Data assignments on the topic “English language. Unified State Exam. Essay on English language» taken from various sources and offered to complement the textbook presentation
The volume of the essay in English is 200-250 words.
The task completion time is 40 minutes.
English language. Essay. Topics for preparation (task C2)
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1.1. Essay on the topic: Art. Graffiti
Some people think that graffiti is another form of expressing art; others think that graffiti is a vandalism.
What is your opinion?
1.2. Essay on the topic: Art. Theater and Cinema
Comment on the following Statement.
When cinema was invented some people predicted that theater would not last very long but it still exists, attracts large audiences and is not likely to disappear.
What is your opinion?
List of English words on the topic: Art. SOON!
2. Essay on the topic: Languages
Comment on the following statement.
Some people think that you can master the language only if you study it abroad, in the native speaking environment; others believe that you can become fluent in a foreign language without ever visiting the country.
What can you say about learning languages in a native speaking environment?
3. Essay on the topic: Traveling
Comment on the following statement.
Some people believe that when you experience travel to other places, you new things and learn from them. Other people argue that most people who go on holiday to other countries just lie on the beach and don’t experience the local culture at all.
Do you think that young people learn anything by traveling to other places?
4. Essay on the topic: Books or Computers
Comment on the following statement.
The future of education – books or computers? What is your opinion? Are computers going to replace printed books in the future?
5. Essay on the topic: Space Exploration
Comment on the following statement.
It’s reported that billions of dollars are spent on space exploration projects every year. Some people believe that this money should be used to solve problems on Earth.
What is your opinion? What problems should humanity solve first of all?
List of English words on the topic: Space Exploration. SOON!
6.1. Essay on the topic: City and Country Life
Comment on the following statement.
My parents say the way they lived in the past was much quieter. However, I believe that young people are given a lot more life opportunities nowadays.
What is your opinion? Which way of life will be more satisfying for generations future?
6.2. Essay on the topic: City and Country Life
Comment on the following statement.
Life in a big city is attractive to many people. But others consider it tiresome and tiring. What can you say about living in a big city?
List of English words on the topic: City and Country Life. SOON!
7. Essay on the topic: TV shows
Comment on the following statement.
In many countries, reality TV shows about the lives and behavior of ordinary people have become very popular. Some people say that these programs are bad and that other kinds of programs are much better.
8. Essay on the topic: Modern Technologies
Comment on the following statement.
According to a number of surveys young people can’t imagine their life without modern electronic technologies. Some of them can become dependent on them, which may have a negative effect on their mind.
Do you share this point of view?
List of English words on the topic: Modern Technologies. SOON!
9. Essay on the topic: Sports
Comment on the following statement.
In the hectic world of today, people are searching for more ways of keeping fit and healthy. Some people prefer to go on Some exotic diets. However, some experts are against this.
What can you about going on a diet?
10. Essay on the topic: Extreme Sports
Comment on the following statement.
Some people think that extreme sports help to build character.
What is your opinion?
List of English words on the topic: Extreme Sports. SOON!
11. Essay on the topic: Environmental Protection
Comment on the following statement.
Some people think that cars should be banned from the centers of big cities. What is your opinion?
12. Essay on the topic: Food
Comment on the following statement.
Some people prefer to eat out. However, many people still like to cook meals at home.
What is your opinion about having meals at home?
List of English words
The assignment contains a certain statement. You need to write an opinion essay in which you express your own opinion regarding this statement (opinion essay).
WRITING AN ESSAY IN THE USE 2017 IN ENGLISH
The essay should be clearly structured and include the following parts (each starting with a new paragraph):
- Introduction. Here you must identify the problem specified in the assignment. It is important to paraphrase it and not rewrite it word for word. For example, task “In order to get a good adecation one should go abroad” can be reformulated as follows: “Nowadays, the problem of studying abroad causes great argument and controversy” . This thesis should also be supplemented with a small commentary explanation. You can end the introduction with a rhetorical question.
- Expressing your own opinion. In this paragraph it is necessary to briefly reflect your personal attitude to this problem and support it with 2-3 detailed arguments. It is important that the arguments are convincing, succinct and logical. Arguments are introduced using universal linking words and phrases.
- Expressing an opposing opinion. The third paragraph of the essay should contain the opponent's point of view. This thesis also needs to be supported by 1-2 arguments. It is important that the opponent has 1 fewer arguments (i.e., if you have three arguments in the 2nd paragraph, there should be two in the 3rd), because our goal is to prove our own rightness.
