How to write an essay
In this tutorial we will concentrate on one of the most difficult discursive writing tasks, the
essay. These tips will helps you identify some of the key features of a well-written essay.
1. The essay has a logical structure. → Ez szinte minden formális érvelő szövegre igaz, az esszére
fokozottan.
2. There should be exactly 5 paragraphs. → A bekezdések száma elsősorban a tartalomtól, az
érvek számától függ. Az B2-es Euroexam vizsgák 150-170 szavas elvárása 4-5 bekezdést
feltételez, de ettől a szöveg igényei szerint eltérhetsz.
3. The opening and closing paragraphs are eye-catching and thought-provoking. → Túlzás, hogy
ennek mindig így kell lennie, de nem is árt. A bevezetésben az a célod, hogy felkeltsd az olvasó
érdeklődését, a végén pedig az, hogy valami hangzatosat vigyen magával a szövegedből.
4. The writer’s overall position is made clear in the first paragraph. → Ebben van ráció, így
könnyebb a többi részben erre a már megjelölt véleményre visszautalni, de nem kötelező ezt az
elvet követni.
5. There should be examples to support the main position or argument. → Ez az esszé alapvető
célja: állást foglalok, és utána ezt megindokolom egy vagy több kapcsolódó érv logikusan
szerkesztett bemutatásán keresztül.
6. The conclusion repeats the writer’s position. → Itt a fő érv, álláspont megerősítése a fontos,
de ha lehet, ne szó szerinti ismétléssel, hanem egy kicsit átfogalmazva, áthangolva.
7. The conclusion should contain no new arguments that have not been considered earlier in
the essay. → Gyakori hiba, hogy az író valami hangzatos és a szövegben korábban nem szereplő
érvvel, véleménnyel zárja le az esszét. Próbáld ezt elkerülni!
8. Each paragraph should focus on just one point or topic. → Ez egy fontos alapszabály, így
teszed a bekezdést egyértelművé, koncentrálttá. Ellenkező esetben szétesővé válik a bekezdés,
túl sok téma között elvész a lényeg, a mondanivaló.
9. Each paragraph should contain just one idea. → Ez a szempont részben ellentmond az
előzőnek. Attól, hogy a bekezdés egy nagyobb témára koncentrál, több kapcsolódó altémát,
gondolatot fog tartalmazni.
10. Pros and cons should appear in each paragraph. → Ilyen elvárás nincs. Egy rövidebb esszében
nem kell feltétlenül érveket és ellenérveket egyaránt megfogalmaznod, különösen nem
egyetlen bekezdésen belül.
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11. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence. → Ez nem igaz a nyitó és záró bekezdésekre.
Viszont a magyarázó, indoklást adó bekezdésekben mindig elvárjuk, hogy legyen egy topic
sentence, ami a fő gondolatot közvetíti, amihez kapcsolódik a többi mondat.
12. There should be appropriate linking of ideas between sentences and between paragraphs. →
Célszerű sokféle, a különböző kommunikációs célokat (pl. ellentét, összehasonlítás, ok-okozat,
következmény, példák bevezetése stb.) kifejező kötőszavakat alkalmazni. De ne érezz kényszert,
hogy minden mondatodat ilyennel indítsd, attól döcögős lehet a szöveged.
13. The most effective linking words to start paragraphs are: "Firstly,..."; "Secondly,...";
"Finally,...". → Ezekkel a linking word-ökkel csak egy homogén listát vezethetsz be, de nem
bekezdéseket. A bekezdések elején olyan kötőszavak vagy kifejezések a legjobbak, amik jelzik,
hogy mi a kapcsolódás az előző és a következő bekezdések közt.
14. The style is quite formal, or at least neutral, contracted forms (e.g. "shouldn’t") are not
allowed. → Az esszé formális szöveg, kerüld a nagyon informális kifejezéseket (pl. "I guess..."
vagy "actually") és az összevont alakokat.
It's time to look at the details.

We have chosen 5 essay-writing criteria to consider when writing an essay.
