Posts tagged writing
TOEFL Essay Writing Lesson: Body Paragraphs
Jul 21st
The other day we studied how to write an introductory paragraph for the independent essay question on the TOEFL exam. Today, let’s move on to the body paragraphs. As you recall, we had the following question, and we wrote the following introductory paragraph:
Some people prefer living in a big city. Others may prefer to live in the countryside. Which area would you prefer to live in? Give specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
Some people feel that living in a big city is exciting and comfortable. Big cities have all of the conveniences of life in one small area. Others may think that life in the countryside is ideal, because the air is clean and it is generally quiet. I believe that living in the countryside is better than living in a big city. While city life might be more convenient and provide opportunities for enjoyment and recreation, cities can be uncomfortable places to live because of noise, poor air quality, and congestion.
Now it is time to write a few paragraphs to explain our opinion. Each paragraph should begin with a statement of one of our reasons, and contain at least two sentences that support that reason. Here is an example:
The air quality in the countryside is much cleaner than that of a big city. Compared to a city, there are few cars and busses in the countryside, so the amount of exhaust fumes is less. Since there are no factories in the countryside, there is less industrial pollution there than there would be in a big city. Additionally, there are many trees and plants in the countryside, which make the air seem fresher.
In the above paragraph, I started with one of my reasons for preferring life in the countryside, clean air. I then gave three examples to support my idea that the air quality is better in the countryside than it is in a city. This is then the first body paragraph. Here is the essay so far:
Some people feel that living in a big city is exciting and comfortable. Big cities have all of the conveniences of life in one small area. Others may think that life in the countryside is ideal, because the air is clean and it is generally quiet. I believe that living in the countryside is better than living in a big city. While city life might be more convenient and provide opportunities for enjoyment and recreation, cities can be uncomfortable places to live because of noise, poor air quality, and congestion.
The air quality in the countryside is much cleaner than that of a big city. Compared to a city, there are few cars and busses in the countryside, so the amount of exhaust fumes is less. Since there are no factories in the countryside, there is less industrial pollution there than there would be in a big city. Additionally, there are many trees and plants in the countryside, which make the air seem fresher.
There should be two more paragraphs in this essay to support my other two opinions that the countryside is quieter than a city, and is less crowded than a city. Next time, we will look at those paragraphs, and the concluding paragraph. Thanks for studying today!
How about studying English with me? I am available for private English lessons in New York, and online via Skype. Also, check out my newest book & audio podcasts, 109 Phrasal Verbs
English Lesson: How to be a better writer
Jan 4th
Formal writing
No matter what profession one chooses, formal writing is always a part of our lives, and for those who are professional writers it can often be harder than for the rest of us.
One good thing about writing a formal letter – be it to a landlord, an employer, a corporation or a bank – is that we can always find templates in letters we have received, or online. This can be particularly helpful for people who are attempting to write formally in a foreign language. Spanish, English and Italian language courses are of course always available but often the best way is to use the help of Google.
Of course, even if you choose to study German or French at St Georges UK, formal writing tends to be laden with needless synonyms so a thesaurus is always helpful when trying to write in a more formal manner as well.
Fiction
Most people have at some point attempted to write a fictional story of some kind, but writers block can often show itself during the first stages of attempting the work of fiction, so the best idea is to create a plan. This can be a vague sketch of an idea or a detailed summary of each chapter – regardless it will help with the writing process.
The first thing to do is create a plot. Write a plot synopsis of around five per cent the length of the final story and outline the events which will be set out. The next main point of planning is character development. Sometimes it helps to create moodboards with the personalities and pasts of the characters set out graphically.
Once these two main elements of preparation have been completed you can start writing. Set yourself a target for each hour, day, or week and force yourself to comple
te them. By following these steps all you need is a good editor and you’re on your way to writing your first novel.
Love letters
Letters in this day and age are not necessary for us to communicate. Electronic advances have made it simple to pour out our thoughts in one fell swoop and click on a button for it to arrive at the recipient’s inbox. We can even Skype or Facebook chat with people on the other side of the world on a daily basis at no cost, making the old-fashioned love letter redundant.
However the lack of necessity has made this form of communication all the more appealing to people with a sense ofnostalgic romanticism.
To write the perfect love letter it’s important to use evocative language, often best achieved by metaphors and similies. If you’re not the most accomplished of writers or you find it hard to put your feelings into words, you can buy collections of famous love letters written by anyone from Beethoven to Lewis Carroll. Handwrite this to your love and post it. Even though the words aren’t yours the effect will be just the same.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this post. If you like my website, how about voting for me in the Macmillan Dictionary Love English Awards 2011 (Best Blog)
English Writing Practice for Fluency
Jul 12th
Ask any of my students and they will tell you that they practice their English conversation by writing in their journal every day. Remember, a journal is like a diary, but not so personal. Here are more details about how to write a journal.
If you have a teacher or tutor, you can ask them to review your journal for you. If not, why not try Poligo? Poligo is an online service where you can you can get your writing checked and questions answered fast by professional English teachers. You can also read interesting articles and answer questions about them.
I just wrote an article on Poligo today. Why not check it out and let me know what you think. Today’s article is about New York pizza!