- Disagreement with the opinions of opponents. Here you should refute your opponent’s opinion, express your disagreement and support it with 1-2 counterarguments. Remember that you provide counterarguments to your opponent’s arguments, their number should be the same (2 opponent’s arguments = 2 of your counterarguments).
- Conclusion. The last paragraph should contain a general conclusion regarding the issue under discussion, which is also supplemented with commentary. You can use a universal phrase that will make the reader think about the problem.
Below is a table with examples of introductory words and phrases.
STRUCTURE OF AN ESSAY IN THE USE 2017 IN ENGLISH
| Paragraph | Offer | Sample | ||||
| 1. Introduction | Problem Identification | Nowadays, | the problem of … causes great argument and controversy. | |||
| In today's world, | ||||||
| the issue of … is considered to be a matter of common concern/the main concern of … | ||||||
| Comment on the issue | Some people believe that… while others think… | |||||
| On the one hand, … on the other hand … . | ||||||
| A rhetorical question | Where is the truth? | |||||
| Who is right? | ||||||
| 2. Expressing your own opinion | Thesis | In my opinion,… | ||||
| As for me, I believe that… | ||||||
| My personal view is that… | ||||||
| 1 argument | To begin with, | |||||
| To start with, | ||||||
| Firstly, | ||||||
| 2 argument | What is more, | |||||
| Furthermore, | ||||||
| Secondly, | ||||||
| 3 argument | Finally, | |||||
| Additionally, | ||||||
| thirdly, | ||||||
| 3. Expressing an opposing opinion | Thesis | However, there exists another point of view on this issue. | ||||
| Nevertheless, one can consider this problem from another angle. | ||||||
| 1 argument | First of all, | |||||
| The first thing to be considered is… | ||||||
| 2 argument | Another fact is that... | |||||
| Besides | ||||||
| 4. Disagreement with the opinions of opponents | Thesis + 1st counterargument | Despite my respect for this opinion, I cannot share it because … | ||||
| Nevertheless, I cannot agree with this statement, because… | ||||||
| 2nd counterargument | Moreover, one should not ignore the fact that… | |||||
| Finally... | ||||||
| 5. Conclusion | Conclusion | In conclusion, | I would like to say that | the problem of… is still to be discussed. | ||
| Taking into consideration all mentioned above, | It is impotant to understand… | |||||
| A comment | As far as I am concerned, the point is to… | |||||
Unified State Exam 2017 IN ENGLISH. UNIVERSAL ESSAY TEMPLATE
Nowadays, the problem of … causes great argument and controversy. Some people believe that ... while others think ... . Who is right?
In my opinion,…. To begin with, … . What is more,… . Additionally,….
However, there exists another point of view on this issue. First of all, … . Besides...
Despite my respect for this opinion, I cannot share it because… . … .
In conclusion, I would like to say that the problem of … is still to be discussed. As far as I am concerned, the point is to…
SAMPLE TASK AND READY ESSAY FOR USE IN ENGLISH
- Comment on the following statement:
In order to get a good adecation one should go abroad.
What is your opinion? Write 200–250 words. Use the following plan:
− 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
Nowadays, the problem of studying abroad causes great argument and controversy. Some people think that one can get a better education only in another country, others believe that it is possible to study at home. Where is the truth?
In my opinion, studying abroad is more advantageous because one can gain useful experience. To begin with, it can have a positive impact on students’ self-discipline as youngsters become more proactive and acquire quickness in comprehension. Moreover, it gives them a chance to learn more about the culture of the other country and improve their language skills. Additionally, it is a splendid opportunity to make new friends.
However, there exists another point of view on this issue. First of all it is very expensive to study abroad. Moreover, one should not ignore the fact that, children have to adapt to many things, thus, it can be stressful for the m.
Despite my respect for this opinion, I cannot share it because there are a lot of exchange programs wich are funded by government, therefore, students can study abroad for free. Besides, a person should learn to cope with stress if he or she would like to go the university to broaden their mind.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the problem of studying abroad is still to be discussed. I believe that one should analyze and compare all pros and cons before making a proper decision where to get an education.
RULES FOR WRITING AN ESSAY IN THE Unified State Exam
- Count the words
It is imperative to keep within the specified volume: 200-250 words (a deviation of 10% in both directions is allowed, i.e. 180-275 words). If the essay contains ≤179 words, then the assignment will receive 0 points. If ≥276 words, then only the first 250 words are checked. Remember that 1 word is everything between two spaces. Hyphens (-) and apostrophes (’) are not spaces, so words like world’s, open-minded, UK count as one word. Practice writing letters on exam forms - this way you will learn to determine the number of words by eye and will spend less time counting them.
