- •I would recommend that people not be so focused on a career. They should go to college to have new experiences and learn about themselves and the world they live in.
- •In my point of view,sports activities are as important as ,if not more important than,good
- •I always try to take public transportation whenever possible, and I encourage friends and
- •Improved medical care and healthy eating habits has greatly expanded our life spans. What we need to do now is make 'sure that everyone in the world has these benefits.
- •I think a good co-worker must have his own opinions. A co-worker should dare to propose his
- •In a short, there are several details to consider when planning a shopping center. In my part, I support to have a new shopping center in my community because its advantages outweigh disadvantages.
- •Inconvenient for everyone here. Many movies end late at night. Who wants a long drive home at 11:30p.M. Or midnight?
- •I think the media pay too much attention to the private lives of famous people. Television,
- •In conclusion, I think it is not a good idea to hire employees for their entire lives. It is both harmful to business and its employees, and therefore, also harmful to the society.
- •Is progress always good? Scientific progress brings us many conveniences and advanced
- •I would encourage us humans to look for other alternatives for our farmlands, housing, and industries. We have alternatives; the animals do not.
- •It is said that information is power. True saying indeed! I can envision how everything in my
- •I don't care what kind of work I do as long as I earn a lot of money. That's the most important
- •I agree with the statement "Playing games is important for adults". In this challenging world,
- •If all children follow their parents’ wishes, they would probably be happier. Parents only want the best for their children.
- •In a word, a difficult experience is a gift that life gives us. We should appreciate it and take it as a precious opportunity to gain knowledge and experience about our study, work and life.
- •I support the statement that automobile has caused serious problems. While automobile has
- •Inclusion, I think the most important quality for me in my work environment is the ability to work with others in a team.
- •In short, the most important custom from my country that I would like people from other
- •Instances of the same sort can be multiplied indefinitely. When taking into account all these
- •Indeed, modern technology has shorten the distance between cultures, and made this world
- •Intelligence is a wonderful thing to have, but not all intelligent people use their intelligence
- •I think a combination of two years on-campus and two years off-campus is a winning combination for most students.
- •I make the family the important influence doesn't deny that the role of friends on the young adults. Only that friends' role is not as important as the family.
- •It is true that there are some advantages about not planning for the leisure time, but I would
- •In conclusion, the type of person I am has changed with the circumstances of my life. The
- •I agree with the above statement because, I believe that we mature through dissatisfaction.
- •I think it's more important for students to study history and literature. These subjects help us
- •I know there are people who would say "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." However, it's
- •It is manifest from the above argument that the proposition” only people who earn a lot of money are successful” is still subjected to serious reconsideration.
- •Into our homes that previous generations would not have had the opportunity or regret to witness.
- •I hope that, sometime, all my nationals will give wheat the importance it deserves.
- •Ireland would be a refreshing break from the life I lead in my own country. I wish I could go there.
- •I think we remember special gifts we've received because these gifts often are part of a special
- •It's not that I begrudge the players and entertainers their huge salaries. Most of them have very
- •I think that reading and writing is more important now than in the past. Many factors influenced to make the written expression more useful and necessary at present than in the past.
- •I hope I can always study in a school where they use the lecture system. I think it is better to
- •In short, if I had to create a new holiday, I would create "Walking Day" because of the many simple benefits it could provide us.
- •In all,though it is a hard choice,more and more people are aware that the need for land to be left in its natural condition is more than be developed for housing and industry.
- •Independently and have your own opinions. You have to think independently when you study
- •If I had the chance of purchasing either a house or a business, I would prefer the latter. There are a lot of reasons for the choice, and I would like to put them in the following way.
- •Immediately following the topic sentence, you should provide clear, specific details to lend
Immediately following the topic sentence, you should provide clear, specific details to lend
credence to the argument of your paper; specifically, to the topic sentence of that paragraph. To accomplish this, you should use specific dates, people, places, and/or events. You will most likely need more than one sentence to provide sufficient details for each point. Use transitions to introduce your examples (see list in appendix).
Generally speaking, the body paragraphs are longer than the introduction and conclusion. However, be sure that each body paragraph contains only one main sub-point. All the ideas included in each paragraph must fall under the broader topic sentence. That is, every new idea requires a new paragraph. Think of each sentence after the topic sentence ("the set") as a sub-set of it.
While you will want to use transitions within your body paragraphs, you also need to use them to connect one body paragraph to another. This is necessary to make your paper smooth and coherent. For example, if you are writing a compare/contrast essay, you may want to begin your second body paragraph with a transition phrase such as on the other hand or in contrast. Study the list of transition terms at the end of this chapter to determine which one(s) would be appropriate for the type of essay you are writing.
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Practice One
Read the following sample essay body divisions, and think of possible topics for these divisions.
1. I. Introduction II. Body A. Past B. Present C. Future
III. Conclusion
2. I. Introduction II. Body A. Infant B. Quid C. Adult D. Old Age
III. Conclusion
3. I. Introduction II. Body A. Emotional B. Mental C. Physical III. Conclusion
4. I. Introduction II. Body A. Urban B. Small Town C. Countryside
III. Conclusion
5. I. Introduction II. Body A. Home B. Work C. School III. Conclusion
Practice Two
In the exercises below, take the topic provided and, working with a partner, create your own subtopics.
