Miracles do not last forever essay in English. Writing an essay in English

The Cossacks, who in this picture are writing a letter to the Turkish Sultan, could not imagine that their descendants in the 21st century would experience no less difficulties when writing an essay in English for the Unified State Exam.

How to get around all the pitfalls and write task 40 for the treasured 14 points– in my article!

general information

Task 40 on the Unified State Exam in English is a task of an increased level of complexity and is officially called “an extended written statement with elements of reasoning (your opinion).” For the sake of brevity, our sister, in the article I will simply call this beast “essay” or “composition”.

Here's what it looks like:

An essay is a tasty task because it can bring 14 points on the exam. And if I recommend writing straight to a draft in order to save time, it is better to plan out the essay and write it as a draft, and then transfer it to the answer form (you can download one here -).

From the demo version of the Unified State Exam 2019 from the FIPI website, it is clear that now the student can choose any of the two proposed essay topics!

Criteria for evaluation

To understand how to write need to, let's get acquainted with the assessment criteria for task 40 from the FIPI website.

Solving a communication problem

As you can see, according to the criterion “solving a communication problem” you can get the maximum 3 points. I’ll decipher what they are given for:

• Essay written according to plan
• In an essay enough words
• Style neutral

Writing Plan essays are carefully given in the assignment itself (see above):
– make an introduction (state the problem)
– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion
– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion
– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion
– make a conclusion restating your position

Word count required to obtain the maximum score is also indicated - “Write 200-250 words”. A deviation from the specified volume of 10% is acceptable. That is, you can write from 180 to 275 words. Achtung! Attention! If you write less than 180 words, the essay will not be checked - the expert will give 0 for solving a communicative task, and 0 for this item means 0 for the entire task. And the satisfied teacher checks one less essay. And if a student exceeds the threshold of 275 words, the expert will cross out the 250th word and simply won’t check further. That is, if there are counterarguments or conclusions left behind 250 words, they simply will not be counted and you will not see the maximum for this criterion.

About word count criteria. When determining whether the scope of the submitted work meets the above requirements, all words are considered, from the first word to the last, including auxiliary verbs, prepositions, articles, and particles. Wherein:
- numerals expressed in numbers, i.e. 1, 25, 2009, 126 204, etc., are counted as one word;
 numerals, expressed in numbers, together with the symbol of percentages, i.e. 25%, 100%, etc. are counted as one word;
- numerals expressed in words are counted as words;
 complex words such as good-looking, well-bred, English-speaking, twenty-five are counted as one word;
 abbreviations, for example USA, e-mail, TV, CD-rom, are counted as one word.

Neutral style is met if task 40 contains no abbreviations (I’m sure/ doesn’t matter/ wasn’t stated) and colloquial vocabulary (it is stupid to think so/ this opinion sucks/ the people wearing such clothes are mad).

Even when writing an essay, I strongly advise you to avoid rhetorical questions (But have you ever wondered...?), because Ms. Verbitskaya’s opinion on their use is inconsistent - one year they can be used, another year they cannot be used. Also, I would not recommend writing a phrase that begins with Let’s.... It can be regarded as colloquial. Better safe than sorry.

One more note in the paragraph about the communicative task - about plagiarism. If more than 30% of the answer coincides with the published source, then 0 points are assigned according to the criterion “Solving a communicative problem”, and, accordingly, the entire task is assessed at 0 points. So there is no point in memorizing excerpts from topics; you will have to think on your own.

Organization of text

The maximum for this criterion is also 3 points. You can get them if:

• the essay is correctly divided into paragraphs
• the essay is logical and has means of logical communication

It is clear that you need to write as many paragraphs as are in the plan ( five paragraphs!) and everyone must convey a thought corresponding to this point of the plan.

Below is more information about what to write in these five paragraphs and what means of logical communication use in them.

Introduction (paragraph No. 1)

The “correct” introduction consists of 2-3 sentences and paraphrases stated topic, and also shows the existence two opposing points of view on the problem.

Let's take the topic from the assignment above - Makinga good salary is more important than job satisfaction.

The introductory paragraph below paraphrases the theme ( career choice is one of the most important decisions in our life; it is essential to love what you do; whereas others focus on high salary while choosing a future profession) and indicates the existence of different points of view ( Some people believe that …, whereas other focus on …).

