EXAM FILE: WRITING

Essay useful language

Example task introduction
In your English class you have been talking about whether museums are Is this really true?
important today. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay
for homework. There are arguments for and against the idea.
Write your essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view. It’s a difficult question to answer.
‘Museums are not necessary nowadays because we can find all the information There may not be an easy answer to the
we need on the internet’. Do you agree? question.
Notes introducing ideas
Write about: One benefit of … is …
• bringing history to life
An advantage of … must be …
• school trips
On the other hand, …
• (your own idea)
Of course, not all museums …
Write your essay in 140–190 words.
Another potential advantage is …
Example answer Introduce the
topic and catch expanding points
It’s sometimes said that museums are not necessary the reader’s One reason for this is that …
interest with
nowadays because all the information is on the internet, but This is because …
a rhetorical
is this actually true? There are arguments on both sides. In fact, …
question.
Firstly, museums give visitors the opportunity to see and Without a doubt, …
touch real things from the past, and it’s impossible to get Start each new Clearly, this is …
the same experience from looking up facts online. Clearly, point clearly.
museums bring history to life. There are also museums about
adding and contrasting ideas
science, space travel and so on where visitors can touch Moreover, …
interactive exhibits and get a real understanding of things Organise ideas In addition to this, …
that affect life today. and paragraphs However, this is not always true/the case.
well using
In addition to this, teachers often organise school trips to linking words
Although it seems that …
museums. Obviously, this is a very valuable experience for and phrases. Despite this …
students, as they are learning outside the classroom with
their friends, and talking about the trip is very motivating. writing a conclusion
To sum up, …
On the other hand, it can be expensive to visit museums, Make sure you
include an idea On balance, …
although some are free. However, they are good value for
of your own In conclusion, …
money, as they provide more accurate information than
in a separate
the internet, which can be unreliable.
paragraph.
Exam help
On balance, I would say that museums are not only
• Start your essay with a short paragraph
necessary nowadays, but are enjoyable places to visit. Give your own
introducing the topic. End with a conclusion that
We would miss them if they disappeared. opinion in the
follows your argument logically.
conclusion.
• Focus on one idea in each of the three middle
paragraphs. Make sure you include a new idea of
Over to you your own.
Now write your own answer to the task. Make sure that you include everything • Use a formal or semi-formal style, with a range of
required in the task and use the Exam help to check your work. vocabulary and linking words.
• Don’t write fewer than 140 words because you
won’t be able to include all the ideas you should.
Don’t write more than 190 words because you
may include ideas that are not relevant.
• Make sure you read your essay through to check
that it makes sense, and that you haven’t made
any grammatical or spelling mistakes.

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