- Write in a formal style
Abbreviations cannot be used (full forms only) I am, cannot), as well as starting sentences with informal linking words well,also, but). Use impersonal verb forms ( one should). Rich lexicon and the variety of grammatical and syntactic structures demonstrates a high level of knowledge of the English language.
- Get your timing right
Give yourself 40 minutes to complete this task: 20 minutes for the draft, 15 minutes. for a clean copy and 5 min. for word counting and checking. Be sure to check your essay before submitting it!
Believe in yourself and everything will work out! Good luck!
Dear readers!
The purpose of this article is to help you develop or improve essay writing skills in accordance with the requirements for the Unified State Exam. I suggest that you first familiarize yourself with these requirements, and then with the structure of the essay and the technology for writing it.
In Part C2 of the Unified State Exam, you will be given an essay writing plan that you need to follow to get the highest possible score, i.e. - 14.
According to the explanations for the demo version of the Unified State Exam in English 2014, on the official website, task C2 has been completed in full if you have demonstrated excellent command of written English according to the following five criteria:
- Solving a communicative problem, i.e. the content reflects all aspects specified in the assignment; the style of speech is chosen correctly (neutral style is maintained). Maximum - 3 points.
- The text is organized as correctly as possible, i.e. the statement is logical, the structure of the text corresponds to the proposed plan; means of logical communication are used correctly; the text is divided into paragraphs. Maximum - 3 points.
- Excellent vocabulary demonstrated, i.e. the vocabulary used corresponds to the communicative task; There are practically no violations in the use of vocabulary. Maximum - 3 points.
- Correct grammar used, i.e. grammatical structures are used in accordance with the assigned communicative task. There are practically no errors (1-2 minor errors are allowed). Maximum - 3 points.
- Demonstrated excellent knowledge of spelling and punctuation, i.e. There are practically no spelling errors; the text is divided into sentences with correct punctuation. Maximum - 2 points.
The essay must be a minimum of 180 and a maximum of 275 words. It is important to learn how to write the required number of words! If you write less than 180 words, the assignment is not subject to verification and is scored 0 points. If you write more than 275 words, then “only that part of the work that corresponds to the required volume is subject to verification.” In other words, everything unnecessary will be separated by a line and will not be checked. And if what is removed in the first 275 words is not complete, then the communicative task will not be solved and you will not be given the maximum score (3) for this criterion. The organization of the text will also not be entirely correct, which will also lead to a decrease in points in the second evaluation criterion. You will lose 1 or 2 points.
How to count words? The answer is given in the appendix to the demo version of the Unified State Exam 2014: “When determining whether the volume of submitted work meets the above requirements, all words are read, from the first word to the last, including auxiliary verbs, prepositions, articles, and particles. In a personal letter, the address, date, signature are also subject to calculation. Wherein:
- contracted (short) forms can"t, didn"t, isn"t, I"m, etc. count as one word;
- numerals expressed in numbers, i.e. 1, 25, 2009, 126 204, etc., are counted as one word;
- numerals expressed in numbers, together with symbol percent, 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.”
Well, now let's talk about the structure of the essay. You will be offered the following plan:
Use the following plan:
- 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.
Thus, we see that this is what is called an opinion essay. It involves the author expressing an idea and defending it. You can defend your opinion:
- through argumentation - but this is usually not enough for the Unified State Exam;
- by arguing and refuting the opinions of opponents, which is required in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the essay plan.
In other words, when refuting the opinion of your opponents, you must first be able to explain why they think so.
Let's take a closer look at each point of the essay plan. Each point is equal to 1 paragraph. Let’s say the topic of the essay is: “Do athletes deserve their high salaries?”
1. First paragraph.
“Make an introduction (state the problem)” - “Introduction”.
Two sentences are enough here, because... the body of the essay will be voluminous. You can address the reader, urging him to think about the problem of the essay. For example: “Have you ever wondered whether sportsmen’s huge salaries should be paid to them?” Or you can simply state the problem: “The issue of high salaries paid to professional athletes has been the subject of a heated debate lately.”
Here are some other useful phrases for introducing a topic in an introduction:
- “It is common knowledge that...” - “Everyone knows that...”.
- “The problem / issue / question of... has always aroused heated / sharp disputes /debates / discussions / controversy” - “The problem... has always caused lively debate.”
- “The sight of smb Ving*… is familiar to everyone. But have you ever wondered whether...?” - “The sight (of someone doing something) is familiar to everyone. But have you ever wondered... have...?"
