Writing samples: study guide – English (Additional Reading)

The topic explained

Formal and informal style; Techniques for persuading; Joining information in sentences; Paragraph structure; Introduction; Paragraph from main part of essay

Formal and informal style

Formal and informal style: how the two letters differ

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. Compare the styles of the two examples below.

OFTEN FOUND IN INFORMAL LANGUAGE	OFTEN FOUND IN FORMAL LANGUAGE
personal greetings, etc.	impersonal forms of address
general, everyday words and phrases	technical words and phrases
short sentences joined with and, but, etc.	longer sentences with relative clauses
contractions (e.g. I’ve)	full verb forms (e.g. We are)
active form of verbs	passive form of verbs

Techniques for persuading

Now the formal version of the same request.

Techniques for persuading: rhetorical questions and concession

Underlined in the examples: Obviously / Of course … but; may … but; While …

Joining information in sentences

Joining information in sentences: four ways

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

Sentence 1: Two clauses joined with a conjunction
Sentence 2: A clause plus an -ing phrase
Sentence 3: A main clause with a relative clause
Sentence 4: A clause plus an infinitive phrase

Paragraph structure

Paragraph structure: topic sentence, support, lead-in

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

Introduction

Paragraph from main part of essay

First sentence: 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.
Second sentence: The second sentence extends the idea in the topic sentence.
Fourth sentence: Other sentences in the paragraph may add more ideas or give examples of ideas already mentioned.
Last sentence: The last sentence says how you will approach the question and leads into the main part of the essay.

First sentence: Topic sentence
Second sentence: The second sentence gives a second idea, connected to the main one.

Opinion essays

Opinion essays: a three-paragraph plan

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.

Literature essays

Literature essays: what the question may ask, and a plan

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.

Note

Plan: Romeo and Juliet 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

Shakespeare and his time: the Renaissance and the rules of tragedy

Background to the play: the period when Shakespeare wrote.

Shakespeare and his time

Note

Shakespeare and his time 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

History

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: History

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

Tragedy

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: Tragedy

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

A preview of “Writing samples” from the unit “Wordlist and writing samples” in English (Additional Reading): 11 lesson sections, 5 definitions.

Writing samples