english essay level 3

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Student Handbooks

Tutorial – Appendix 3 A Practical Guide to Writing Essays – Level 3

Appendix 3: a practical guide to writing essays.

Writing an essay is a big task that will be easier to manage if you break it down into five main tasks as shown below:

An essay-writing Model in 5 steps

• Analyse the question

What is the topic?

What are the key verbs?

Question the question—brainstorm and probe

What information do you need?

How are you going to find information?

Find the information

Make notes and/or mind maps.

• Plan and sort

Arrange information in a logical structure

Plan sections and paragraphs

Introduction and conclusion

• Edit (and proofread)

For sense and logical flow

For grammar and spelling.

For length.

My Learning Essentials offers a number of online resources and workshops that will help you to, understand the importance of referencing your sources, use appropriate language and style in your writing, write and proofread your essays. For more information visit the writing skills My Learning Essentials pages:

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/academicsupport/mylearningessentials/writingskills/

You should note that for final year unit examinations and programme-specific essay papers the inclusion of citations is not expected. You do not need to memorise sources and quotations to include on the exam paper – instead make your points in as much detail as required using your own words. Should you wish to refer to a particular publication or piece of data to support your answer, it is sufficient to explain the experiment and result. It is not necessary to include the journal citation within your exam booklet.

Many students write great essays — but not on the topic given. First, look at the main idea or topic in the question. What are you going to be writing about? Next, look at the verb in the question — the action word. This verb, or action word, is asking you to do something with the topic.

Here are some common verbs or action words and explanations:

Once you have analysed the question, start thinking about what you need to find out. It’s better and more efficient to have a clear focus for your research than to go straight to the library and look through lots of books that may not be relevant.

Start by asking yourself, ‘What do I need to find out?’ Put your ideas down on paper. A mind map is a good way to do this. Useful questions to start focusing your research are: What? Why? When? How? Where? Who?

• My Learning Essentials offer a number of online resources and workshops to help you to plan your research. Visit the My Learning Essentials Finding Information page: http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/academicsupport/mylearningessentials/findinginformation/

First, scan through your source . Find out if there’s any relevant information in what you are reading. If you’re reading a book, look at the contents page, any headings, and the index. Stick a Post-It note on useful pages.

Next, read for detail . Read the text to get the information you want. Start by skimming your eyes over the page to pick our relevant headings, summaries, words. If it’s useful, make notes.

Making notes

There are two rules when you are making notes:

• Note your source so that you can find it again and write your references at the end of the essay if you use that information. Use Endnote (see the section on Referencing), or note down the following:
• page reference
• date of publication
• publisher’s name (book)
• place where it was published (book or journal)
• the journal number, volume and date (journal)
• Make brief notes rather than copy text, but if you feel an extract is very valuable put it in quotation marks so that when you write your essay, you’ll know that you have to put it in your own words. Failing to rewrite the text in your own words would be plagiarism.
• For more information on plagiarism, refer to the Final Level Handbook and the My Learning Essentials online plagiarism resource: http://libassets.manchester.ac.uk/mle/avoiding-plagiarism/

Everyone will make notes differently as it suits them. However, the aim of making notes when you are researching an essay is to use them when you write the essay. It is therefore important that you can:

• Read your notes
• Find their source
• Determine what the topics and main points are on each note (highlight the main ideas, key points or headings).
• Compose your notes so you can move bits of information around later when you have to sort your notes into an essay.

For example:

• Write/type in chunks (one topic for one chunk) with a space between them so you can cut your notes up later, or
• write the main topics or questions you want to answer on separate pieces of paper before you start making notes. As you find relevant information, write it on the appropriate page. (This takes longer as you have to write the source down a number of times, but it does mean you have ordered your notes into headings.)

Sort information into essay plans

You’ve got lots of information now: how do you put it all together to make an essay that makes sense? As there are many ways to sort out a huge heap of clothes (type of clothes, colour, size, fabric…), there are many ways of sorting information. Whichever method you use, you are looking for ways to arrange the information into groups and to order the groups into a logical sequence . You need to play around with your notes until you find a pattern that seems right and will answer the question.

• Find the main points in your notes, put them on a separate page – a mind map is a good way to do this – and see if your main points form any patterns or groups.
• Is there a logical order? Does one thing have to come after another? Do points relate to one another somehow? Think about how you could link the points.
• Using the information above, draw your essay plan. You could draw a picture, a mind map, a flow chart or whatever you want. Or you could build a structure by using bits of card that you can move around.
• Select and put the relevant notes into the appropriate group so you are ready to start writing your first draft.

The essay has four main parts:

• introduction
• references.

People usually write the introduction and conclusion after they have written the main body of the essay, so we have put them in that order.

For more information on essay writing visit the My Learning Essentials web pages:

Structure . The main body should have a clear structure. Depending on the length of the essay, you may have just a series of paragraphs, or sections with headings, or possibly even subsections. In the latter case, make sure that the hierarchy of headings is obvious so that the reader doesn’t get lost.

Flow . The main body of the essay answers the question and flows logically from one key point to another (each point needs to be backed up by evidence [experiments, research, texts, interviews, etc …] that must be referenced). You should normally write one main idea per paragraph and the main ideas in your essay should be linked or ‘signposted’. Signposts show readers where they are going, so they don’t get lost. This lets the reader know how you are going to tackle the idea, or how one idea is linked with the one before it or after it.

Some signpost words and phrases are:

• ‘These changes . . . “
• ‘Such developments
• ‘This
• ‘In the first few paragraphs . . . “
• ‘I will look in turn at. . . ‘
• ‘However, . . . “
• ‘Similarly’
• ‘But’.

Figures: purpose . You should try to include tables, diagrams, and perhaps photographs in your essay. Tables are valuable for summarising information, and are most likely to impress if they show the results of relevant experimental data. Diagrams enable the reader to visualise things, replacing the need for lengthy descriptions. Photographs must be selected with care, to show something meaningful. Nobody will be impressed by a picture of a giraffe – we all know what one looks like, so the picture would be mere decoration. But a detailed picture of a giraffe’s markings might be useful if it illustrates a key point.

