oxford bridge essay

How to Write the Perfect Essay

06 Feb, 2024 | Blog Articles , English Language Articles , Get the Edge , Humanities Articles , Writing Articles

You can keep adding to this plan, crossing bits out and linking the different bubbles when you spot connections between them. Even though you won’t have time to make a detailed plan under exam conditions, it can be helpful to draft a brief one, including a few key words, so that you don’t panic and go off topic when writing your essay.

If you don’t like the mind map format, there are plenty of others to choose from: you could make a table, a flowchart, or simply a list of bullet points.

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Thanks for signing up, step 2: have a clear structure.

Think about this while you’re planning: your essay is like an argument or a speech. It needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question.

Start with the basics! It’s best to choose a few major points which will become your main paragraphs. Three main paragraphs is a good number for an exam essay, since you’ll be under time pressure. 

If you agree with the question overall, it can be helpful to organise your points in the following pattern:

• YES (agreement with the question)
• AND (another YES point)
• BUT (disagreement or complication)

If you disagree with the question overall, try:

• AND (another BUT point)

For example, you could structure the Of Mice and Men sample question, “To what extent is Curley’s wife portrayed as a victim in Of Mice and Men ?”, as follows:

• YES (descriptions of her appearance)
• AND (other people’s attitudes towards her)
• BUT (her position as the only woman on the ranch gives her power as she uses her femininity to her advantage)

If you wanted to write a longer essay, you could include additional paragraphs under the YES/AND categories, perhaps discussing the ways in which Curley’s wife reveals her vulnerability and insecurities, and shares her dreams with the other characters. Alternatively, you could also lengthen your essay by including another BUT paragraph about her cruel and manipulative streak.

Of course, this is not necessarily the only right way to answer this essay question – as long as you back up your points with evidence from the text, you can take any standpoint that makes sense.

Step 3: Back up your points with well-analysed quotations

You wouldn’t write a scientific report without including evidence to support your findings, so why should it be any different with an essay? