english language essay writing tips

8 Tips to Write Better Essays in English

Learning a foreign language is an overwhelming experience, especially if it’s one of the most widely spoken languages in the world – English.

Many people are under the impression that learning to read and speak in English is enough without realizing that written English skills are an equally vital asset to have.

From improving academics to boosting career prospects – the ability to write in English not only lets you communicate and express yourself better in today’s globalized world but also makes you more confident.

An effective way to improve your writing skills is to write essays. Wondering where to begin? We bring you eight useful tips to write better essays in English.

1. Keep a Vocabulary Notebook

Using the right vocabulary is an essential element of writing essays. When you make efforts to expand your vocabulary, you will be able to pick accurate words to take your writing to the next level.

Instead of coming across new words and forgetting about them, it’s a good idea to make a note of them in your vocabulary notebook. Doing this helps you remember the meanings of new words and you can also refer to it while writing essays.

So, give yourself a target to learn at least ten new words every day, which you can jot down in your diary and take baby steps in building a strong vocabulary.

2. Refer to Credible Sources

Research forms the first step in writing any kind of essay. The stronger your research, the better is the quality of your essay.

At a time when we have access to a wide range of data, it’s important to evaluate research sources carefully and only refer to credible ones. For example, Wikipedia is not a reliable source and should not be attributed to while writing essays.

Take the effort to read through published journals, research studies, scholarly papers, academic databases, and encyclopedias published within the last 10-15 years. It’s also important to assess the credibility of the author while evaluating the source.

3. Draft a Basic Outline

Once you’ve done your research, don’t rush to write. Take a moment to draft a basic outline for your essay and organize your research and findings.

“Is that necessary,” you ask? Very much.

Working on an outline lets you approach the essay in an organized manner. It serves as the skeleton of your paper while ensuring you’re not missing out on any information and that your points flow logically.

Most essays are categorized into – introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction is where you introduce the topic and give context. The body paragraphs need to include your arguments and research methodology (if any). The conclusion needs to reiterate the thesis statement and tie all the points together.

4. Hook the Reader

With attention spans getting shorter with time, it’s become all the more important to start with a bang and hook the reader from the beginning to ensure they are invested in your writing.

Essay hooks refer to the first one or two sentences of your essay which have the power to make or break the reader’s interest. The key is to write a hook that grabs the reader’s attention and reels them in.

From an alarming statistic and relevant quote to using humor and asking a rhetoric question – there are various tactics you can employ to keep the reader engaged.

If you’re unable to think of an impactful essay hook, don’t waste too much time on it. Finish the rest of your essay and come back to write a compelling hook later.

5. Use the Pomodoro Technique

It’s not easy to write an essay in one go, especially if it’s not in your first language.

A smart way to approach essay writing is to use the Pomodoro technique. This technique asks you to set a timer for 25 minutes to finish your task in question and then take a 5-minute break. After four cycles of repeating this, you get to take an extended 20-minute break.

So, start with breaking down the assignment into smaller tasks such as research, outlining, writing the different paragraphs, citing references and proofreading. You can then set the timer, start working on the essay as per the technique and track your progress.

Using this technique keeps distractions at bay and helps you stay more focused.

6. Pay Attention to Grammar Rules

You may raise interesting points in your essay, but poor grammar disrupts the reading experience and should be avoided at all costs.

Be careful when adding punctuations, check your sentence formations, avoid passive voice as much as possible and know the difference between adjectives, adverbs, nouns and verbs.

So  abide by grammar rules to deliver a well-written and cohesive essay.

7. Write with Clarity

You might be tempted to use complex metaphors and jargons to impress the reader, but the truth is, none of that guarantees “good” writing.

One of the most important ingredients of effective writing is clarity. You don’t want to leave the reader confused and puzzled after reading your essay. So, use simple words, stop beating around the bush and explain concepts with the help of examples because clear writing always wins.

8. Reread the Essay

Finally, make it a point to proofread your essay (multiple times) to ensure you have covered all the aspects, cited references accurately and not made any silly errors.

It’s a good idea to read your essay out loud so you’re able to identify errors and awkwardly formed sentences with ease. You should also get a friend or family member to read your essay, to spot mistakes or discrepancies that you may have overlooked.

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35 comments

Thanks a lot all we can derive from reading is the technique to write with clarity, good research and involvement of readers in writing.

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As a teacher trainer this contribution is helpful

Thanks for the tips! I’ll have an essay tomorrow and this will surlely prepare me!

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Thanks you for helping

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Good tips, I should give it a try, after all, we all improve by exercising hard so I’ll just do the same thing, but right now I gotta focus on what matters, and what I need now is to read as much as I can to know how to spell the words right. Is grammar so important in this task, I mean can’t I just pick the things up because of my experience in listening skill ?

Thanks for the information!

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Is very interesting for me I really apreicete you help

Thanks so much for these useful tips!! Now, I need to start preparing my essay (“starting” has been always the stone on my way :$)

Please, what is the difference between an essay and an article?

Are they same?

Thanks in advance,

Thanks & best regards English Club

Helpful updated tips to share with our students!! thankssss

I want to know if it is only at the University or if we may take the course online.

Thank you verry much for important advices

thank for your key points, this is really helpful

Thank you and best wishes,

Very pragmatic and helpful essay. Thank so much English club

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• Tips for Reading an Assignment Prompt
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• Introductions
• What Do Introductions Across the Disciplines Have in Common?
• Anatomy of a Body Paragraph
• Transitions
• Tips for Organizing Your Essay
• Counterargument
• Conclusions
• Strategies for Essay Writing: Downloadable PDFs
• Brief Guides to Writing in the Disciplines

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• Writing Tips

How to Write Top-Graded Essays in English

• 5-minute read
• 7th December 2022

Writing English papers and essays can be challenging at first, but with the right tools, knowledge, and resources, you can improve your writing skills. In this article, you’ll get some tips and tricks on how to write a top-graded essay in English.

Have you heard the saying “practice makes perfect”? Well, it’s wrong. Practice does make improvement, though. Whether you’re taking an English composition class, studying for the IELTS or TOEFL , or preparing to study abroad, you can always find new ways to practice writing in English.

If you practice on a daily basis, you’ll be exercising the skills you know while challenging yourself to learn even more. There are many ways you can practice writing in English daily:

• Keep a daily journal.
• Write practice essays.
• Do creative writing exercises .

Read in English

The best way to improve your writing is to read English books, news articles, essays, and other media. By reading the writing of other authors (whether they’re native or non-native speakers), you’re exposing yourself to different writing styles and learning new vocabulary. Be sure to take notes when you’re reading so you can write down things you don’t know (e.g., new words or phrases) or sentences or phrases you like.

For example, maybe you need to write a paper related to climate change. By reading news articles or research papers on this topic, you can learn relevant vocabulary and knowledge you can use in your essay.

FluentU has a great article with a list of 20 classic books you can read in English for free.