Figures: labelling, legends and acknowledgment . Whenever you use a table, diagram or image in your essay you must:

• cite the source
• make sure that the legend and explanation are adapted to your purpose.

Checklist for the main body of text

• Does your text have a clear structure?
• Does the text follow a logical sequence so that the argument flows?
• Does your text have both breadth and depth – i.e. general coverage of the major issues with in-depth treatment of particularly important points?
• Does your text include some illustrative experimental results?
• Have you chosen the diagrams or photographs carefully to provide information and understanding, or are the illustrations merely decorative?
• Are your figures acknowledged properly? Did you label them and include legend and explanation?  

Introduction

The introduction comes at the start of the essay and sets the scene for the reader. It usually defines clearly the subject you will address (e.g. the adaptations of organisms to cold environments), how you will address this subject (e.g. by using examples drawn principally from the Arctic zone) and what you will show or argue (e.g. that all types of organism, from microbes through to mammals, have specific adaptations that fit them for life in cold environments). The length of an introduction depends on the length of your essay, but is usually between 50 to 200 words

Remember that reading the introduction constitutes the first impression on your reader (i.e. your assessor!). Therefore, it should be the last section that you revise at the editing stage, making sure that it leads the reader clearly into the details of the subject you have covered and that it is completely free of typos and spelling mistakes.  

Check-list for the Introduction

• Does your introduction start logically by telling the reader what the essay is about – for example, the various adaptations to habitat in the bear family?
• Does your introduction outline how you will address this topic – for example, by an overview of the habitats of bears, followed by in-depth treatment of some specific adaptations?
• Is it free of typos and spelling mistakes?

  An essay needs a conclusion. Like the introduction, this need not be long: 50 to 200 words long, depending on the length of the essay. It should draw the information together and, ideally, place it in a broader context by personalising the findings, stating an opinion or supporting a further direction which may follow on from the topic. The conclusion should not introduce facts in addition to those in the main body.

  Check-list for the Conclusion

• Does your conclusion sum up what was said in the main body?
• If the title of the essay was a question, did you give a clear answer in the conclusion?
• Does your conclusion state your personal opinion on the topic or its future development or further work that needs to be done? Does it show that you are thinking further?

References In all scientific writing you are expected to cite your main sources of information. Scientific journals have their own preferred (usually obligatory) method of doing this. The piece of text below shows how you can cite work in an essay, dissertation or thesis. Then you supply an alphabetical list of references at the end of the essay.

The Harvard style of referencing adopted at the University of Manchester was covered in the Writing and Referencing Skills unit in semester 2. For more information refer to the Referencing Guide from the University Library (http://subjects.library.manchester.ac.uk/referencing/referencing-harvard).

Citations in the text Jones and Smith (1999) showed that the ribosomal RNA of fungi differs from that of slime moulds. This challenged the previous assumption that slime moulds are part of the fungal kingdom (Toby and Dean, 1987). However, according to Bloggs et al . (1999) the slime moulds can still be accommodated in the fungal kingdom for convenience. Slime moulds are considered part of the Eucarya domain by Todar (2012).

Reference list at the end of the essay: List the references in alphabetical order and if you have several publications from the same author(s) written the same year, add a letter (a,b,c…) after the year to differentiate them.

Bloggs, A.E., Biggles, N.H. and Bow, R.T. (1999). The Slime Moulds . 2 nd edn. London and New York: Academic Press.

Todar K. (2012) Overview Of Bacteriology. Available at: http://textbookofbacteriology.net, [Accessed 15 November 2013].

Jones, B.B. and Smith, J.O.E. (1999). Ribosomal RNA of slime moulds, Journal of Ribosomal RNA 12, 33-38.

Toby F.S. and Dean P.L. (1987). Slime moulds are part of the fungal kingdom, in Edwards A.E. and Kane Y. (eds.) The Fungal Kingdom. Luton: Osbert Publishing Co., pp. 154-180 .

EndNote:  This is an electronic system for storing and retrieving references that you have learnt about in the Critical Writing Skills (CWS) unit. It is very powerful and simple to use, but you must always check that the output is consistent with the instructions given in this section.

Visit the My Learning Essentials online resource for a guide to using EndNote: http://libassets.manchester.ac.uk/mle/endnote-guide/ (we recommend EndNote online if you wish to use your own computer).

Note that journals have their own house style so there will be minor differences between them, particularly in their use of punctuation, but all reference lists for the same journal will be in the same format.

First Draft

When you write your first draft, keep two things in mind:

• Length: you may lose marks if your essay is too long. Ensure therefore that your essay is within the page limit that has been set.
• Expression: don’t worry about such matters as punctuation, spelling or grammar at this stage. You can get this right at the editing stage. If you put too much time into getting these things right at the drafting stage, you will have less time to spend on thinking about the content, and you will be less willing to change it when you edit for sense and flow at the editing stage.

Writing style

The style of your essay should fit the task or the questions asked and be targeted to your reader. Just as you are careful to use the correct tone of voice and language in different situations so you must take care with your writing. Generally writing should be:

• Make sure that you write exactly what you mean in a simple way.
• Write briefly and keep to the point. Use short sentences. Make sure that the meaning of your sentences is obvious.
• Check that you would feel comfortable reading your essay if you were actually the reader.
• Make sure that you have included everything of importance. Take care to explain or define any abbreviations or specialised jargon in full before using a shortened version later. Do not use slang, colloquialisms or cliches in formal written work.

When you are editing your essay, you will need to bear in mind a number of things. The best way to do this, without forgetting some, is to edit in ‘layers’, using a check-list to make sure you have not forgotten anything.

Check-list for Style

• Tone – is it right for the purpose and the receiver?
• Clarity – is it simple, clear and easy to understand?
• Complete – have you included everything of importance?

  Check-list for Sense

• Does your essay make sense?
• Does it flow logically?
• Have you got all the main points in?
• Are there bits of information that aren’t useful and need to be chopped out?
• Are your main ideas in paragraphs?
• Are the paragraphs linked to one another so that the essay flows rather than jumps from one thing to another?
• Is the essay within the page limit?