To join, I would recommend using the following tools: logical connection:

• Some people think/believe/consider that …, whereas other think/believe/consider that …
• The problem / issue / question of… has always aroused heated / sharp disputes / debates / discussions / controversy
• Our modern world is unthinkable / unimaginable / inconceivable without... However, there are plenty of people who believe that it is not necessary / doubt the necessity / importance / use / benefit / good of...
• …gaining increasing popularity today, many still dispute / doubt / challenge / bring into question / cast doubt on its use for the society
• It is often difficult to decide which position to take whenever there is a debate regarding a choice between… and…

In the essay plan, in the second paragraph the student is asked to express his opinion and give 2-3 arguments in support of it. I would stop at two arguments in favor to fit into the required number of words. And the arguments “for” should be detailed - that is, we don’t just say “I think so,” but explain the point of view.

I also advise you to rush to prove not your point of view, but to defend a position for which you can come up with more arguments. At the training stage to plan the structure of an essay, it would be good to draw mind maps:

This thing will also come in handy during the exam. Helps to gather thoughts together before writing a draft.

In the topic about working for an idea or money, it was easier for me to find arguments about the superiority of the spiritual over the material:

Ligaments to express your opinion:

• I believe/ I consider that…/ I am convinced that…
• I personally favour…
• To my mind…/ In my opinion…/ It seems to me that…
• I can't but agree that...
• I am against…/ I don’t approve of…/ I don’t support the idea of…/ I personally frown on…
• It is said/believed that…
• It goes without saying that…

Ligaments to express arguments:

• Firstly / first and foremost / first of all ...
• A major benefit is that…
• To begin/start with, it is important to emphasize that…
• Furthermore/ Moreover/ What is more/ Besides, …
• A further convincing argument is that…
• Another (positive/negative) aspect of…
• Finally/Lastly

Opposite point of view (paragraph No. 3)

In paragraph 3 you need to state that there is an opposing point of view and support it arguments. There can be 1 or 2 of them (arguments) - it all depends on the number of pluses in the previous paragraph. I adhere to the rule “3 pluses in the 2nd paragraph - 1 minus in the third paragraph”, “2 pluses in the 2nd paragraph - 2 minuses in the 3rd”, otherwise you may not fit into the amount of words. Personally, I prefer the scheme in the evening - money, in the morning - chairs 2 arguments for - 2 arguments against.

Here's what I got with the opposite point of view.

Connectives for expression opposite opinion.

• However, not all people share my point of view. They say that...
• They assume/suppose…
• They are in favor of... / They approve of... / They favor...
• There is another side to the issue/question of …
• There are people who have the opposite opinion./ Not all people share my viewpoint.

Counterarguments (paragraph No. 4)

This is one of the most problematic parts of the essay. The arguments “for” and “against” are invented; need more refute the arguments against, which were presented in paragraph 3. And do it neutrally. That is, write in the style of a troll from the forum: “Look, give him a good salary too!” You can’t sit on two chairs!” it is forbidden. =(

At the planning stage of drawing mind maps, you should think about which argument is best suited for counterargumentation and do not write it in the paragraph with your opinion, but save it “for dessert” - that is, for the fourth paragraph.

Let me emphasize once again that in the fourth paragraph we are precisely we refute the arguments of the third paragraph, and let's not come up with any more arguments“to the heap.” The opposite opinion in paragraph 3 talked about the importance of money to satisfy material needs and improve the standard of living. Let us object that pleasure from work and, as a result, professionalism are directly related to the size of the salary.

Connectives for expression counterarguments.

• To a certain extent it is right, but we should not forget that… / we should consider the fact that… / one should not disregard… / one should take into account …
• However veracious it sounds, I would not agree with the above mentioned idea.
• However, I disagree with these contentions.
• I am afraid I cannot agree with these people here as I think …

Conclusion (paragraph No. 5)

At the end of the hard-won essay, you need to do it again declare the problematic nature of the topic(indicate two points of view) and your opinion. It is important here not to repeat yourself in wording and thoughts.

In conclusion I would like to state that work occupies a great part of everyday routine. Evidently, it is more logical to choose an occupation you fancy over the one that brings in only money.