Immerse Yourself in English

If you don’t live in an English-speaking country, you may be thinking, “How can I immerse myself in English?” There are many ways to overcome this challenge. The following strategies are especially useful if you plan to study or travel abroad:

• Follow YouTube channels that focus on learning English or that have English speakers.
• Use social media to follow English-speaking accounts you are interested in.
• Watch movies and TV shows in English or use English subtitles when watching your favorite shows.
• Participate in your English club or salon at school to get more practice.
• Become an English tutor at a local school (teaching others is the best way to learn).

By constantly exposing yourself to English, you will improve your writing and speaking skills.

Visit Your Writing Center

If you’re enrolled at a university, you most likely have a free writing center you can use if you need help with your assignments. If you don’t have a writing center, ask your teacher for help and for information on local resources.

Use Your Feedback

After you submit an English writing assignment, you should receive feedback from your teacher on how you did. Use this feedback to your advantage . If you haven’t been getting feedback on your writing, ask your teacher to explain what issues they are seeing in your writing and what you could do to improve.

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Be Aware of Your Common Writing Mistakes

If you review your feedback on writing assignments, you might notice some recurring mistakes you are making. Make a list of common mistakes you tend to make when writing, and use it when doing future assignments. Some common mistakes include the following:

• Grammar errors (e.g., not using articles).
• Incorrect vocabulary (e.g., confusing however and therefore ).
• Spelling mistakes (e.g., writing form when you mean from ).
• Missing essay components (e.g., not using a thesis statement in your introduction).
• Not using examples in your body paragraphs.
• Not writing an effective conclusion .

This is just a general list of writing mistakes, some of which you may make. But be sure to go through your writing feedback or talk with your teacher to make a list of your most common mistakes.

Use a Prewriting Strategy

So many students sit down to write an essay without a plan. They just start writing whatever comes to their mind. However, to write a top-graded essay in English, you must plan and brainstorm before you begin to write. Here are some strategies you can use during the prewriting stage:

• Freewriting
• Concept Mapping

For more detailed information on each of these processes, read “5 Useful Prewriting Strategies.”

Follow the Writing Process

All writers should follow a writing process. However, the writing process can vary depending on what you’re writing. For example, the process for a Ph.D. thesis is going to look different to that of a news article. Regardless, there are some basic steps that all writers should follow:

• Understanding the assignment, essay question, or writing topic.
• Planning, outlining, and prewriting.
• Writing a thesis statement.
• Writing your essay.
• Revising and editing.

For more information on how to write an essay in English, read “How To Construct an Excellent Essay in 5 Steps.”

Writing essays, theses, news articles, or papers in English can be challenging. They take a lot of work, practice, and persistence. However, with these tips, you will be on your way to writing top-graded English essays.

If you need more help with your English writing, the experts at Proofed will proofread your first 500 words for free!

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How to write an essay in English

By ielts expert, 29 june 2023 - 16:00.

Many students say writing is the worst part of their English, but it’s often just a case of confidence. With practice, and the tips in this post, you can gain the confidence you need to maximise your English and really show it off. This post will look at the three stages of writing - planning, writing the text and reading it back.

If you are preparing for an exam, please be aware that for the latest information on exam format you should always go straight to the source – IELTS website . You can practice free online IELTS Academic Writing tests or General Training Writing tests . You can also practice writing your answer by downloading an IELTS Writing Answer Sheet .

Planning is an integral part of your writing. You might say “I don’t plan”, but somewhere in your subconscious, you do! By raising your awareness of your own planning process you can improve enormously. As a teacher, I see many students who plan and many who don’t. In general, the students that plan produce much better work, so if you are in the “no plan” camp, you should at least experiment with some of the ideas coming up.

Planning 1: Address the question

If you are writing for a class assignment or an exam, it is crucial that you address the question given. Adequate planning (five minutes is better than nothing) will keep you on track. 

Start by breaking the question down into its parts. There will usually be two or three aspects to the question. You want not only to cover all aspects of the question, but also make it obvious to your teacher or the examiner that you have done so, and the best way to demonstrate this is to give each aspect its own paragraph.

Planning 2: Brainstorm vocabulary as well as ideas

Once you have identified your paragraphs, think about what vocabulary you have at your disposal. Perhaps you would like to write one paragraph from a particular angle, but when you start planning you might find there are holes in your vocabulary and you are better able to write from a different angle. Choose ideas which best overlap with what you can clearly state in English.

Planning 3: Write chunks of language

Even with all the vocabulary in the world, some ideas are complex to express in writing. Causality, speculation and hypothetical scenarios are all abstract concepts which make it more challenging to say exactly what you want, but these are also an opportunity to push your English ability to the max and show your grammatical range. 

Sound out in your head how you will make your arguments, and when you get stuck, try writing this part down in your plan. It might be a whole sentence of just a clause. This will help you decide if you have enough English ability to get across a really impressive idea, or if you need to simplify your thoughts in order to remain clear to the reader.

Writing the text 1: Use your plan!

I have seen many students write logical, competent plans that address the question, only to go off on a random tangent when they start writing! 

Of course, you might change some things as you go along, for example if you have a new idea, but keeping an eye on your plan will prevent you from getting distracted and bring you back to the question you must answer. It will also keep you aware of how you are doing for word count and time.

Writing the text 2: Write your introduction last

You should at least consider this idea. The purpose of an introduction is to tell the reader what they are going to read, so how can you write the introduction when you haven’t written the content yet?

Introductions are fiddly to write on a blank canvas, but much easier when we already have the content written in front of us.

If you are writing on paper, it is still possible to write the introduction last - you just need to leave a few lines for it.

Writing the text 3: Make sure your introduction and conclusion match

Your introduction and conclusion should also match the content of your main body paragraphs. This might seem obvious, but I wish I had a euro for every time I have seen an introduction passionately in favour of something followed by body paragraphs and a conclusion that were passionately against.

This problem can be avoided by writing your conclusion last, as suggested above. It will also be avoided by planning, and thinking a little more deeply how you feel about the question before you start. When I say a little more deeply, I’m talking about a minute or so, not hours.

Writing the text 4: Use linkers

Linkers are often misunderstood as simply a way of showing “formal English” but in fact, we use linkers all the time, even when chatting with friends. We use them in speech and in writing to indicate “I’m going to add to what was just said,”  “I’m going to contradict what was just said,” and generally to help the listener or reader understand where we are going next.

After writing the text

This is another area where many students are very reluctant - you need to read what you wrote! 

Check for spelling errors, missing third person s, capital letters, whatever errors you are prone to make… and if you don’t know what errors you are prone to make, it’s because you aren’t checking your writing, so you need to start today! You can be the expert on your own writing strengths and weaknesses, and this will just make you better and better.

Moreover, you should read back your text because it’s enjoyable to see how skillfully you put your ideas down and how convincing your arguments are. You did it! Well done! Enjoy the moment with some positivity!

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A (Very) Simple Way to Improve Your Writing

• Mark Rennella

It’s called the “one-idea rule” — and any level of writer can use it.

The “one idea” rule is a simple concept that can help you sharpen your writing, persuade others by presenting your argument in a clear, concise, and engaging way. What exactly does the rule say?