  Check-list for Proofreading

• Are the punctuation, grammar, spelling and format correct?
• If you have written your essay on a word-processor, run the spell check over it.
• Have you referenced all quotes and names correctly?
• Is the essay written in the correct format? (one and a half line spacing, margins at least 2.5cm all around the text, minimum font size Arial 10 point).

School Writer in Residence

The School of Biological Sciences has three ‘Writers in Residence’ who are funded by The Royal Literary Fund. They are:

Susan Barker ( [email protected] )– Thursday and Friday   

Amanda Dalton ( [email protected] )– Monday and Tuesday

Tania Hershman ( [email protected] ) – Wednesday

The writers in residence can help you with any aspect of your writing including things such as ‘‘how do I start?’ ‘how do I structure a complex essay’ ‘ why am I getting poor marks for my essay writing?’

All you need to do is to bring along a piece of your writing and they will discuss with you on a one to one basis how to resolve the problems that you are having with your piece of writing.

The Writers in Residence are based in the Simon Building. Please see the BIOL30000 Blackboard site for further information about the writers’ expertise and instructions for appointment booking.

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Level 3: Essay Writing - Suggested Ages: 16-18

Essay Writing is intended for high school students ages 16 – 18. It is designed for high school students to satisfy high school English requirements. Students learn how to develop college level 5+ paragraph essays and study how to handle quotes, write a research paper, and practice writing timed essays. Before attempting Essay Writing, students should have some formal writing experience with an understanding of writing structure and the fundamentals of the writing process.

• Lesson plans formatted in an easy-to-follow system
• Begins with a 3 paragraph rewrite of a parable and then a 4 paragraph myth
• Reinforces the organizational process of brainstorming, outlining, rough draft and editing.

• Teaches different styles and techniques each week
• Quickly moves to introducing the 5 paragraph college level essay
• Focuses on writing the five-paragraph formal essay
• Progresses to seven, nine- and eleven-paragraph essays
• Introduces the composition of a research paper
• Moves to five-paragraph timed essays in 60 and 45 minutes
• Ends with composing a five-paragraph essay in 30 minutes
• Guidelines, checklists and correct structure
• Creative poetry writing with advanced figures of speech
• 30 lessons with lesson plans for either a one- or two-year format

Sample Lesson Plans

For a detailed scope and sequence: Syllabus

The Write Foundation has a free reading list for each curriculum level to encourage reading of quality literature.   Free Essay Writing Reading List

Essay Writing is designed for the student who is ready to write a multi-paragraph paper, is familiar with the organizational process of brainstorming, outlining, rough draft, and editing final copy, and is able to work independently most of the time. It reviews how to write a multi-paragraph paper and focuses on formal essays, introducing the student to college level essay writing. More structure and mechanical requirements are introduced and encouraged.

For ordering information for the Essay Writing curriculum package, click on

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To order worksheets without curriculum, click Order Worksheets

As usual, however, I tweaked the curriculum to suit me…For example, the first two lessons (Essay Writing) involve outlining and retelling the story of the prodigal son in a three-paragraph narrative essay. Since we were currently reading Greek tragedy to coincide with our ancient history studies, I assigned a three-paragraph retelling of Oedipus Rex, and used the lesson plans for teaching the brainstorming and outlining. Loretta, Books 'n Other Stuff

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Mastering the Long Form NCEA English Essay at Level 3

8 February 2023

7 minutes to read

• 01. Using past exams to pass NCEA English
• 02. NCEA English Strength Training
• 03. Using the Texts You Know
• 04. How much should you write?
• 05. Using Other Students' Work Isn't Cheating
• 06. Let the words flow

While some NCEA subjects have external exams with multiple questions and short answers, one of the challenges for sitting NCEA Level 3 English is some of the unit standards have more in-depth exams, requiring a full essay response.

However, as with all exams, it is highly recommended that students complete at least one previous year’s exam to ensure they understand what is required and are confident going into the exam.

Using past exams to pass NCEA English

Looking at a single Level 3 English unit standard “respond critically to specified aspects of studied written texts, supported by evidence” as our main example of an external exam in formal essay format, which students will take at the end of the year, can give us some clear tips as to how to not only pass this exam but to achieve an Excellence grade.

Past exams are all freely available from the NCEA website. If you’re working with a tutor to improve your understanding of NCEA English Level 3, then past exams provide a very clear guideline to focus on.

NCEA English Strength Training

One of the things that you will want to practice is writing by hand for an extended period of time, particularly for long-form essay exams.  If you are not used to writing for the time allowed for this exam students often will get to the end and start to find that their hand cramps up which distracts from their ability to come up with new ideas or to write that amazing conclusion that would take them from an Achievement to an Achievement with Excellence .

It may seem like a silly thing to worry about as far as sitting an English exam goes, but strength in your hands can actually make a huge difference. Practice writing for extended periods, but don’t write so long your hands start to cramp up (this can cause long-term damage and bring about things like carpal tunnel syndrome).

Change your grip or positioning, and make sure that the pen you're going to use is comfortable for writing over extended periods of time.

If you intend to go onto university being able to write for extended periods of time is an incredibly valuable skill. You may think that you'll be taking your notes using a keyboard, however, no matter what your touch-typing speed is, multiple studies have shown that people retain knowledge better when taking notes using a handwriting technique – whether using a digital stylus or using pen and paper.

So, strengthening your handwriting is not something to do just for this exam, it will be a skill that will help throughout your academic career – and will make your life easier going forward.

Using the Texts You Know

For your English course, you will be studying a variety of texts. Some of these will be fiction, some will be nonfiction, and there will be poetry, perhaps plays or comics and graphic novels.

There's a variety of different texts that you will be looking at, with the idea that you will develop an ability to critique and complete a close reading of these texts.

By this level, you should understand that studying or analysing a text is not the same as simply sitting down and reading it you are looking for a deeper meaning you are looking to understand what the author was trying to portray.

While you often will enjoy the text that you are studying developing that additional knowledge will also help you to become a better communicator.

