How to write an essay

How to present your ideas

clearly and concisely when

writing with TOPIC

SENTENCES.

After a class discussion on different kinds of relationships, your teacher has
asked you to write an essay, giving your opinions on the following statement.

Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.

Write your essay in 120 – 180 words in an appropriate style

• Type of text?
• Aim?
• Style?

Essay

Give your opinion

Formal

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

What is the procedure for creating any
composition?

P

W

R

EVIEW

RITE

LAN

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

How many paragraphs are we going to
write?

4

How can we arrange our ideas within the
paragraphs?

1.

2.

3.

4.

Introducti
on

Advantages + disadvantages of
living alone

Advantages + disadvantages of living
with others

Conclusion

Can you think of an alternative way of doing
this?

2. Advantages of both

3. Disadvantages of both

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

1. Introducti

on

What should the introduction include?

Your opinion / a general statement /
rhetorical question

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

1. Introducti

on

What should the introduction include?

Your opinion

/ a general statement /

rhetorical question

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

1. Introducti

on

What should the introduction include?

Your opinion

/ a general statement /

rhetorical question

Which is the best
introduction?

3.

Living alone and

living with others are
two

very

different

experiences.

Both

clearly have obvious
advantages

and

disadvantages.

But

which is the most
enjoyable overall?

2.

I once lived in a

house with four other
people and it was
great. I much preferred
it to when I lived alone.
I had so much more
fun.

1.

In this essay, I am

going to talk about the
pros and cons of living
alone and living with
other people.

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

1. Introducti

on

What should the introduction include?

Your opinion

/ a general statement /

rhetorical question

Which is the best
introduction?

3. Living alone and
living with others are
two

very

different

experiences.

Both

clearly have obvious
advantages

and

disadvantages.

But

which is the most
enjoyable overall?

2.

I once lived in a

house with four other
people and it was
great. I much preferred
it to when I lived alone.
I had so much more
fun.

1.

In this essay, I am

going to talk about the
pros and cons of living
alone and living with
other people.

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

2. Advantages + disadvantages of

living alone

Make very simple contrasting statements. (TOPIC SENTENCES)

Example:

- Living alone can be boring

Topic sentence

Reason

Specific Example

It can be boring.

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

2. Advantages + disadvantages of

living alone

Make very simple contrasting statements. (TOPIC SENTENCES)

Example:

- Living alone can be boring

Topic sentence

Reason

Specific Example

It can be boring.

there is nobody to

keep you

company.

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

2. Advantages + disadvantages of

living alone

Make very simple contrasting statements. (TOPIC SENTENCES)

Example:

- Living alone can be boring

Topic sentence

Reason

Specific Example

It can be boring.

there is nobody to

keep you

company.

When you come home from work,

you will have to call someone if you

feel like socialising.

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

2. Advantages + disadvantages of

living alone

Make very simple contrasting statements. (TOPIC SENTENCES)

Example:

- Living alone can be boring

Topic sentence

Reason

Specific Example

It can be boring.

there is nobody to

keep you

company.

When you come home from work,

you will have to call someone if you

feel like socialising.

You have more

freedom.

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

2. Advantages + disadvantages of

living alone

Make very simple contrasting statements. (TOPIC SENTENCES)

Example:

- Living alone can be boring

Topic sentence

Reason

Specific Example

It can be boring.

there is nobody to

keep you

company.

When you come home from work,

you will have to call someone if you

feel like socialising.

You have more

freedom.

You don’t have

to discuss your

plans with

anyone.

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

2. Advantages + disadvantages of

living alone

Make very simple contrasting statements. (TOPIC SENTENCES)

Example:

- Living alone can be boring

Topic sentence

Reason

Specific Example

It can be boring.

there is nobody to

keep you

company.

When you come home from work,

you will have to call someone if you

feel like socialising.

You have more

freedom.

You don’t have

to discuss your

plans with

anyone.

You can throw a party whenever it

suits you.

ADVICE: If you can’t think of a reason or specific example, then
the topic sentence is too specific, or is not a good statement.

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

PLAN

2. Advantages + disadvantages of

living alone

How can you link these ideas
together?

Statement

Reason

Specific Example

It can be boring.

There is nobody to

keep you

company.

When you come home from work,

you will have to call someone if you

feel like socialising.

You have more

freedom.

You do not have

to discuss your

plans with your

flatmates

You can throw a party whenever it

suits you.

Linking
words!

Which could you use to link each part
together?

so

howeve
r

as a
result

due to the
fact

owing to the
fact

therefore

because

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

NOW WRITE YOUR
ESSAY!

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

NOW WRITE THE
CONCLUSION

Give your point of view based on
what you have said in the essay.
Make sure it is relevant!

TASK:

Write a formal essay which gives your opinion on the following statement

“Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else.”

NOW REVIEW YOUR ESSAY

Have you . . .

• answered the question properly?

• arranged your answer in clear paragraphs?

• joined your ideas together with linking words and phrases?

• Included vocabulary that will impress the examiner?

• Checked for spelling and grammar errors?

• Checked that your conclusion supports your arguments?