• Every component of a successful piece of writing should express only one idea.
• In persuasive writing, your “one idea” is often the argument or belief you are presenting to the reader. Once you identify what that argument is, the “one-idea rule” can help you develop, revise, and connect the various components of your writing.
• For instance, let’s say you’re writing an essay. There are three components you will be working with throughout your piece: the title, the paragraphs, and the sentences.
• Each of these parts should be dedicated to just one idea. The ideas are not identical, of course, but they’re all related. If done correctly, the smaller ideas (in sentences) all build (in paragraphs) to support the main point (suggested in the title).

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Most advice about writing looks like a long laundry list of “do’s and don’ts.” These lists can be helpful from time to time, but they’re hard to remember … and, therefore, hard to depend on when you’re having trouble putting your thoughts to paper. During my time in academia, teaching composition at the undergraduate and graduate levels, I saw many people struggle with this.

• MR Mark Rennella is Associate Editor at HBP and has published two books, Entrepreneurs, Managers, and Leaders and The Boston Cosmopolitans .  

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Are you a learner at B2 English level (upper intermediate) ? This section offers writing practice to help you write clear, detailed text on a wide range of topics related to your interests. Texts include essays, reports, reviews, messages and emails.

Each lesson has a preparation task, a model text with writing tips and three tasks to check your understanding and to practise a variety of writing skills. Make a start today.

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A covering email

Learn how to write a covering email to accompany a job application.

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A letter of complaint

Learn how to write a letter of complaint.

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A report on working abroad

Learn how to write a report on working abroad.

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A summary of a line graph

Learn how to describe a line graph.

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Learn how to write an advert.

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Learn how to write an email to request time off work.

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An email to your professor

Learn how to write an email to your university professor.

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An informal email to a friend

Learn how to write an informal email to a friend.

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An opinion essay

Learn how to write an opinion essay.

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Comparing two charts

Learn how to write about and compare two pie charts.

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Giving instructions by email

Learn how to write an email to give instructions.

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• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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Learning English with Oxford

The latest language learning tips, resources, and content from oxford university press., top tips for effective essay writing.

• by Oxford University Press ELT
• Posted on June 28, 2023 June 29, 2023

Tips for different essay types 

There are different types of essays that you may need to write during your English language journey. These include:

• Argumentative essays : These essays present the advantages and disadvantages of a particular topic or issue. They require you to provide well-reasoned arguments and evidence to support your point of view.
• Persuasive essays : The aim of persuasive essays is to convince the reader to eventually adopt your point of view or take a specific course of action. These essays rely on strong arguments, logical reasoning and persuasive language.
• Expository essays : Expository essays focus on explaining or clarifying a concept, idea or process. They require you to provide clear and concise information with supporting examples and evidence.
• Narrative essays : In narrative essays, you tell a story or narrate an event. These essays use descriptive language, and engage readers through vivid details and a compelling narrative structure.
• Descriptive essays : Descriptive essays aim to paint a clear picture of a person, place, object or experience. These essays utilise sensory language (e.g. colourful, crowded, dark, cold etc.) and figurative devices to evoke emotions and create a picture of the scene and people in the reader’s mind.

Tips for essay structure 

When writing an essay, you need to think about several key elements:

• Organisation and structure: Make sure your essay follows a clear and logical structure. Your essay should start with an introduction explaining what your essay is going to be about, followed by paragraphs containing the main points you want to express. Each of the paragraphs in the main body should address a single main idea. Finally, you should end with a conclusion.
• Paragraphing: Divide your essay into paragraphs to make it easy for the reader to follow and to make it coherent. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of that particular section.
• Main ideas with supporting arguments and evidence : In the main body of your essay, clearly state your main ideas and support them with relevant arguments, examples, facts, or statistics. Use these supporting details to strengthen your overall argument.

More essay writing tips

Essays typically maintain a formal register, so it is important to use appropriate language. Here are some examples:

• Formal language: In an essay, try to avoid using contractions, e.g. They are instead of they’re. Try to avoid using the personal pronouns I or we – instead, you could use a passive structure. Do not use colloquial expressions or idioms, and try to use more formal words for everyday language, e.g. show – demonstrate, find out – discover, give – provide, point out – indicate.
• Linking words: Use cohesive devices and words and phrases to connect your sentences to improve the flow and coherence of your essay. For instance, use words like however, in addition, furthermore or on the other hand to connect ideas. You can also create smooth transitions from one idea to the next by using sequencing language such as firstly, next, following this etc.

Final tips for essay writing

To produce a well-structured and coherent essay, think about the following:

• Make a plan: Before you start writing, create a plan outlining the main points you want to include. Refer to your plan regularly to stay focused and maintain a logical flow.
• Use varied language : Use a variety of vocabulary, sentence structures, and sentence lengths to make your essay more engaging and interesting.
• Proofread and edit: After completing your essay, carefully review it for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. This is particularly important in an English exam.

Knowing how to write an essay in English is an important skill. Understanding the different types of essays, organising your ideas effectively, using appropriate language and linking words, and following a plan can significantly improve your essay writing skills. By incorporating these tips into your writing routine, you will feel more confident the next time you write an essay in English. 

For more information about different types of writing in the Oxford Test of English, read this blog and download our detailed guide !

Decide whether the statements about essay writing are true (T) or false (F). 

• In an English exam, you usually do not have time to proofread your essay. T/F
• Your essay should always start with an introduction and end with a conclusion. T/F
• Persuasive essays ask you to present both points of view with evidence to support. T/F
• You should make a plan before you start your essay, then not refer to it again until you finish writing. T/F
• You should use language to help you sequence your ideas where necessary. T/F
• You could start your essay with, In my opinion… T/F
• False. In an English exam, you should always leave some time to proofread your essay when you finish to check for any errors and correct them. 
• True. The middle part of your essay is the main body that contains your main arguments and key points. 
• False. Persuasive essays require you to convince the reader to eventually adopt your point of view or take a specific course of action. Argumentative essays require you to present the advantages and disadvantages of a particular topic or issue. 
• False. Refer to your plan regularly whilst writing so you can stay focused and maintain a logical flow. 
• True. Use sequencing words and phrases to help you structure your essay and improve its flow. 
• False. Try to avoid using personal pronouns. 

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Author: Oxford University Press ELT

Every year we help millions of people around the world to learn English. As a department of the University of Oxford, we further the University’s objective of excellence in education by publishing proven and tested language learning books, eBooks, learning materials, and educational technologies. View all posts by Oxford University Press ELT

Thank you for sharing valuable resources with us. It is inspiring and motivating. I really find everything, especially the webinars, extremely useful.

VERY USEFUL!!! THANX! NEXT TIME MORE PRACTICAL EXERCISES, EVEN IN A BOOK…

Thank you for very valuable tips. Will definitely use them with my students who are preparing for FCE exams.

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AP® English Language

The ultimate list of ap® english language tips.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: May 9, 2022

The AP® Language and Composition exam tests your ability to not only read content, but also to analyze what you have read and draw conclusions to present in an argument. The test consists of two parts: multiple choice and free response, and it lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes. It is a long and difficult test, but with the right amount of practice, consideration of AP® English language tips, and determination, you will score a 5!