Past NCEA English Exam Statements

Looking at past exams, one of the examples that you need to write is a full essay on a single text choosing one statement from a given list to build your essay around:

• the power of a persuasive text comes from well-crafted language
• a skilful writer conveys their purpose through believable relationships
• characters who reach a turning point are those from whom we learn the most
• the important messages in a text are conveyed by the differences between settings
• significant connections between the start and end of text reveal important ideas
• characters who criticize society are those who teach us the most
• effective text use uses imagery to present the ordinary and extraordinary ways
• texts that offer an insightful view of the world are worth the readers time

You can choose one of these eight statements and relate them to any of the texts that you have read throughout the year. The statement you will choose will often be influenced by which text you are going to work with.

If you have focused on a text that uses language you love but you found the characters to be bland or unrelatable, look at working with one of the statements focused on language. You can, and usually should, still talk about the characters, but unless you are particularly passionate in your dislike of their portrayal you are likely to run out of words to craft a strong analysis.

As an exercise to try before your exam, look at a comic book or pick a magazine article to do a close read of. Then, write a short essay that uses one of these eight statements.

You don’t need to practice with a 600-page novel, you can use a short story or poetry; you can use a digital or online text; the key is that you have done a close reading and analysis and have a deep understanding of the text that you have written.

This exam isn’t so much about what you have read, but how you interpret it, and then how you can communicate the ideas that your reading inspired. So, get someone else to read what you have written, ideally your teacher or tutor, for feedback.

When you go into your exam you will need to know the type of written text you will be working with, the title, and the author or the authors – without this information your marker will be less likely to be able to interpret your essay.

If you are a person who has a mental blank when you walk into an exam practice, just practice this using several different titles, several different authors, and just keep writing.

This will make it easier when you walk into the exam to actually work out what is going on, and to remember all those brilliant thoughts and out of the blue insights you reached while you were studying a particular text.

How much should you write?

Although each exam will provide you instructions on how much they expect you to write, generally for a long form essay you should write a concise piece of no more than five to six pages in length.

The quality of your writing is more important than the length of your essay, but can you write 5 to 6 pages? Practice - sit down and try!

To pass English Level 3 exams (as with many exams), the key thing is to ensure that you are able to write down your planning. You will be given a scrap piece of paper, so use this to jot down ideas or create a mind map if you need.

This can help you make sure that your essay covers all the key points asked in the question. Break your question down and tick each one as you write a beautiful paragraph response.

Looking at the “respond critically to specified aspects of studied written texts, supported by evidence” exam, in order to achieve excellence you must respond critically and perceptively to specified aspects of studied written text supported by evidence .

The difference between Excellence and Achievement is being perceptive.  Crafting a critical essay will see you achieve a pass, this is the bare minimum required from students at Level 3.

If you want to achieve full Excellence you need to show that you have a deep understanding of the text, and that you are able to make inferences about what the author meant with certain phrases or certain imagery and relate that back to the context of the statement you are writing about.

Using Other Students' Work Isn't Cheating

Along with past exams, the New Zealand Ministry of Education provides marked exemplars to help students know what their goals should be.  As part of your study process going through these marked exemplars not only gives you the opportunity to see what other students have written but also to see what the examiner's feedback of each answer is.

If you were writing about the story of Cinderella you wouldn't necessarily focus on the relationship between Cinderella and the Prince, or Cinderella and her step sisters, you could analyse the role minor characters have in building the story (such as her father). Could we use a cultural or societal example about Cinderella at the ball?

A situation where she is receiving approval from the guests around her so therefore she is more likely to feel comfortable fitting in as a Princess than if she outwardly appeared as a maid. There is a lot to analyze and a lot to infer from a simple retelling of a story.

However, you are not retelling the story, you are analyzing the story and you're making inferences.

One of the interesting things about writing for English studies is that this isn't necessarily a right or wrong answer. You do, however, need to be able to craft a well-written response that justifies your position.

You could make a statement that Cinderella was ungrateful in a time when others of her circumstance would have been homeless, or that the story is holding up misogyny and a cultural norm -  but the key is that you have to be able to justify your inferences and match them not only to the story but to the statement that you have chosen to write your essay on.

Let the words flow

Students get bogged down with the stress of sitting exams, of having so much information to retain and regurgitate - however, if you let yourself be moved by the text you are studying, love it or hate it, you'll find that the words start to come easier.

However, just like anything, if you don't practice you won't get better. So, keep writing. Write reviews for blogs, share your thoughts on social media, the more you write, the easier it will be to write once you're in your exam.

Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!

A passionate creative writer hailing from Wellington. From short stories, plays and blog articles, I've become a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to writing texts for different audiences.

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Essay – examples & model answers | B2 First (FCE)

FCE Essay Examples:  Topic (Environment) 

Example exam task:, example answer (grade: 3), example answer:.

I think that my country has problems with pollution to the environment like all other countries. This problem is normal for Russia. We have big problems with transport because there are too much cars in our country. And because of that we have problems with atmospeer, air in my city and in all Russia is really dirty and sometimes I can’t make a sigh because it smells around me and of course around that cars on the road. I’ve heard about tradition of one country. They don’t go anywhere by car one day a month or a year, they just use bycicle or their feet. I think it could be very good if we had a tradition like that.

So, what about the rivers and the seas? Yeah, there are some really good and clean rivers and seas where you can go, but there are not many of them. Once I saw the river OB in my city, it was about two years ago but I stil remember that in some places it was not blue, it was green or purple I didn’t really understand because it had different colours.

I don’t know what should we do. Maybe we should just open our eyes and look what we did. But Russian people don’t care about the world around them many people care only about themselves an that’s all.

So, the best idea is look around and try to do something good for our planet and for us and our children.

FCE, CAE, CPE

Practice, write & improve, examiners comments & grade:, example answer (grade: 3-4).

To begin with pollution and damage to the environment is the most serious and difficult problem for countries of all over the world. Scientists of different countries predict a global ecocatastrophe if people won’t change their attitude to our planet.

