Now in the last module we looked at an essay that
Susanna wrote about music.
Well, here is another essay she wrote.
Airplanes make a lot of noise and produce a lot of pollution.
One suggestion is that governments should reduce
the number of flights by introducing heavier taxes.
To what extent do you agree?
Write a minimum of 250 words.
Let's have a look at that essay.
Airports make a lot of noise and produce a lot of
pollution. One suggestion is that government should reduce
the number of flights by introducing heavier taxes. To
what extent do you agree provide a minimum of 250
words.
It is undoubtedly true, but there has been an enormous
increase in air traffic over the last couple of decades or so.
It is Furthermore very difficult to avoid the
conclusion that one of the main reasons for this
dramatic increase in the growth in cheap flights.
Some of the results are certainly far from desirable.
Airplanes are noisy, and they contribute to global warming.
As a result, it is by no means uncommon to hear the suggestion
that governments should make companies such as easy Jet and
Ryan Air pay more taxes.
If they had to pay more taxes, then they would have to charge
their customers more. If their customers had to pay more than
clearly, fewer people would want to travel by air.
It is certainly very difficult to deny that air travel causes
environmental problems. However, it is also important to bear in
mind that many people benefit from the current situation.
In my professional capacity as a doctor, for instance, I've
recently visited Australia, Argentina and Japan.
Consequently, I've been able to share knowledge, experience and
professional expertise with colleagues in those countries. I
would not have been able to travel to those countries if the
cost had been much higher.
In the final analysis, then, I think that it is difficult to
avoid the conclusion that a better solution for this
problem. Would be the development of cleaner and
quieter airplanes. After all, that way we can have the
advantages of cheap travel without the disadvantages.
Now.
As I expect you notice, there are a lot of phrases here which
were also used in a music essay.
Recycling.
Both essays are over 250 words
long. They're about very different subjects.
Each essay answers a question.
And the two questions are very different questions.
There is nothing about music in the second essay.
Nothing about problems caused by air traffic in the 1st.
Note that Susannah does not use
sentences like. There are several factors which we
must take into account when attempting to answer
a question like this.
That's not a good idea.
That's a complete sentence that can be dropped into any essay on
any subject. An examiner knows
that. It's 18 words that don't mention the subject
to the question.
Not a good idea.
Susanna does something different.
She writes sentences which contain phrases like this.
It is by no means uncommon to hear the suggestion that
contemporary pop music.
It is by no means uncommon to hear the suggestion that
governments should make companies such as easy Jet and
Ryan Air pay more taxes.
Now sentence A is clearly about pop music and sentence B is
clearly about air traffic.
In fact. Every sentence in Suzanne's essays is helping to
answer the question.
OK, the phrase it is by no means uncommon to hear the suggestion
that. His 11 words long.
But Susannah is using the phrase to build a sentence that helps
to answer the question.
And that's good.
This isn't cheating.
It's something that good writers often do.
When people write fluently and
elegantly. They often don't write one word at a time.
The man saw the dog in the park.
Yesterday.
Instead, they tend to use ready made phrases that make their
writing fluent. And which help the readers to see where they
are. And where the essay is taking them.
Susanna showed me her collection of phrases.
Dozens and dozens of useful phrases.
She told me that she collected them from
newspapers and magazines and books that she enjoyed.
When she finished reading an article or a chapter.
She told me that she will go
back. I read it again.
But this time collecting useful phrases.
I've just collected these phrases from an article in
today's newspaper.
The argument for.
Certainly seemed strong.
Indeed, it has been suggested by that.
These are useful phrases.
I know they are correct.
I found them in a serious
national newspaper. And now just the sort of phrases that
help build an argument.
And notice the spaces.
The argument for certainly seems strong.
Indeed, it has been suggested by that.
Those spaces are very useful.
You can insert a word or phrase in those spaces.
Imagine for example, the essay title is something like.
Some people say that zoos are cruel and should be abolished.
What are the arguments for and against zoos? What is
your personal view?
I could use the first phase like this.
The argument button certainly seems strong.
Could become. The argument for zoos certainly seems strong.
The second phrase, indeed it has been suggested by that could
become. Indeed, it has been suggested by naturalists that.
In this way they are entirely relevant to the subject that you
have been asked to write about.
If the subject was our professional footballers
paid too much.
The phrases could become.
The argument for paying footballers less certainly seems
strong. And.
Indeed, it has been suggested by footballers themselves that.
So my advice is that you make your own collection of phrases.
Don't use the phrases I've shown
you here. Or only one or two of them?
Find your own phrases.
Phrases that you like.
And enjoy using.