Hi everybody.
Before you take your M8 exam I’d like to share with you a few last-minute tips you might find useful for
your writing tasks.
The
writing process
Even if you’re
working against the clock, steps to a good essay should include:
a) Brainstorm for ideas
b) Organize ideas
c) Focus on language
d) Write a first draft
e) Check your work (revise organization,
content and language)
f) Write the final draft
Writing
skills
There are
some common linguistic mistakes that could be avoided by bearing in mind some
basic rules concerning...
a) Word order
- The usual order of sentence elements in English
is this:
Subject + verb + object + additions
If the sentence includes both direct object and
indirect object there are often two possibilities:
-
S+V+Oi+Od
> Paul gave her the report
-
S+V+Od+to+Oi
> Paul gave the report to her
Many time expressions (today, last month, next week)
may come either at the beginning or the end of the sentence.
Do not separate the verb from its object:
We don’t have
any homework today √
We don’t have today any homework
b b) Subject-verb agreement
Singular nouns that refer to groups can have either singular or plural
verbs
The band
play/plays beautifully
Some/any pronouns take singular verbs
Someone is getting out
of the building now
Most uncountable nouns are singular
Olive oil is
rare in this area
Clothes and people are plural
c c) Adjectives
They come before nouns and after certain verbs
We’ve got very good
marks
The kids look
tired
Adjectives are invariable words in English (they don’t take plural
morphemes)
If several adjectives are preceding a noun, this is their usual order:
Opinion + size or age + color + origin + material
d d) Connectors
Here’s a chart
with connectors/phrases and the meaning they convey:
Meaning
|
Connectors
and phrases
|
Adding
points on the topic
|
And; in
addition; furthermore; moreover; what’s more; besides; also; too; as well
|
Showing contrast
|
But;
however; nevertheless; although; even if; even though;
In spite of;
despite
|
Expressing cause
or reason
|
Because;
since; as
Because of;
due to;
|
Expressing result
|
So;
therefore; consequently; that’s why
|
Expressing purpose
|
So that;
In order to;
so as to; to
|
Describing
similarity
|
Similarly;
likewise; in the same way
|
Expressing
personal opinions
|
In my
opinion; I (strongly) believe that; in my view; it seems to me that; as I see
it; personally
|
Introducing
facts
|
In fact; as
a matter of fact; actually
|
Making
general statements
|
Generally;
in general; on the whole; as a rule
|
Listing
points
|
To
begin/star with; in the first place; first of all; firstly, secondly,
thirdly; finally
|
Giving
examples
|
For example;
for instance; such as; in particular; especially; (more) specifically
|
Introducing
opposite points
|
On the one
hand… on the other hand; in contrast; it can also be argued that
|
Showing
sequence
|
First; in
the beginning; at first; before; next; then; later; soon; meanwhile; after
that; afterwards; at last; eventually; finally; in the end
|
Showing time
|
When; while;
before; after; by the time; as soon as; still
|
Concluding
|
In
conclusion; to sum up; in short
|
Source: Grant E and Payne K, (2009) Viewpoints for Bachillerato, Burlington Books