First of all a huge damage to the environment brings a transport. People can’t imagine their living without cars, buses, trains, ships and planes. But it’s an open secret that one of disadvantage of these accustomed things is harmful exhaust. Needless to say that use of environment friendly engines helps us to save atmosphere from pollution.

In addition to this our rivers and seas are in not less danger situation. It’s a fact of common knowledge that numerous factories and plants pour off their waste to ponds. Obviously that cleaning manufacturing water helps to avoid extinction of ocean residents.

Apart from this I’m inclined to believe that every person can and must contribute to solving this important problem. Doing a little steps for protection our environment every day we will be able to save our Earth. And it’s a task of each of us.

Model Answer (Grade: 5)

DEVELOPMENT VS ENVIRONMENT

If we surf the web looking for pollution and environmental catastrophes, we will find out that every country in the world suffers them. This is a natural consequence of the struggle between development and environment.

If a country decided to live isolated from the rest of the world, living on what it can naturally grow and produce, it surely wouldn’t be highly polluted. But we all want exotic food and technological items from all over the world, so we have to pay the price.

Investing on electrical transport would benefit the environment a lot. Even more if this electricity came from a natural source of energy like wind, rivers and solar boards. It’s difficult to achieve this because petrol companies will fight against these actions.

We also have to take care of our rivers and seas. We all have heard about factories throwing highly toxic substances to rivers, without minimizing their poisoning effects. A really strict law should be applied to fine these factories and make them change their policy.

But what about ourselves? We also can do a lot! If, when possible, we bought larger packs of food, we would be producing less rubbish. And this is only an example!

FCE Essay Examples: Topic (Fashion) 

In today’s world, the fashion industry has a strong importance in people’s lives. The fashion industry say to the society what to wear and creates new types of clothes all the time.

Some people claim that the fashion industry has a bad effect on people’s lives, they say that the fashion industry creates clothes that the society has to wear. Furthermore, the clothes’ price is extremely high and people, who can’t afford it, should not be in the society.

In the other hand, the fashion industry guide the people to be in a good appearance, because, nowadays, the appearance of the person is more important than the person itself.

In my opinion, the fashion industry doesn’t has a bad influence on people’s lives. It’s something which was created to help people what to wear.

Example Answer (Grade: 4)

Fashion industry is very a discussed subject nowadays: they create and design new clothes everyday in order to satisfy some people needs.

There are many people who claim that the fashion industry is important and good for society. According to them, this industry design beautiful clothes and thanks to that every person can wear shirts, trousers or any acessory which is on today’s fashion.

On the other hand, the fashion industry in some people opinion, controls the market of clothes and because of that they can’t wear what they want to. In addition, the industry can increase the price of clothes, forcing people who don’t want to be “oldfashioned” to buy and pay a large amount of money to keep “beautiful”.

In my opinion, we can’t let the fashion industry decide what we must or musn’t wear. We shouldn’t judge people for its appearance,because that is not important. We must wear whatever we like, want and feel confortable with.

The society we live today is characterised by technology in constant development, fast speed processes, information travelling and getting to people at a blink of an eye and a complex web of social networking. In this context, the fashion industry is becoming increasingly important and having a more and more paramount role in our lives.

On one hand, the fashion industry is undeniably a source of profit and income. It hires millions of people all over the world and generates millions of dollars every year. Furthermore, such profitable business is also believed to be able to spread and make known the culture of a people, encouraging and enhancing a better understanding of each other.

Nevertheless, for those who are neither impressed nor motivated by numbers and figures, the fashion industry is seen as one which segregates people, isolating those who not fit their laws and commands. It is stated that people place too much importance on appearance and the material, world, sadly true, and the fashion industry just spurs on such situation. Moreover, not only are the costs of fashion item unrealistically high, it is thought to be a money better spent on more pressing issues, such as poverty and hunger.

I do believe that the fashion industry, as it is today, has a harmful effect, because it values a minority of people in detriment to the majority. However, it has such a wide reach that, it put into a good use, it can save lives.

FCE Essay Examples: Topic (Languages) 

“There are more reasons to learn a foreign language than to pass a test”

Everything around us revolves around language(s), it is the most important thing in our lives. Society would just not function without it. They are It is our future and I would personaly love to learn as many as I possibly can.

Not everything in life is done because it is necessary. Learning a new language can be a lot of fun. Many people only do it as a hoby, or their knowledge is something that brings them pride and pleasure.

Secondly, we have people who do it simply to challenge themselves. Truly I believe that having a great outcome that stems from your hard work and dedication to learn something new is a wonderful way to challenge prove your ability to yourself and others. Then there is travelling. It is very important to be able to understand and have a conversation with someone abroad, unless you would like to get lost or worse.

To conclude, I think that learning a new language is an amazing thing no matter why you do it. It is always better to do things out of enjoyment, but even if you do it for a test, that knowledge will always be useful.

Learning a a foreign languages is very important nowadays. English, in particular, is essential because it allows is spoken all over the world. That’s the reason why we start studying it from the age of six years old. Going abroad and being able to speak to native people is very satisfying and that’s why I want to improve my knowledge about foreign languages.

I decided to take this exam to know how high my level of English is, but also because I need this certification to go abroad next summer. I really want to come back to Cornwall, an amazing region in the South-West of England. I’ve been there twice with my family, but now I want to go alone. Only being there to England I can really improve my English comprehension and speaking skills.

Fortunately I can will have some English lessons which taught in English at university and I can’t wait for it because it will be an interesting challenge for me. Studying foreign languages is essential to live and to travel. It isn’t simple and I surely have to challenge myself everyday, but the result is so satisfying that we I can’t do without it.

FCE Essay Example: Topic (History) 

A very common topic that is being discussed nowadays is wether schools should teach subjects that some may consider useless later in life. A clear example is history, since it is quite difficult to learn and does not help us in day-to-day activities.

However, many people do not realize the importance of it or that it affects our lives today. For example, our political system would not be this way if it weren’t for the Ancient Greeks, numerous politicians and wars who helped shape democracy and our constitution. Yet it is still thought that it’s useless.