Expressions for the final paragraph:

• To conclude/ sum up/ summarise
• All in all...
• All things considered...
• Taking all this into account/ consideration…
• In short/conclusion…

Vocabulary, grammar, spelling and punctuation

Now that we’ve sorted out the plan for writing an essay, let’s move on to the grammatical, lexical and spelling and punctuation of the essay. The table below explains the criteria for evaluating these parameters:

Lexical errors

Let's look at what errors are proudly called “Lexical”. This:

• incorrectly used word in context (I would not speak so instead of I would not say so)
• compatibility error (make homework instead of do homework)
• omitting a word if it does not affect the grammatical structure of the sentence (My parents are very well familiar (missing the preposition with) the topic)
• errors in word formation if the part of speech does not change (for example, unresponsible instead of irresponsible)
• error in phrasal verb (give in smoking instead of give up smoking)
• a spelling error that changes the meaning of a word (thing instead of think, whether instead of weather)

But you not only need to avoid making mistakes, you need to remember that vocabulary in the essay should correspond to the task. That is, if the essay is about food, all sorts of synonyms and expressions on the topic “food” should be used. The lexical composition of the essay should be varied. If the author uses simple words and expressions (I think, I need to say, It’s good/bad to) or repeats vocabulary, the wedding will not receive a maximum score for the “vocabulary” criterion. To get the coveted point, you need to use collocations (start doing – take up), phrasal verbs (meet friends – meet up), and tricky vocabulary (think – consider). For example, the essay given as an example is replete with set expressions ( fulfilling job, be of primary importance, sooner or later), it contains a phrasal verb ( bring in) and synonymous chains career-job-work-occupation/ love – be keen on – be fond of – fancy/ satisfying job – fulfilling job – favorite job/ high salary – material aspect – well-paid job.

Grammatical errors

When checking task 40, the expert puts a grammatical error in the margins if the error:

• in any grammatical form, be it the form of a verb, plural noun, degree of comparison, and in any topic from the “Grammar Topics” section of the codifier
• in the order of words in a sentence (for example, I don’t know what they are thinking about. – In the second part of the sentence, the word order is reversed, although there is no question mark)
• there is a missing word that affects the structure of the sentence (for example, These people are wrong. – The linking verb “are” is missing)
• in word formation, if the part of speech changes (for example, they wanted to write “politician” (politician), but they wrote politic (political)

Also, if a student makes do with simple sentences, points are deducted. The essay welcomes complex structures, modal verbs, phrases with the passive/infinitive/participles, conditional sentences, the main thing is not to overdo it and “do not write everything beautiful at once”, to the detriment of the meaning. For example, in my essay, in addition to all sorts of complex sentences, there are degrees of comparison ( the most important, higher), modal verbs ( can't, have to), passive ( are underpaid or underestimated), conditional sentence ( If a person is fond of his work, he will eventually become a professional in his area), construction with comparative adjectives ( The more money you have, the better life you can afford).

Spelling and punctuation errors

The following are considered spelling errors in an essay:

• All errors that do not change the meaning of the word (for example, collegue, becouse, languaege)
  (If an error changes the meaning of a word, it becomes lexical - for example, thing instead of think, whether instead of weather)
• If a word in a work is written correctly once, but the rest are written incorrectly, this is considered an error.
• If a letter or word is written illegibly, the word is considered incorrectly written

In the entire written part of the exam, the student can choose either the British or American spelling of the word - favorite / favorite, colour / color, drugstore / pharmacy, crisps / chips. And stick to the chosen option until the end. That is, if color is written in one sentence and favorite is written in another, such variability will be recorded as an error.

Now about punctuation. Forget about abbreviations in essays (don’t/wouldn’t/mustn’t) - they will take away points from you. They can and should be written in a letter to a friend (), but not in an essay.

And if the work is written “like a chicken with its paw” (hello to our Russian language teachers =)) - that is, there will be a lot of strikethroughs in it - the expert has the right to reduce the grade by half a point.

Essay example

Makinga good salary is more important than job satisfaction.

It is common knowledge that career choice is one of the most important decisions in our life. Some people believe that it is essential to love what you do, whereas others focus on high salary while choosing a future profession.

In my opinion, a satisfying job is a better option. It fills life with positive emotions giving the energy to accomplish different tasks as we manage our daily routine. Another positive aspect of a fulfilling job is that your performance and, consequently, results are higher if you are keen on the task you are doing.

There are people who have the opposite opinion, for them the material aspect is of primary importance. The more money you have, the better life you can afford. Besides, money means opportunities – opportunities for better housing, education, entertainment and simply higher quality of life.

However veracious it sounds, I would not agree with the above mentioned idea. If people are fond of their work, they will eventually become professionals in a chosen area, and specialists are rarely underpaid or underestimated. A favorite job becomes well-paid sooner or later.

