Learn English Team

Essay Examples & Writing Tips for ESL/EFL Students (updated 2024)

In this lesson you will find simple essay examples for ESL, EFL and university students. Additional writing tips also show how to write a proper essay with minimal mistakes.

Writing essays is a powerful way to improve your language skills and express your thoughts. In our article, “Essay Examples for ESL/EFL Students,” we embark on a journey through the world of essays, offering you valuable examples and insights to help you gain confidence in your English writing abilities.

Essay Examples and Tips For ESL Students

Sample essay 1. my hobby.

My favorite hobby is playing drums. I spend a lot of my free time playing drums. I started learning to play drums when I was 9 years old. I played in my school’s band. When I was 12, I got a private drum teacher and started to really enjoy playing.

My parents bought me a drum set and I started practicing every day after school. It was very loud, but my mother never complained. I improved a lot, and playing drums has been my favorite hobby ever since.

Now, I play drums in a band with my friend Dan, who plays guitar. We write songs, perform, and practice twice a week. It’s still as fun as it was when I first started playing!

Answer these questions in your essay:

What is your hobby? When did you start doing this hobby? Why do you like doing this hobby? How did you learn this hobby? When do you usually do this hobby? How often do you do this hobby?(every day, one a week, twice a month, on weekends, etc.)

Use this sentence pattern in your essay: start/stop verb+ing I started playing basketball when I was 5 years old. I started reading novels when I was very young

Sentence pattern: verb+ing

When you put a verb after start , begin , stop , finish , or quit , you must add “ ‐ing ”

Examples: I started studying English in 3rd grade. I finished writing my homework at 11:00 last night. My father quit smoking because it is unhealthy. We began dating when we met last year.

Check Also: Essay Writing Tips & How to Avoid Typical Mistakes  Short Essay Examples for ESL Students 20 Useful Vocabulary & Phrases to Start Your Essay  Argumentative Essay Topics With Points for Students

SAMPLE ESSAY 2. My Favorite Place

Usually when you ask people what their favorite place is, they will talk about a distant place – maybe a beach or a beautiful mountain. But my favorite place is not far away at all. My favorite place is the forest behind my house.

Although the forest behind my house is not very big, when I was little I thought it was huge! There are so many interesting places to play and hide. I can sit on the big rocks and have a picnic, I can climb the tall trees, or I can look for lizards and other little animals.

Even though I have played there many times, I can still spend all afternoon running, playing, and hiking in the forest behind my house.

The forest behind my house is a magical place. If I am in a bad mood, I will go there to be alone and think. When I was little, I liked to imagine that there were magical people who lived in the forest. When I grow up and have children, I hope that they can live near such a special place, too.

Sentence pattern: (not) …at all “at all” means “not even a little”, and you usually put it at the end of a negative sentence (a sentence with “not”).

Example: Brian: Are you hungry: Dave: I just ate dinner. I’m not hungry at all.

Check Also: Essay Writing Tips & How to Avoid Typical Mistakes ✅ Useful Academic Expressions & Phrases For Essay Writing

esl essay examples

SAMPLE ESSAY 3. My Best Friend

A best friend is a person you can count on, someone who will always be there to put a smile on your face when you need it. This is why I call Nathan my best friend.

I first met Nathan in second grade. His family just moved here from another town and he didn’t have any friends. We started talking, and one day I went to his house to play video games. Soon, we were hanging out every day, and we stayed at each other’s houses on the weekends.

Nathan and I have a lot in common. We both like jokes, and we both love to play soccer. In summer, we go to the swimming pool and eat ice cream cones. Next year, we are going to learn to play tennis together.

Best of all, I can tell Nathan my secrets, and I know he won’t tell anyone. I call him my best friend because I trust him, because he is a lot of fun, and because we like the same things. I hope our friendship lasts forever!

Sentence pattern: [Subject] lasts [amount of time]

Use this to describe how long something is (how long it “lasts”)

Examples: That is a long movie. It lasts almost 3 hours . Summer vacation lasts about 2 months . The cell phone battery lasts about 1 year . After 1 year, you will need to buy a new one. When my girlfriend broke up with me, she said, “ Nothing lasts forever .”

SAMPLE ESSAY 4. Trip to the Zoo

Going to the zoo is a fun and interesting way to spend a day. The last time I went to the zoo was two months ago, during summer vacation. I went with my mother, father, and sister, and it was a trip that I will never forget.

We saw all kinds of animals at the zoo. We saw monkeys, snakes, and even a lion! In addition, there were birds, lizards, and several different kinds of fish. We got to see an eel, and octopus, and a small shark. My favorite animal was the elephant. It was so huge! We fed the elephants peanuts, and it sprayed us with water!

Although the zoo is very exciting, sometimes it makes me sad to see all the animals in cages. They cannot walk, run, or fly freely. However, it is good that people can go to the zoo and learn about these animals. Therefore, I’m glad we have such a nice zoo in my city

Essay Writing Tips For ESL students:

Writing essays might seem tricky, but with a few simple tips, you can make it easier and better. Especially if English is not your first language, here are some straightforward suggestions:

  • Start with a Plan: Before you begin writing, take a moment to think about your main ideas. Make a simple outline with your introduction, main points, and conclusion. It’s like making a roadmap for your essay.
  • Use Simple Words: Don’t try to impress with big words. It’s better to use words you know well. Simple words can be just as effective and make your writing clearer.
  • One Idea per Paragraph: Each paragraph should talk about one main idea. This makes your essay organized and easy to follow. Start a new paragraph when you move to a new topic.
  • Check for Mistakes: After you finish writing, go back and check for mistakes. Look for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. It’s a small step, but it makes a big difference.
  • Connect Your Ideas: Use words like “but,” “and,” and “so” to connect your ideas. This helps your writing flow smoothly. Remember to put a comma after these words at the beginning of a sentence.
  • Read Out Loud: After you’ve written your essay, read it out loud. This helps you catch mistakes and see if your sentences sound right.
  • Keep It Simple: Stick to the point. Don’t make your sentences too long or complicated. It’s better to have short, clear sentences.

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ESL Essay: Unboxing an ESL Essay with Topics and Examples

Learning foreign languages can be enjoyable, however, writing essays is often the one task that students dread. Fortunately, there are reliable custom writing services like Edusson that can help students create compelling and interesting ESL essays. In this post I will explain what an ESL essay is, why it is needed, and how to make it interesting.

What is ESL Essay?

ESL – is an abbreviation that stands for English as a second language . ESL Essay is an essay that is written by a person whose mother tongue is not English. In today’s world, the English language has become a very important thing. It is now the third most widespread native language in the world and the global language of business. Many people all over the world learn it because some of them want to move to English speaking country in pursuit of a better life, some of them want to get a better job at their country and some of them just like this language.

Why writing ESL Essay?

The main reason for writing ESL Essay is practice. As people say – practice makes perfect and they are not wrong. Because the only way you can make something good is to do it over and over again. While learning English most people usually think only about their conversational skills and I understand them. When you are learning a foreign language your biggest desire is to start speaking it as soon as possible and hopefully sound like a native speaker. But they forget that writing skills are also very important and you should practice them on a regular basis. And what is more suitable and fun way to do it? Writing essays, of course!

What can you write about?

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Interesting ESL Essay Topics

Descriptive.

  • What is your favorite place? Describe it as detailed as you can.
  • What is your favorite movie/book character? Describe him/her as detailed as you can.
  • What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?
  • If you could wear only one set of clothes for the rest of your life, what would you chose and why?
  • Imagine that you have a dinner party for 4 guests, who would you invite and what kind of activities would you suggest to your guests?

Persuasive Writing Practice

  • Tell about your favorite book or movie and why do you think other people have to read or watch it.
  • What do you think about technologies taking over people’s lives? Why are we so dependent on it? Would we be better off without them?
  • Do you think it would be better if students had a summer break or be in a year-round school system with more breaks throughout the year?

Verb Tense Practice

  • Imagine that you are babysitting a child who accidentally breaks a window. Explain to the child how did it happen and how it could have been avoided.
  • Tell about one thing that you could never live without and why?
  • Imagine that you have got a chance to build a perfect city, describe it and explain why is it perfect.
  • Set yourself some specific goals you want to accomplish this year and explain how you are going to accomplish them.

Writing Process

  • Think about what topic. You need to get as much information as you possibly can. If you are writing about something that is not from your own experience, do not just use Wikipedia, I know we all love it, but it is not enough. You need to get some good and reliable sources. Do not forget about the library.
  • Focus. The essay is written strictly in accordance with the theme, and it uses clear arguments. The content does not deviate from the given topic.
  • Organization. A good writer does not write everything that comes to his mind. He ponders the structure and order in which his thoughts will be expressed, before beginning the work on the text. But remember that you can always go back and made amends.
  • Support. In a good essay, all thoughts that are wrote down must be supported by facts, or statements in the text that the author analyzes.
  • Clarity. A good composition is written by taking into account all the rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation.
  • Set aside some time to write. It is important to remember to not be in a rush as it will not result in a good essay. Allow yourself around an hour or two and don’t forget to take breaks in between in order to give your brain a rest. Additionally, if you don’t feel like you have enough time or writing skills to complete the essay, you can always opt to pay for thesis writing services.