EXAMPLE: Topic: Best uses of home computers II. Body
B. Entertainment C. Pay bills
1. Topic: The most practical college majors II. Body A. B. C.
2. Topic: Advantages to living in a foreign country -
II. Body
A. <-.-:
B. C.
3. Topic: What a person must do to have a successful life II. Body A. B. C.
Practice Three
Choose one of the topics above, and write a 3-paragraph essay body on it. You have 20 minutes in which to write the body. You may choose either two or three sub-points (body paragraphs). Be
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sure that you begin with a topic sentence, and that all of the following sentences in that paragraph remain within the framework of your topic sentence. A new topic introduces a new paragraph.
THE CONCLUSION OF THE ESSAY
The conclusion of the essay is often neglected. One reason for this is that students often run out of time during the essay examination and never get beyond the body of their papers. Another factor is that students often do not know how or when to end their essay. Yet failure to end your essay is analogous to not finishing the final chapter of a book. Your reader is left with unanswered questions; you must put these to rest before you finish your paper. However, if you have gone through the recommended organization steps laid out in our earlier sections and practiced timed writing on your own, finishing your essay should become an easier task.
The following guidelines can help you improve your concluding paragraph:
Before writing your conclusion, reread your introduction (paying special attention to your thesis) and your topic sentences. This will refresh your memory as to the main idea and main subpoints of your paper.
Begin your conclusion with a paraphrase of your thesis. It is vital that you not repeat your thesis verbatim. Doing so is redundant and boring, and you miss the opportunity to show your readers the breadth of your vocabulary. Follow with general statements. These should be a summary or evaluation of previously mentioned main thoughts.
Your last sentence should provide a final thought or comment concerning your main topic. The following should be avoided in a conclusion:
New information does not belong in a conclusion. You have neither the time nor the space to
develop it further (this is what the body paragraphs are for). Avoid detailed information in support of your thesis. This, too, should be found in the body of the essay, after your topic sentences.
Don't begin your conclusion with "to conclude" or "in conclusion." It is clear to your reader that this is your final paragraph and is obviously your conclusion. (You may, however, begin your conclusion with transitions like therefore, thus, to sum up, or in summary.)
A conclusion should not be lengthy. In general, three or four sentences will suffice. This is especially true of a 30-minute essay examination conclusion.
Practice One
Take the following thesis statements and paraphrase them so that they would fit into a conclusion. Remember that a paraphrase keeps the same ideas of the original statement, but uses your own words. When paraphrasing a thesis, it is often helpful to underline the key words in the original sentence. Be sure to use synonyms for these where possible. Also, be sure to include all of these main ideas in your rewrite. For example:
THESIS:
Getting married and having children is not key to one's happiness.
PARAPHRASED THESIS: A person may find contentment in life even if (s)he never
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marries or has children.
1. Thesis: "If you want to live a long and productive life, you must exercise regularly and eat healthy foods."
Paraphrased Thesis:
2. Thesis: "Because of the conveniences and the cultural opportunities available in the city, living there is superior to living in the countryside."
Paraphrased Thesis:
3. Thesis: "The only ways to become a proficient writer are to read as much as possible and write whenever you can."
Paraphrased Thesis:
TRANSITION TERMS
The word transit means to move or pass from one place to another. Thus, the words and phrases we use to move smoothly from one idea to another one in an essay are called transitions. To create a coherent, smooth essay, you must use these terms, and use them correctly.
While not every sentence in an essay requires a transition, you must disperse a variety of them throughout the essay to link sentences and paragraphs to each other. The chart below states the purpose of the transition and provides you with a variety of similar ones to use. Avoid redundancy in your essay by choosing several different ones. In other words, don't use "however" every time you want to show contrast; instead, select as many different phrases as needed that serve the same function. Use commas to separate transitions from the rest of your sentence.
Purpose of Transition
to show likeness or add information to show contrast
to introduce examples to explain to emphasize to generalize to conclude or show result
to indicate sequence or show order
Possible Transition Terms
also, too, besides, in addition, furthermore, moreover
however, but, on the other hand, conversely, yet, though, in contrast, nevertheless for example, such as, e.g., to illustrate, for instance
that is, in other words, i.e.
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in fact, indeed, certainly, clearly, of course
generally speaking, in general, overall, for the most part, usually, typically, in conclusion, in summary, to sum up
therefore, thus, consequently, as a result, as a consequence first, second, next, then, finally, lastly
Appendix 2: A Patterned Plan of Attack
Writing
READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY. Be sure you understand exactly what is being asked, and prepare to answer it.
ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS in an outline or other logical way.
ADD sufficient DETAILS OR EXAMPLES in the plan for each major topic.
PAY ATTENTION TO GRAMMAR. Do not try to make it complicated. Just make sure every sentence is complete and logical.
PAY ATTENTION TO VOCABULARY. Do not try to use words if you are not
absolutely certain how they should be used. Big words are not necessary to achieve a good score.
WRITE CAREFULLY, following the organization of your outline and watching the grammar and vocabulary.
PROOFREAD. Make changes as necessary.
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