In conclusion, I would like to state that work occupies a great part of everyday routine. Evidently, it is more logical to choose an occupation you fancy over the one that brings in only money.

Attention! When you rewrite your answer on the exam form, do not forget to write the task number at the beginning - Task 40. Also, from this year you cannot write on the back of form 2 (that is, the one where you need to write the essay). If something doesn’t fit in you – and it won’t fit, I guarantee you that – ask for the next form. I advise you to ask for the next form in advance, because the exam assistants may run out of them, and searching for new ones may take some time, which is so important.

And organize your time so that during the exam you have time to rewrite the entire written task on the form. An essay written as a draft is not checked.

Algorithm for writing an essay for an exam

1. Allow 60 minutes to write.
2. Read the topic and draw a mind map on the topic. After drawing, make sure that all the arguments given are clearly on the topic (not on a similar one that you have already written). Every year the exam writers come up with something new, so don't expect to get a topic you're already familiar with and don't slip into another one that's similar. This is fraught with a score of “0” for the CP criterion, that is, a score of “0” for the entire task 40.
3. Read your arguments again and select the most appropriate arguments in the 3rd and 4th paragraphs - that is, arguments against and a counterargument to it.
4. Write a draft essay. If you have little time left, write to the final copy right away.
5. Check for errors. Here I advise you to remember your typical “blunders” and check your work on them.
6. Rewrite it as a clean copy. Check for mistakes, check that you wrote “Task 40” before the essay.

P.S. – If you are reading a topic for an exam and realize that you don’t know a word in the topic, don’t panic! Calm down and try to guess how this word can be translated.

Preparation

I would advise preparing for task 40 when the student’s level corresponds to at least B1 (ideally B2, because it is stated as the key to success on the Unified State Exam).

With level B1, I start preparing for this task about 6 months before the exam - first we analyze the assessment criteria, then we read and analyze essays from previous years, and at the end we try to write our own essays.

For practice, I would recommend purchasing Khotuntseva’s book; it is the most useful of all the manuals that claim to help you prepare for the written part. The other books presented below are also good, but Khotuntseva’s book is the best.

Buns

I will leave here the essay assessment scheme that the expert uses when checking assignment 40.

It is useful to show this chart to the student during preparation and fill it out together, using it first to evaluate the essays of previous years, and then the student’s own essay.

Please note that this article is current for the Unified State Exam 2018. In subsequent years, the requirements for writing this assignment may change and my advice will no longer be relevant.

Materials used when writing this article from fipi.ru– the most reliable source for preparing for the Unified State Exam and the Unified State Exam. Anything you read on other sites may contain incorrect information - be careful! (Yes, I've seen a few of these sites with incorrect information and bad essay examples!)

I recommend looking at examples of examination essays with analysis in the article about.

First of all, your English essay must cover ALL the aspects outlined in the assignment, and must also be written in an appropriate (neutral) style. It should be logically divided into paragraphs and correspond to the plan proposed in the assignment.

In order not to get confused in the process of writing your essay, you need to spend 5-7 minutes thinking about the plan and preparing all the arguments. Traditionally, we will divide the essay into five paragraphs.

Paragraph 1. Introduction

There should be a problem statement here. Since the statement of the problem is already stated in the assignment, your task is to correctly retell it. It is RETELL, not paraphrase.

Instead of banal “Some people think, ... Others think, ..." can be used:

Some people claim that ..., while others argue that ...

After you have described the essence of the problem, you can ask the question directly, which you will answer in your essay. For example:“What is better: ... or ...?”, “What should we do: ... or ...?”

The last sentence of the introductory paragraph should state the purpose of your essay. This can be done, for example, like this:

In this essay I will try to look upon this issue.
In this essay I will try to express my opinion on this issue.
In this essay I would like to express my point of view on this issue.
In this essay I will try to answer this question.(This is the simplest option, if it is difficult for you to remember the previous two, remember it)

Paragraph 2. Your opinion

It is most logical to start this paragraph by expressing your position on this issue. Useful phrases (be sure to follow this punctuation!):

In my opinion...
From my point of view, ...
To my mind...
Personally, I think that...
I'm certain that...
As far as I am concerned, ...

Next, you need to give 2-3 arguments confirming your point of view. There can be any arguments, as long as you interpret them correctly. That is, such that it would be difficult to argue with them (within reasonable limits, of course).