Essay Outline

Although writing an essay can seem tedious and hard, it can also be enjoyable. You have the freedom to choose any topic that you would like to write about, and if you are passionate about it, the words will flow naturally. However, there are some rules to follow, like the structure of the essay. If you are struggling with it, you can buy a literature essay to get a better idea of how to tackle your essay-writing project.

When writing an ESL Essay you have to follow specific 5-paragraph essay format. Here is a sample essay outline, but keep in mind that once you are okay with working with this kind of format, you can always expand it later, add more details or information etc Connect with a professional writer in 5 simple steps. Start now Please provide as many details about your writing struggle as possible. Next What's the area of study of your paper? English Business and Entrepreneurship Nursing History African-American Studies Accounting Anthropology Architecture Art, Theatre and Film Biology Business and Entrepreneurship Chemistry Communication Strategies Computer Science Criminology Economics Education English Engineering Environmental Issues Ethics Finance Geography Healthcare History International and Public Relations Law and Legal Issues Linguistics Literature Management Marketing Mathematics Music Nursing Nutrition Other Philosophy Physics Political Science Psychology Religion and Theology Sociology Sport Technology Tourism Next How many pages do you need? Next When is it due? 01 AM 02 AM 03 AM 04 AM 05 AM 06 AM 07 AM 08 AM 09 AM 10 AM 11 AM 12 AM 01 PM 02 PM 03 PM 04 PM 05 PM 06 PM 07 PM 08 PM 09 PM 10 PM 11 PM 12 PM Next What's your e-mail? Next Done!

  • Introduction:

Here you have to give some general information about your topic, tell the reader why he should be interested in what you are writing, in different words – attention catcher, make your reader want to stay and read your paper to the very end

Thesis statement:

Topic Sentence 1:

  • Support your argument
  • Give more details, explanations, examples
  • Conclusion of the paragraph

Topic Sentence 2:

Topic Sentence 3:

  • Concluding Paragraph

Restate thesis using different words:

Sum up the main points, return to general context, wrap-up the essay, but make it interesting and memorable.

If you are reading this part of this post, I suppose you still not sure that your writing skills are good enough. I can understand that, but do not worry, I have a couple of resources that will help you master your skills.

  • Essay Checker – the most important thing to do after you have finished writing, is to check your essay for plagiarism, check its readability level, see if you have answered to all the questions and if your answers are relevant. You can do all these things using this one resource. How convenient is that?
  • Essay Topic Generator – this resource I am giving to you just in case you have problems with picking a topic for your essay. I know that that might be a real problem for many students. So, here you go, just enter the keywords of your essay and pick the category of it and here you go, you have a great essay title.
  • Essay Examples – I know that sometimes it is pretty hard to understand how to structure your essay from the outline only, that is why using this site you can see essay examples that will give you a general idea. Remember that these are just samples, not free essays for you to take.
  • Essay Editing Service – even when you know all the rules you still might feel insecure and have doubts that something is not right. In this case, use this site, where professional editors will check and correct your essay. Make it as good as it can be.

To sum up, I hope you found this article useful and interesting. Remember, if you purchasing a term paper , you are still responsible for the work you submit and should treat it as seriously as if you had written it yourself. However, don’t worry too much if you make mistakes as it’s not the end of the world. Learn from your errors, and you’ll be better prepared for the next time. That is all I have for you today.

Related posts:

  • How to Write an Abstract for a Research Paper
  • How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay
  • How to Format Essay. Example MLA, APA Essay Format
  • Best 25 Travel Blogs for Students 2023

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esl essay examples

An opinion essay

An opinion essay

Learn how to write an opinion essay.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.

Preparation

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Information will soon be so easy to find on the internet that people will not need to remember anything. Do you agree?

Nowadays all the information we could ever need is available online and some people say that means the end of having to learn anything.

It is true that these days everything you want to know is a few clicks away as long as you have internet access. However, not everyone has working internet all the time, for example in certain buildings or remote locations, so we do need to be able to remember information. Moreover, it takes time to look up everything you need to know online, whereas remembering something is immediate. The human memory is a much more efficient system.

Another problem is the quality of the information online. How do we know if it is accurate or reliable? We need to think about other facts we know and remember how to compare information from different websites. Knowing (and remembering) how to find certain information will be more important than knowing the information itself.

Finally, the internet is a good tool but it is not a useful replacement for our brains. If we did not remember anything, we would all spend even more time on our phones and computers than we already do, which is not good for society.

In conclusion, the internet offers us many things but it is still important to use our knowledge and memories. We need our memories to function without the internet and we also need to know how to use the internet properly.

  • Read the question carefully. Respond to all ideas in it or all parts of it.
  • Plan your ideas first and then choose the best ones.
  • Introduce your essay by restating the question in your own words.
  • Show understanding of both sides of the argument.
  • Use linking words to connect your ideas.
  • Draw your conclusion from the main ideas in your essay. Don't introduce new ideas at the end.

What do you think about the question? Would it be better or worse if we never learned anything and just used the internet instead?

Language level

It would be worse. If we only look for information on the internet, for everythingg and every time when we have a question about something we will become ''rusty robots''.

In other words, our minds, without exercising the creativity and memory of our brains, will be almost completly out of purpose. What's more, we will be lazy and with a slow capacity of thinking properly.

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It is evidently known that in recent days, the exchange of information is progressive over the network of various channels which we call it as Internet. Experts have made some definite predictions about the availability of data and information on the above mode of communication in near future. This particular development is totally agreeable. With respect to the technological advancements pertaining to the above, the human life shall be prepared to be compatible with the communication platforms on the network of servers. The key strengths will mainly focus on speed of communication, less errors and information accuracy. This aspect of technological development will eventually replace the traditional modes of information storage. This requires no effort in preservation of information on physical devices as all the core information will be stored in virtual servers. On the other hand, the above paradigm shift in terms of data centralization will certainly replace human brains. This attempt will not trigger any living beings to memorize information physically. It is quite obvious that our brains are limited and restricted with space constraints. Hence, this technology of information storage will drastically replace these drawbacks. Overall, this phenomenal trend of networking has provided a seamless mode of gathering, interpreting and storing information. At the same time, the consequences will be tremendous and noticeable as it will lead to an era where in people across the globe can surf and search their expected piece of data with-in no time. Practically, they don’t have to bother about any challenges related to failure of storage elements. Finally, this pattern of information storage is promisingly going to be accepted.

I think the use of the internet is not only in conflict with learning, but It has made the speed of learning faster and more comfortable.

On the one hand, With the advent of the internet and access to data whenever we want, we were able to free our minds from memorizing a lot of unnecessary data. It caused that instead of spending our time to remember the formulas and data, we use our time for a deeper understanding of the concepts. Concentration on understanding was a big step in order to make us more clear about how to apply scientific concepts practically, and It made the evolutionary process of turning scientific concepts into experimental tests go faster. Going through this evolutionary process quickly, in turn, caused, firstly, the faster growth of modern technologies and, secondly, the creation of many new data, concepts, and sciences. And now the data volume is so much that not only you can never remember or learn them, but you have to choose the best one that works for you. Somehow, the internet has changed how to learn. It has focused on analyzing the options and choosing the best one to learn Instead of memorizing a bunch of content.

On the other hand, Theoretically speaking, One of the laws In the world is that everything can be useful or harmful in turn. This law also applies to the internet. In fact, how to use the internet determines whether it is useful or harmful. Like many other tools that have been invented such as smartphones, smartwatches, electric cars, and so on we have spent time learning how to use them. In order to get the best out of the internet and don't waste our time, we must take the time to learn how to search. The searching skill is the most important one that helps us find better results.

In conclusion, Given the two analyzed reasons above, I agree with the idea that easy access to Information makes people get rid of memorizing lots of data. But this has nothing to do with the quality or quantity of learning.

I think it depends on the type of information. Some information are easier to remember, and hence it's more efficient to have them in memory instead of looking for them online. However, some complex information is offered online, and it will be impractical if we tried to remember it. Additionally, I believe that learning is not just about acquiring knowledge. It's about learning how to think with this knowledge available and solve problems efficiently. That's why the internet is considered a valuable tool to promote learning, not to replace it.