While we recommend Albert for your online prep, we also recommend that you augment your studies with AP® English Language review books. These AP® English Language tips can help you feel confident about scoring a 5 on the AP® Language and Composition exam. Let’s get started.

What We Review

How To Study for AP® English Language: 5 Tips for 4s and 5s

Before you learn how to study for the specific portions of the AP® Language exam, it’s time to learn how to study for AP® courses in general. AP® stands for Advanced Placement; meaning, the courses are designed to challenge you more so than a regular high school class. It’s safe to say that it’s nearly impossible to pass the AP® Language and Composition exam if you don’t have a grasp on how to study for a class as stimulating as an Advanced Placement course. Let’s review some general AP® English Language tips!

1. Become familiar with the style of AP® English Language questions

Before you can even begin to study for the AP® exams, you need to familiarize yourself with the overall format of the questions being asked on the exam. The test is broken into two sections: multiple-choice and free-response.

Starting with the 2021 exam, the multiple choice section will contain 45 questions broken down into 23-25 reading questions and 20-22 writing questions. The reading questions will ask you to read, analyze, and respond to nonfiction texts, while the writing questions will ask you to “read like a writer” and consider revisions to the texts.

The free-response section will contain three essay questions: one synthesis question, one rhetorical analysis question, and one argument question. The synthesis essay will have you read six-seven texts about a topic and compose an argument that relies on at least three of the sources to support your argument. The rhetorical analysis section will make you read a nonfiction text and analyze how the writer’s language choices contribute to the intended meaning and purpose of the text. Finally, the argument que requires that you create an evidence-based argument that responds to a certain prompt.

While your AP® course will familiarize you with the nature of these questions, we recommend that you check out AP® Central’s sample questions and catalog of old exams to further your understanding. We also offer a comprehensive How to Study for AP® English Language review that covers all things AP® English Lang, so check it out for tips on how to approach these questions.

2. Increase your understanding of the basic five-paragraph essay format

Since a huge component of the AP® English Language exam tests your writing abilities, you will need to come to the test with a solid understanding of how to write academic essays. One significant key to success is organization. Your essay must display some clear sense of organization if you want to score a 4 or 5.

The standard method of organization, the five-paragraph format, is likely the simplest way to go about organizing your argument. The paragraphs are ordered like this: Intro-Body-Body-Body-Conclusion. It’s a straightforward method that keeps your writing taut and cogent, and it’s the most common form we see on the test. Here’s a video that goes further into the five-paragraph essay.

3. Strengthen your critical thinking skills by making reading part of your daily schedule

A good portion of Advanced Placement courses is designed to test your ability to think, read, and write critically. Perhaps the most straightforward and simplest way to develop these vital skills is to incorporate reading into your daily schedule, and by reading, we mean material more complex than, say, Buzzfeed-style listicles.

You could go about this a few ways. For one, you could subscribe to a major editorial publication like The New York Times , The New Yorker, The Economist , or The Guardian and incorporate reading them into your daily routine.

Another way to strengthen your critical thinking skills through daily reading is to comb through a combination of smart fiction and nonfiction such as The Great Gatsby or Freakonomics . Consult our Ultimate AP® English Reading List for a comprehensive catalog of recommendations.

4. Develop your rhetorical and literary vocabulary by using online quizzes and word banks

The AP® English Language exam, of course, tests your abilities and knowledge within the fields of rhetoric, composition, and the English language, so it is imperative that you approach the test with a strong vocabulary.

One way to develop your academic vocabulary is to use online quiz programs like Quizlet (which includes tons of stuff on AP® Eng Lang) and Vocabulary.com . These will allow you to hone your vocabulary skills in an engaging and interactive way, and they also feature a variety of different memorization games such as flashcards, quizzes, and more.

We also recommend that you consult an AP® English Language vocabulary word bank. A quick Google search yields tons of results, but this handout and this one are solid places to start.

5. Form a study group

One of the most effective ways to study for any exam is to form a study group. Ideally, this group will contain members of all knowledge levels. Each person will bring something to the table—maybe you know more about symbolism than Sam, while Sam understands literary devices better than Ryan, and so on. Try and meet at a coffee shop or friend’s house either weekly or biweekly to maintain focus.  Learning other people’s viewpoints on the subjects covered on the different exams will help you approach questions from every angle.

Now that you’ve followed the previous general Advanced Placement study tips, you can focus on studying specifically for the AP® Language and Composition exam.

This part of this article will focus on the multiple-choice portion, which amounts to 45% of your overall score. So you could say that it’s pretty important.

Return to the Table of Contents

AP® English Language Multiple Choice Review: 13 Tips

1. Create a daily study routine early in the semester

The most important tip for acing any standardized exam is to develop good study habits. Start at the beginning of the semester. We know that other classes take up time, but we recommend that you set a daily alarm on your phone to remind you to study for AP® Lang. Carve out at least 30 minutes per day. The process should go on throughout the semester which will be a surefire way to remember important content at the end of the year and to build your stamina. In addition to studying classwork, we recommend that you consult an AP® English Language Guidebook or use one of our many practice modules to augment your daily studies.

2. Test yourself using practice exams

If you’re one of the many high school students who doesn’t spend most of their time studying, preparing early, and following the system of the previous study tip, we understand. Studying every single night may be a bit of a struggle. If this sounds like you, then the best option for studying for the AP® Language exam is to test yourself. Periodically throughout the semester, look up practice exams to test your comprehension of the material. We offer a variety of different practice exams , and the College Board also keeps samples of older exams to work from. We highly recommend you work through these before the exam.

3. Choose a multiple-choice strategy: read the passages first or read the questions first

Everyone knows the classic shortcut when it comes to multiple choice tests—read the questions first, then scan the passages to look for the answers. This method of approaching the exam can give you a more focused, determined approach on what to look for when reading the passage. But it can also be distracting to some.

On the other hand, you can read the passages first and then answer the questions. This is the more straightforward, perhaps more traditional way of approaching the multiple-choice section, and it works best for people who like to do things in logical, sequential ways. Work through a few practice exams, and then decide which works best for you and stick with it.

4. Read the questions thoroughly and more than once

This goes without saying. If you don’t have a good grasp on the content of the question, you’re going to get it wrong. Read the questions carefully and determine what it is asking, where in the text the answer can be found, and whether any of the choices provide a logical answer to the question.

Read the question more than once, definitely at least twice. Underline key words and phrases within the question if you find it helpful. Sometimes the answer to the questions can be complicated and rather unnerving. To avoid getting overwhelmed by this, try covering up the multiple choice answers with your hand or ignore them completely while you read just the stem of the question. Try to come up with an answer to the question before you even glance at the possible choices.

5. Reread portions of the text that are pertinent to the question

Remember that each and every question refers to the passage. Therefore, every answer can be found either within the text itself or where the text points.  When you have determined where in the passage an answer can be found, reread that portion. Dissect it thoroughly and from there, decide what the correct answer might be. Constantly return to the text, and mark it up. Highlight or underline key words or phrases, or things that stick out to you.