- “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...” - “Our modern world is unimaginable without... However there are a lot of people who think it doesn't matter/question the importance...
- “Let’s speculate what makes them think so” - “Let’s think about what makes them think so.”
- “There has been a dispute on... Let's speculate who is right: to proponents / defendants / fans of... who claim that... or the opponents / adversaries, who believe in...” - “There is a discussion about... Let's speculate who is right: defenders (of something) who claim that ... or opponents who believe in ... ".
- “…has become an integral / inalienable / imprescriptible part of our life. Let’s speculate, however, what stands behind it” - “...has become an integral part of our lives. But let's think about what's behind it."
- “New technology and advances in... have raised ethical dilemmas” - “New technologies and advances in... have led to a dilemma affecting the ethical side of this issue.”
- “...gaining increasing popularity today, many still dispute / doubt / challenge / bring into question / cast doubt on its use for the society” - “Now, when... is gaining more and more popularity, many still question its benefits for society "
- “It is often difficult to decide which position to take whenever there is a debate regarding a choice between... and...” - “It is often difficult to decide which position to take when it comes to debates regarding the choice between... and...”.
- "Development in... seems to have had an adversary effect on...” - “Development in... seems to have had the opposite effect on...”.
*Ving - Participle I = real participle in Russian. For example: reading - reading, being - being, earning a big salary - earning a large salary.
In our case, you can write the following in the introduction: “The world has often heard about million dollars’ prizes awarded to sports champions.” At the same time there has been a dispute on whether athletes should receive such high salaries at all.”
2. Second paragraph.
“Express your personal opinion and give 2-3 reasons for your opinion” - “Your opinion.”
Here, in the first paragraph of the main part, you first need to state your opinion and give its justification. It is advisable to give at least 2 arguments with supporting sentences. In total, ideally you will get 4 sentences for 2 arguments with their support, or 6 sentences for 3 arguments and sentences complementing them.
For example:
“I personally favor high salaries in sports, providing they are earned honestly. (1) Indeed, sportsmen dedicate their whole life to break records and win golden medals. Far from anyone could stand such heavy loads that professional athletes endure on a regular basis.
(2) Secondly, being a professional sportsman is an art of its own, since only talent together with hard work can bring prominent results; and as outstanding persons, champions should be rewarded adequately.
(3) Moreover, high salaries are usually paid to sportsmen by private organizations or governments who expect to get even bigger benefits later. The athlete wins gold to the team attracting further investments into it, or advertises a company’s product.”
Below I offer examples of phrases that introduce an opinion. This can be either yours or someone else's opinion, or the opinion opposite side. Therefore, the pronouns in these phrases may be different.
- “I think / I believe / I consider that...” - “I believe / believe that...”.
- “Some opponents of... might argue / contend that...” - “Some opponents... may argue that...”.
- “They assume / suppose...” - “They admit...”.
- “I am convinced that...” - “I am convinced that...”.
- “I don’t share the above-given view” - “I do not share the above opinion.”
- “You would probably agree with me that...” - “You would probably agree with me that...”.
- “To my mind... / In my opinion... / It seems to me that...” - “In my opinion... / It seems to me that...”.
- “They look upon it as...” - “They look at it as...”.
- “I can’t but agree that...” - “I cannot but agree that...”.
- “They are in favor* of... / They approve of... / They favor...” - “They are for... / They approve...”.
- “I am against... / I don't approve of... / I don't support the idea of... / I personally frown on... - “I am against... / I don’t approve of... / I don’t support the idea of... / I personally don’t approve ..."
- “It is said / believed that...” - “It is believed that...”.
- “...is believed to V1**” - “It is believed that someone is doing something...”.
- “It goes without saying that...” - “It goes without saying that...”.
* to favor - American spelling; accordingly, to favor - British. When writing letters and essays, you should stick to either ONLY the British or ONLY the American version, i.e. ensure uniformity. Otherwise you may lose the point.
** to V1 = indefinite / initial form of the verb (infinitive), for example: to live, to cause, to lead to, to result in. In this expression, the subject performs an action expressed by the infinitive form of the verb. For example: “Sport is believed to take away health and free time” - “It is believed that sport takes away health and free time.”
3. Third paragraph.
“Express an opposing opinion and give 1-2 reasons for this opposing opinion” - “Opinion of opponents.”
In the next paragraph of the body of the essay, you need to give the opinion of your opponents and explain why they think so. It is enough to use 2 arguments, each of which is expressed by two applications. Here again, the table of phrases that introduce opinions, given above, may be useful to you.