Advice: It is better to give 2 arguments and justify them in detail and give examples to support them, than 3 that are brief and not fully developed. Remember that the essay has a word limit.

Here we must not forget about the means of logical connection of sentences. The first argument is good to start with:

Firstly...
To start with, ...
To begin with, ...
First of all...

After you have formulated the first argument, you need to confirm it and/or give an example to support it. Here are the simplest models of how this can be done:

Because...
. That's why...
. For example, ...

If you started with the word“Firstly,...” , then the second argument should begin with the word Secondly, . If the first argument came with the phrases “To start with, ...”, “To begin with, ...”, then the second argument can be started with the following words:

Moreover...
Furthermore,...
Besides...
In addition...

The second argument must also be supported by an example or proof.

Paragraph 3. Opposite opinion

You will begin the paragraph by stating an opposing opinion on the proposed topic or issue. You can do it like this:

Others believe that...
Some people argue that...
However, some people think that...

This is followed by 1-2 arguments confirming the opposite opinion. I advise you to initially think about two. And how much to write in the end: 1 or 2 – decide in the process, based on the resulting size of your essay.

Advice: You will have to challenge opposing arguments later, so when you come up with them initially, think about how you will challenge them. If you have nothing to object to an invented argument, it is better to immediately replace it with another, so as not to have to do this while writing an essay. It's also limited!

Tip: When challenging arguments, you should not repeat anything written in the second paragraph. Therefore, if you cannot come up with a counterargument without repeating yourself, try to come up with something else. Alternatively, you can come up with other arguments in favor while the essay is not yet written. In any case, it is better to think about this initially while you are planning your essay, rather than during the writing process!

Paragraph 4. Your counterarguments

The point of this paragraph is to explain why you disagree with the opposing opinion. You can start a paragraph, for example, with a sentence:

I can't agree with this opinion because ...
I'm afraid I can't agree with this idea because ...

ATTENTION: if you gave two arguments in the previous paragraph, then you must refute both. They can be distinguished by the following phrases:

As for...,
Speaking about...,
As far as... is concerned,

Advice: When refuting opposing arguments, it is best to suggest ways to solve them, rather than prove their ineffectiveness. For example, if someone believes that pets are dangerous, then one should not argue that they are, in fact, harmless. It is better to turn this disadvantage into an advantage, saying that they are excellent guards in country houses.

Paragraph 5. Conclusion

The most common mistake many students make is that in conclusion they simply express their opinion. This is not enough. After all, the conclusion applies to the entire essay, not just the second paragraph.

Thus, in the conclusion you need to summarize everything that was said in the essay and express your point of view. You can also give your recommendations on the existing problem. The most important thing is that the conclusion should not contain any new information.

In conclusion, ... To sum up, ... To conclude, ...

Next, we let the reader understand that there are two points of view on this problem, and despite the opposite point of view, we still adhere to ours. For example, this can be done according to the following scheme:

Despite the fact that ..., I’m convinced that ...
Taking into consideration different opinions on this issue, I believe that ...

Language design of the essay

After you have written your Unified State Exam essay in English, be sure to review it again for possible errors. From my experience of the most common mistakes, I advise you to pay attention to the following things:

Go through each noun separately. If a noun is countable and singular, it must be preceded by an article! Most likely, you should have it undefined (but look for yourself in the context).

Go over all the introductory words and phrases and make sure they are followed by commas. On the contrary, there should be no comma before the word ‘that’:“I think that...”, “Others believe that...”.

If the subject is expressed by the 3rd person singular ( he/she/it ), do not forget to add the ending –s to the verb!

There is a separate discussion about “smart” words. There is a separate item in the assessment criteria: Vocabulary. Believe me, it is better not to use a buzzword than to use it incorrectly and get minus points for it.

Advice: If you don’t know a lot of “smart” vocabulary, cram it as much as possible into pre-memorized phrases. For example, instead of the banal “for example” you can use “for instance”; Instead of “I think” use “I believe / suppose / presume”. That is, in essence, you need to come up with vocabulary that you can definitely use in your English essay, no matter what topic you come across.

Answering the question “how to write an essay in English,” it is worth recalling that any essay consists of several parts. I would identify the three most important: introduction , main part And conclusion . In the introduction, you need to identify the key thought, idea or problem that you will talk about in the main part. It is best if it sounds in the form of some short but laconic complete statement. By the way, this can also be a quote in English, if you manage to select it in accordance with the semantic content of this essay in English.