Nowadays we are witnesses how far technology has developed in a short time. A huge of information is backing up on internet and if you have access of surfing you can find any information that you are looking for. However, there are some relevant aspects that should be taking into account when we are talking about using always internet instead of learning. In this sense, the purpose of this essay will be to explain why it is not a good idea. Firstly, as you know, most of the information on internet is fake. For that reason, it is impossible the learning process can be replaced by internet use. If you are looking for reliable information you have to learn how it works. In other words you need of learning even if you want to use internet all the time because you have to discern what of all information is useful for you purpose. For example, if you are a student and want to write an essay about a specific topic you likely have to search for the best information if you want to get a job position or scholarship. Secondly, there is a high demand for professionals who have specific skills in the field that they are pretending to be involved. That’s why learning always is a must for satisfying the requirements of companies and institutions. For instance, in the education field, the main aim is the learning and knowledge which are essential on a daily life to be an expert in your field of action and these skills can’t be acquired through internet surfing. To sum up learning and knowledge are fundamentals in a current world that is demanding professionals highly qualified even in our daily live and the internet is far away of satisfying the required skills that you get every day through the practice, research and networking.

I think it become worse and dangerous for our society, we need to control it making rules. Without internet, many skills and knowledge could´nt be used.

I believe that, The internet become even more dangerous for young people who barely discovered the world around them, If they count on it for seeking information without parental supervision, it would be a disaster!

In nowadays,there are many ways to reach information.The Internet is just one of them but maybe most promising one.The Internet helps us to find information easily and efficently.

However there are some negative sides of Internet.For instance realibilty of information.There are no real control on Internet.I reckon there will not be soon.This reduces the trust in internet.This is why People will always need another source to be make sure and need to remember information.

It is also necesseray for objectivity. You can not just have one source and expect true and impartial information. It is against nature of science.This is not how science works.People must have and process the information.In this way we expand our knowledge.When we make brainstorm we always end up with another information. If we don’t have and process the information how Science works?

I suppose in the future People will never trust completely to Internet. They will always need another source and they will need to interrogate source of information.In conclusion Internet is by far most promising invention People have ever invented.However Internet is not beyond our brain and imagination.We will always need to posses and process the information.

It is about my hometown: My hometown is a beautiful, attractive and cool. N'beika is one of the most famous places in Mauritania where attractive views and economic capacities are in. It is located in Tagant which is in middle of the map. Therefore, It is one the biggest cities in the country. As there are interesting geographical features such as: high Mountains, nice valleys, light hills and wonderful pools. Historically, N'beika played an important role in culture, trade exchange and fighting colonialist. Also it has saved historical landmarks, for example: manuscripts, books and cities which the most important is Gasr Albarka. In the north, there have tourist views and in the East big mountains with lovely valleys like Matmata where there are some Alligators in and other attractive animals. As well as from the south and the west there are some fields, forests and farms. Moreover, people are interested in agriculture, trade, development and education. Furthermore, there are many schools and Mahidras and three colleges providing well-deserved education to students. What's more, mall shops is offering demands and created jobs for unemployment. There are different favourite for people , some of them are crazy about football as youth, and some people like doing agriculture and development. Moreover, there are entrepreneurs doing a small business like selling clothes, pitch, barbershop... etc. In conclusion, N'beika is a gift of Allah that has given to people to spend nice moments in order to feel happy and to invest for everything we want due to gain lots of money .

I believe it is amazing updated technology which has helped us a lot in our lives. In todays era everyone has access to internet over the globe. you can easily find all the information on internet that is required to you. Even though learn many new skills which aren't even taught you from the help of internet. it is good help for book writer like us where we can be part of book writing communities or book writing resources to enhance our skills and provides more guidance to others.

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365 essays for english learners.

1 America: Land of Opportunity

2 The Fourth of July

3 The U.S. Federal Government

4 Christmas: A Holiday of Traditions

5 New Year's Day: A Holiday of New Beginnings

6 Martin Luther King Jr Day: To Remember a Civil Rights Leader

7 Valentine's Day: A Holiday of Love and Friendship

8 St. Patrick's Day: A Holiday to Celebrate the Irish

9 Passover: A Jewish Holiday of Remembering

10 Easter: An Important Christian Holiday

11 Mother's Day: A Holiday to Honor Motherhood

12 Father's Day: A Holiday to Honor Fatherhood

13 Memorial Day: A Holiday to Remember Fallen Soldiers

14 Labor Day: A Holiday to Honor Workers

15 Columbus Day: A Holiday to Remember an Explorer

16 Halloween: A Holiday for Costumes and Candy

17 Veterans Day: A Holiday Honoring All Soldiers

18 Chanukah: A Holiday of Lights

19 Thanksgiving: Families Coming Together

20 Lottery: A Chance at Millions

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  • Learning Resources
  • For Teachers

40 ESL Essay Writing Topics + Prompts

By VIPKid  |  April 20, 2018

Ready to start teaching English online?

Writing ESL essay writing is hard for most students and many will struggle at first before learning to write well.

However, writing skills are a crucial part of learning a new language . 

In this piece, we’ll share some ESL writing prompts and ESL essay topics for five different kinds of essays. They should help your students develop their grammar and vocabulary skills  while teaching them how to write coherently.

(While they work for all kinds of students, we’ve found these topics are especially handy for  teaching English to kids .) 

Writing practice should never be boring! When you’re done this article, check out the 10 most engaging writing activities here .

Descriptive ESL Writing Topics

  • Describe your favorite place in as much detail as possible.
  • Describe your favorite fictional character in as much detail as possible.
  • Describe a famous person – e.g. a singer or athlete – that you admire. Focus on both their appearance and personality traits.
  • Describe a family member or your best friend  as detailed as possible. Discuss how they look and their personality.  
  • Choose a  hobby or favorite activity  and describe why and how you do it. 
  • Describe your most memorable holiday or vacation spot in as much detail as possible.
  • Describe a photo or work of art in as much detail as possible.
  • Pick your favorite food . Describe what you taste, smell, and sense while eating or drinking it. 

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Explanatory ESL Essay Topics

esl essay examples

  • Give directions for getting from one point to another . For example, how to get from your home to your school. Describe the landmarks someone might see along the way.
  • Explain how to cook your favorite meal . Provide a recipe and the step-by-step instructions.
  • Explain your favorite computer game . What should a player do to win? What are some playing tips?
  • Explain what you would do if your friends show up at your house unexpectedly . Say how you would entertain them. 
  • Explain how to make a bed . This task is seemingly simple but allows you to write about everyday habits you might never think through in detail. 
  • Explain how to make a paper airplane . Again, this task has many precise, technical details that that should be included in the essay. 
  • Explain how to brush your teeth . Try to make your essay about a seemingly mundane task more interesting. 
  • Explain how to pack a suitcase when going on a holiday. List out all the objects and pieces of clothing you would bring. 

ESL Essays Topics to Practice Verb Tenses

essay topics

  • Talk about a time in the past when you had to make a difficult decision . Explain what you did and why.
  • Describe your dream place to live . Why would you want to live there? What would you do?
  • Write about three specific goals  you want to achieve this year. Explain how you are going to achieve them.
  • Write about something you regret having done . Point out what could have happened if you had not made that decision.
  • Describe the world 100 years from now . Describe how people live, and new inventions and also the things that will not change.
  • Talk about your earliest memory . What happened? How well do you remember the events?
  • Write a short essay about how you prepared for class . Now “translate” that essay into future tense. In other words, the essay should say how you plan to prepare for class.  

Argumentative ESL Essay Topics

argumentative ESL essay topics

  • Are smartphones good or bad? Give some arguments to support your position.
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of public schools and private schools ?
  • What is your favorite book or movie ? Convince others, through your essay, to read or watch it. 
  • Is it the case that the more people that have cars, the better? What are some advantages and disadvantages of public transit ? 
  • Should money be spent on space exploration ? Give arguments to support your opinion.
  • You’re the mayor of your town or city. Explain in an essay your recent decision to ban smoking . Then, from another person’s perspective, write a letter to the mayor protesting this new law. 
  • Reading books vs. watching movies . Which do you prefer and why?
  • What are the pros and cons of e-readers compared to paper books?

Hypothetical ESL Essay Topics

  • What would you do if you were late for an important class?
  • What would you do if your car got a flat tire on the highway?
  • If you had the power to change one thing about your past, what would it be?
  • If you had the power to alter  one major historical event , what would it be?
  • If you could take any superhero’s powers , who would be your choice?
  • How would you feel if, one day, you woke up 300 years in the past ?
  • What would you do if you won the lottery ? Would your life change day-to-day?

essay topics

Some General ESL Essay Tips

When checking ESL essays, pay attention to the following key points:

  • Grammar. The ESL essay should be grammatically correct.
  • Vocabulary. The more new vocabulary the essay contains, the more points it will get.
  • Text flow. The text of the essay should flow logically and naturally. Pay attention to the use of connecting words and phrases. These include first of all , secondly , moreover , in addition , besides , finally , on the one hand, on the other hand , and as a result .
  • Sticking to the topic. Some essay writers tend to deviate from ESL essay topics. However, a perfect ESL essay should stay as close to the point as possible.