For example:
“A lot of people think that athletes’ salaries are really overrated. Firstly, in their opinion, many sportsmen take doping. So their results may not reflect exceptional efforts. Secondly, opponents of high salaries in sport claim that there are occupations which are more important for our society, like scientists, for example, whose achievements help progress.”
4. Fourth paragraph.
“Explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion” - “Refuting the opinions of opponents.”
In the next paragraph of the main part, you need to refute the beliefs of your opponents. This is the most difficult part of the essay. Because it is always easier to come up with arguments “for” or “against”, but to find incorrectness, irrelevance or inconsistency in them is another effort of your logic. In some cases, you need to try to be tactful, recognizing the relevance or pattern of opposition opinions. But at the same time, one must be able to find the weaknesses of the point of view under consideration and provide additional information to fill the gaps in their logical sufficiency.
In our case with athletes, the doping argument sounds quite weighty, but it has a logical weakness - doping control is forgotten, as well as sacrificing one’s free time, as in the case of scientists. Therefore, this argument can be refuted this way:
“That may be true, but isn’t there doping control which is aimed at disqualifying cheating athletes? As for scientists, yes, they deserve high incomes for their inventions, but sportsmen, not less than scientists, devote all their free time to get outstanding results, sacrificing rest, health and private life.”
Here are other phrases that can be used when refuting or questioning the opinions of your opponents:
- “To a certain extent, it is right, but isn’t there...? /don't smb V1? / …” - “To some extent this is true, but doesn’t there exist...? / isn’t (someone doing something).”
- “To a certain extent, it is right, but we shouldn’t forget that… / we should consider the fact that… / we shouldn’t underestimate… / one shouldn’t disregard… / one should take into account …” - “ To some extent this is true, but we must not forget that... / we must take into account the fact that... / we must not underestimate... / cannot be neglected... / should be taken into account...".
- “However veracious it sounds, I wouldn’t agree with the above mentioned idea” - “No matter how true it may sound, I would not agree with the above mentioned idea.”
- “Defenders of... may be applauded for seeking to V1, but what they propose would in fact seriously damage / decrease / threaten, etc.” - “We can applaud the advocates... for trying (to do something), but what they are proposing actually seriously harms/reduces/threatens...”
- “However, I disagree with these contentions” - “However, I do not agree with these points of view.”
- “While... could lessen / worsen / decrease, etc... this is a small loss that could be offset by...” - “While... can weaken / worsen / decrease... this is a small loss that can be compensated...”.
- “However, this idea cannot go further than being an immature claim because / since...” - “However, this idea cannot be anything other than a superficial statement, because...”.
- “This point has merits on the surface and could be acceptable to an extent. Yet, serious doubts can be raised against this view when one considers...” - “This view has some advantages on the surface, and it can be accepted to some extent. At the same time, this idea can be questioned when we consider...".
5. Last paragraph.
“Make a conclusion restating your position” - “Conclusion.”
Here you need to give your opinion, but in other words, thus stating it again. It is more professional to state a generalization or make an additional observation in conclusion. You should definitely try to avoid repeating phrases that have already been written. According to the 2014 FIPI test and measurement materials specification, “if more than 30% of the answer is unproductive (i.e. textually coincides with the published source), then 0 points are given for the criterion “Solving a communicative problem”, and, accordingly, the entire task is scored 0 points." Therefore, it is not recommended to repeat words in the task. Express your main idea in other words. How to do it?
In our case it might sound like this:
“All in all, sports stars really deserve their huge incomes due to the uniqueness and social value of their achievements. Evidently, it is the feature of a market economy where famous personalities of sportsmen are in demand being used to promote goods.”
Here we have characterized the profession of athletes from the point of view of their value to society, i.e. they looked at it not from the side of the athlete himself or his manager, but from the side of society.
Other phrases for writing a conclusion could be:
- “To conclude / sum up, / in conclusion...” - “In conclusion...”.
- “All in all...” - “In general...”.
- “All things considered...” - “Taking into account all of the above...”.
- “Taking everything into account... / Taking all this into account / consideration...” - “Taking all this into account...”.
- “...is a controversial issue, so it is up to a person whether to V1 or to V’1. Yet, I am convinced that..." - "... is a controversial question, so everyone must decide here personally (to do something or not to do something). And yet I am convinced that...”
- "Although numerous skeptics frown on... our society need(s)..." - "Despite the fact that numerous skeptics do not approve... our society needs...".
- “But to all who... I have only one response: we cannot afford to wait / ignore / neglect / disregard...” - “But to all who... I have one answer: we cannot afford to wait / ignore / neglect...”.