Stress is generally viewed as unhealthy, bad, a state of the mind and body that stops us
from operating as well as we could. (Az erősen negatív melléknevek és a "stop" ige szolgálja a
figyelemfelkeltő indítást, amivel aztán a szerző szembeállítja a saját álláspontját.) This may be true
in a lot of cases. Yet, I would like to prove in my essay... (A "This..." utalószó az egész első
mondat tartalmára utal vissza. A mondatkezdő "Yet,..." leszögezi, hogy most az előző kijelentéssel
ellentétes állítás következik.) ... that stress could also be really productive and helpful for us.
(Az író az első bekezdésben egyértelműen közli az álláspontját.)
Since stress has become a basic ingredient of our lives, the key thing is how we handle it.
Fortunately, more and more people accept and use it as a source of motivation. (A
második bekezdés lényegét hordozó téma mondat /topic sentence/, amiben a "Fortunately,..." az
előző mondattal ellentétes állítást vezeti be.) In other words, they feel that they may achieve
more by beating the stress that could prevent them from success. (Az “In other words,...” az
előző mondat más szavakkal történő megerősítését, kiegészítését adja, és megmagyarázza a téma
mondatot.)
If this is not enough, certain people simply apply the adrenalin from stressful situations
to do their tasks even more actively, effectively. (Ez a harmadik bekezdés fő üzenetét hordozó
téma mondat. Az “If this is not enough,...” kifejezés visszautal az előző kijelentésre, és bevezeti a
téma mondat érvelését.) This way, stress becomes a source of energy. (A “This way,...” ismét
egy visszautalás az egész előző mondatra, és egyben az utána álló magyarázat, kiegészítés
bevezetése.) To help others to cope with stress, these specialists might even teach the
tricks to the less experienced ones. (Ez az "adrenalinos" téma mondat jelentését kiegészítő,
kibővítő állítás.)
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With the arguments above, I have tried to highlight the advantages of considering stress
as a positive element for all of us. (A "With the arguments above,..." kifejezés úgy vezeti be a
szerző álláspontjának záró megerősítését, hogy visszautal az egész szövegre.)
The good student has shown what they have learnt. (A szerző láthatólag poénos zárást akart,
visszautalva az előző bekezdés tanítás témájára. Ez elég lapos lett, és nem is teljesen világos.)
1. A szöveg világos logika mentén halad: álláspont
2. megerősítő vélemény és kifejtés
3. konklúzió. (Ellenérvekre itt nincs hely, a szerző úgy döntött, hogy ezúttal egy
álláspontot képvisel.)
Sample Essay 1
A dog is man's best friend
The essay below demonstrates the principles of writing a basic essay. The different
parts of the essay have been labeled. The thesis statement is in bold, the topic
sentences are in italics, and each main point is underlined. When you write your
own essay, of course, you will not need to mark these parts of the essay unless your
teacher has asked you to do so. They are marked here just so that you can more
easily identify them.
"A dog is man's best friend." That common saying may contain some truth, but
dogs are not the only animal friend whose companionship people enjoy. For many
people, a cat is their best friend. Despite what dog lovers may believe, cats make
excellent housepets as they are good companions, they are civilized members
of the household, and they are easy to care for.
In the first place, people enjoy the companionship of cats. Many cats are
affectionate. They will snuggle up and ask to be petted, or scratched under the chin.
Who can resist a purring cat? If they're not feeling affectionate, cats are generally
quite playful. They love to chase balls and feathers, or just about anything dangling
from a string. They especially enjoy playing when their owners are participating in
the game. Contrary to popular opinion, cats can be trained. Using rewards and
punishments, just like with a dog, a cat can be trained to avoid unwanted behavior
or perform tricks. Cats will even fetch!
In the second place, cats are civilized members of the household. Unlike dogs, cats
do not bark or make other loud noises. Most cats don't even meow very often. They
generally lead a quiet existence. Cats also don't often have "accidents." Mother cats
train their kittens to use the litter box, and most cats will use it without fail from
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that time on. Even stray cats usually understand the concept when shown the box
and will use it regularly. Cats do have claws, and owners must make provision for
this. A tall scratching post in a favorite cat area of the house will often keep the cat
content to leave the furniture alone. As a last resort, of course, cats can be declawed.
Lastly, one of the most attractive features of cats as housepets is their ease of care.