A good essay typically has the following parts:

  • An introduction . Here, the author gives some general information about the topic or lays out their argument. An effective intro entices readers to read further. 
  • The body . In an argumentative essay, the body could be 2 to 3 paragraphs. Each should introduce their arguments and support them with examples. In other types of essays, the content may vary. For example, the body may include descriptions, explanations, or personal stories.
  • Conclusion . The author should logically conclude or summarize their thoughts and arguments.

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Exercise 6: Writing an essay for examination from 2024 (Ultimate Guide)

Exercise 6 of the Reading and Writing paper of the IGCSE English as a Second Language (ESL) exam (0510/0511/0991/0993) is always a formal or semi-formal writing. It can be an article, an essay, a report, or a review.

In this article, you will discover how to write an almost-perfect essay that impresses the examiner and gets you the highest band. So, are you ready? Let’s dive in!

So, what is an essay?

An essay is a short piece of writing on a particular subject. The purpose of an essay is to present an argument or point of view about a particular topic and give examples or reasons to support it. The topic will be a question or an issue which people generally have different opinions about.

The essay could present both sides of the argument, or just one, depending on the instructions given in the task. So, if the instructions ask you to give your opinion, you can address just this one point of view, or you can discuss the arguments for and against. But if the task instructions state that arguments for and against should be included, then you should address both points of view.

The Tone and Register of an Essay

In the exam, the essay is usually for your teacher, so the tone and register should be formal or semi-formal . Therefore, it should avoid language that is too idiomatic and colloquial.

Now, before diving into the details of how to write a successful essay, let’s first explore a few differences between articles and essays.

Differences between an article and an essay

An essay is very similar to an article with only a few key differences.

An article is usually published in a newspaper or a magazine, so as far as the exam is concerned, the audience is often students at your school (school magazine article), or sometimes your teacher or the local newspaper.

The audience of an essay is often your teacher (who requested the essay in the first place).

An article is generally written to inform and persuade the reader that a certain viewpoint is correct.

An essay is generally written as a response to a question or a proposition (often by your teacher). It presents an argument or point of view about a particular topic and gives examples or reasons to support it.

Tone and style:

Articles generally have a more objective tone and style, focusing on presenting information in a neutral or balanced manner.

Essays are generally subjective, reflecting the writer’s opinion and perspective.

An article may have a heading to grab the reader’s attention (though not compulsory in the exam).

An essay does not require a heading.

The format of a one-sided argument essay

A one-sided argument essay can have two formats, depending on whether you include a counterargument from the opposing viewpoint or not.

Paragraph 1:  Introduction (including your opinion)

Paragraph 2:  First point supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 3:  Second point supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 4:  State a counterargument (an idea from the opposing viewpoint) and counter the counterargument (i.e., explain why this counterargument is invalid). In other words, state a point made by people who have a different opinion from yours and explain why they are wrong.

Paragraph 5:  Conclusion (including your opinion again but in different words)

Paragraph 2:  One or two points supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 3:  One or two points (different from those of the previous paragraph) supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 4:  Conclusion (including your opinion again but in different words)

The format of a two-sided argument essay

Paragraph 1:  Introduction (without your opinion)

Paragraph 2:  One side of the argument

Paragraph 3:  The other side of the argument

Paragraph 4:  Conclusion (including your opinion)

Introduction

The purpose of the introduction is to  inform the reader  about the main point (topic) of the essay and  engage the reader  to make them interested in the topic. The main components of an effective introduction are:

  • Topic sentence

Start your essay with a brief topic sentence that outlines the argument that the essay will discuss. Give  forceful statements  rather than “I think that”, “maybe” or “perhaps”. For example, “Teenagers love fast food.”, “Nowadays, music plays an indispensable role in our lives.”, etc.

To write an effective topic sentence, you might  use adverbial time phrases  and  generalizations . Here are some examples of each.

Adverbial time phrases

  • Nowadays/these days/currently
  • Every day/week/year
  • Recently/for many years/decades
  • In the past
  • 10 years ago
  • In the last (few/five) (days/weeks/months/years/decades)

Generalization

  • A large number of / The vast majority (of)
  • Several/some
  • Not many/hardly any/ few
  • In almost all cases
  • In the majority of cases
  • In a large number of cases
  • In most cases
  • In some cases
  • On the whole/ Overall
  • Rhetorical question(s)

Use rhetorical questions (questions that don’t require an answer but make your reader think) to get the reader interested in the topic and encourage them to read on. For example:

  • How much longer do animals have to suffer?
  • Could you live with yourself if you missed out on this opportunity?
  • How could we possibly stand the …?
  • What would happen if …?
  • Could your conscience cope with …?
  • Is it really worth …?
  • Do you want to be part of …?
  • Should students do sport at school?
  • Should teenagers completely avoid fast food?
  • We all love convenience food. But is it the best thing for our waistlines, our wallets and our world?
  • Your opinion (if it is a one-sided argument essay)

If you are writing a two-sided argument essay,  DO NOT  give your opinion in the introduction.

If you are writing a one-sided argument essay, you MUST give your opinion (whether you support or oppose the viewpoint expressed in the statement).

Here are some opinion phrases to help you express your opinion.

  • In my opinion/view
  • From my perspective
  • From my point of view
  • I concur/agree
  • I believe/think (that)
  • It seems to me that
  • I am in favour of
  • I am against the idea of
  • I am strongly opposed to
  • I disagree/cannot accept

You may also kill two birds with one stone and begin your essay with a rhetorical question that introduces the topic to the reader, thus acting as a topic sentence. Here are some examples.

“Have you ever thought how school life would be if the school day started later? In my perspective, this will have countless benefits.”

“Should students do sport at school? This is a question which people have different opinions about.”

One-sided essay structure:

Body paragraph 1:  First idea supporting your opinion with an explanation

Body paragraph 2:  Second idea supporting your opinion with an explanation ( should be different from the first idea )

Body paragraph 3:  State a counterargument (an idea from the opposing viewpoint)  AND  counter the counterargument (i.e., explain why this counterargument is invalid). In other words, state a point made by people who have a different opinion from yours and explain why they are wrong.

Body Paragraph 1:  one or two points supporting your opinion with an explanation

Body Paragraph 2:  one or two points (different from those of the previous paragraph) supporting your opinion with an explanation

When introducing the counterargument in the 3 rd  body paragraph, use any of the following phrases.

  • Opponents of this idea claim/assert/argue that …
  • Those who disagree/are against these ideas may say/insist that …
  • Some people allege/argue/contend that …
  • Some people may suggest/point out that …
  • A common counterargument is that …
  • It can be argued that …

When countering the counterargument in the 3 rd  body paragraph, use any of the following phrases depending on the context.

  • Although true to a certain extent, …
  • While this may be true to some extent, …
  • While it is true that …, it is important to consider…
  • While some may believe that … recent studies have shown that …
  • What this invalid argument misses is …
  • What these people fail to notice/take note of is …
  • The evidence, however, disproves this argument because …
  • However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that …
  • However, a closer analysis reveals that …
  • However, this flawed argument overlooks the fact that …

Two-sided essay structure:

Body paragraph 1:  One side of the argument either in favour or against ( mention 2 different ideas )

Body paragraph 2:  The other side of the argument either in favour or against ( mention 2 different ideas )

General guidelines for both kinds of essays:

  • Read the question carefully  and  draft a plan  for your essay in the blank space below the question using a pencil. Here are some steps to follow.
  • Separate the blank space into two parts, one for and one against.
  • Jot down any points that come to your mind in the correct part, along with any interesting vocabulary or expressions suitable for the task. Remember to write briefly and in bullet points.
  • Decide whether you will write a one-sided essay or a two-sided essay. If the instructions in the question state that you must include arguments for and against, then choose the best 2 points supporting each side and write a two-sided essay. If it’s not mentioned that you must include arguments for and against, then the choice is yours.
  • Consider how you will begin your essay and how you will engage the reader at the start. For example, write some variations of the topic sentence and rhetorical questions that you could use.
  • Choose the most effective ones and begin writing. Remember to  spend no more than 5 minutes on the plan.
  • Start your body paragraphs with a topic sentence rather than just jumping into the advantages or disadvantages (especially if you’re writing a two-sided essay). This helps to organize your writing and makes the purpose of the paragraph clear to the reader. For example, in an essay discussing the advantages and disadvantages of fast food, it is better to start your first body paragraph with a topic sentence like “There are some obvious advantages of fast food. Firstly, …” rather than just getting into the first point and writing, “To begin with, it’s quite tasty.”.
  • You can use the few prompts given in the question, but it is better to  use your own ideas  if you want to get higher marks. If, however, you are out of ideas, use the ideas in the question and make sure to paraphrase them (write them in different words) and develop them well.
  • Support your ideas with reasons, evidence, or examples . Keep in mind that the examiner knows the evidence or examples will be made up and doesn’t expect these to be correct. Yes, you can make up your own statistics! Just make sure it’s not overly unrealistic.
  • Keep to the topic  (don’t wander away from the main subject of the essay). Remind yourself constantly by looking again at the question.
  • Use a variety of linking words and cohesive devices  (mainly formal) to create a smooth and logical flow in your writing. Here are some examples.

