Writing samples

The table below shows the main differences between formal and informal language. These are not rules, but general guidelines. For example, it is not impossible to use active sentences in formal language, or relative clauses in informal language.

OFTEN FOUND IN INFORMAL LANGUAGE OFTEN FOUND IN FORMAL LANGUAGE personal greetings, etc.

general, everyday words and phrases short sentences joined with and, but, etc.

contractions (e.g. I’ve)

active form of verbs

impersonal forms of address technical words and phrases longer sentences with relative clauses full verb forms (e.g. We are)

passive form of verbs

Compare the styles of the two examples below.

1. Informal letter / email ⁦2 Formal⁩ letter / email

One way of persuading people of your opinion is by asking rhetorical questions. These are questions that make a point and don’t expect an answer. For example:

He’s one of the most successful leaders ever. Did he achieve that by accident?

You just have to keep trying until you succeed. Did I ever say success would be easy?

Our supporters believe we can win. Are we going to let them all down?

I just want to be free to make my own decisions. Is that such a difficult idea to understand?

Writing samples

Hi

I’m thinking of maybe putting together a cultural weekend in the town this summer. We haven’t sorted out the details yet, but first I want to try and get some help with the money. Don’t worry, I’m not asking you for money! I’ve heard that the local government has a store of money that they sometimes give to this kind of thing, and I think you might know the name and contact details of the person I need to write to.

If so, can you let me know? Thanks a lot. I’m looking forward to your answer.

All the best,

Dear Mrs Kelani

I have been given your name as the correct person to contact regarding funding for community events. I am considering the possibility of arranging a cultural weekend in the town this summer and I would like some information about whether any funding is available.

We have not yet finalised the details of the event, so this is a preliminary enquiry.

I can be contacted at the above address or email address. Thank you in advance for your attention. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Another common persuasive technique is to use concession. This means accepting part of the opposite argument before presenting your own opinion or idea. For example: Obviously / Of course we can’t return to the past, but we can still learn from it.

They may not be the worst team in the competition, but it’s very unlikely that they’ll win it.

While I agree with most of the writer’s points, I think there is a fault in the basic argument.

The examples below show the four main ways of joining information in sentences.

1. New Year is a time for families to get together and people often travel long distances to be with their families [Two clauses joined with a conjunction]
2. It can last as long as two weeks, starting on the first day of the month.

[A clause plus an -ing phrase]

3. Another custom, which is less popular now, is ‘first-footing’.

[A main clause with a relative clause]

4. To help you succeed, you need to include other people.

[A clause plus an infinitive phrase]

There are different ways to organise a paragraph, but the examples below (from an essay on globalisation) are simple and clear.

Globalisation is a complex idea, so before discussing this question, it is first necessary to make clear what we mean by it. One simple definition is that globalisation describes the ways in which, thanks to developments in technology, the world has changed very quickly in the last forty years. As a result of these changes, people and countries are now more connected with each other than they have ever been before. It is important to understand that the effects of globalisation are not limited to the areas of economics, trade and business. They are also cultural and personal. It is this wider definition that will be used in this essay.

Supporters of globalisation point out that it has brought the world closer together in various ways and has increased international understanding. It is now possible for people to watch the latest films and TV programmes from around the world, and it is much easier for new ideas to spread around the world. This applies to products as well as ideas. Shops and restaurants offer more international goods, often at very cheap prices.

This sentence gives the main idea of the paragraph and is sometimes called the topic sentence. It is often, but not always, the first sentence.

The second sentence gives a second idea, connected to the main one.

The second sentence extends the idea in the topic sentence.

Other sentences in the paragraph may add more ideas or give examples of ideas already mentioned.

The last sentence says how you will approach the question and leads into the main part of the essay.

Essay titles that ask you to give an idea, statement or quotation, can be a little more difficult to organise. Below is an example of a plan for a particular essay question.

Title: There is too much money in sport nowadays: winning at any cost has become the main aim in many sports, and has had a negative effect on players and supporters. How far do you agree?

Paragraph 1: Winning is not the only reason for playing sport.

Examples of other reasons.

Sometimes these may be as important as winning.

Paragraph 2: The effects money has on sport.

‘Win at all costs’ attitude can lead to cheating (examples).

Rich teams are able to ‘buy success’ (explain).

Paragraph 3: Own opinion.

Possible ways to change the situation (e.g. limit spending).

Essays on literature may ask you to do one or more of the following things.

• Retell the plot (how the story develops).
• Describe one or more characters.
• Explain the main message(s) of the story / book / play.
• Focus on a particular chapter or scene and explain how it fits in the whole.
• Give your opinion of the story / book / play and/or the ideas in it.

The example below shows a plan for a specific question that includes several of the points above.

Title: ‘Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet shows that romantic love is impossible in the real world.’ Say how far you agree, focusing on the two young lovers in the title.

Aims of essay: look at characters of R & J (age, attitudes, etc.); describe events in play that cause problems for them Definitions: what is ‘romantic love’?

what is ‘the real world’?

Paragraph 2: > Characters of R & J (young / emotional / believe love will solve all problems)

Examples

Paragraph 3: > ‘Real-world’ problems (⁦2 families⁩ / fighting, e.g. Tybalt / laws of Venice)

Paragraph 4: Conclusion

R & J’s actions not the only possibility Romantic love doesn’t need to be blind Possible to make compromises with ‘real world’ and avoid tragedy

The time when Shakespeare began writing is usually known as the Elizabethan period in English history, because the queen of England was Elizabeth I. Actually, though, Shakespeare continued writing after Elizabeth died and was even more successful after James I became king.

All over Europe, this period is known as the Renaissance (a French word meaning ‘born again’). The work of old Greek and Roman (or classical) thinkers and writers had been rediscovered, and their ideas were followed and developed. For example, one of the rules of old Greek plays was that the events in the play had to happen in the same time as in real life. Shakespeare didn’t always follow these rules in his plays, but the action of Romeo and Juliet does happen over only four or five days.

Another rule referred especially to tragedies. To be a tragedy, a play had to have a great and important person as the main character. This person has one particular problem in his character, and the events of the play make this problem grow out of control until it causes his death.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Comedy

All’s Well That Ends Well As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline Love’s Labours Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives of Windsor The Merchant of Venice

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Much Ado About Nothing Pericles, Prince of Tyre The Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Troilus and Cressida Twelfth Night Two Gentlemen of Verona

The Two Noble Kinsmen

Winter’s Tale

Henry IV, Part I Henry IV, Part II Henry V Henry VI, Part I Henry VI, Part II Henry VI, Part III Henry VIII King John Richard II Richard III

Antony and Cleopatra Coriolanus Hamlet Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus