FCE - Essay Paper 2 Part 1 General Essay Advice • In all parts of the writing think about ‘who’ is going to read it. In this case it’s your teacher. • Use formal language. • No contractions. • Ideas need to be expressed in a clear and logical way and should be well organised and coherent. It is advisable to use up to 5 paragraphs: o Introduction o Note 1 - present and evaluate o Note 2 - present and evaluate o Your idea - present and evaluate o Conclusion • Try to avoid first person and instead use passive reporting structures where possible. • Each paragraph should have at least 2 sentences. • 25% of the marks are for organisation, so remember: o Make sure your sentences aren’t too long. o Don’t forget capital letters, full stops and commas but avoid exclamation marks (!). o Do not use ellipsis points. (…) o Divide your essay clearly into paragraphs. • Rhetorical questions are acceptable but don’t overuse them. One in your introduction or conclusion is enough. • Don’t forget the word count! A really good essay is never 140 words long but don’t write more than 190. Don’t waste time counting each word. Count the words per line and multiply by number of lines. • Either strongly state your opinion in the introduction or wait until the conclusion. However, don’t bring in any new information in the conclusion. • Try to be ambitious with language. A perfect essay in simple language is not as good as an ambitious one with a few errors. • While it is possible to argue only one point of view (i.e. either agreeing or disagreeing on a topic) as long as you bear in mind the other point of view and back up your points, it is probably easier to have a balanced discussion comparing advantages and disadvantages, or ideas for and against a topic. Language • Varying the length of the sentences, using direct and indirect questions and using a variety of structures and vocabulary may all help to communicate ideas more effectively. • The correct use of linking words and phrases and the appropriate use of cohesive devices (e.g. using pronouns for referencing) is especially important in essays. • Pay attention to use of articles. Often in English there is no article where Spanish would have. Eg. Women are better at driving than men. Introduction It is undeniable that… Nonetheless,…? It is often said that… It is widely believed that… It is widely understood that… Nowadays, It would be ideal if… On the whole… While it is true to say that… we must also take into account… Passive reporting structures
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