6. Use the process of elimination

This tip may be a little bit obvious. If you’re familiar with the subject matter of the question, it should not be hard to rule out at least one of the choices that you have determined not to be the answer. Physically mark out the answers you believe are wrong. It will help you to visually see which answers couldn’t possibly be the right one. Sometimes the writers of the test will write two answer choices that seem almost identical. However, one of them will have the slightest difference that makes it incorrect.

It might also help you to circle or underline the terms within the wrong answer choices that prove they are incorrect. If you get stumped on a similar question, you may look back onto these incorrect responses. With this information, you can deduce which answers are incorrect and which are correct.

7. Skip difficult questions and return to them later if you have time

Because the multiple-choice portion is timed, you may not have time to answer every single question if you are unsure of a few. The simplest way to clear your mind and focus on the easier questions is to skip the more difficult questions that you simply cannot answer. If you find yourself stuck on a question for more than, say, one-and-a-half minutes, then skip it, move onto the next one, and return to it after you’ve completed the questions you can answer.

Getting hung up on the more difficult questions can not only waste valuable time but also derail your focus and mess with your determination.

8. Mark-up key moments and phrases within the text

Treat the text passages like a blank canvas in which you are required to jot down your thoughts, reflections, questions, analysis, and more. Highlight, underline, or circle moments within the text that stick out to you. Whether you find a certain phrase or word central to the author’s argument, or you find a sentence particularly confounding, mark it!

If you skip a question, be sure to circle its number. That way, when you’re going back through your test, the search time for unanswered questions will be cut drastically. Alternatively, you can put a check mark beside every question you have answered, leaving unanswered questions with a blank space beside the numbers. By marking up the text, you essentially construct an analytical road map for yourself, one that makes the overall exam much easier.

9. When in doubt, guess

On the AP® English Language and Composition exam, your score on the multiple-choice portion is based on the number of questions you answer correctly. There is no penalty for incorrect answers. So there’s no logical reason not to guess on questions you are stumped on. So if you get to the end of a set of questions, and you return to some you’ve skipped, and you still can’t decide on an answer—just make an educated guess. It’s worth it.

10. Use Quizlet or paper flashcards to pin down vocabulary

For terms or concepts that are crucial for you to memorize, make flashcards. It may seem like an elementary study tip, but it truly works. Review the flashcards at least 30 minutes per day to develop a strong memory. You’ll find the test to be much easier if you have a strong command of rhetorical and compositional terms and phrases.

Quizlet offers tons of flashcard sets for AP® English Language and Composition, or you can use the site to simply make your own. We also provide many helpful modules over vocabulary and AP® English Language at large . And remember: pay special attention to terms or concepts that you don’t fully understand.

11. Study before bed

If you’ve made flashcards, a great time to study them, or really any notes you’ve taken, is before you go to bed. The brain remembers the most information right before you go to sleep. This is because when you’re asleep, it processes the most important memories of your day for storage.

If you review right before bedtime, your brain prioritizes this information and stores it for quick access. Because of this, it’d be a good idea to study first thing in the morning, too. This will remind your brain that the subject you’re studying really needs to be remembered. Instead of checking Instagram or Tik Tok at night, try and make it a habit to run through a set of flashcards or work through a few practice questions.

12.  Learn how to answer “all of the above” and “none of the above” questions

These are often dreaded multiple choice questions among students taking this exam. The “all of the above” or “none of the above” questions can throw students off because they indicate a certain totality that can be difficult to parse out. In “All of the above,” every single answer choice must be correct, so if one answer sounds iffy then avoid “all of the above.” “None of the above” is the same thing—each answer must be incorrect.

13. Do a breathing exercise if you find yourself getting too stressed out

We’ll be first to say it: the AP® English Language exam is stressful. But if you let your nerves get the best of you, the test will become even harder to ace. If you find yourself panicking, try this: Rest your hand on your abdomen, relax your shoulders and chest. Inhale through your nose slowly and feel your abdomen rise as you count to five in your head. Exhale. Repeat. This method will calm you.

Have confidence that you know the material well enough to get through this portion with ease. If you let your anxiety or nerves overwhelm you, the test will become much, much more difficult. It’s an anxiety-inducing test, sure, but also remember: it’s just a test. It’s not an end-all or a panacea. It’s a test. So breathe and approach it in a calm and collected manner.

The next part of this article will focus on the seemingly daunting free response portion of the AP® Language and Composition exam , worth 55% of your score. This portion consists of three different essays you must write within a two-hour period after a mandatory fifteen-minute reading period. Ultimately, these essays will assess your ability to quickly formulate arguments from inferences and analysis drawn from the sources provided to you. If you don’t understand early on how to go about following the instructions that are asked on the exam, you might find this portion more difficult than the multiple-choice section.

Here are some tips to help you ace the free response portion of the exam:

AP® English Language Free Response Question Review: 19 Tips

1. Spend time analyzing the question

Make sure you read the essay prompt many times and identify the key question being asked. AP® English Language questions can be tricky and demand multiple readings. Approach the question from each side of the possible argument that it poses. Consult our how-to guide on constructing arguments for extra help.

2. Choose your side of the argument

Based on the evidence provided for you in the passages you’ve read, come up with an argument. It is often helpful to choose an argument that has more evidence and references to support it, even if you do not necessarily agree with every tiny detail. The AP® English Language rhetorical analysis essay, for example, will require you to choose a side of an argument and develop your point.

3. Create a compelling and well-developed thesis statement

Come up with a strong thesis statement that clearly and effectively approaches the topic and the argument you are presenting. Don’t bother regurgitating the prompt in your introductory paragraphs—the scorers will just assume you are filling space and it will make your argument seem weak and lacking confidence. Answer all of the questions asked by the prompt in your introductory paragraph and include the main point of your argument in your thesis.

Remember: the thesis offers a concise summary of the main point or claim of the essay, research paper, etc. It is your claim, your argument, the essence of your paper summarized in one clean, well-developed statement.

Here’s an example of a good thesis: 

• As Wilde claims, disobedience is a valuable human trait without which progress could not be made because, in situations like the American Revolution, it is only deviance from the norm that can change the norm.

And here’s an example of a not-so good thesis: 

• Disobedience is a good trait for humans, because historically, disobedient men and women made history.

Be concise, detailed, and clear.

4. Build a strong set of body paragraphs

Once you have your thesis statement, construct strong, well-developed body paragraphs that expand and augment your central claim in your thesis. Be sure to mention how the supporting evidence you are citing within your essays relates back to your argument, but do not merely summarize the evidence. Unpack and analyze it.

5. Use specific, concise language

Ambiguity and vague sentences have no place within an AP® Language and Composition exam essay. The readers of your essay expect you to be exact and to the point. They want you to prove a point to them, not dance around it aimlessly. The more specific you are with your information, the better. Words and phrases like “about,” “kind of,” “sort of,” “thing,” and “stuff” should be avoided at all costs.

