ESSAY WRITING
Useful language
Introduction Phrases
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It is often said that ...
….is a hotly-debated topic that often divides
opinion.
….is a topic that is often discussed but rarely
solved.
Many people feel that ...
We live in an age when many of us are…
More and more families/people are choosing
to …
The trend nowadays is towards +ing
Over the past/last ten years or so, …
Recent research indicates that the number of
…is increasing.
Statistics indicate that--Hardly a week goes by without another
report of .. appearing in the media. This
raises the issue of whether ……………..
Although most people would generally agree
that …………… few
Language for topic sentences
Language for supporting ideas
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For example,
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For instance,
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An obvious example of this is…
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A clear example of this is…
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This is illustrated by…
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As a case in point…
Language for conclusions
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In light of the above,
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Taking all this into consideration/account,…
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As far as I am concerned, / in my opinion, /
as I see it, etc.
… is the most effective way to… due to the
fact that…
Despite the fact that… undoubtedly plays a
role in… I firmly believe that… is more
effective due to the fact that… its
advantages outnumber/ outweigh those
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First Paragraph
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…. clearly/undoubtedly has an impact on…
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It is common knowledge that… plays a
crucial role in…
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It is undoubtedly the case that…
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There is little doubt that…
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… is widely believed to contribute to…
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It is generally considered that…
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Recent research suggests that…
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Studies have shown that… has an
impact/influence on…
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ADVANCED GRAMMAR
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Inversions: Not only is/do…..but also…
Rarely/seldom do people….
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Conditionals: Were these recommendations
to be implemented/ Had they known about/
if they happen to…/ If he should have any…
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Double comparatives: The cheaper the….,
the more popular…
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Participle clauses: Being a keen shopper
myself,… Having bought many products
online,….
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Subjunctive: It is vital that should be / I
recommend that  should be done…/
would rather/ sooner
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Advanced linkers: Despite the fact that….,
….. due to the fact that, with a view to/ in
the light of …./ given….
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Relative clauses: reason for which…./
students whose work ought to be
assessed/ ,which would be paramount to….
Few people would contest/dispute the fact
that…
Second Paragraph
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Another factor to consider is…
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On the other hand/In contrast…
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It is often claimed that…
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All the evidence suggests that…
FORMAL VOCABULARY
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Longer words with origins in Latin
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eg: is because (+ informal) VS is attributable
to (+ formal) / ask for(+ informal) VS
enquire about (+ formal) VS choose(+
informal) VS opt for (+ formal)
Bear in mind (+ informal) / be taken into
consideration (+ formal)
Abstract nouns rather than verbs
Make a reservation (instead of book)
Offer assistance (instead of help)
Make a complaint (instead of complain)
Express your dissatisfaction (instead of be
unhappy)
 No idiomatic expressions or phrasal verbs
go up (informal) VS increase ( + formal)
take part in (+ informal) VS participate in (+
formal)
 Replace emotive language
Adore/ be elated
be satisfied with
Be great
be satisfactory
Feel overwhelmed appear unable to cope/
Handle/ manage/
Fantastic valuable/ profitable/ positive/
beneficial