The main part of the essay in English is supposed to present any arguments, evidence or refutation of your main idea that would express your personal opinion on this issue. You can give examples that will illustrate your point of view. When writing an essay in English, try to avoid abstruse or bookish phrases that will turn your work into a boring creation. In this case, the reviewer may refuse to read the work at all. It is better to use simple, but at the same time good, competent, high-quality English. Use more adjectives and adverbs, but the main advantage of written English in this case is synonyms of verbs and words in general. Your essay will become memorable, lexically and grammatically “beautiful.” And yes, mistakes are not welcome!

In conclusion, complete all your reasoning and draw conclusions, which will be the final part of your essay in English. All parts of the essay should flow smoothly into one another, all thoughts should be logically connected. Special vocabulary will help you with this, which exists so that you can consistently express your thoughts.

For example, when adding, you can use words like moreover(besides, moreover) as well as(as well as, as well as) futuremore(besides, besides). If you want to display contrast or juxtaposition, contact but(But), however(however), on the other hand(on the other side), yet(even, for now, already), on the contrary(actually it's the other way around). You can limit with words despite / in spite of(despite), you can express the cause or result of something using the following vocabulary: therefore(therefore, for this reason), so(so, therefore), as a result(as a result of this, thus), consequently(therefore, therefore) this results in(as a result) this leads to(it turns out). Pay attention to the adverbs of order and sequence - then(Then), next(then next time) after(after), finally / lastly(finally).

The main problem in determining the key point is that “ how to write an essay in English” is the inability to briefly but competently express one’s thoughts. As a rule, we try, as they say, to “spread thoughts over the tree” or “pour water.” This is exactly what you shouldn’t do, since a large amount of unnecessary information in your essay in English will not be an advantage of your work, but will be its disadvantage. If you're not writing an essay for an exam, but just studying for something, ask friends and family to read it and evaluate it. You yourself should also re-read it several times to see if you have made semantic or grammatical errors, and if there are any, get rid of them safely.

Introduction to the topic

In today’s world of fierce competition, it is important for young people to get well-prepared for the challenges of the future. Thus the institution of gap year can be regarded as a step in the right direction though it is also not without its problems.

Arguments for"

In its favor, the gap year seems to be useful psychologically as it helps young people understand their needs and interest better before they actually commit themselves to any particular career path. Besides, the gap year has educational advantages because it offers a lot of opportunities to learn about the world and one’s own place in it. For all these reasons, the gap year can be regarded as a positive social institution.

Arguments against"

However, as critics are quick to point out, the gap year can in fact be harmful as it interrupts with the rhythm of learning and often makes it difficult for students to return to their studies. Apart from that, unfortunately not every young person can afford to travel around the world and many of them end up sitting around at home, which can be very demotivating.

Conclusion

All in all, the gap year may arouse mixed feelings, but still thousands of people every year take a year off. One can only hope they will use it fruitfully, minimizing the dangers and taking full advantage of its benefits.

1. Introduction: start with a general presentation of the topic (In today’s world... it is important) and a sentence expressing its dual nature (It can be regarded as... but not without its problems).

1. Introduction: The problem / issue / phenomenon of… is / has always been…, People always say / have always thought / agreed / said / believed…, It is a controversial / burning / hot question…, There is no agreement…

2. Main part: present the arguments for (In its favor) and then the arguments against (However, critics are quick to point out). As shown in the sample, you can present the pros and cons in separate paragraphs. Try to present them symmetrically (for example, social, educational and psychological aspects of the problem). Remember that this type of essay requires a balanced argument.

2. Main part:

Typical unions and union phrases:

on the one hand… on the other hand; Firstly, To begin with, Secondly, Finally; In addition, Besides, Moreover, What is more, Furthermore; However, Despite this, In spite of this; In fact, As a matter of fact; As a result, Consequence

Other expressions: One major advantage is…, As advocates of…claim / argue, As critics point out / claim…, There are a number of disadvantages / weaknesses / drawbacks / downsides

3. Conclusion: clearly summarize what has been said (All in all) and again write a sentence that reflects the contradictory nature of the topic, but at the same time expressing the hope of finding a compromise (One can hope... minimizing the danger and talking full advantage of benefits).

3. Conclusion: All in all, To sum up, In conclusion, In summary, In general; it seems important to add/point out/remind that…, the issue / debate is far from...