This is what we ended up with:
“The world has often heard about million dollars’ prizes awarded to Olympic champions. At the same time there has been a dispute on whether athletes should receive such high salaries at all.
I personally favor high salaries in sports. Indeed, sportsmen dedicated their whole life to break records and win golden medals. Far from anyone could stand such heavy loads that professional athletes endure permanently. Secondly, being a professional sportsman is an art of its own, since only talent together with hard work can bring prominent results; and as outstanding persons, champions should be rewarded adequately. Moreover, high salaries are usually paid to sportsmen by private organizations or governments who expect to get even bigger benefits later. The athlete wins gold to the team attracting further investments into it, or advertises a company’s product.
A lot of people however think that athletes’ salaries are really overrated. Firstly, in their opinion, many sportsmen take doping. So their results may not reflect exceptional efforts. Secondly, opponents of high salaries in sport claim that there are occupations which are more important for our society, like scientists, for example, whose achievements help progress.
That may be true, but isn’t there doping control which is aimed at disqualifying cheating athletes? As for scientists, yes, they deserve high incomes for their inventions, but sportsmen, not less than scientists, devote all their free time to get outstanding results, sacrificing rest, health and private life.
All in all, fortunes are earned in sports unquestionably due to the uniqueness and social value of their achievements. Evidently, it is the feature of a market economy where famous personalities of sportsmen are used to promote goods."
Only 275 words.
So, we looked at the requirements for writing an essay in the Unified State Examination in English, as well as the features of the content of each paragraph of the essay, and figured out their communicative features. Simply put, we realized how to write an essay. But what exactly to write specifically in each individual topic is another question that will be covered in the article “How to learn to generate thoughts when writing the Unified State Examination in English and other languages and how to maximize the amount of pre-prepared thoughts.”
Format and rules for writing an essay “expressing opinion”
The essay “expressing opinion” is written in a formal (business) style.
In this type of essay, you need to express your point of view on a given topic, as well as bring other people’s points of view opposite to yours and explain why you disagree with them. Your opinion should be clearly stated and supported by examples or evidence.
The volume of the essay is 200-250 words (minimum 180 words, maximum 275)
The essay should actively use constructions such as “In my opinion”, “I think”, “I believe”
It is necessary to use introductory words and constructions like “On the one hand, on the other hand”..., linking words (Nevertheless, Moreover, Despite...)
It is prohibited to use abbreviations such as “I’m”, “they’re”, “don’t”, “can’t” (otherwise the score for organizing the essay will be reduced)
The “expressing opinion” essay has a strict structure, changing which when writing the essay will lead to a decrease in score. The essay “expressing opinion” consists of 4 paragraphs:
1) Introduction(introduction)
In the introduction, you must clearly formulate the topic-problem, indicating that there are two opposing points of view on the problem (Some people claim that mobile phones are very useful devices while others argue that life could be less stressful without them.) and express your opinion without using too many personal constructs
However, the first sentence should not repeat the given topic of the essay word for word. Recommended ending of the first paragraph: Now I would like to express my point of view on the problem of …
2) Main part
1 paragraph. Give 2-3 arguments supporting your point of view, supporting them with examples or evidence.
In the second paragraph you should adhere to only ONE point of view, for example: Mobile phones in my opinion are very useful devices. OR I consider the mobile phone to be a harmful and useless invention.
You must provide 2-3 arguments with evidence to support your opinion
2 paragraph. Give opposing points of view (1-2), and explain why you DO NOT agree with them. Example: However, some people think that mobile phones not only keep you in touch with your relatives and friends but also provide you with a great number of facilities. I can’t agree with this statement because…
Your counterarguments to the opinions of other people should not repeat the 2nd paragraph.
3) Conclusion
It is necessary to conclude, referring to the topic given in the 1st paragraph, that there are 2 points of view on the problem, and also confirm your own point of view.
For example: “There are different points of view on this problem. I think that...” or “Taking everything into consideration, there are two different points of view on this problem. I believe that…
Useful vocabulary for composition"expressing opinion"
1 paragraph Introductory phrases
- It is popularly believed that….
- People often claim that... Some people argue that...
- A lot of people think that…
- It is often suggested/believed that…
- Many people are in favor of the idea that... Many people are convinced that...
- Some people are against…
2 paragraph. Phrases expressing your point of view:
- I would like to explain my point of view on this situation.
- I would like to express my opinion on this problem.
Phrases characterizing the advantages of the problem under discussion:
- As already stated I’m in favor of… for a number of reasons…
- There are many things to be said in favor of…
- The best/ thing about……. is...