In addition, it is very important that we never forget about our past since we must know where we were standing years ago. Moreover, there are some things, such as World War II, that we have to remember to prevent them from happening again. We should also know where we we were standing a century ago: our origins, our identity. The more you learn about your ethnicity, the better.

All in all, I think that it is extremely important to learn about one’s own country’s history. Anyone who gets the chance to do this should not waste it, since they are very fortunate to have this opportunity

What is your level of English?

IB English HLE Explained

Free introductory guide to IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE) by IB44 and IB45 graduates Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover.

In this guide, LitLearn students (and 2022 IB grads!)  Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover share their wisdom on how to conquer the IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE).

Lareina achieved an IB44, and Saesha achieved an IB45 as well as the coveted IB7 in IB English Literature HL, so you are in safe hands.

Meet your instructor Jackson Huang, Founder of LitLearn. His mission is to make IB English as pain-free as possible with fun, practical lessons. Jackson scored an IB45 and was accepted to Harvard, Amherst, Williams Colleges, and full scholarships to University of Melbourne & Queensland.

What is IB English HLE?

The HL Essay (HLE) is a 1200-1500 word essay about a text studied in the IB English course. For Lang Lit, the work you choose to analyze can be literary or non-literary, but for IB English Literature the text must be literary.

The HLE will make up  25% of your final IB English HL grade , and it is graded externally. You must choose your own line of inquiry   (i.e. a question that you will answer in your HLE–more on this later).

How do I choose my text for HLE?

Do NOT choose the “easiest” text. Life is always better when you do things you're interested in, and that advice applies to the HLE, too. Choose the literary / non-literary work that interests  you the most, so that you can (semi?)-enjoy the HLE planning and writing process.

You could start by thinking of a theme that you find particularly interesting and determining which text studied in class demonstrates this theme well.

How do I choose my line of inquiry for HLE?

The line of inquiry is the core question that you will answer in your essay. A quick example might be:

"To what extent is masculinity undermined by the characterisation of Little Thomas?"

Now, it's your job to forge your destiny and come up with your own line of inquiry. But it's not a complete free-for all! There are rules. The main rule is that your line of inquiry must fall under one of the 7 main concepts of IB English (see below for a quick summary).

This summary is vague, so let's go in-depth on a couple of these concepts to really show you what you should be doing in the HLE.

Identity is what makes you, YOU. Here are some questions the concern your own personal identity:

• What is your favourite colour? And why is it your favourite?
• What makes you different from others? Why do you think these qualities came to be?
• How would someone describe you in three words?

Now apply this same logic to characters within your text.

• How would you describe this character in three words?
• How do their actions within a text influence your view of their identity?
• How has the author crafted this character to make you view the character in a certain way?

Let's take a look at a concrete example of how we might choose evidence and quotes for a HLE on cultural identity. This example is based on a Vietnamese work in translation “Ru” by author Kim Thúy. For context, “Ru” is an autobiographical fictional account which explores Kim Thúy's move from Vietnam to Canada as an immigrant and her consequent struggles. The structure of her novel is largely lyrical and poetic.

Let's look at a section from her novel that may help us come up with an essay idea based on the concept of Identity. When she returns to Vietnam, she attends a restaurant, however this becomes a major awakening for her in terms of how she views her own personal identity. Kim narrates within her novel:

The first time I carried a briefcase, the first time I went to a restaurant school for young adults in Hanoi, wearing heels and a straight skirt, the waiter for my table didn't understand why I was speaking Vietnamese with him. Page 77, Rú

This is a perfect quote for the Identity concept. Can you see why? Let's think through it together…

Why would the waiter be confused if Kim, a “briefcase”-carrying individual in “heels” and a “straight skirt”, was speaking Vietnamese with him?

What does being “Vietnamese” look like to the waiter? Why does Kim not conform to his expectation? Was it perhaps due to what she was wearing?

Now, if we look at the section which follows this in the novel, we are able to see the impact this had on the character of Kim's sense of identity.

the young waiter reminded me that I couldn't have everything, that I no longer had the right to declare I was Vietnamese because I no longer had their fragility, their uncertainty, their fears. And he was right to remind me. Page 77, Rú

Here, we can clearly see that this character is now questioning her Vietnamese cultural identity. This is just one example that demonstrates the concept of Identity.

Culture seems to be this confusing thing.  Does it have to do with religion? Race? Beliefs? What does it mean? Does the monster from Frankenstein fit into a certain culture?

The easiest way to put it is this:  Culture is the way someone lives. It is their “way of life.” Think of it as an umbrella term. “Culture” can include so many different things; the list just goes on, for example religion, values, customs, beliefs, cuisine, etc.

Now think, how would I form an essay from this concept?

• When you read a text in class, you will notice that authors let you form an opinion on the culture of certain characters or groups within a text, but how is this done?
• How does the author represent the culture of a certain community?
• What types of patterns in daily routines are discussed?

It seems odd writing an essay about “creativity” because… like… how can anyone definitively say what ‘counts' as being creative–or not? When I say the word creativity , I think of new inventions, or maybe those weird and wacky art installations living inside those ‘modern art' museums. But hey, what's creative to me might not be creative to you!

When formulating a HLE on the concept of creativity we have two main pointers for you. Look for:

• Interesting + Unique techniques or literary devices used within a text by the author. You can learn more in the  Learn Analysis section of LitLearn.
• Recurring stylistic choices by the author

Now, for this concept, let's look at how we might select supportive evidence and quotations for a HLE on creativity within the narrative style of author Mary Shelley in “Frankenstein”. The narrative style uses  epistolary narration . This is a narrative technique in which a story is told through letters. This was something that I found both interesting and recurring within Frankenstein, which I believe worked to create a personal touch within the novel.

Additionally, Mary Shelley allows different characters to narrate Frankenstein during different volumes. Let's investigate this! I have written out different character profiles of the narrators below:

These 3 characters, each relate a part of the novel Frankenstein. This is an example of a creative authorial choice that allows us, as readers to explore different points of view within the text. This is just one example of a creative aspect of a text which you can analyze for your HLE.

