WARM-UP

1. What are the advantages or disadvantages of living near work?

2. At some jobs, employees are allowed to listen to music while they work. What is your opinion of

this?

3. Some people prefer to work for a large company, while others prefer to work in a small office.

Which size company do you prefer to work in?

 REVIEW
5 TYPES OF QUESTION

Ms.DUYEN EHOUSE
 GENERAL OPINION
What is your opinion about this?

Ms.DUYEN EHOUSE
 IMPORTANCE
Why do you think ST is important ?

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 AGREE / DISAGREE
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:…

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 PREFERENCE
Which ONE do you prefer/choose?
What is the best way to…

Ms.DUYEN EHOUSE
 ADVANTAGES VS
DISADVANTAGES
What are the advantages or disadvantages of ST?

Ms.DUYEN EHOUSE
 PROMPT TYPES
Types Descriptions Example prompt
Advantages/ Choose the
What are the advantages or disadvantages of living near work? Give reasons or
disadvantage advantages or/and
examples to support your opinion.
s disadvantages
Some people prefer to work for a large company, while others prefer to work in
Choose which options a small office.
Preference
you prefer Which size company do you prefer to work in? Use specific examples to support
your choice.

General Give your opinion on Some people think to working during the university time is good. What is your
opinion a topic opinion? Use specific examples to support your choice.

You agree or Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Learning an additional
Agree/disagr
disagree with a language is a good way to improve one’s job prospects in any field. Use specific
ee
statement reasons and examples to support your answer.

Explain why References from previous employers are important for some employers when
Importance something is making hiring decisions. Why do you think that references are important to
important employers? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
UNDERSTAND THE TOPIC
1. What are the advantages or disadvantages of living near work? Give reasons or
examples to support your opinion.
a. The advantages and disadvantages of owning a home
b. The pros or cons of living near one’s place of employment

2. Some people prefer to work for a large company, while others prefer to work in a
small office. Which size company do you prefer to work in? Use specific examples to
support your choice.
a. My opinion on work environments
b. My work environment preference

3. At some jobs, employees are allowed to listen to music while they work. What is your
opinion of this? Give reasons or examples to support your opinion.
a. My music preferences
b. My thoughts on a specific company policy
 STRUCTURE

INTRODUCTION BODY ( 2-3 PARAGRAPHs) CONCLUSION

Ø Topic sentence Ø Topic sentence Ø Restate the thesis statement
Ø Thesis statement Ø Details/ Examples Ø Review of major points
Ø Transition statement Ø Concluding sentence
 SAMPLE OUTLINE
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OR DISADVANTAGES OF LIVING NEAR WORK?
Give reasons or examples to support your opinion.

[Thesis statement] There are several advantages of living near the office.
[Main point 1] Less time commuting
[examples/details] I spend over an hour driving to and from work every day. Cutting down
on that would mean less stress and more time for family.
[Main point 2] Cheaper
[examples/details] An apartment near my office might be a little more expensive, but I’d
save on transportation costs.
[Main point 3] Convenient
[examples/details] would be nice to go home for lunch and get back to the office quickly
 SAMPLE OUTLINE
AT SOME JOBS, EMPLOYEES ARE ALLOWED TO LISTEN TO MUSIC WHILE THEY WORK.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF THIS?
Give reasons or examples to support your opinion.

[Thesis statement] my opinion is that it is a bad idea for employers to allow workers to listen to
music at the office.
[Main point 1] too distracting
[examples / details]
-clerks at store listening to music, not paying attention to customers
-will not return to that store now
[main point 2] hurts teamwork
[examples / details] everyone is listening to music, not helping each other
[main point 3] not everyone has the same musical taste
[examples / details]
-what some people like, others may find annoying
-my friend has to listen to country music at work, it makes her unproductive
 SAMPLE OUTLINE
SOME PEOPLE PREFER TO WORK FOR A LARGE COMPANY, WHILE OTHERS PREFER TO
WORK IN A SMALL OFFICE. WHICH SIZE COMPANY DO YOU PREFER TO WORK IN?
Use specific examples to support your choice.

[Thesis statement] Personally, I prefer to work in a small office rather than at a large company for
several reasons.
[Main point 1] More interaction with managers
[Examples / Details] better training
[Main point 2] Better relationships with co-workers
[Examples / Details] friend worked for big company, never had any friends there because
their offices were so far away
[Main point 3] Faster promotions
[Examples / Details] not as much competition
PRACTICE
WITH EACH TYPE
 SAMPLE OUTLINE

[Thesis statement]

[Main point 1]

[Examples / Details]

[Main point 2]

[Examples / Details]

[Main point 3]

[Examples / Details]
GENERAL OPINION
At some jobs, employees are allowed to listen to music while they work. What is your
opinion of this? Give reasons or examples to support your opinion

[Thesis statement] My (thinking/ opinion) is that it is (a/ an) bad idea for employers to allow
workers to listen to music at the office.
[Main point 1] Too (distracted/ distracting) [Examples / Details] -Clerks at store listening to
music, not paying attention to customers - customers will not return to that store now
[Main point 2] Hurts teamwork [Examples / Details] everyone is listening (of/ to) music, not
helping each other
[Main point 3] Not everyone has the same musical (song/ taste) [Examples / Details] what
some people like, others may find (annoyance/ annoying) my friend has to listen to country
music at work, it makes her (unproductive/ unproductively)
IMPORTANCE
 References from previous employers are important for some employers when making hiring
decisions. Why do you think that references are important to employers? Use specific reasons and
examples to explain your answer.