Cats do not have to be walked. They get plenty of exercise in the house as they play,
and they do their business in the litter box. Cleaning a litter box is a quick, painless
procedure. Cats also take care of their own grooming. Bathing a cat is almost never
necessary because under ordinary circumstances cats clean themselves. Cats are
more particular about personal cleanliness than people are. In addition, cats can be
left home alone for a few hours without fear. Unlike some pets, most cats will not
destroy the furnishings when left alone. They are content to go about their usual
activities until their owners return.
Cats are low maintenance, civilized companions. People who have small living
quarters or less time for pet care should appreciate these characteristics of cats.
However, many people who have plenty of space and time still opt to have a cat
because they love the cat personality. In many ways, cats are the ideal housepet.
Sample Essay 2
Computers instead of teachers
As computers are being used more and more in education, there will be soon
no role for teachers in the classroom.
There is no doubt that education and the learning process has changed since the
introduction of computers: The search for information has become easier and
amusing, and connectivity has expedited the data availability. Though expert
systems have made computers more intelligent, they have not yet become a
substitute of the human interaction in the learning process. In my opinion; what can
be expected, is a change of the teachers? role but not their disappearance from the
classroom.
Nobody can argue that the acquisition of knowledge is more fun and easier with
computers. The mere activity of touching and exploring this device constitutes an
enjoyable task for a kid. This, accompanied with the relaxing attitude and software
interactivity, usually conduce to a better grasping of new knowledge. At a higher
educational level; the availability of digital books, simulator and other academic
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materials, provide the student with an ever accessible source of information, that
otherwise would not be at hand.
But, besides the increasing complexity and behavior of intelligent software, which
is usually embedded in the academic digital material, the need of human interaction
in the learning process will always be present, at least in the foreseeable future.
There is the necessity for a human being to be able to determine what the specific
needs of each individual are. The expertise of a teacher in how to explain and adapt
complex concepts to different individuals can hardly be mimicked by a computer,
no matter how sophisticated its software is.
As computers are becoming a common tool for teaching, teachers should be more
aware of their role as guides in the acquisition of knowledge rather than
transmitters of facts. They have to be open minded to the changes that are taking
place, keep updated and serve as a problem solvers in the learning process, thus
allowing students to discover the facts for themselves.
To summarize, in my personal view, teachers play and will play an important role
in the classroom, especially at the primary level. No matter how complex
computers become, there will be no replacement for the human interaction, but in
the way this interaction takes place.
Excellent essay! The only problem: too long, 365 words instead of 170-200 maximum.
Sample Essay 3
Rich countries should help the poor
Improvements in health, education and trade are essential for the development
of poorer nations. However, the governments of richer nations should take
more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas.
Today’s world has been divided into developing and industrialised countries where
the main difference between them is the amount of money that governments apply
in important sectors such as education, health and commerce. Most of the poorer
nations are buried in debts as a result of their unbalanced finances which are
reflected in a poor health care, an unstructured education system and a weak
international trade. This vicious cycle will continue indefinitely unless wealthier
nations show interest in minimizing the worldwide economic differences, as well as
taking more responsibility for assisting unfortunate countries.
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Most of the African countries live in inhuman conditions because of the extreme
poverty, upheaval, hunger, disease, unemployment, lack of education and both
inexperienced and corrupt administrations. The devastating consequences of the
AIDS epidemic in those countries could improve if the infected populations receive
free drugs to control the disease, have access to health professionals and get
information on how to prevent its spread. But this can only be achieved through
international help programs in which leaders of the world?s richest countries donate
medicine and also send doctors and nurses to treat and educate those in need.
Moreover, most of the poor countries rely on selling agricultural products and raw
material to rich nations and buying industrialized products from them which results
in a huge financial deficit. Consequently, they borrow a significant amount of
money from the World Bank to try to improve their broken economies, but
sometimes the money disappears with no significant changes and they cannot even
pay the interest to the bank. Regarding this issue, last year the G8, which is
comprised of leaders of the eight richest nations, decided to forgive billions of
dollars worth of debt owed by the world?s poorest nations. In addition, they
developed adequate loan programs to financially assist those countries.
In conclusion, leaders of the industrialized countries play an indispensable role in
assisting developing nations deal with essential areas such as health, education and
trade. Also, their aid is the key to breaking the vicious cycle, which results in
poverty and death.