When presenting the first point (used in the 1 st  body paragraph of both one-sided essays and two-sided essays)

  • There are some obvious advantages of
  • Those in support of … believe that …
  • People who think … say that …
  • The main argument in favour of/against is
  • The main point/reason is
  • The most important point/reason is
  • The first point/reason is
  • First of all
  • First and foremost

When  adding  more points to the same side of the argument

  • In addition,
  • Furthermore,
  • Additionally,
  • Not only … but also…
  • As well as.
  • Another noteworthy point is …
  • Apart from that
  • What is more

When  contrasting  ideas (typically used to introduce the opposite viewpoint in the 2 nd  body paragraph of a two-sided essay

  • Some people argue that …
  • Nevertheless
  • Even though
  • In spite of
  • On the other hand
  • On the contrary
  • By contrast

When giving examples

  • For example
  • For instance
  • One clear example is
  • To illustrate
  • In other words

When reasoning:

  • Results and consequences: as a result, consequently, therefore, thus, hence, for this reason, as a result (of), which means that, etc.
  • Reasons and causes: owing to, because (of), on account of, due to, since, as, etc.   

When highlighting and stressing

  • Particularly
  • In particular
  • Specifically

The purpose of the conclusion is to  sum up what you have said  and  express (or re-express) your opinion.

In the conclusion:

  • Briefly summarize your main points using concluding phrases. Here are some examples.
  • In conclusion
  • To conclude
  • To reiterate
  • On the whole
  • All things considered
  • After weighing the benefits and drawbacks
  • I believe that …
  • Thus, I am of the opinion that …
  • Given these points

Remember to use different words from those used to express the points in the body.

  • Give your final opinion (regardless of whether it’s a one-sided or a two-sided essay) and any solution or suggestion if applicable.

The solution or suggestion might be part of your opinion if you’re writing a two-sided essay and want to take a balanced view on the issue rather than siding with one side. For example, “Overall, I believe eating fast food occasionally isn’t a problem, but fresh home-cooked food is best.” Use the opinion phrases stated earlier in the Introduction section to express your opinion, and if it’s a one-sided essay, make sure to use different words from those used in the introduction.

  • End with a strong, impactful statement that leaves the reader with something to think about. This could be a rhetorical question or a statement that encourages the reader to decide what they think about the same viewpoint. For example:
  • “To conclude, I wholeheartedly believe that everyone should pursue higher education. Why not embrace this invaluable opportunity to fast-track your career, build your confidence, and broaden your social circle?”
  • “Overall, I believe eating fast food occasionally isn’t a problem, but fresh home-cooked food is best. Do you not think so?”
  • “After weighing the benefits and the drawbacks, it is apparent that convenience food, while palatable, may negatively impact other areas of your life. Think about this before you reach for your next snack!”

It’s worth mentioning that this step is PREFERABLE . So don’t stress too much about ending your essay with an impactful statement or a rhetorical question. Just make sure that the conclusion reflects the argument presented in the main body of the essay and that your final opinion is clear to the reader.

Points to keep in mind

  • Read the task carefully to make sure that the ideas and supporting information you include are relevant to the topic. Students often lose focus and write about wider, more general issues associated with the topic, which significantly affects their marks.
  • Organize your essay into 4-5 paragraphs . Leave a line between paragraphs or indent the first line of each new paragraph. Don’t do both!
  • Take care of spelling, punctuation, and grammar . This is important as the examiner will look at the accuracy of your language.
  • Use a combination of simple, compound, and complex sentences . A series of long sentences will make your writing difficult to read, and a series of short simple sentences will make your writing boring to read. Balance is the key.
  • Use a wide range of formal vocabulary, including some advanced and less commonly used ones .
  • Include a range of topic-related vocabulary to show that you have a good understanding of the topic.
  • Use a wide variety of formal linking words to link ideas in sentences and paragraphs.  Examples have been mentioned earlier.
  • Use advanced punctuation sparingly  (1-3 in the whole essay), for example, colon (:) and semicolon (;).
  • Include language appropriate for expressing opinions, agreeing, and disagreeing. In addition to mentioning your opinion in the introduction and/or conclusion, your viewpoint can also be included in the body paragraphs (whether it’s a one-sided or a two-sided essay) by:
  • Mentioning personal examples or experiences (which implies that you agree with this point of view)
  • Explicitly agreeing while presenting a point in the body paragraph. Here is an example: “People who think sports lessons are a good idea say that students need exercise, and I agree that doing sports helps to make you healthy and avoid getting overweight.”
  • Aim to complete towards the maximum word limit  (approximately 160 words). Exceeding the word limit slightly (15-20 words) is fine as long as you write accurately and complete the task within the correct time. If you exceed the word limit by any number of words, be it even 100, no marks will be cut directly, but you increase your chances of making more mistakes and spending more time than required for this exercise, which may affect your mark indirectly. If you write towards the lower limit or below, you are highly unlikely to achieve the highest band for Content as your content is not well developed.
  • Spend about 30 minutes on this exercise : the initial 5 minutes for planning and the last 2-3 minutes for checking your work for simple spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes.
  • Write legibly

Don’ts

  • Do not write a heading.
  • Avoid colloquial or ‘chatty’ language (which includes informal vocabulary, abbreviations, or slang such as how r u, OMG, BTW, etc.).
  • Avoid listing  (firstly, secondly, thirdly, etc.). There is no problem in writing “firstly”, but avoid writing “secondly” and “thirdly”.
  • Avoid repetition of vocabulary and beginning your sentences with the same words . Sometimes, students write 3 or more sentences in a row starting with “The”!
  • Avoid including too many different ideas in your essay. It is better to include fewer ideas and develop one or two in greater depth rather than writing many ideas which are not well-developed.
  • Avoid writing an overlong introduction and conclusion. It would be more effective to utilize the limited word count to develop your ideas within the body of the essay. Also, avoid pre-learned language for these parts of the essay, as this may not be totally relevant or might sound unnatural.
  • It’s preferable to avoid contractions , but they can be used as the essay can have a semi-formal tone and register. In both cases, remember to be consistent throughout. So, if you used contractions, use them throughout your whole essay, and if not, avoid them altogether.

Practice a lot of past papers and get feedback on your writing. We know that essay writing is newly added to the syllabus, but you can still practice writing essays in response to past years’ article writing questions as they are very similar.

Finally, don’t forget to check out our samples page and if you find this helpful, please share it with your friends.

Good luck! Go get that A*!

17 responses to “Exercise 6: Writing an essay for examination from 2024 (Ultimate Guide)”

 avatar

Appreciate this post! Very helpful to me as a teacher.

ESL Kings team avatar

Thank you! We really appreciate your positive feedback!

Muhammad Ali avatar

Thank you so much for giving us the ideas how to write an essay. Specially, phrases how to begin sentences from each paragraph

You’re welcome 🙂 We’re glad it helped!

Carmela Lamarina avatar

Wonderful materials for my students who are going to take the exam next May. Thank you so much

Thank you so much for your kind feedback! We’re glad our notes are benefiting your students! Good luck to them!

Sara avatar

Thank you so much for your help! Could you also post some sample essays, it would be very helpful for us!!

Hi Sara, thank you for your comment! We will definitely consider adding them after completing the review writing notes which we are currently working on.

What do you mean by do not write a heading? Do you mean we shouldn’t have a title for the essay?

Yes, an essay doesn’t require a title. Trying to come up with one will use up your exam time unnecessarily.

Omar avatar

Is there going to be direct deduction of marks if written?

yes no title in essay

AM avatar

Hello, I’m having my exam in 4 months and I can’t believe I didn’t know about this website before, seriously I wholeheartedly appreciate what you do, I heard there’s a service where you can correct or give feedback on pieces of writings and grade them, is it available?

Thank you so much for your nice comment! We really appreciate it! Our marking service was available, but unfortunately, it is now suspended as it requires a lot of time and effort, which we can’t provide at the moment. We apologize for this! And we wish you good luck with your exam!

Abdullah majed avatar

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORT AND TIME CREATING THESE SUPER AMAZING NOTES AND TIPS FOR WRITING EXERCISES

Thank you for your kind words! We’re really glad you found them helpful!

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An opinion essay.

Look at the essay and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then do the other exercises.

