……………… soccer is fun to play, it is played everywhere in the world 10 Peter collects... others They do not seem to be different from other people, (12)………… languages seem to be easy for them another so firstly therefore also but www.text 2write. com © copyright Robert Lewis whereas another another consequently additionally also also notably 15 writing practice This unit looks at how to interpret the essay question, and then choose your response/position It is important to begin with the essay... children? How can poverty be eradicated? Explain essays do not give you a real choice about an issue or topic You must answer the question/s or the parts of the question fully With Discuss and Argue questions, you can choose your position, for or against www.text 2write. com © copyright Robert Lewis A position statement is a possible response to the question Before you decide on your response to a given... language, and why The easiest way to answer questions like this is to take ONE SIDE (yes OR no), and then develop each supporting reason/argument into a paragraph IF, however, you decide that you disagree with the proposition, then you must say what other ways there are that are more effective, and why Here’s one argument/paragraph to support the NO position on the issue : One way to learn a foreign language... Nonetheless After that / Finally When / If / In order to 2 ADDING / REINFORCING 6 CAUSE/EFFECT In addition / Also / and In order to / In this way / so as well as / In other words As a result / Because / then Another / Besides Consequently / As such Subsequently / Furthermore / Moreover Therefore 3 CONTRASTING 7 SUMMARISING However / In comparison To sum up / To conclude By contrast / Instead / but In conclusion... proposition, followed by the Yes/No question, or prompt: Give your opinion The writer chooses to either AGREE or DISAGREE, and presents one point of view Discuss the “pro’s and con’s” of smoking 3 DISCUSS The key word here is “discuss” Usually, the writer must present two sides of the issue There is however the possibility to choose just one point of view, as in B What type of essay question is it? (E... With the aid of a dictionary, you can learn the meaning of new words Subsequently, by writing about the story you have read, you can be sure that you are really learning these new expressions Reading stories is fun, and this is a good way to build your vocabulary and knowledge of stories 18 www.text 2write. com © copyright Robert Lewis This next exercise will give you some ideas for the essay in this chapter... teach everything you need to know …… y) The local people may not be friendly or helpful …… z) You can learn vocabulary from a bilingual dictionary …… Now, cross (X) the reasons for NOT learning a language in a foreign country www.text 2write. com © copyright Robert Lewis 19 writing practice Take 40 minutes to complete this task Make a plan, and write your essay Q “The best way to learn a foreign language . INTERMEDIATE – ADVANCED text texttext text 2write. com 2write. com 2write. com 2write. com How to write IELTS Essays by ROBERT LEWIS M.A. LINGUISTICS how to use this book for self study For self-study,. selected to help develop your academic vocabulary. You should also read widely and become familiar with other topics and issues. It is a good idea to read about topics that are less familiar to you,. educated reader to consider the writer’s point of view on the issue. What is an exam essay? What do they examine? Exam essays, like the IELTS Task 2, test a student’s ability to think analytically,