HOW TO WRITE A BRILLIANT ESSAY

El essay, o ensayo, es un tipo de texto que suelen pedir en exámenes oficiales como el de
Cambridge o el de Trinity (ISE) y muchos de vosotros os echáis a temblar cada vez que os
proponéis hacer uno. Seguid leyendo y poned en práctica estos útiles consejos. Ya sabéis que es
peor pensarlo que hacerlo así que… ¡manos a la obra!
¿Qué tipo de texto es un ESSAY?
Cuando se os pide que escribáis un essay, lo que se espera de vosotros es que realicéis un tipo
de texto formal que puede versar sobre diversos temas: educación, tecnología, deportes, salud y
medio ambiente, entre otros.
Al ser un texto formal, tenéis que respetar ciertos criterios que, como ya os hemos indicado en otros
posts son:
-No uséis contracciones: I’m, can’t, shouldn’t →I am, cannot, should not
-No empleéis la primera persona del singular ni del plural → en su lugar emplead:

• Oraciones pasivas: Politicians are said to be…/ there are thought to be…
• Argumentos de expertos: Experts believe that…/ some studies have shown…
• Verbos de estilo indirecto: it is believed that… / it is reported that…
• Turn out/seem: It turns out necessary to…/ Globalisation seems to have…
• Opinión de la gente en general: Contrary to popular belief…/ the vast majority of people
reckon…

-Evitad el uso de phrasal verbs, en su lugar utilizad verbos formales.

-Intentad usar variedad de expresiones y vocabulario. En lugar de “for example”, podéis utilizar “for
instance”, “as a way of example”, “to illustrate this fact”…
-Incluid conectores y nexos para que vuestro texto resulte más ordenado y fácil de leer.
-Huid de adverbios como “really” y, en su lugar, escribid otros como “dramatically”, “incredibly”,
“enormously”, “undoubtely”…
¿Cuál es la estructura de un ESSAY?
Vuestro essay debe constar de:
INTRODUCTION: Este es el párrafo más importante porque es el que debe captar la atención del
lector. Por eso, os recomendamos que huyáis de exponer las ventajas e inconvenientes sobre el
tema a tratar e intentad ser más originales. Comenzad con una frase que deje al lector con ganas
de continuar, por ejemplo “Contrary to popular belief, many drug addicts are not people with no
ambitions but happy and successful entrepreneurs, actors and doctors”.
BODY (IDEA 1 + IDEA 2 + IDEA 3): Presentad cada idea en un párrafo.
CONCLUSION: Es el final del essay y tu misión es dejar con un buen sabor de boca al examinador.
Para conseguirlo tendrás que incluir en tu conclusión alguna información interesante. Puedes
introducir tu opinión, exponer una predicción de futuro etc.
Nowadays, more and more parents are making the controversial decision to teach
their children at home rather than sending them to school. Although this
approach to education has advantages, pupils who learn only at home definitely
lose more opportunities.

First, children who do not go to school only know one or two teachers, the same
people who are also their parents. Because of this, the pupils may not learn other
points of view outside their family. Besides this, there is also the question if
parents have the qualifications and knowledge to teach every subject. Perhaps
they are experts in one or two subjects, but any school provides teachers expert
in every subject.

It should be noted that there is more to education than learning about topics. In
addition, going to school is also a way to meet people your own age and to make
friends. It is clear that children can socialise better at school, and as a result
children at school will have the chance to start many lifelong relationships.

Despite this, it is true that home-educated students learn to take responsibility

for their own education at an early age and, because of that, they are often self-
motivated, bright and curious, qualities which make them attractive to companies.
I agree that parents can have some good reasons for having home school, but
overall, considering teachers and friends, it is much better for children to attend
school.