Preparation

An essay

Check your understanding: multiple selection

Check your writing: matching - useful words and phrases, worksheets and downloads.

Are video games really a good way to keep fit? What do you think?

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The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples

An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.

The essay writing process consists of three main stages:

  • Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
  • Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
  • Revision:  Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.

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Table of contents

Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.

The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .

For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:

  • Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
  • Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
  • Do your research: Read  primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
  • Come up with a thesis:  The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
  • Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.

The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.

1. Hook your reader

The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.

Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

2. Provide background on your topic

Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.

3. Present the thesis statement

Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:

As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.

4. Map the structure

In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.

The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Write your essay introduction

The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.

Length of the body text

The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.

Paragraph structure

To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.

That idea is introduced in a  topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.

After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

See the full essay example

The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :

  • Returns to your thesis
  • Ties together your main points
  • Shows why your argument matters

A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.

What not to include in a conclusion

To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:

  • Including new arguments or evidence
  • Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
  • Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

Write your essay conclusion

Checklist: Essay

My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).

My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.

My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.

I use paragraphs to structure the essay.

I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.

I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.

My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.

I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.

I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.

I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.

My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .

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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

  • An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
  • Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
  • A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

  • It gives your writing direction and focus.
  • It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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20 English Essay Topics/Questions | B2 First (FCE)

esl essay examples

The language of an English essay should be formal . Also, make sure that you justify all your ideas and that you use appropriate connectors to link your sentences and paragraphs .

How to write B2 First (FCE) essay?

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B2 First (FCE) Essay: Example Topics / Questions

Below is a sample list of academic essay writing topics/tasks for B2-level (intermediate) students. You can use them to practice writing English essays or to prepare for the Cambridge B2 First (FCE) exam

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 1 | First (FCE)

You have watched a documentary about young children in poor areas who leave school to work. Your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view.

Teenagers are dropping out of school to find a job. How can we help them to continue their education?

Write about:

  • family problems
  • financial difficulties
  • …………… (your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 2 | First (FCE)

In your social studies course, you have watched a documentary on the potential effects of too much pollution on the air quality of city centres. Your professor has assigned you an essay to write.

Keeping the air quality in city centres at healthy levels for their residents is a concern for many places. How can we solve the problem of pollution in city centres?

  • automobiles
  • ………………  (your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 3 | First (FCE)

In your education class, you have listened to a lecture on the importance of teaching foreign languages in school. Your teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Learning a foreign language helps students develop a set of important skills. Why should foreign languages be taught in schools?

  • new cultures
  •  employment
  • …………. (your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 4 | First (FCE)

You have listened to a radio programme about the problem of widespread starvation in many parts of Africa. Your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

In many parts of Africa, people are dying of starvation and lack of freshwater. Can these problems be solved?

  • lack of organised farming
  • …….. …….. (your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 5 | First (FCE)

You have watched a video on a non-profit organisation working to stop the use of animals for testing medicines used by human beings. Now, your professor has asked you to write an essay.

Testing on animals is a standard in scientific research. What is the best way to deal with this problem?

  • animals suffer
  • outdated form of research
  • …… ……..  (your own idea)

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B2 - essay topic / question 6 | first (fce).

You have listened to a radio programme about deforestation, the cutting down of trees in many wild areas around the world. Now, your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Many forests around the world are being destroyed for agricultural, commercial, or housing use without allowing time for the forests to regenerate themselves. What can be done to improve the situation?

  • what contributes to the greenhouse effect
  • ………. (your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 7 | First (FCE)

In your English class, you have been talking about endangered species, animals or plants that will likely become extinct. Your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Around the world, many wildlife species are in danger of extinction. How can we protect endangered animals?

  • hunting wild animals
  • ………..  (your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 8 | First (FCE)

You have watched a Youtube video about the problem of computer game addiction in children. Your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

More and more young people spend most of their time playing computer games. How can we help children to overcome this addiction?

  • bad grades at school
  • no social life
  • ………… (your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 9 | First (FCE)

You have listened to a radio programme about the impact of smoking on people’s health. Now, your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Smoking is responsible for many health problems throughout the world. Do you think it should be made illegal?

  • lung cancer
  •  passive smoking
  • ……………… (your own idea)

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More than practice tests, b2 - essay topic / question 10 | first (fce).

In your English class, you have been talking about the problem of obesity in young people. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

In Europe and the USA a lot of young people have an obesity problem. What can be done to solve this problem?

  • (your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 11 | First (FCE)

Has technology made a positive contribution to sport today?

  • The use of technology to improve performance
  • The use of technology in refereeing decisions

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 12 | First (FCE)

It is better to work at home than in an office. Do you agree?

  • Contact with people
  • Working hours

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 13 | First (FCE)

Life is harder for young people now than in the past. Do you agree?

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 14 | First (FCE)

Is it better to go shopping in small local businesses or large out-of-town shopping centres?

  • Where things are cheaper
  • Where service is better

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 15 | First (FCE)

Is it better to spend a summer holiday in the countryside or on the coast?

  • Leisure options

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 16 | First (FCE)

Your teacher has asked you to write your response to the following statement taken from a recent newspaper article:

Do you agree that community service works better than fines?

  • effort and time
  • lesson learned
  • ………………(your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 17 | First (FCE)

Is it true that we help the environment when we plant a tree?

  • clear the air
  •  ………….( your own idea)

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 18 | First (FCE)

Nowadays children are suffering from obesity, that was once considered to be meant for adults only. What are its causes and what solutions can be offered?

  • busy lifestyle

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 19 | First (FCE)

Is it better to be the oldest or the youngest in a family?

  • role of older sibling

B2 - Essay Topic / Question 20 | First (FCE)

Modern lifestyles can seriously endanger our health.

Do you agree?

  • physical activity
  • …….. (your own choice)

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73 ESL Writing Activities to Spark Your Students’ Creativity and Imagination

From a student’s point of view, writing assignments are something to dread.

But from an ESL teacher’s point of view, they should be a challenge worth accepting.

The challenge for you is to motivate your students enough to actually be excited about writing.

Sounds impossible? It’s actually quite simple.

The key is a strong pre-writing activity that boosts their confidence and adds to their vocabulary at the same time.

So, how do you get your students’ writing off to a great start?

In this post, we’ll look at some different ESL writing activities that will transform your students from hesitant writers to confident wordsmiths in their own right.

Writing Assignments Based on Stories

Writing activities prompted by music, writing practice exercises based on images or pictures, writing assignments based on food, writing activities based on mysteries, exercises to practice writing emails, activities to practice writing advertisements, assignments to practice writing reports, creative writing activity: class newsletter/newspaper.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

People of all ages love a well-told story, and using stories to teach ESL is a sure winner.

A story for a pre-writing activity could be in the form of:

  • A  movie . It could be a biography, sci-fi film, thriller, action-packed adventure, fairy tale or even a cartoon.
  • A  story read aloud from a book. If you’re using this, read in a way that brings the characters’ voices to life (including the narrator’s), hold the book up to show any pictures within or scan them and project onto a screen as you read. You can also search YouTube videos of famous authors or celebrities reading a book aloud, and show these in class.
  • A  story from the news . It could be from the TV, radio, newspaper or an online news site .
  • A story read by your students. In this case, you could let them read a story silently or with a partner, and take as long as they like to think about the important parts.

No matter what you choose, it’ll be a great lead-in to the ESL writing exercises below.

1. Re-tell the story as is, or summarize it. (This works best for beginners, who are still getting their feet wet in the waters of English comprehension.)

2. After watching “Finding Nemo” : Tell the story from the point of view of the whale, the dentist’s daughter or Bruce the shark.

3. Explain to Marlin how he should take care of Nemo better.

4. Make up a story about a farm animal/zoo animal/jungle animal. What if a baby ___ was lost? What if a child was lost in the city? What if you found a lost child?

5. After the story of “Goldilocks” : Tell the story from the baby bear’s point of view.

6. What if the baby bear and Goldilocks became best buds? What would happen?

7. After discussing “The Gingerbread Man” : Tell the story from the fox’s or gingerbread man’s point of view.

8. What did the old woman do wrong that made the gingerbread man run away?

9. How do you make a gingerbread man? What other shapes could be made instead?

10. After “Little Red Riding Hood” : Write the story in the first person—from the point of view of either Red Riding Hood or the wolf.

11. What should Red Riding Hood have done when she met the wolf?

12. After watching a “Lord of the Rings” movie: What would you do if you had the One Ring? Write about a magical quest you and several friends would have if you could.

13. After watching a “Pirates of the Caribbean”  movie: What if you were a pirate? What adventures would you have if you were a pirate?

14. After watching “Titanic” : Write about what you discover when you dive onto the wreck. Or imagine you were on the ship when it sank, and talk about how you escaped.

