Essay Writing Worksheet

In this worksheet we will study the following points:

 How to approach essay questions
 How to plan for an essay
 How to write essay introductions
 How to write body paragraphs
 How to write conclusions
---
How to approach essay questions
 Read the question – it seems obvious but so many people don’t.
 Underline the key words
 Consider what type of essay question it is

Opinion & Argumentative Essays: What’s the difference

 Opinion essays require you to discuss your opinion.
o You only need to discuss one side of the argument (i.e. yours).
o They usually contain a phrase like “do you agree/disagree” or “To what extent do
you agree”.
 Argumentative essays ask you to discuss both sides of the argument.
o You need to discuss both sides and give your opinion.
o They usually contain the phrase “discuss the advantages and disadvantages” or
”discuss both these opinions and give your own”.

In Level 5 you will only be tested on Opinion Essays.

Exercise 1:

Are these Opinion or Argumentative Questions?

1. Without capital punishment (the death penalty) our lives are less secure and violent crimes
increase. Capital punishment is essential to control violence in society. To what extent do you
agree or disagree? Type: _______
2. Many people judge success solely by money and material possessions. However, others
measure success in other ways such as happiness or relationships. Discuss both these views and
give your own opinion. Type: _______
3. Modern lifestyles mean that many parents have little time for their children. Many children
do not get as much attention from their parents as children did in the past. Do you agree or
disagree with this statement? Type: _______
4. Some people believe that technology will soon replace the teacher’s role in the classroom.
Other people say that teachers will always be an essential part of the learning process. Discuss
both of these views and give your opinion. Type: _______
Exercise 2:

What are the key words in these essay questions? Underline them:

Without capital punishment (the death penalty) our lives are less secure and violent crimes
increase. Capital punishment is essential to control violence in society. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
---
The importance of Essay Planning
 You must plan before you start writing – failing to do this will mean your essay has very
little structure
 In terms of timing, I recommend the 25:75 rule : 25% of the time should be spent
planning and 75% writing.
 For example, if you have 40 minutes to write your essay, you should spend about 10
minutes planning and 30 minutes writing (including 5 minutes to check your
spelling/grammar at the end)
 How much to write for each part:
o Introduction: 15% - Main Body: 75% - Conclusion: 10%

---
How to write introductions
 Use the “funnel” method
 As you explain the topic, you could discuss key arguments from both sides of the
argument.
 Your thesis statement should state exactly what your main argument is.

An Example:
Essay Question: People will never be willing to make the dramatic lifestyle changes needed to
control climate change. For this reason, governments must force people to do so. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
Example Introduction:
The threat of climate change is ever present in today’s world. Though most people are aware of
it and are willing to make small changes to the way they live, this will not enough to prevent the
catastrophic damage it will cause to life on earth in the future. For example, the majority of
people will not take necessary steps such as giving up their car or stopping flying abroad. This
essay will argue that governments must force people to make changes or the problem of
climate change will never be solved. If necessary, people who continue to pollute the planet
should be sent to prison.

Key:
Context
Thesis Statement

Exercise 3:
Practice writing an introduction for this essay question:
Using a computer every day can have more negative than positive effects on children. Do you
agree or disagree?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
---
How to write body paragraphs
 Each paragraph should have one main idea.
 This main idea should be introduced in the topic sentence (usually the first sentence in
the paragraph).
 The supporting ideas give examples and explain the main idea in relation to the essay
question.
 Hence: P.E.E.!
o Make a point
o Give an example
o Explain the point

An Example:
In my view, computers are an invaluable resource to help young people explore the world
around them. For example, children who use Internet to satisfy their curiosity about diverse
topics are already becoming independent learners. No child with a computer is ever bored. By
starting early in their lives, children feel totally at ease around computers; they are also able to
acquire the skills needed later in life, which is a positive aspect.
Key:
Point
Example
Explanation

Exercise 4:
Write a topic sentence for the following supporting sentences:
Essay Question: In the last 30 years there have been significant developments in the field of
technology, for example the World Wide Web and communication by email. However, these
developments are likely to have more negative effects than positive in the future. To what
extent do you agree with this view?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Supporting Sentences: For example, people can access news, medical advice, online education
courses and much more via the internet. It is evident that these improvements have made life
more convenient for large numbers of people and will continue to do so for decades to come.

Exercise 5:
Write some supporting sentences for the following topic sentence:
Essay Question: Government investment in the arts, such as music and theatre, is a waste of
money. Governments must invest this money in public services instead. To what extent do you
agree with this statement?
Topic Sentence: There are several reasons for spending the government budget on public
services and not the arts.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
---
How to write conclusions
 Restate/summarise your argument
 Relate this to the real world or the future
E.g. To sum up, there are clear benefits of ensuring a large amount of investment goes into
public services as this influences the quality of life for nearly all of us. Spending money on the
arts is a waste of money because it divert resources from these more important services. As
such, I think the government should prioritise its spending on hospitals and schools, not the
arts.

Your essay writing checklist

Use this to check your essay at the end
 Have you answered all parts of the question?
 Is everything you have written relevant the to question?
 Is it clear what your main argument is?
 Does your introduction introduce the context and your thesis statement?
 Is your paragraphing correct? Do you have supporting ideas (examples and
explanations) to back up your main ideas?
 Does your conclusion summarise your main argument?
 Have you checked your grammar and vocabulary?