DOs & DON’Ts in writing
Don't USE
- contractions (e.g. it's, he'll, etc), “etc, ......” /short form: ad/ Jan
- colloquial language or slang (e.g. kids, a lot of/lots of, etc)/ common words
- exclamation marks or dashes; direct questions, imperative
- too much personal language (I, my, we etc); sexist language, such as chairman, mankind, he, she
- FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but , or, yet , so) at the beginning of sentences
- firstly, secondly, thirdly; repetition
Do's
- full form: it is/has, he will. , and so on.
- formal/academic language: children, numerous, abundant, immense, diverse, a great deal of, a large
number of, plenty of, a plethora of, a wealth of, a myriad of, immensely, enormously, hugely
- impersonal subjects instead (It is believed that ..., it can be argued that ...) Many believe that
- passive verbs to avoid stating the ‘doer’ (Tests have been conducted)
- ‘attitudinal signals’ such as admittedly, apparently, obviously, undeniably, unexpectedly
- modal verbs such as would, could, may, might which ‘soften’ what you’re saying.
- qualifying adverbs such as several, a minority of, a majority of, many to avoid making overgeneralizations.
- plural subject and refer to them as they.
- conjunctive adverbs at the beginning of sentences: First of all, To begin with, To start with, Initially, In
addition, Besides, Nonetheless, However, Consequently, Accordingly, Eventually, More importantly,
composition writing
Basic Paragraph Structure
A paragraph consists of several sentences that are grouped together. This group of sentences together discuss
one main subject. In a formal academic English, paragraphs have three principal parts. These three parts are
the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and the concluding sentence.
MODEL
The following model contains all the elements of a good paragraph. Read it carefully and try to analyze its
structure.
Gold
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics.(in what way E1) First of all, gold has a
lustrous* beauty that is resistant to corrosion. (What does this mean? E2) Therefore, it is suitable for
jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. It is common knowledge that gold never needs to be polished and
will remain beautiful forever. (Prove it! E3) For example, a Macedonian* coin remains as untarnished today
as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago. (idea 1) (Explain further, please.) Another important
characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. Facts indicate that for many years, it has
been used in hundreds of industrial applications. (Prove it! E3) The most recent employment of gold is
astronaut's suits. (What does this mean? E2) Astronauts wear gold -plated heat shields for protection outside
the spaceship. (idea 2) In conclusion, there is no denial that gold is treasured not only for its beauty but
also for its utility.
corrosion: chemical damage lustrous: glowing
The Topic Sentence
A topic sentence usually comes at the beginning of a paragraph; that is, it is usually the first sentence in a
formal academic paragraph. Not only is a topic sentence the first sentence of a paragraph, but, more
importantly, it is the most general sentence in a paragraph.
There are two main parts in the topic sentence: Topic + Controlling idea
E.g. Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics.
T CI
Here are some examples of sentences that cannot be used as topic sentences. Can you figure out why they are
inappropriate?
1. My hometown is famous because it is located by Wheaton River, which is very wide, and because it is
built near an unusually steep hill called Wheaton Hill.
2. There are two reasons why some people like to buy cars with automatic transmission.
and two reasons why others like cars with manual transmission.
Sample topic sentences
Cause paragraph
There are several evident causes of + NP.
The problem of + NP is caused by several distinctive reasons.
cause of = reason for+ NP= reason why + clause= justification of
EFFECT PARAGRAPH
N/ NP has/ exerts positive/ beneficial/advantageous impacts on sb/st.
negative/ detrimental/ adverse (a)
impact(n)= effect= influence(n)
There are several beneficial (detrimental) effects on sb.
The positive (negative) effects of + N/ NP are undeniable/ obvious/ irrefutable.
SOLUTION PARAGRAPH
Measures/ Steps must be taken so as to combat the current problem.
solve= resolve= dealt with= tackle=address= combat
There are several feasible solutions to this problem
solution to= resolution to=measure for
problem= issue
DISCUSSION
There are several significant advantages / disadvantages of + NP.
The advantages /disadvantages + NP are numerous/ undeniable / obvious.
advantage= benefit= positive aspect= strength= merit= upside= strong point
disadvantage= drawback= negative aspect= shortcoming= downside= demerit= weakness
An IELTS essay
> 250 words/ 40 mins
4-5 paragraphs
Structure:
Introduction
Body (2-3 paragraphs)
Conclusion
Introduction paragraph (2-3 sentences)
- topic
- thesis (câu chủ đề)
The following paragraphs will elaborate/ shed light on/ throw light on/ cast light on ( the beneficial and
detrimental impacts of the current issue).
1:Technology
2: narrow the topic
3: thesis
Body
2-3 paragraphs
Conclusion ( 2 sentences)
- summarise the main ideas
- further suggestions
AN IELTS PARAGRAPH
Topic sentence ( Topic+ controlling idea)
(To start with,/ First of all,/ In the first place,/Initially)
Main idea 1
2 supporting details
(Another idea to consider is that…/ In addition,/ Additionally,/ What’s more,..)
Main idea 2
2 supporting details
(Last but not least,/Finally,)
Main idea 3
Supporting detail
Concluding sentence (optional)
WAYS TO SUPPORT MAIN IDEAS
1. explanation/ clarification/ definition
This means that
In other words,
This is equivalent to
This is synonymous with
Another resolution to the problem of congestion is the wide-spread implementation of car-pooling scheme.
In other words, those heading for the same direction can share a car instead of using various personal
transport.
2. reasons
The reason for this is
This is because/ due to/ by dint of + NP.
3. consequences
As a result,
Consequently,
This leads to/ triggers/ contributes to/gives rises to + NP
4. Facts
In fact,
Facts indicate that
5. Survey/ Research/ Study
A recent research reveals/ proclaims that
According to a recent research,…
This is supported by a recent research conducted in the USA.
6. Personal experience
Famous figures
Take Christiano Ronaldo as a stark example.
7. Examples
For example,/ For instance,
To illustrate,/ To exemplify,
As an illustration,
Take A as an example.
8. Condition
If/ Unless
Provided that
9. Hypothesis
Without + NP,
If it had not been for/ If it were not for
10. Comparison
Unlike,
Similarly
Compared to