15. Whose fault was it that so many people drowned on the Titanic? What should they have done?

16. After watching a “Star Wars”  movie: Imagine you’re a space explorer and write about what happens when you meet some characters from “Star Wars.”

17. After watching a “Terminator”  movie: Imagine your teacher is a robot that has come back from the future. Or imagine you have come back from the future—what would it be like?

18. After watching a “Harry Potter” movie: Make up some magic spells and explain how you’d use them.

Everybody loves music! Watch your students’ faces light up as soon as they realize that they’re about to be treated to some songs rather than chalk-and-talk. Music stirs the emotions, after all, and can get your students excited about writing.

Here are some ideas for music you can incorporate into ESL writing activities:

  • Classical music. There are some pieces of well-known classical music that specifically tell a story , and many of these are available on YouTube.
  • “Fantasia 2000,” particularly “Rhapsody in Blue.” This wonderful, wordless animated story can kick off so much great writing!
  • Movie music. The music that goes with a movie tells watchers how they should be feeling, and could be a good jumping-off point for some writing.
  • Popular songs and music. Self-explanatory. Check out the most popular or trending artists on YouTube or Spotify for ideas.
  • Kids’ songs . There’s something about singing a catchy little tune that makes the words stick in your mind more than just saying them. These can lead to some interesting writing, too.

19. After Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” : Tell the story from Peter’s point of view.

20. After Saint-Saëns’ “The Carnival of the Animals” : Imagine walking through the scenes with the animals and interacting with them. Write a story from the point of view of one of the animals.

21. Describe the animals in “The Carnival of the Animals.”

22. After Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” : Re-tell this classic Shakespeare story, adding a twist.

23. After watching and listening to “Rhapsody in Blue” : Tell all/part of the story.

24. If you were the main character in “Rhapsody in Blue,” what would you do?

25. Listen to a piece of classical/instrumental music and tell the story that it might be a background to. Imagine that it’s the background music for a movie.

26. Tell the story (real or made up) behind some popular songs like Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams.”

27. Describe meeting someone special like in the aforementioned Taylor Swift song.

28. What happens in your wildest dreams?

29. What if you were a famous pop star or musician? What would it be like? What would you do?

30. Give instructions on how to find your favorite song on the Internet, both music and lyrics.

31. If you play an instrument, or have a relative who plays one, write about some of the basics of how to play. (This could also work as a speaking and listening activity, and then the whole class could write about it.)

32. What is your favorite genre of music, and why? (Be sure to explain what “genre” means !)

33. Do you think young children should be allowed to freely watch music videos?

Some pictures you can use for ESL writing activities include:

  • Pictures from social media. If you use social media at all, you doubtless have a barrage of amazing photos and videos on your feed, all of which make for excellent writing prompts.
  • Pictures from Google Images . A quick Google search on any (classroom-safe) image will turn up plenty.
  • Cartoons . If you have young students, they’ll definitely enjoy this one.
  • Pictures selected by your students. Not sure what to choose? Have your students pick their own pictures to write about. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how vibrant their writing can be when they’re writing about subjects they actually care about.

Regardless of the picture you (or your students) choose, here are some writing prompts you can consider.

34. Tell a story—real or imagined—of what is happening in the picture.

35. Write about what happens next from the pictured moment.

36. Write about what was happening just before the pictured incident.

37. What if that was you in the picture?

38. What if you were the person who took the picture?

39. What if you knew the people in the picture? What would you say to them?

40. Describe all of the elements in the picture. This is great for vocabulary practice.

41. Describe how someone in the picture might be feeling.

42. Explain how to get into  a pictured predicament (for example, in the picture here , how did he get into the boat without the crocodile eating him?) as well as how to get out of it.

43. Express an opinion about the rights and wrongs of the pictured situation. For example, for the same picture above: Should crocodiles be hunted and killed? What should happen if a crocodile kills someone?

Many of your students likely enjoy thinking and talking about food. So why wouldn’t they be motivated to write about it?

How you integrate food into your ESL writing assignments depends on your classroom arrangements and the amount of time you’re willing to put into preparation.

In any case, here are some ideas:

  • Start with the preparation and sharing of food before writing about it.
  • Look at pictures of food, and talk about them before moving on to writing.
  • Have students research food-related topics on the internet.
  • Start with a story about food.

Here are the specific food writing prompts:

44. After the story of “The Gingerbread Man”: Think about food that develops a life of its own, and what would happen with it. (This can also open up a discussion about cultural foods.) For example, make up a similar story about another piece of food (e.g., spaghetti or rice that comes alive). What if you felt something moving in your mouth after you bit into your burger?

45. Write a story (real or imagined) about being very hungry and/or finding/buying/stealing food to meet a desperate need.

46. Write a story about trying a new, unfamiliar kind of food—maybe in a (relevant) cross-cultural setting.

47. Write a story about finding and eating a food that has magical properties. (Maybe read or watch some or all of “Alice in Wonderland”  first.)

48. Describe interesting/disgusting/unusual/delicious/colorful foods, especially after a class tasting lesson. (Prepare students first with suitable taste vocabulary .)

49. Describe a food that’s unfamiliar to most students in the class. (This is particularly helpful for classes where there are students belonging to minority groups who hesitate to speak up.)

50. Describe an imaginary magical food.

51. Give instructions for preparing a particular recipe.

52. After a class activity or demonstration involving food: Write down what you have learned.

53. Give instructions for producing food—growing vegetables, keeping animals, etc.

54. Give instructions for buying the best food—what to look for, looking at labels, checking prices and the like.

55. Write about your opinion on food and health in First World and Third World countries. (Explain what makes a country “First,” “Second” or “Third World” first.)

56. Write about your opinion on the cost of food.

57. Write about your opinion on GMOs or genetically engineered foods .

There’s nothing quite like a good “whodunnit,” and students will always enjoy a good puzzle. You can base various pre-writing activities around the two games below to get the class warmed up for ESL writing practice.

  • Conundrum. This is an example of a game that can be played as a speaking and listening activity, and can lead into some good writing. The game starts with a simple statement or description of a situation like the ones described in situation puzzles . Students ask questions and receive yes/no answers until they work out the explanation for the situation.

After Conundrum, here are some of the activities your students can do:

58. Write a story about the sequence of events involved in a situation brought up in the game.

59. Devise and describe your own situation puzzle.

  • Putting their hands inside a cloth bag (or just feeling the outside) to guess what an object is.
  • Smelling substances in opaque jars with perforated lids, and trying to guess what they are.
  • Tasting mystery foods on plastic spoons (with blindfolds).
  • Looking at pictures of mysterious objects from obscure angles.
  • Listening to and guessing the origins of sound effects. (You can record your own, or use some from the Internet .)

(Important: Make sure that whatever you’re using for your guessing game is safe for your students, especially if they involve having to touch, taste or smell the object.)

After a guessing game, your students can:

60. Write about a possible mystery object and a magical quality it could possess.

61. Describe what you thought you saw, heard, felt, tasted or smelled.

For both games, here are some writing prompts you can do:

62. Give instructions for playing one of the games.

63. Give instructions for the perfect crime.

64. Give your opinion about a recent crime and the punishment for it.

Emailing can often be a scary task for your students, especially if they’re using a new, strange language like English. You can utilize an email writing activity to help your students build confidence and get more comfortable writing in English.

Email can also teach your students things like proper language (formal or informal), structure and format. Email-related writing activities for ESL students can offer ample opportunities to teach all of these three aspects.

Since emails involve two parties (the sender and the receiver), you’ll need to pair your students up for this activity. Here’s how to prepare for it:

  • Create one set of worksheets explaining details relevant to the sender. For example, it could contain information about a sender’s upcoming birthday party that they want to invite the receiver to.
  • Create another set of worksheets with the receiver’s details. The worksheets could contain questions about food dishes or gifts, or it could say that the receiver can’t make it for one reason or other.

Once the above has been done, give one set of worksheets to the “senders” and the other to the “receivers.” Then, here’s what your students will do:

65. Based on the senders’ worksheets, write an email inviting the receiver and explaining the key aspects of the event featured in the worksheet.

66. Based on the receivers’ worksheets, write an email explaining why you can or cannot make it to the party, and/or what other information you need about the event.

Advertisements are everywhere, and you can bet that your students have a few favorite ads of their own. Advertisement-related writing activities work across age groups and can be adapted to most students and their needs.

This great ESL writing assignment can help your students put the adjectives they’ve learned into good use, as well as showcase their creative writing and persuasion skills.

You can find advertisements everywhere, including:

  • YouTube videos
  • Newspapers and magazines

You can also bring an object (or handful of objects) to class that your students can write ads about.

67. After your students carefully examine the object(s) you brought into class: Write all the adjectives you can think of about it.

68. For a more challenging writing exercise: Write an ad about the object. How would you persuade someone who knows nothing about the object whatsoever to buy it? (Your students may or may not use the adjectives they wrote down earlier. Encourage them to be creative!)