Phrases listing points of view:
- Firstly, /First of all….
- In the first place
- To start with, / To begin with,
- Secondly, Thirdly, Finally,
- Last but not least,
Phrases that add new arguments:
- Furthermore, /Moreover, /What is more,
- As well as…. /In addition to this/that…
- Besides, /…….also….
- Not only…., but…… as well.
- Apart from this/that….
- not to mention the fact that
3 paragraph.
- Some people believe that… however they fail to understand that…
- they fail to consider that… they forget that…
- Some people argue that…. I can't agree with it as...
- I disagree with this point of view (statement, opinion) because …
- It has become fashionable for some people to argue that…
- Contrary to what most people believe, I think that…
- As opposed to the above ideas…I believe that…
4 paragraph. Closing phrases:
- In conclusion,
- On the whole,
- To conclude
- To sum up
- All in all,
- All things considered
- Finally,
- Lastly
- Taking everything into account,
- Taking everything into consideration
Expression of personal opinion:
- In my opinion this subject is very controversial
- In my view…
- To my mind...
- To my way of thinking…
- Personally I believe that…
- I feel strongly that...
- It seems to me that...
- As far as I am concerned…
Criteria for assessing the completion of tasks C2
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Solving a communication problem (CONTENTS) |
ORGANIZATION OF THE TEXTS |
Grammar |
Spelling and punctuation |
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The task is completed in full: the content reflects all aspects specified in the task; the style of speech is chosen correctly, taking into account the purpose of the statement and the addressee; The norms of politeness accepted in the language are observed. |
The statement is logical: the means of logical connection are chosen correctly; the text is divided into paragraphs; the format of the statement is chosen correctly |
The vocabulary used is appropriate to the task at hand; There are practically no violations in the use of vocabulary. (1-2 errors) |
Grammatical structures are used in accordance with the task at hand. Virtually no errors. (1-2 errors) |
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The task is completed: some aspects specified in the task are not fully disclosed; there are individual violations of the stylistic design of speech; generally accepted norms of politeness in the language are observed |
The statement is basically logical; there are some disadvantages when using logical communication means; there are some disadvantages when dividing the text into paragraphs; there are some violations of the format of the statement |
The vocabulary used corresponds to the task, however, there are some inaccuracies in the use of words or the vocabulary is limited. But the vocabulary is used correctly (3-7 errors) |
There are a number of grammatical errors that do not impede understanding of the text (3-7 errors) |
There are practically no spelling errors. The text is divided into sentences with correct punctuation (1-2 errors) |
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The task has not been completed completely: the content does not reflect all aspects specified in the task; There are often violations of style; generally the accepted norms of politeness in the language are not observed |
The statement is not always logical: there are shortcomings or errors in the use of means of logical communication, their choice is limited; division of text into paragraphs is illogical or absent; there are numerous errors in the format of the statement |
An unreasonably limited vocabulary was used; There are frequent violations in the use of vocabulary, some of which may make it difficult to understand the text |
Either elementary-level errors are common, or errors are few in number but make it difficult to understand the text. (8-12 errors) |
There are a number of spelling or punctuation errors that make the text significantly more difficult to understand (3-10 errors) |
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The task was not completed: the content does not reflect the aspects specified in the task or does not correspond to the required volume (200-250 words) Note: the minimum number of words is 180, the maximum is 275. If the essay has 179 words - “0” for content, if there are more than 276 words, then only 250 words from the beginning are checked. |
There is no logic in the construction of the statement; the format of the statement is not respected |
Extremely limited vocabulary does not allow you to complete the task (cannot be placed if there is no “0” for content) |
Grammar rules are not followed (more than 12 errors) |
Spelling and punctuation rules are not followed More than 10 errors |
Essay sample
Many cities in Europe do everything to promote bicycles as an ecologically clean type of transportation; however the governor of St. Petersburg signed a decree according to which bicycles will not be allowed in the city centre.
Do you agree that bicycles should be banned in the center of St. Petersburg?
Write 200-250 words
Use the following plan:
1. Introduction. (State the problem)
2. Express your opinion and give reasons for it.
3. Give other people's arguments and explain why they are wrong.
4. Make a conclusion
In European cities people ride bicycles a lot because they are aware that bikes help to save fuel and reduce pollution in cities. However, the governor of Saint-Petersburg decided to ban bicycles in the city center and I fully agree with it. I would like to explain my point of view on it.