[Thesis statement] I think that references from previous employers are (important/ importance)
to some bosses for a (number/ little) of reasons.
[Main point 1] Helps employers (understand/ understanding) the applicant’s (person/
personality) [Examples / Details] I’m very (helpless/ helpful) and friendly, but there’s no place on
an application for that.
[Main point 2] Tests (honest/ honesty) [Examples / Details] When my boss was hiring a new
employee, she called the references for one application. Boss found out that the (appliances/
applicant) had lied on the application.
[Main point 3] Explains why person left (form/ former) job [Examples / Details] Someone might
not want to hire someone who was (fire/ fired) from the last job, but someone who was (lay/
laid) might work out well.
AGREE/DISAGREE
 Many things can influence the academic achievement and emotional growth of a
student. In this regard, peers have more of an impact than teachers do. To what extent
do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

[Thesis statement] I firmly believe that students’ academic achievement and emotional
growth are influenced by their classmates better than the teachers. And this essay will
address the reasons for my views as follow.
[Main point 1] academic success: motivated by competing with classmates
[Examples / Details] have the desire to outperform peers
[Main point 2] motional development : grow through relationships
[Examples / Details] classmates provide new ideas, beliefs and experiences
[Conclusion] In conclusion, undergraduates are motivated by competing with classmates
and growing through relationships.
PREFERENCE
 Some people like to live in a small town, others like to stay in big cities.
Which do you prefer?
[Topic Sentence] Depending on personal experience, personality type and emotional concern, we find
that some people hold the idea of living in a small town meanwhile others refer to living a big city.
[Thesis statement] From my point of view, it is more advisable to choose living in a big city rather
than living in a small town.
[Main point 1] The main reason for my propensity is that it is convenient in transportation and
shopping in a big city. ) [Examples / Details] In a small town, we have to own a car to ensure a
comfortable living. We cannot get around without one because there is not any kind of public
transportation. ....
[Main point 1] Another reason I love to live in urban place is that a big city has all kinds of
entertainment facilities ) [Examples / Details] (dance bar, club,).. Young people hope to have a various
social life.
[Main point 1] The third priority will be our children`s education which has now become an inevitable
part. ) [Examples / Details] Big cities can provide them with the best educational facilities like schools,
colleges, tuition centers, coaching classes for competitive exams, academic counseling centers, etc
which might not be present in a small town.
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
 Every year an increasing number of students choose to go to another country for their higher
education. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

[Topic Sentence] There has been a dramatic change of in the number of students who go abroad
to begin college. [Thesis statement] In this essay, I will explore the advantages and disadvantages
of this trend.
On the one hand, both students and their country can benefit from this trend. First, students
can choose more suitable education educational methods. Secondly, people can improve their
foreign language. Thirdly, it helps to promote the mutual understanding between their mother
land and their destination countries.(Chỉ main points, chưa add Explain, Ex)
On the other hand, there are disadvantages too. Firstly, it costs people a lot of money to begin
college in foreign countries. Secondly, some students cannot stand the big difference of in the
new environment. (Chỉ main points, chưa add Explain, Ex)
Conclusion: To conclude, given the undisputable indisputable fact that to begin college studying
in foreign countries helps students with their studies and promotes the mutual understanding
between among countries, even if there are some drawbacks, I think the benefits outweigh the
problems.
 ADVICE FROM ME

Ms.DUYEN EHOUSE
 DO’S
01 Tránh đi lạc đề

02 Một luận điểm rõ ràng

03 Sử dụng ngôn ngữ formal

04 Tránh tiếng lóng trên Internet

Ms.DUYEN EHOUSE
What is the advantage or disadvantage of
learning online?

1) Advantage & disadvantage

2) Advantages & disadvantages
3) Advantage or disadvantage
4) Advantages or disadvantages
 BIG NO-NOS IN TOEIC WRITING
1. Không viết tắt
2. Không viết câu qúa dài (>40 từ), quá ngắn (<8 từ)
3. Không viết 3,4 câu đơn ngắn cạnh nhau.
4. Không viết mở bài, kết bài quá dài
5. Không viết ideas 1 đằng kết luận 1 nẻo
6. Không viết câu thiếu động từ
7. Không gộp 2 khổ thân bài thành 1
8. Không … => etc.
9. Không sai lỗi song song (a,b,and/or c)
10.Không dùng idioms hay từ informal
11.Không dùng fanboys đầu câu.

Ms.DUYEN EHOUSE