Your students have likely already done some kind of report during the course of their studies. Also, writing reports is a skill that’ll be useful to them once they enter college or the corporate world (if they aren’t in it already). If you feel that they need a little more practice in this area, use this ESL writing assignment.

First, discuss how research and structure matter to reports—and perhaps show them a few samples. Then, give them a few questions to base their reports on, like:

69. What can you say about (insert topic here) in terms of (insert specific angle here)? (For example, “What can you say about the government’s efforts to improve the local park in terms of its impact on the general public?” Of course, you should adapt this question to the level of your students.)

70. After talking about a YouTube video on bears eating salmon : What would happen to the bears if the salmon ran out? 

This ESL writing activity is a bit more intensive and will allow your students to employ many different aspects of their ESL knowledge. Crafting a class newsletter will build collaboration, communication, listening, speaking and, of course, writing skills. If they’re not sure how to build a newsletter or newspaper from scratch, they can always swipe from premade templates like this one .

The newsletter/newspaper can follow a specific theme, or the articles can consist of a hodgepodge of random topics based on questions like:

71. What is the most interesting thing that happened in school this year? It can be the funniest/scariest/most heartwarming incident. Write a feature article about it. (Make sure to explain what a “feature article” is .)

72. Write a report highlighting the key events in some recent local festivals or concerts.

73. Going off of the last exercise, write an ad inviting the reader to buy a product or attend an event.

Once all of the articles are done, you can start putting them together. Make sure to walk your students through these newspaper layout tips . And when the newsletter/newspaper is finally published and circulated out there for the world to see, remember to congratulate your students for a job well done!

No matter what writing assignments you choose, make sure to keep the excitement level high so that your students are enthusiastic for your next writing session.

Whether they write by hand or type on a computer, remember to encourage them as much as you can by focusing on the good points rather than just running all over their mistakes with a red pen.

Lastly, find ways for them to share their efforts—whether online, on the classroom wall, bound together in a book to be passed around, etc.

They can also read aloud to each other, share with their parents and siblings and even share with other classes!

For more ESL assignment ideas, check out this post: 

Great ESL homework ideas can be difficult to come up with. So check out these 13 great ideas for ESL homework assignments that your students will love. Not only are they…

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  1. Essay Examples & Writing Tips for ESL/EFL Students (updated 2024)

    In our article, "Essay Examples for ESL/EFL Students," we embark on a journey through the world of essays, offering you valuable examples and insights to help you gain confidence in your English writing abilities. Essay Examples and Tips For ESL Students . SAMPLE ESSAY 1. My Hobby. My favorite hobby is playing drums.

  2. PDF Accuplacer-WritePlacer-ESL Sample Essays

    WritePlacer® ESL provides a direct measure of the writing skills of students who identify as English language learners. Students taking WritePlacer ESL are presented with a prompt and asked to write an essay of approximately 300 to 600 words. WritePlacer ESL prompts are carefully designed to be culturally accessible to English language learners.

  3. Example of a Great Essay

    This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people's social and cultural lives.

  4. ESL Essay Writing: 7 Important Tips to Teach Students Plus ...

    So, here are seven ESL essay writing tips that will allow your students to weave together a coherent and persuasive essay, plus teacher resources for writing activities, prompts and lessons! Contents. 1. Build the Essay Around a Central Question; 2. Use the Traditional 5-paragraph Essay Structure; 3. Plan the Essay Carefully Before Writing

  5. Teach Narrative Writing to ESL Students

    ESL Newcomers. Supporting ESL newcomers in writing narrative essays involves providing structured writing supports like word banks and sample essays. Start by creating word banks filled with descriptive words, action verbs, and transitional phrases relevant to storytelling. These banks serve as vocabulary resources, aiding students in ...

  6. ESL Essay: Unboxing an ESL Essay with Topics and Examples

    ESL - is an abbreviation that stands for English as a second language . ESL Essay is an essay that is written by a person whose mother tongue is not English. In today's world, the English language has become a very important thing. It is now the third most widespread native language in the world and the global language of business.

  7. B2 writing

    This section offers writing practice to help you write clear, detailed text on a wide range of topics related to your interests. Texts include essays, reports, reviews, messages and emails. Each lesson has a preparation task, a model text with writing tips and three tasks to check your understanding and to practise a variety of writing skills.

  8. 50+ Stellar ESL Writing Prompts to Inspire Your Students ...

    Giving good ESL writing prompts is important because inspiring prompts inspire students to write more and writing more is how they improve. Read this post to learn 50 excellent ESL writing prompts for all essay types: process, creative, opinion writing. Then look into our list of resources to find more great prompts.

  9. What Is an Essay? Different Types of Essays with Examples

    An essay is a written piece of work that presents a writer's perspective, opinion, or argument on a particular topic. It is a common academic assignment given to students at various educational levels. Essays can be classified into different types based on their purpose, content, and style. Here are the different types of essays with examples:

  10. An opinion essay

    Read the question carefully. Respond to all ideas in it or all parts of it. Plan your ideas first and then choose the best ones. Introduce your essay by restating the question in your own words. Show understanding of both sides of the argument. Use linking words to connect your ideas. Draw your conclusion from the main ideas in your essay.

  11. 365 Essays for English Learners

    365 Essays for English Learners. 1 America: Land of Opportunity. 2 The Fourth of July. 3 The U.S. Federal Government. 4 Christmas: A Holiday of Traditions. 5 New Year's Day: A Holiday of New Beginnings. 6 Martin Luther King Jr Day: To Remember a Civil Rights Leader. 7 Valentine's Day: A Holiday of Love and Friendship.

  12. 40 New ESL Essay Topics + Writing Prompts For Your Next Class

    Writing ESL essay writing is hard for most students and many will struggle at first before learning to write well. ... In other types of essays, the content may vary. For example, the body may include descriptions, explanations, or personal stories. Conclusion. The author should logically conclude or summarize their thoughts and arguments.

  13. Essay

    In your English class you have been talking about the fashion industry. Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view. Some people say the fashion industry has a bad effect on people's lives. Do you agree? Write about: 1. whether people's appearance is important. 2. the price of clothes. 3 ...

  14. Exercise 6: Writing an essay (Ultimate Guide)

    Exercise 6 of the Reading and Writing paper of the IGCSE English as a Second Language (ESL) exam (0510/0511/0991/0993) is always a formal or semi-formal writing. It can be an article, an essay, a report, or a review. In this article, you will discover how to write an almost-perfect essay that impresses the examiner and gets you the highest band.

  15. An opinion essay

    Worksheets and downloads. An opinion essay - exercises 806.72 KB. An opinion essay - answers 284.99 KB. An opinion essay - essay 657.49 KB. An opinion essay - writing practice 187.62 KB.

  16. Essay

    Example Answer: Adults can influence younger people in a good way, but also in a bad way. There are various possibilities how this can happen. On the one hand, setting a good example is a quite useful way, because younger people will be able to see the adult's behaviours and ways of thinking.

  17. Argumentative Essay: Definition, Outline & Examples of ...

    The argumentative essay is one which is used to present an argument surrounding two side of any particular issue. The essay can be written as a way of presenting both sides of the argument as equal or it might be written with one side taking preference over the other. This would be done when the writer has a specific opinion on the topic.

  18. 149 Essay writing English ESL worksheets pdf & doc

    A selection of English ESL essay writing printables. essay writing. Worksheets. Powerpoints. Video Lessons. Search. Filters. 149 Essay writing English ESL worksheets pdf & doc. SORT BY. Most popular. ... Shows an example of . 2647 uses. ashleyyy. Conjunctions for ess. Conjunctions used in. 2464 uses. thau. Exam Essay Writing T. Essay Writing ...

  19. The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay

    The essay writing process consists of three main stages: Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline. Writing: Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion. Revision: Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling ...

  20. 20 English Essay Topics/Questions

    Article navigation: B2 First (FCE) Essay: Example Topics / Questions B2 First (FCE) Essay: Download (PDF) An essay is a piece of writing in which you are asked to discuss a topic that might be controversial or relevant somehow. It usually follows a class discussion. The language of an English essay should be formal.Also, make sure that you justify all your ideas and that you use appropriate ...

  21. 73 ESL Writing Activities to Spark Your Students ...

    73 ESL Writing Activities to Spark Your Students' Creativity and Imagination. From a student's point of view, writing assignments are something to dread. But from an ESL teacher's point of view, they should be a challenge worth accepting. The challenge for you is to motivate your students enough to actually be excited about writing.

  22. English Essay (Business

    Cheap Business Essay Writing Services. Before being accepted into our company, we underwent extensive background checks. Check their credentials to confirm that they have been writing professionally for some time. If they are members of professional associations, check, for instance. Some students may have difficulty completing their research ...