Part 1. Appeal
Everything is very simple, any letter begins, of course, with an appeal.
In English written formal business language it is customary to address as follows:

Dear (which corresponds to our “Dear” and does not imply any familiarity) + a person’s title, this can be Mr(“Mister”, address to a man), Ms(addressing a woman without indicating her marital status or age) or Miss And Mrs(“Miss” and “Mrs.”, addressing an unmarried and married woman, respectively). The appeal can also be used Doctor– for doctors or people with a doctorate degree.

NB: You should be extremely careful with the addresses Miss and Mrs in light of the current widespread trend towards the feminization of society and fashionable political correctness. Even if you know for sure whether a lady is married or not, using these forms may cause her displeasure, because in a business environment her married status is far from the most important thing. Therefore, we recommend that you limit yourself to strict and neutral Ms if you are not sure what the reaction might be.

After the title comes the person's last name (e.g. Dear Mr Smith), but in no case one name ( Dear Mr John). It is acceptable to use the full name (e.g. Dear Mr John Smith), but this is not typical.
If you are writing a letter to a person you know well and with whom you have a close relationship, you can use Dear name only, no title (e.g. Dear John), you can even replace the introductory word with Hi or Hello, or just contact him John. However, keep in mind that these options are very unofficial.
After the address, there is usually a colon, or a more informal option - a comma, and the next paragraph is the text of the letter with a small letter.
So, the beginning of your letter should ideally look something like this:

How to write a letter in English?

Part 2. Farewell
What phrase you should use to say goodbye in an email or letter written in English will depend on the degree of formality of the letter and whether you prefer to use American or British/Australian English.
In American business English, it is customary to use the following to say goodbye: standard wording, which can be translated into Russian as “With respect” or “Sincerely yours”:

Sincerely yours,

Cordially, (slightly less common).

Please note that after the farewell phrase there is a comma, and then, the next line contains the name of the author of the letter.

NB: By the way, if in a letter you ask a person to do something for you, as a sign of gratitude you can also add something like Thanks in advance.(i.e. "Thanks in advance").

Thus, the end of the letter should look something like this:

If your relationship with the recipient is less formal: you know each other well enough and are at approximately the same level of the career ladder, or he (she) is lower in rank than you, it is quite possible to end the letter with the following expressions:

Thanks for the information,
Thanks,
Thanks again,
Talk to you later,

(your name is assumed everywhere after the comma)
Or just put a name, without a farewell phrase.
If you are writing a letter to a friend or your loved ones, it would be appropriate to end the letter with the words:

Love,
Best wishes,
See you soon,

Phrases Regards, (Best regards; kind regards,) And Cheers, used in informal British and Australian English, they are not typical for American English. Cheers in the USA it is generally used exclusively as toast (meaning “Let's be healthy!”).

Some people say that fast food has a bad effect on our health.
Fast food restaurants like McDonald's serve millions of people in more than 100 countries each day. Fast food is very popular, especially among teenagers. Nevertheless, is such food healthy or should we avoid it?
In my opinion, fast food does much harm to people’s health. Firstly, such food is low in protein, vitamins and minerals. Secondly, fast food contains a lot of cholesterol. Cholesterol causes the production of a fatty plaque that clogs the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or a stroke. Thirdly, fast food is high in fat, sugar and calories and full of chemical additives. For example, a can of Coke contains about eight teaspoons of sugar and artificial sweeteners. People who are used to consuming several cans a day may suffer from diabetes, cancer and tooth decay.

YOUTH PROBLEMS.
Some people say that modern teenagers are carefree.
When we hear the word ‘teenager, we often imagine a fun-loving young person who spends time having parties and socializing with peers. Some adults think that, young people do nothing but have fun. However, is a teenager’s life as easy as it seems to be?

Personally, I think that, teenagers face a variety of problems. Peer pressure is one of the biggest stressors for many young people. Some teenagers suffer from bullying, which can have a detrimental effect, on their health, academic performance and self-esteem. Secondly, a lot of teenagers have serious body image issues. Both boys and girls may become critical of their looks and feel insecure. In addition, teenagers experience stress over schoolwork. They are often under pressure from their parents and teachers to perform well academically.

On the contrary, some people think that teenagers have few problems until they reach adulthood. Firstly, they do not have to work, and therefore they can dedicate all their time and energy to their studies and interests. Apart, from that, young people rarely worry about their future and live in the present..

