THE NATIONAL ENGLISH WRITING COMPETITION 2015)
The competition consists of both argumentative writing and creative writing.
1 st :Category: Students (at school, institute or university) between 16 and 22 years old on
31 st December, 2015.
2 nd Category: Students attending school at the level of 7 th or 8 th Básico.
Participants must be resident in Chile for at least three years and have Spanish as their first language.
– (THE ESSAY)
For Category 1, participants must send in an original argumentative essay written in English on one of the topics below of between 700 and 1000 words. The main feature of an argumentative essay is the development of an argument, using reasoning and examples, which shows that a particular point of view is the right one, having considered all options. If in doubt, please check on internet, or write to the organizers requesting instructions about how to write an argumentative essay.
SCHOOLS must select the five best essays (Category 1 ) or emails (Category 2) written by its pupils.
If a school is not participating then individual students may participate privately prior permission from the organizers.
Themes for essays:
1. All water resources should be controlled by the government. Discuss.
- 2. Is global warming man-made?
- 3. Is our election process in Chile fair? How would you improve it?
- 4. Discuss how the Magna Carta has influenced – or not - the way human rights are viewed today.
- 5. The Media has the capacity to control minds.
The themes are not titles. Each competitor should create his/her own title related to one of the themes and develop a personal point of view in the argument. The title should appear on the first page of the text.
The essay must be original. Nothing should be copied from the Internet unless attributed to its author, as this will result in disqualification (Plagiarism will be penalised). Bibliographic quotes should appear between inverted commas and their author should appear at the foot of the page. The sources used in the preparation of the essay should appear on the last page.

Students 7 th and 8 th Básico -THE EMAIL
Participants must write an email of between 250 and 400 words in English addressed to a person in authority requesting a change. For example: An email to the headmaster of your school requesting a change in your school timetable, homework, uniform etc. or to a person in local or national government requesting changes in your particular neighbourhood or community. The email should clearly explain what changes are requested and why. It should have a subject and a recipient. It must be polite but persuasive. You need to convince the receiver to grant your request.
Category 1)
The essay must be sent by email with an attachment as a Word document to esucom@britanico.cl
. It should be double spaced, Arial font, size 12. The chosen title must appear at the top of each page, but no other personal information should be included on any page.
The following information should be included in the body of the email but NOT on the attachment :
1- Category 1 st
2- Theme and title of essay.
3- Complete names of the writer
4- RUT number
5- Date of birth
6- Name of School, Institute or University.
7- Home address, telephone numbers and e-mail address of the writer.
(The teacher’s contact number is not sufficient although he or she may request to be informed should the participant qualify)
8- How you heard about this competition
No part of the essay itself must appear in the body of the email.
The deadline to send in the essay is: Friday 7 th of August, at the latest.
Those participants who have won a prize of a trip abroad in previous ESU Chile competitions of any type will not be considered for the first prize in this writing competition.
Hereafter denominated competing piece of writing )
The competing piece of writing must be sent by email as an attachment to esucom@britanico.cl
. The following information should be included in the body of your email but NOT on the attachment :
1- Category 2
2- Subject of the Competing Email
3- Complete names of the writer
4- RUT number
5- Date of birth
6- Name of School.

7- Home address, telephone numbers and e-mail address of the writer.
(The teacher’s contact number is not sufficient although he or she may request to be informed should the participant qualify)
8- How you heard about this competition
No part of the competing piece of writing must appear in the body of the email. The competing piece should be double spaced, Arial font, size 12. The chosen subject must appear at the top of each page, but no other personal information should be included on any page.
The deadline to send in the competing piece is: Friday 7 th of August, at the latest.
The judges will select ten finalists from each category who will be invited to take part in an individual creative writing session on 24 th September, 2015 at the Recoleta Dominica
Museum.
The nature of the writing tasks will be announced at the start of that session.
The judges will only have access to the essays or emails, and will not know the names or origins of the writers. Their decisions will be final. These judges have been appointed by the
English-Speaking Union Chile and the Chilean British Institute,
a) First Stage: The judges will assess the essays and emails according to the following criteria: i) ii) iii)
Use of language
Analysis of the chosen argument
Presentation and structure b) Second Stage: The judges will assess the creative writing work according to the following criteria: i) ii) iii)
Use of language
Originality
Quality of response to a given stimulus
1 st prize in Category 1: Air ticket to England, a 2 week stay and 2 week English
Course with EF.
Second prize: PNY Powerpack – rechargeable battery for smartphones and tablets
Third prize : i Home Bluetooth pocket loudspeaker
1 st Prize in Category 2: I Pad Air.
Second prize: PNY Powerpack – rechargeable battery for smartphones and tablets
Third prize : i Home Bluetooth pocket loudspeaker

These and other prizes will be awarded at a special ceremony at the Recoleta
Dominica Museum at a Prize-giving (ceremony) in November 2015 (Date to be confirmed) with the attendance of the British Ambassador, during which the winning stories will be read aloud.
7th August:
1 st or 2nd week of September:
24 th September
Deadline for reception of essays or competing piece e-mail.
Notification sent to finalists
Final stage at the Recoleta Dominica Museum
Essays and competing pieces should be sent in only by email to esucom@britanico.cl
The competition is organised by the ESU in partnership with the Instituto Británico Chileno de Cultura
With the special sponsorship of EF (Education First), the Biblioteca Nacional and the
Recoleta Domínica Museum.