6. Cite your sources

You’re given textual sources for a reason. Use these to strengthen your argument and convince your audience of its legitimacy. In fact, in order to score high, you must thoroughly engage with your sources. Cite specific moments and phrases within the text, and avoid merely paraphrasing. However, you cannot merely summarize the source but critically read and analyze it. Failing to use the resources provided to you will result in an incredibly low score.

7. Develop a persuasive tone

The tone of an essay is what sets the stage for your argument. If there is no tone, it makes the essay seem sloppy and poorly structured. The argument itself may even seem scattered and all over the place. The tone of your essay should reflect your side of the argument and persuade the reader of your position.

If it doesn’t, how can the readers be expected to understand completely what side you are taking? You can successfully develop tone by using strong, sophisticated vocabulary, complicated verb and sentence forms, and by engaging with the texts in thorough, critical ways. Take a look at Princeton’s Writing Center’s handout on tone and tone words for extra help!

8. Don’t be afraid to make assumptions

A great deal of the scoring of this portion is based on the assumptions you make, your unpacking of the text’s implications. The assumptions and inferences made from your sources are crucial. Use them to explain your viewpoints and strengthen your argument.

Logical assumptions give interesting perspectives to the scorers of the essays. The use of inferences and assumptions in your essays also demonstrates your ability to think critically (as we discussed earlier). AP® English Language prompts will force you to think beyond the text.

9. Organize your thoughts using an outline

As you work through planning your argument in the essays, make sure you take time to organize your thoughts by creating an outline or map during prewriting. 

This will strengthen your argument and the overall structure of your essay. If your essay is neat and clean, the scorers can easily find what they are looking for in a well-written argument. One way to make this easier is to use an outline, guide, or an essay map. Here’s an example of what this would look like.

10 Use a strong organizational format

If you are unfamiliar with the structure of an essay, you definitely need to learn it before the exam. Think of an essay as a skeleton: the introductory, body, and conclusion paragraphs are the bones; the actual muscle, tendons, and organs holding it together are the bulk of the essay. 

This is what you add to it, including arguments and supporting evidence. Following (and also expanding on) a basic organization structure like this will make your essay much more sophisticated and readable.

11. Use a diverse body of sentences and vocabulary

If you write your essay with choppy, short sentences having a simple vocabulary, the reader is going to assume that you are not well-versed in the English language, or that you could not address the prompt in college-ready level of sophistication. This can severely hurt your score—especially considering you are taking an exam in AP® Language and Composition. You can strengthen your vocabulary and writing skills by developing a daily reading habit and consulting a list of common words found on the AP® English Language test.    

12. Work quickly

Although you want to keep all of these tips in mind, remember that this is still a timed portion of the exam. You don’t have much time to spend trying to make every single part of your essays perfect. So if you find yourself getting caught up trying to perfect a sentence or find yourself deliberating at length over choosing the perfect word, remind yourself to stop and move on. Nothing will be perfect, so use your time wisely. 

13. Build up your time management skills

Learning time management skills early on can help tremendously when it comes to timed exams. Practice taking timed exams frequently throughout the semester to build confidence and skill.

When you take one of our practice exams or one from the Princeton Review , set a time on your phone and record how long it takes you to work through the test. Try and increase your time with each practice exam. This will really help when you’re forced to formulate multiple arguments for different essays in a limited amount of time.

14. Know the rubric inside and out

Knowing the rubric is an incredibly strategic move in acing the AP® Language and Composition essay portion. When you know what exactly it is the scorers usually look for, you can be at ease. This is because you know exactly what to put into your arguments to make for a high-scoring essay. The rubric has recently been updated, and we highly recommend you take a look at it here .

Simply put, the FRQ rubric is broken down into three main sections: thesis , evidence and commentary , and sophistication . The thesis component addresses—you guessed it—your thesis statement. The evidence and commentary section of the rubric involves your ability to cite and analyze evidence from the text. And finally, the sophistication component addresses the overall “smartness” of your essay. 

15. Read widely in your spare time

This may seem obvious, but many students don’t understand how much reading is required for this course. AP® Language and Composition covers writing styles throughout several centuries, so it’s crucial to become familiar with all of them.

Reading a few books for leisure in between assignments will help drastically in developing a writing style of your own as well. And, as we mentioned before, developing a sturdy reading daily reading habit with The New York Times, The New Yorker, or another major publication will familiarize you with sophisticated writing and higher levels of thinking.

16. Practice dissection of rhetorical texts

No, don’t worry; you won’t have to know how to dissect a dead frog for the AP® Language exam. However, it is a good idea to practice dissecting everything you read. By this we mean that you approach reading with a highly critical eye. When doing your daily reading, ask yourself: Who is the audience in this piece? What is it that the author is trying to accomplish by writing this? What is the main idea? Is there any symbolism used in vague sentences?

17. Write neatly

Legible writing is a scorer’s best friend. Scorers are very busy people with thousands of essays to grade. They do not have much time trying to decipher your chicken scratch. The more the scorers can read, the more there is to grade.

18. Avoid clichés

Sure, a cliché may bring a sense of familiarity to your writing. But mostly, it just bores the reader. If you must use a common cliché phrase, try to change it up a bit by using synonyms for the verbs. Avoid banal phrases like “all that glitters isn’t gold;” cliches like this are so overused that they’ve lost their meaning. Take a look at this list of cliches for further understanding. 

19. Learn at least three stress management techniques

Stress can take a toll on each and every one of us. Learning how to handle it is a skill that is vital to every aspect of life, especially when it comes to school. One, you could try meditation using meditation apps like Headspace . Two, you could begin a daily jogging routine and use apps like RunKeeper to pace yourself. Or, three, you could develop a yoga routine. Take a look at our Teacher Self-Care Kit for tips on how to stay positive. Even if you’re a student and not a teacher, we offer plenty of great advice on how to stay calm.

Study Tips by AP® English Language Teachers

Ap® english language multiple choice tips:.

• Multiple choice questions differ in difficulty. Multiple choice always presents a combination of easy, medium, and hard questions for each passage. Generally speaking, these questions follow the chronology of the passage, but they are all worth the same amount of points. Therefore, the best approach is to go for easy and medium questions first and skip questions that will require a significant amount of time up front. Thanks for the tip from Fred B.
• Reread questions that deal with context. When dealing with questions asking about things in context, the best approach is to return to the beginning of the sentence or the previous sentence and read the end of that sentence to understand its meaning. It may also be a good idea to read the sentence that follows as well. Thanks for the tip from Fred B.
• Consolidate when you begin to run out of time. If you’re running out of time, you should either scan the remaining questions and find the shortest questions or look for questions that contain the answer without requiring you to refer back to the text. Thanks for the tip from Fred B.

AP® English Language Free Response Tips:

• Keep source credibility in mind. Say you have to read two articles, one in the San Francisco Chronicle and one posted on a blog. You know nothing about either author. You know nothing about the content (topic). Brainstorm about what credibility factors you can deduce before you even see the articles . Thanks for the tip from Mark M.
• Create your own excitement about the prompt and what you have to say about it. If you can find a way to be passionate about it, you will write faster, easier, and better. After this year’s test, one of my students said she remembered the tip and intentionally generated her own enthusiasm about her topics, so she came out feeling happy about what she wrote. She scored a 4. Thanks for the tip from Pam S.

AP® English Language Preparation Tips:

• Develop a repertoire of strong verbs and verb forms. Students need to enhance their vocabulary by adding quality verbs in order to read and write more effectively. This study should embrace the verb in both active and passive voice; likewise, the verb should be mastered for gerundive and participial uses. Thanks for the tip from Mike M.
• Read credible newspapers daily. Connect current world events to classic essays and memoirs. Look for the connection between the human condition and the speaker’s purpose. Always ask why? Why that word? Why that tone? Why that call to action? Thanks for the tip from Bobbi C.
• Overall, focus your studies on argument and rhetorical analysis. The two skills of the course are argument and rhetorical analysis. One bit of advice that is central to impart to students is the tenet “acknowledge complexity.” This is relevant in arguments (e.g. take time to address reasonable counter-arguments) and rhetorical analysis (e.g. a letter can be both threatening and conciliatory — check out Banneker’s letter to Jefferson from the 2010 test). Passing the AP® English Language and Composition exam is never going to be easy. But with the right amount of studying, motivation, and understanding (along with these tips, of course), you should have more than what it takes to score well on this exam. Prepare early, be confident in your comprehension of the material, and watch yourself work through the exam with certainty. Thanks for the tip from Peter D.

Are you a teacher or student? Do you have an awesome tip? Let us know!

Wrapping Things Up: The Ultimate List of AP® English Language Tips

The AP® English Language and Composition exam is a difficult test, but with the right amount of practice, preparation, and hard work, it is possible to score a 5. The exam is designed to test your critical thinking and reading skills, so it is imperative that you sharpen your skills months before actually taking the test.

The best way to begin studying for this test is simply through practice. Consult a previous exam on College Board or take one of our practice exams to get a feel of what the AP® English Language exam looks like. From there, develop a daily reading habit by subscribing to a major publication like The New York Times or The New Yorker to hone your reading and critical thinking skills. Moreover, start a daily vocabulary routine through Quizlet or physical flashcards to develop your understanding of rhetorical and compositional vocabulary. 

Approach the multiple-choice questions and the free-response questions with strategies pertinent to each section. Remember that the multiple-choice section is graded holistically, so it doesn’t hurt to guess. Acing the free-response section will require practice and a thorough understanding of how to write a thesis statement, so it’s important that you practice and hone this skill before taking the test. We offer a comprehensive guide to acing the free-response question that’s worth a look, too! 

And remember, at the end of the day, it’s just a test. Do not psych yourself out or let your nerves and anxiety overwhelm you. Stress will just distract you from succeeding. If you come to the test prepared and even-keeled, you will do great!

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ESL Essay Writing: 7 Important Tips to Teach Students Plus Resources for Writing Lessons

“Every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end.”

This is true for a good essay, too.

An essay needs a coherent structure to successfully articulate its arguments. Strong preparation and planning is crucial to providing that structure.

Of course, essay writing can be challenging for ESL students. They must order their thoughts and construct their arguments—all in their second language.

So, here are seven ESL essay writing tips that will allow your students to weave together a coherent and persuasive essay, plus teacher resources for writing activities, prompts and lessons!

1. Build the Essay Around a Central Question

2. use the traditional 5-paragraph essay structure, 3. plan the essay carefully before writing, 4. encourage research and rewriting, 5. practice utilizing repetition, 6. aim to write a “full circle” essay, 7. edit the essay to the end, esl essay writing resources.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Encourage your students to build all their writing around one central question.

That central question is the engine of the writing—it should drive everything!

If a word or sentence is not assisting that forward motion toward the explication of that question and its possible answers, then it needs to be reworded, rephrased or just plain cut out and discarded.

Lean writing is merciless. Focusing on a central question throughout the prewriting, writing and rewriting stages helps develop the critical faculties required to discern what to keep and what to throw away.

Providing a clear structure for the student to approach essay writing can do a lot to build their confidence. The 5-paragraph essay, or “hamburger” essay, provides that clear structure for ESL writers.

Generally, this structure employs five separate paragraphs for the entire essay. Each paragraph serves a specific purpose, melding together to form a coherent whole:

• Paragraph 1: The introductory paragraph. This includes the thesis statement, orientating the reader to the purpose of the essay.
• Paragraphs 2 to 4: The body paragraphs. These make individual points that are further backed up by various forms of evidence.
• Paragraph 5:  The conclusion paragraph. This provides a summation of the arguments and a final statement of the thesis.

While students do not need to rigidly follow this format forever, the simple structure outlined above can serve as excellent training wheels for your writers.

Using the 5-paragraph structure as outlined above makes planning clear cut.

Once they have their theses and are planning their paragraphs, share with the students the ridiculously useful acronym P.E.E. This stands for Point, Explanation and Evidence.

Each body paragraph should make a point or argument in favor of the central thesis, followed by an explanation of this point and relevant evidence to back it up.

Students can make note of all their points, explanations and evidence before they start writing them in essay form. This helps take away some of the pressure ESL writers feel when faced with a blank page.

Extol the necessity for students to constantly refer to their planning. The mind-mapping techniques popularized by Tony Buzan can be useful at the planning stage and make for easy reference points to ensure focus is maintained throughout the essay.

Having a visual reference such as this can help ensure that your student-writers see each piece of the whole as well as that elusive “bigger picture,” so it becomes a case of seeing the forest and the trees!

Just as planning is crucial, so too is research.

Often ideas or connections do not occur until the writing process has begun. This is a good thing! Essay writing is a creative act, so students can have more ideas along the way and work them in as they go.

The key is to always be able to back up these ideas. Students who have done their research on their subject will be much more confident and articulate in expressing their arguments in their writing.

One way you can help students with context and research is to show relevant video content via FluentU . This language learning program uses authentic videos made by and for native speakers to help students learn English.

You can watch videos as a class or assign them directly to students for individual viewing. Videos come equipped with interactive bilingual subtitles and other learning tools such as multimedia flashcards and personalized quizzes so you can see how each student is doing.

No matter how your students do their research, the important thing is that they explore and understand their topic area before beginning the big task of writing their essay.

Even with thorough planning and research, writing oneself into a linguistic cul-de-sac is a common error. Especially with higher-level students, unforeseen currents can pull the student-writer off course.

Sometimes abandoning such a sentence helps. Going back to the drawing board and rewriting it is often best.

Students can be creative with their sentence structures   when expressing simpler ideas and arguments. However, when it comes to more complex concepts, help them learn to use shorter sentences to break their arguments into smaller, more digestible chunks.

Essay writing falls firmly in the camp of non-fiction. However, that doesn’t mean that essay writers can’t use some of the techniques more traditionally associated with fiction, poetry and drama .

One technique that’s particularly useful in essay writing is repetition. Just as poetry relies heavily on rhythm, so too does argument. Repetition can provide that sense of rhythm.