Anyway, some teenagers take part-time jobs and have to balance work and school. It is difficult for them to find time for their friends, interests and extracurricular activities. Besides, many teenagers do think about, their future and worry about, getting into college and choosing a career that is best for them.

To conclude, the teenage years can be a very difficult life period. Coping with problems and deciding what to do with their lives can be stressful for young people. I think that adults should never label teenagers as light-minded or frivolous because that is a misconception.

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This is the only step that helps a person achieve perfection. It is interesting that the word “essay” came into Russian from French, but has a Latin history. The French word "essai" can have several translations, "experience", "test", "essay".

So, an essay is a composition of a given length and often a free composition, but if we are talking about an essay in English, then you need to adhere to a clear plan, it all depends on the type of essay. The main features of an essay are the presence of comprehensive information regarding a specific topic, the expression of an individual opinion, as well as counterarguments.

It is important for schoolchildren to learn how to write essays in order to easily cope with exam tasks, and later be able to present themselves and describe their achievements to a potential employer.

The main purpose of the essay is to develop the skills of independent creative thinking and written expression of thoughts.

And if you have already learned to express thoughts correctly, then structuring information, as well as highlighting connections and illustrating everything with examples, is quite difficult. That is why such an essay as an essay in English is submitted to the Unified State Examination.

Essay on English examples

Electronic books versus printed books. Who will be the winner in the future?

Recent researches have shown that the quantity of readers of printed books is constantly reducing. Electronic books are becoming the most popular way of getting information. But despite of their certain advantages many of us prefer acquaintance with fresh printed volumes. Will electronic books replace printed ones?

I am convinced that the growing number of readers will be absolutely happy to get an e-book as their birthday present. First of all, electronic versions can store thousands of books at the same time. Besides, there will be no need to go shopping for every new book because people can do buy it at one click.

On the other hand, there are a lot of people who are not ready to replace printed books because they are better for human eyes. Moreover printed books are much easier to read because of no need in electricity supply. Nowadays less people are ready to buy books because of its expensive price but printed books are still the reminder of a miracle that each of us can easily touch and breathe in.

Summing up all the above, I think both books variants will happily coexist in the future, it means that it will be possible to enjoy fresh printed books as well as easily download electronic ones into your gadget.

E-books versus printed books. Who will be the winner in the future?

Recent studies have shown that the number of readers of printed books is constantly decreasing. Speaking of e-books, they are becoming the most popular way to obtain information. But, despite their certain advantages, many of us prefer to get acquainted with freshly printed books. Will e-books replace printed books?

I'm sure a growing number of readers will be absolutely delighted to receive an e-book as a birthday gift. First, electronic versions can store thousands of books at once. In addition, there will be no need to go out to buy each new book, because you can buy it in one click.

On the other hand, there are many people who are not ready to replace printed books because they are better for the eyes. Plus, printed books are easier to read because they don't require power. Today, fewer people are willing to buy books due to the high price, but printed books are still a reminder of the miracle that each of us can touch and breathe.

To summarize the above, I believe that both versions of books will be able to happily coexist in the future, which means that it will be possible to enjoy printed books as well as easily download an e-book on your gadget.

Essay for and against in English

As for the “for and against” essay, it is important to clearly express two opposing opinions - as well as express your own opinion about the problem. For example, if we are talking about learning several foreign languages ​​at school. It's worth starting by stating the problem:

Nowadays people are keen on many different languages ​​to survive in the fast moving world. Therefore people send children to schools to learn as many languages ​​as possible. However, is it good to get knowledge of several languages ​​at the same time?

The problem is clear - is it good to learn several languages ​​at the same time? Next, we express our own opinion regarding the situation. Firstly, foreign languages ​​broaden our world view giving us the opportunity to speak without fears. Secondly, every new language is the perspective to know a new culture and to find a good job. Moreover, every new language helps to think more quickly and to learn faster.

Now we need to emphasize that there are also negative sides to learning several foreign languages ​​at the same time.

On the other hand, learning several languages ​​can be confusing, especially if talking about languages ​​of the same group. Some languages ​​contain many rules while others many have exceptions. All this can lead to misunderstanding of new languages ​​as well as the native one.

Now is the time to sum it up. Being a person of a modern society, I would like to say that the knowledge of many languages ​​is a beneficial advantage. However, people should learn their native language first before starting several ones at the same time.

This is what an example of an English essay for the Unified State Exam might look like.

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