Sample Essay 4
Financial education
Financial education should be mandatory component of the school program.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
It is an obvious fact that financial aspects are a major part of daily life, as an adult
and even as a young individual. Each and every one of us has to make financial
decisions concerning recreation, health, education and more. The question is
whether to start with financial education as part of school program or postpone it
for a later stage in life.
To being with, being able to understand the value of money, the way the economic
system works and interpret financial news and its implications is a virtue. Without
this virtue, an individual, and even a young one, might suffer, to some extent. For
example, a child who doesn’t understand the concept of money might find it more
difficult to accept choosing only one present out of more possible ones.
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In addition, many adults are lacking financial analysis capabilities. Quite often, the
reason can be a shaky basis or insecurity when it comes to financial terms and
concepts. Starting from an early age, building a strong background, can very likely
prevent such a situation.
However, financial education necessarily involves quantifying and setting prices
and value for services and goods. It can be easily turn young people into cynical
and cold-hearted human beings. Furthermore, a tendency to self-concentration and
egoism might rise when one starts measuring everything from a profit making
perspective.
In conclusion, financial education has both pros and cons. In my opinion, the
advantages are stronger than the disadvantages, making financial education an
advisable component of school program. The disadvantages should be thought of as
a certain price that young people have to pay due to the characteristics of the world
that we live in.
This is a wonderful essay. It covers the task, is correctly structured, the paragraphs are
logically connected, the structure of sentences shows excellent command of English. The
vocabulary is fine and both spelling and grammar are very good.
Sample Essay 5
The advantages and disadvantages of globalization
Even though globalization affects the world’s economies in a very positive way,
its negative side should not be forgotten. Discuss.
Globalization is a rather commonly used term in the twenty first century. It simply
means that the world has become integrated economically, socially, politically and
culturally through the advance of technology, transportation and communication. It
is undeniable that globalization has resulted in both positive and negative effects
which must be addressed accordingly.
To begin with, globalization has contributed to the world’s economics in many
beneficial ways. The advances in science and technology have allowed businesses
to easily cross over territorial boundaries. Consequently, companies tend to become
more productive, competitive, thereby raising the quality of goods, services and the
world’s living standard.
Secondly, several companies from the more developed countries have already
ventured to establish foreign operations or branches to take advantage of the low
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cost of labor in the poorer countries. This kind of business activity will provide
more influx of cash or investment funds into the less developed countries.
However, one cannot deny the negative effects which were derived from
globalization. One crucial social aspect is the risk and danger of epidemic diseases
which can be easily spread as transportation of goods has become easier and faster
in today’s advanced society. This can be evidenced, for instance, in the recent
bird’s flu disease which infected most Asian countries over a short period of time.
As large corporations invest or take over many off-shore companies, a modern
form of colonization will also evolve which may pose certain power pressure on the
local governments of the less developed countries. Unemployment rate in the more
developed regions like Europe may also escalate as corporations choose to
outsource cheaper work force from Asian countries.
In conclusion I would like to reiterate that globalization is inevitable and we must
urge individuals, companies and governments to use a more balanced approach by
taking appropriate steps to deal with matters related to the financial or economical
gains versus the social, political or ecological concerns of the world.
Sample Essay 6
The positive and negative sides of globalization
Even though globalization affects the world’s economies in a positive way, its
negative side should not be forgotten. Discuss.
In the present age, globalization is playing an increasingly important role in our
lives. But in the meantime whether it is a blessing or a curse has sparked a heated
debate. Some people argue that globalization has a fundamentally beneficial
influence on our lives, while many others contend that it has a detrimental effect as
well.
A convincing argument can be made about globalization not only playing a pivotal
role in the development of technology and economy, but also promoting the
cultural exchange between different countries. To start with, it is the globalization
that impelled many corporations to become an international group, thereby making
a contribution to the local technology and employment. Specifically, when a
multinational group establishes a factory in a developing country, the new
equipment, the new management skills and the job vacancies are all in the best
interest of the local society. Moreover, people worldwide can get to know each
other better through globalization. It is easy to see that more and more Hollywood
blockbusters show cultures different from American, some recent examples are
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‘Kungfu Panda’ and ‘The Mummy’.
Admittedly, profit driven globalization has severely affected young people. Today,
in the metropolises in different countries, it is very common to see teenagers
wearing NIKE T-shirts and Adidas footwear, playing Hip-Hop music on Apple
iPods and eating at KFC. The culture that took a thousand years to form just seems
similar in these cities; it looks like you can only distinguish them by their language.
Meanwhile, in some developing countries, sweat workshops are always a
concerning issue. For instance, reports show that some teenagers employed by
NIKE’s contractors work in smelly factories over 14 hours a day, but are only paid
fifty cents per hour.
To sum up, I would concede that globalization does come with some adverse
effects. Despite that fact, benefits created by it far outweigh the disadvantages.
Overall, I am convinced that we should further promote globalization and
meanwhile the local government should take measures to combat culture
assimilation and sweat workshops.
This essay is extremely long (338 words instead of the advised 170-200). It has a sound
structure, your position is clearly expressed, the information is well-organized, and
structure-wise the sentences are fine. The vocabulary is impressive.
Comparison and contrast essay is based on similarities and differences. It
is a deductive essay, meaning that there is a thesis statement which is then proved
using arguments, facts, examples. It can be whole-to-whole or part-to-part.
Which is better: vacationing on the beach or in the mountains? Compare and
contrast the two options on 3 aspects
People are always looking forward to their vacation period. There are many options
where to choose, but the two most common places people choose for taking a
vacation are the beaches and the mountains. The beach offers activities that the
mountain cannot offer and vice versa, therefore, the mountain and the beach are
totally different. The purpose of this essay is to contrast the climate, types of
activities and locations of beaches and mountains.
To begin with, let us look at those three aspects with regard to the mountains.
Firstly, Climate is always important in order to enjoy vacations. The cold climate in
the mountains is the first barrier to enjoying them, but the climate and the
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temperature of these zones also determine the types of activities they offer. Snow
boarding, mountain climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and skiing are some
activities people can enjoy when going to the mountains. There are many regions
that have mountains where people can go and have a great vacation. Canada is a
country located in North America and contains many mountain vacation sites
where people can go and have fun.
The situation is quite different in the case of beaches. Warm climate is one of the
most important features that the beach has. Sun and fun are two words that describe
the beach, and the temperature in those places is always hot. Moreover, the sea and
the warm climate determine the activities that are available at the beach. People can
swim, play volleyball, play soccer, and ride water bikes. In most coastal sites, there
are discos and restaurants where people can dance or party throughout the night.
Mexico offers many amazing coastal sites to visit. Acapulco and Cancun are two of
the most beautiful and famous beaches in the word.
All points considered, it does not matter what place a person decides to choose. The
fun is 100% guaranteed. In my opinion, the beach is better than the mountains, but
sometimes it is better to take a risk and try a different place to enjoy.
Consuming canned foods instead of fresh foods
Eating is an activity that we as humans do at least two times a day. We live in a
world where the variety of food is immense, and we are responsible for what we eat.
We decide what we are about to eat and how it will affect our bodies. The purpose
of this essay is to compare and contrast the differences between eating fresh foods
instead of canned foods. The three main differences are flavor, health benefits, and
cost.
The most notable difference between these two kinds of foods is their flavor. Fresh
foods have great flavor and taste because they keep all their natural conditions.
Canned foods however, lack a lot of its flavor characteristics because there are
some other chemical products added to the natural foods. It is logical that the fresh
foods will have a greater taste and flavor when consumed just because of the time
in which they have been prepared.
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Comparing both types of foods we notice another difference. There is a health
factor that affects both of them. Canned foods lose some of the original fresh food
nutrients when stored, and also it has to be tinned with many conservatives and
chemical factors that prolong the shelf life and apparent freshness of the food but
could also become toxic if consumed too often.
Yet another difference between these two types of foods is the cost. Canned foods
are much more expensive than fresh foods. Here the benefit of buying tinned foods
is that they are easier to find, for example, in a supermarket instead of the market
like the fresh foods, and they require less work to prepare than fresh foods, just
open and serve.
All in all, here are the main three differences between buying fresh foods and
buying canned foods. As we can see it comes down to a personal choice, based on
the time each person has, the money and the importance he/she gives to his/her
nutrition and health. Therefore it is important that you consider your possibilities
and choose the best type of foods for your convenience and lifestyle.
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