This is because written language has its origins in oral language. Think of the great orators and demagogues and their use of repetition. Speechwriters, too, are well aware of the power of repetition.

The writing principle of the “rule of 3” states that ideas expressed in these terms are more convincing and memorable. This is true of both spoken and written words and the ideas they express. Teach your students to use this method in their essay writing.

The very structure of the 5-paragraph essay lends itself to planning for this repetition, in fact. Each idea that is explored in a body paragraph should be outlined first in the introductory paragraph.

Then, the single body paragraph devoted to the idea will explore it at greater length, supported by evidence. And the third rap of the hammer occurs in the summation of the concluding paragraph, driving the point securely and convincingly home.

As mentioned at the start of this post, every good essay has a beginning, a middle and an end.

Each point made, explained and supported by evidence is a step toward what the writing teacher Roy Peter Clark calls “closing the circle of meaning.”

In planning for the conclusion of the essay, the students should take the opportunity to reaffirm their position. By referring to the points outlined in the introduction and driving them home one last time, the student-writer is bringing the essay to a satisfying full circle.

This may be accomplished by employing various strategies: an apt quotation, referring to future consequences or attempting to inspire and mobilize the reader.

Ending with a succinct quotation has the double benefit of lending some authoritative weight to the argument while also allowing the student to select a well-written, distilled expression of their central thesis. This can make for a strong ending, particularly for ESL students.

Often the essay thesis will suggest its own ending. If the essay is structured around a problem, it’s frequently appropriate to end the essay by offering solutions to the problem and outlining potential consequences if those solutions are not followed.

In the more polemical type of essay, the student may end with a call to arms, a plea for action on the part of the reader.

The strategy chosen by the student will depend largely on what fits the central thesis of their essay best.

For the ESL student, the final edit is especially important.

It offers a final chance to check form and meaning. For all writers, this process can be daunting, but more so for language students.

Often, ESL students will use the same words over and over again due to a limited vocabulary. Encourage your students to employ a thesaurus in the final draft before submission. This will freshen up their work, making it more readable, and will also increase their active vocabulary in the long run!

Another useful strategy at this stage is to encourage students to read their work aloud before handing it in.

This can be good pronunciation practice , but it also provides an opportunity to listen for grammatical errors. Further, it helps students hear where punctuation is required in the text, helping the overall rhythm and readability of the writing.

To really help your students become master essay writers, you’ll want to provide them with plenty of opportunities to test and flex their skills.

Writing prompts and exercises are a good place to start:

Descriptive writing activities encourage students to get creative and use their five senses, literary devices and diverse vocabulary. Read on for eight descriptive writing…

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-writing-projects/ https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-picture-description/

Giving good ESL writing prompts is important because inspiring prompts inspire students to write more and writing more is how they improve. Read this post to learn 50…

You’ll likely also want to teach them more about the mechanics of writing :

Are you looking for ESL writing skills to share with your ESL students? In this guide, you’ll find different ESL writing techniques, such as helping students understand…

Would you like to introduce journal writing into your ESL classes? Fantastic idea! Here are 9 essential tips to make it creative, engaging and fun.

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-writing-lessons/

Essays are a great way not only for students to learn how the language works, but also to learn about themselves.

Formulating thoughts and arguments about various subjects is good exercise for not only the students’ linguistic faculties, but also for understanding who they are and how they see the world.

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How to Write a Good Essay in English: All You Need to Know

You should become accustomed to writing English essays because they are a common assignment in high school and college. Unfortunately, many students are unaware of the guidelines for writing an excellent essay. 

The sheer number of students who seek out professional essay writers for help demonstrates this difficulty, as does the proportion of students who deliver poor-quality papers. If you’re an International Baccalaureate (IB) student working on your extended essay, this service offers expert guidance https://en.ibuyessay.com/ib-extended.html . Thankfully, having a flare for writing essays is a skill that can be learned over time rather than being an innate talent. 

To help you avoid the typical difficulties faced by students, this article will highlight several tips you should be aware of when writing an English essay. 

How to write a good English essay

Your method of writing substantially affects how you write and how well your paper turns out. For this reason, it’s crucial to approach a short English essay correctly to get a high grade. 

When you are starting your essay, some of the steps we advise are as follows: 

• Understand your assignment

You might be asked to write any number of different types of essays, including argumentative, persuasive, and descriptive ones. As a result, to determine the kind of essay you must write, refer to your essay prompt. 

To accomplish this, take note of the question’s keywords and assess how expansive the assigned topic is. Pay attention to the query words as well, since they will help you determine the kind of essay you should write.

• Research your topic

Research to acquaint yourself with the subject and format of your assignment depending on the type of essay you are writing. Checking the rubric for your paper is another thing you should think about doing to learn more about how to make your paper better. 

• Draw an outline

An English essay needs to flow smoothly from the opening scene to the crescendo and then to the conclusion. We advise against freewriting when it comes to your paper and suggest that you create an outline first. 

The outline enables you to assess the thoroughness of your arguments and to keep on course with their growth while avoiding the seduction of unnecessary information.

• Draft your paper

Finally, draft your paper, paying close attention to transition statements to guarantee a smooth flow of ideas throughout your essay. You might also choose A-level English language essay help for editing to overcome the usual obstacles that impede academic paper quality. 

English essay format

An essay in English typically consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The major idea or objective of your essay should be highlighted in the opening, along with any factors that were taken into account while choosing the subject, if applicable. 

The hook of an essay should highlight the subject of the topic and lead into the main points of your paper. The body then elaborates on the several points you have made to support your claim, with each body paragraph addressing a different subject. 

Each body paragraph should include a topic sentence, a supporting argument, and a conclusion. Additionally, connect topics in your work with a variety of transitional terms to give readers a seamless flow of arguments. 

Reiterating the key insight/idea presented in your essay will help you bring your ideas together in the conclusion.

How to start an essay in English

An effective essay start draws the reader in while pointing out your main points and your topic’s importance. The following are some strategies for crafting a beginning that piques the reader’s interest in your paper: 

• Rhetorical questions: these are open-ended queries that draw attention to the key concepts in your essay, provoking discussion and encouraging the reader to interact with it in search of answers. These inquiries are the most popular among the preferred formats for opening essays because they may be used for a variety of subjects. 
• Quotes: when beginning your essay with a quotation, we advise that you use one that is pertinent to the subject. By quoting a well-known opinion from a credible source, you may quickly transition into your arguments and either support the viewpoint with this remark or refute it to support your thesis statement
• Anecdote: these are brief recounts of an incident that can be incorporated into creative writings to stir readers’ curiosity about how an event played out. 

English essay tips

• Read a vast amount of English essays to familiarize yourself with the structure, writing style, and tone of writing.
• Make sure to use an outline when writing your essays to avoid deviating from your key arguments.
• Avoid using sophisticated jargon and just use a language you are comfortable with to ensure that the concepts you communicate are clear. 
• Chunk your writing into phases and tackle each phase in a different session. This will allow you ample rest between each writing session, allowing you to ensure maximum productivity in each writing session.