Representation

Representation is all about how something is  portrayed, conveyed, shown, described, illustrated, depicted . There are many different things that can be ‘represented' within a text, and it doesn't have to be tangible.

For instance, you can look at how a belief, idea or attitude is depicted within a text through different characters or devices.

Again, let's explore a concrete example to make things clear: this time the graphic novel “Persepolis”. We'll consider an HLE on how a text  represents the  impact of political turmoil on society .

Chapter 10 of “Persepolis” highlights societal changes occurring due to the Iranian Revolution. The panels below list the authorial choices relevant to the negative representation of political change in a society. When looking at the techniques highlighted in the slides below, think about how you feel when you look at the panels below. Can you sense a more positive or negative feeling?

Cool, but what do we do to turn all this into an actual HL essay? Here is a sample response. The introduction might begin like this:

In the captivating graphic novel “Persepolis,” the author Marjane Satrapi explores the social and political impacts of the Iranian revolution. In particular, Satrapi conveys a disapproving viewpoint on political turmoil within the text. Throughout the graphic novel, Satrapi carefully represents how social isolation, hypocrisy and confusion is experienced by a young girl living in Tehran, as a result of political turmoil.  Example HLE Introduction

Then, in a body paragraph, on one of the key ideas mentioned above, we could analyze the different literary techniques. For example, Panel 1 is a great representation of the experience of confusion in the midst of political turmoil:

Marji is the younger girl pictured in the panels above. While her parents appear quite concerned by the news on the TV, she appears to not be in full comprehension of the cause for their distress. This is demonstrated by the visual imagery and dialogue, in panel 7, for instance, if you observe the facial expressions by each of the characters. Example of analysis in body paragraph

This is just a short example from one particular text. To help you unpack any text, try look for the following when analyzing chapter to chapter:

• What is the main idea of the chapter?
• Why did the author write it? What purpose does it serve?
• What do you believe is the overarching importance of the passage?

Brainstorming Tips

If you're having trouble picking your text and line of inquiry, then use this simple 20-minute process to brainstorm potential questions for your HLE:

• For each text / non-literary work, go through each concept in the table below.
• Write down a question for each of the two prompts for each category.
• Repeat for all of your texts.
• Pick the question-text combination that has the greatest potential for strong analysis.

How do I ensure my HLE question has a good scope?

Choosing a question with good scope is extremely   important, and it's one of the biggest challenges in the HLE. Here's why:

• If your scope is too broad , you may have too much to write about in order to answer the question, and therefore you won't be able to write deep analysis (which is super important–more on this later…)
• If your scope is too narrow , you may not have enough to write about and end up overanalyzing unnecessary and obscure details. Also something to avoid!

So, to help you get the balance just right , here are three examples of HLE questions, specifically for the concept of  Identity which we mentioned in the table above (by the way, the example is a made-up novel for illustration purposes).

• Too broad: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece?”
• Too narrow: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans toward discrimination in the workforce in the 21st century?”
• Just right: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans in the 21st century?”

How to get a 7 on IB English HLE

There are many things that contribute to a 7 in your HLE and your IB English grade overall. But if we had to boil it down to one secret, one essential fact… then it'd have to be this: Get really good at analysis .

Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English. It doesn't matter if it's Paper 1, Paper 2, HLE, IO… You must learn how to analyze quotes at a deep level, and structure your analysis in a way that flows and delights your teachers and examiners.

Start with the basics

Start with the basic foundations of analysis for free inside LitLearn's Learn Analysis course.

Our free and Pro resources have helped IB English students skyrocket their grade in weeks, days and even overnight...   Learn Analysis for IB English , the simplest guide to a 7 in IB English.

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Finding Quotes

Also, you'll need to find good quotes for your text. Some good sources where you can find relevant quotes include  Goodreads , SparkNotes ,  LitCharts , and Cliffnotes . Of course, you could just find quotes yourself directly–this will ensure your quotes are unique.

Understanding the IB English HLE rubric

An essential step to getting a high mark on the HL Essay is understanding the rubric! It is SO important that you know what IB English examiners are looking for when grading your essay, as this helps you to shape the content of your essay to match (or even exceed) their expectations.

The IB English HL Essay is graded out of 20 marks . There are 4 criteria, each worth 5 marks.

Use the checklist below to make sure you're not making simple mistakes! Note that this is not the official marking criteria, and I strongly recommend that you reading the official rubric provided by your teacher.

Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding, and interpretation

• Accurate summary of text in introduction
• Focused and informative thesis statement
• Effective and relevant quotes
• Relevant and effective summary and ending statement in conclusion

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation

• Relevant analysis of a variety of stylistic features 
• Relevant analysis of tone and/or atmosphere
• Relevant analysis of broader authorial choices i.e. characterization, point of view, syntax, irony, etc.

Criterion C: Focus, organization, and development

• Introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion
• Organized body paragraphs – topic sentence, evidence, concluding statement/link to question
• Appropriate progression of ideas and arguments in which evidence (i.e. quotes) are effectively implemented

Criterion D: Language

• Use expansions (e.g. “do not”) instead of contractions (e.g. “don't”)
• Use of a variety of connecting phrases e.g. “furthermore”, “nonetheless”, “however”, etc.
• Complete sentence structures and subject-verb agreement
• Correct usage of punctuation
• Appropriate register – no slang
• Historic present tense : the use of present tense when recounting past events. For example, we want to write “In  The Hunger Games , Peeta and Katniss work   together to win as a district” instead of using the word “worked”.
• Avoid flowery/dictionary language just to sound smart; it is distracting and difficult to read. As long as you concisely communicate your message using appropriate language, you will score a high mark under this criterion.

Here's everything we discussed:

• IB English HLE is tough work! Start early.
• Brainstorm using the table of concepts to come up with a strong HLE question. Don't give up on this!
• Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English HLE (and in fact all IB English assessment). Check out LitLearn's course  Learn Analysis for IB English   for immediate help on the exact steps to improve in IB English analysis.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor 💪

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Every resource to ace IB English

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English Level 3

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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Learn how to write a curriculum vitae, often called a CV in the UK or résumé in American English. 