In my opinion, the governor is absolutely right. In the first place, our roads are not adapted for biking as in Europe; they are too narrow and there are no separate lanes for bicycles. Moreover, bikes do not help the traffic situation but even sometimes make it worse as bicyclists often break traffic rules and cause accidents. In addition, the weather in St. Petersburg is not good for bicycle commuting. In winter roads are covered with ice, in autumn and in spring rains are frequent and roads are wet, so it is very difficult for cyclists to move.
On the other hand, some say that bikes are undoubtedly useful for our health, I can not agree with it completely as there are a lot of road accidents where cyclists are injured. Some people may argue that bikes are ecologically clean, but you can also put special purifying facilities on cars which are faster and more comfortable as transport.
To sum up, there are different points of view on this problem. I believe that bicycles should be banned in the city center where streets are not specially created for them. As I see it, a bike is a kind of transport for short trips in the countryside.
Unified State Exam in English. Letter. Task C2. Video tutorial.
The most difficult task, in my opinion, on the Unified State Examination in English is task 40, which is a written statement with elements of reasoning (Opinion Essay). To complete it efficiently, you must familiarize yourself with the rules for writing an essay and the evaluation criteria for this task.
The maximum score you can get for task 40 — 14 points.
5 criteria for assessing a written statement with elements of reasoning:
1) Solving a communication problem (3 points)
Experts evaluate
- Does your work have an introduction with a statement of the problem (paraphrase the problem);
- whether the author’s opinion is expressed on the proposed problem with arguments;
- whether your essay presents an opposing point of view;
- is there an explanation why the author does not agree with another point of view (counterarguments);
- is there a final phrase with a conclusion at the end of your essay;
- have you chosen the right style for the statement (neutral)
2) Organization of the text (3 points)
Experts evaluate
- how logically did you construct the statement;
- whether you used means of logical connection (conjunctions, introductory words, pronouns);
- is there a division into paragraphs ( there should be 5 of them)
3) Lexical design (3 points)
Experts evaluate
- whether the vocabulary you used in the statement corresponds to the communicative task;
- correct use of lexical phrases and word formation methods (e.g. to go on foot);
- your vocabulary and variety of vocabulary used (synonyms, antonyms, phraseological units -give up smoking)
4) Grammar (3 points)
Experts evaluate
- whether the choice of grammatical structures corresponds to the purpose of the statement;
- absence of gross grammatical errors (2-3 errors are allowed);
- variety and complexity of grammatical means used
5) Spelling and punctuation (2 points)
Experts evaluate
- Do you follow the rules of punctuation in English ( capital letter, period, comma, exclamation point and question mark);
- Do you follow spelling standards in English?
Undoubtedly, when starting this task, you should be well acquainted with its format in practice. Task 40 is communicative in nature. You will be asked to comment your personal opinion on a specific issue. In completing this task you must follow detailed plan answer:
Write 200 - 250 words.
Use the following plan:
- Make the introduction (state the problem)
- Express your personal opinion and give 2 – 3 reasons for your opinion
- Express the 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
On the Internet you can find many different essay samples written by both professionals and ordinary schoolchildren. Check out interesting options and write your own version on a given topic.
In this article, I offer you for your consideration an argumentative essay that caught my attention on one of the educational sites.
Using 5 criteria for assessing a written statement with elements of reasoning, you can determine the approximate score that you can get for this work.
Task 40
Sample answer
Inventions of email and text messaging have been wonderful for communication between people.
Nowadays email and text messaging are widespread all over the world. Thousands of people can communicate, sending each other short and long messages. But some people think that it is not a convenient way to contact and find a lot of disadvantages of it. (44)
In my opinion, email and text messaging is an excellent way to connect and converse with people.
Firstly, this kind of communication can save our time. For example le, if you need to say some information to several people, you can send it using an email and contact a group of people at once. Secondl y, when you do not have any possibility to make a phone call being on a noisy bus or at an important meeting, texting will be a great solution in these situations. Moreover, sending emails and messages are cheaper and sometimes without any cost. For instance, some telecommunication companies make a good offer like free text messages. (154)
However, some people find a lot of disadvantages in using these technologies. They believe that a person who prefers such way of communication loses speaking skills. What is more, he becomes a phone addict as he gets stuck to his phone and does not notice what is happening around him. (204)
I cannot fully agree with this point of view because there are a lot of shy people. They obviously become more sociable using emails than when they talk with others face to face. (237)
In conclusion, I want to say that invention of email and text messages simplifies our life and makes communication between people more convenient. (260)
Remember!
If the examinee receives 0 points on the “Content” criterion, the entire task is scored 0 points!