In the minds of ESL exam candidates, e ssay writing is one of the most daunting tasks they are required to complete, regardless of the level of the exam, the administering body or the ease with which they themselves use the language. The same applies to students who are asked to write an essay by their teachers at school. In the previous sample essays posted on the blog, the main point I stress is the need to become acquainted with this form of writing (as opposed to writing a letter, review or report, for instance), to get a feel of what authorial voice is and how to organize and progressively express the arguments you wish to make in a coherent manner. Unfortunately, the best way to prepare for exam writing or learn how to write good essays for school is to read as many essays from as many sources as possible, then write as
In contrast with the previous post dealing with the ECPE writing section, this one offers a sample essay not article on the topic of online classes. To access the article for the same question, click on the image below.
What applies for articles in terms of authorial voice that
needs to permeate the written piece a candidate submits, applies to essays as well. Argumentation,
paragraphing, the development of one's reasoning, a wide range of
grammatical structures and lexical range are already prerequisites
teachers and exam candidates are aware of from the B2-level examination
they took. Now what is also needed is a distinct style that makes your essay sound like your essay and not someone else's. In other words, be sure to practice writing essays, articles and proposals to develop an identity or "voice" through your writing.
When reading sample pieces of writing, note the author's "voice" in addition to the other bits and pieces you should tuck away for later use. If you're not sure what this means, read my post
What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog?
that tells you how to read an essay (this applies to articles, letters and proposals as well) and what you should take from each one.
The 450-word sample essay that follows has been based on the topic that appeared in Practice Tests for the ECPE Book 1 (revised 2021 version). The question is accompanied by the following writing prompts:
- 3.9% annual increase in number of online students
- 80% of all corporations require online training
- "Online courses are not appropriate for every subject or student." - Dee Williams, teacher
Here is the question:
Recently, there has been a great increase in the number of online courses for students. In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of studying online? Write an essay addressing this topic and explain your opinion about it. Include at least one piece of information given above to support your response.
Unlike articles that contain a title, essays begin straight away with the introductory paragraph.
Here's the sample essay:
Advances in all walks of life have led to radical changes in the manner students gain qualifications nowadays. In the past decade or so, online courses especially have provided flexible study options for people of all ages, facilitating learning in ways unimaginable half a century ago. The steady rise in the number of registered online students per annum, 3.9% according to a recent study, proves that advantages are to be found in this online trend, yet alongside these advantages, skeptics persuasively state the drawbacks that accompany such courses. Examining both sides of this debate should lead to an unambivalent conclusion.
On the one hand, greater freedom and ease are the main benefits of studying online. The Covid-19 pandemic has established distance learning through Zoom, Google Classroom, Skype or even other applications once exclusively used for social networking purposes such as Viber or WhatsApp, the upshot of which has enabled students to attend classes from the comfort of their homes. No longer is it necessary for teachers and pupils to wake up earlier to catch a bus, struggle through rush-hour traffic or carry heavy text books. At home, students and educators alike regulate room temperature, stay in comfortable sweatpants and slippers, access and send documents should the need arise because they are already seated in front of their computers or tablets that contain these documents. Greater freedom is also a by-product of this form of tuition as certain courses offer the option of arranging classes at times that suit students better, especially those who work full or part-time.
Nevertheless, distance learning has its obvious drawbacks. As Dee Williams, a teacher, states: “Online courses are not appropriate for every subject or student.” This is an all-too-common conclusion teachers reach when they see students struggling to maintain their focus, sitting in front of a brightly–lit screen that results in a burning sensation in one’s eyes. Barring aside this health risk, how can certain Medicine or Chemistry courses be taught online, when specialized equipment and hands-on experimentation and training have always been prerequisites for assessment, graduation and effective assimilation of knowledge?
Taking all these factors into consideration alongside the fact that, according to an industry report, 80% of all corporations require online training, this online teaching method is unequivocally not a passing trend. In my view, online courses must always remain an option for students in tertiary education and making one such online course mandatory for high school students should smoothly familiarize the latter with a situation they cannot disregard in later years as they take their first university steps or embark on their chosen careers. This familiarization would minimize the drawbacks mentioned earlier while introducing students to an alternative, well-established academic practice.
For more sample writing, click on the image below.