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A letter of complaint

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A report on working abroad

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Title III Funding for English Learners, Explained

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As the nation’s English-learner population grows each year, more researchers and policymakers are discussing how to best support these students linguistically and academically. Much of that discussion revolves around available resources for these students, including the only federal funding stream designated for this population: Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, specifically Title III’s state formula grants.

Originating when the ESEA was reauthorized under No Child Left Behind in 2002, Title III grants send states and districts funding toward supplemental services for English learners. Schools can use other federal funds for these students, but Title III is reserved for them.

The rules for the grant focus on the term “supplemental.” Generally, this means Title III cannot cover anything required by federal, state, or local laws and consent decrees.

Different offices within the U.S. Department of Education have managed Title III. In 2023, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona moved the administration of Title III dollars to the office of English language acquisition, known as OELA. Educators and researchers alike applauded the move , saying OELA is a leading source of best practices related to serving English learners and their families.

However questions and issues remain around Title III, including whether Congress has appropriately funded the program, and whether the rules as they stand work to help students. For one thing, the growth in Title III total dollar amounts has not kept up with the faster growth of the national English-learner population.

Here’s a quick overview of how Title III formula grants work, and the issues some researchers and educators say need to be addressed.

What is the purpose of Title III formula grants?

The Title III formula grants were designed to provide supplemental funding to help states and districts improve their services for English learners. Funding goes to states, which can reserve a small percentage of the federal dollars, and disperse the bulk to districts that have English learners and apply for those funds, said Andrea Boyle, a senior researcher at the American Institutes for Research who studies the implementation of federal education programs like Title I—the much larger federal program providing extra funds for low-income students—and Title III.

While these federal dollars are reserved for supporting English learners, states and districts can combine Title III dollars with Title I and other federal programs, Boyle added. In fact, under the most recent reauthorization of the ESEA, called the Every Student Succeeds Act, accountability requirements for English learners were merged with those in Title I.

In addition, states must monitor whether districts that receive Title III funds are providing services that are effective, and take steps to help districts improve less effective programs, Boyle added.

How do Title III formula grants work?

In the last fiscal year, the total dollar amount for Tile III formula grants was about $890 million. The minimum amount districts receive is about $10,000.

About 80 percent of federal allocations to states are based on each state’s share of English learners, and then the remaining 20 percent is based on the share of students who are recent immigrants, also known as newcomer students, said Amalia Chamorro, director of education policy at UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights and advocacy organization. States then distribute those grant funds to local school districts.

Chamorro noted there may be a misconception that Title III is designated for immigrant students, when in reality most English learners served by these federal dollars are U.S. citizens born in the United States.

That said, Title III does have provisions that states are required to reserve some of their Title III funds for immigrant children and youth—in particular, for districts that experience a substantial increase in their immigrant student population, Boyle said. These specific Title III funds can be used to support a variety of different services that are tailored to newcomer students such as family services, newcomer programs, and activities that help students and families transition to the U.S. education system.

These dollars are meant to be supplemental because states and localities are responsible for the core needs of English learners, said Julie Sugarman, associate director of K-12 education research at the think tank Migration Policy Institute.

Testing to see if students are classified as English learners, English-as-a-second-language teacher salaries, and anything that is required from a federal consent decree cannot be paid for with Title III funds. Nor can other mandatory state requirements: If a new state law requires all students to have laptops in class, Title III funds cannot be used to provide this resource for English learners. Same goes for any services previously paid for with state or local funds.

The rule of thumb, Sugarman and others note, is that if it’s required in some capacity under local, state, or federal law, it’s not an allowable service under Title III.

How are Title III formula grants typically used?

There are typically three buckets under which Title III spending fits.

One is on providing professional development for English-learner educators and others. Another is also enhancing instructional programs for English learners, such as after-school tutoring and supplemental textbooks. Yet another is a bucket for other effective strategies including parent, family, and community engagement, Boyle said.

Professional development and technical assistance are big uses of Title III. Sugarman says those programs have helped financially support the movement toward recognizing that all teachers, not just English-learner specialists, are responsible for the linguistic and academic success of English learners.

Title III dollars can, for instance, be used to hire someone to lead workshops with high school math and science teachers who struggle to understand and incorporate English-language objectives in their classrooms, Sugarman said. These funds can also pay for English-learner teachers to get additional credentials.

Smaller districts with fewer English learners can come together with other districts as a consortium to pool Title III funds for shared use, such as professional development for all districts within the consortium.

What are some issues with the Title III formula grant program?

Some issues complicate Title III’s effectiveness.

For instance, many schools have been enrolling more students mid-year than ever before, with many such students being newly arrived immigrants, Sugarman said. With school budgets set based on previous year’s allocations, this can leave schools in a bind.

Sugarman added that immigration is a federal responsibility. Federal policy dictates how many people can come into the country, but then it is the responsibility of states and localities to meet their needs including education.

“People have looked at the question of whether the federal government should really foot the bill for the whole amount of money to serve these kids, because they are coming in based on federal policy,” Sugarman said.

For state allocations of Title III funds, census data is used to determine the size of English-learner populations since census data have a consistent methodology across all states. But unlike the poverty data used for calculating Title I, the English-learner population across states is often in flux. Since the allocations are based on past history and census data, they don’t always keep pace with states’ needs at a given time, Sugarman added.

One longstanding complaint—as with federal special education funding—is that it simply isn’t enough. Advocates have denounced what they call Congress’ underfunding of Title III dollars, contending it has not kept pace with either the growing English-learner population nor inflation, Chamorro said. UnidosUS and other advocates have called for a $2 billion total for the program.

These questions will remain over the future of the program and its viability. In the meantime, researchers such as Boyle suggest educators managing these funds ask themselves the following questions: What needs do we have? What can we use these funds for? And what kind of strategies are effective in addressing those needs? Those questions can guide educators to make decisions about how to use Title III effectively in relation to all the other funding they have available.

Education Issues, Explained

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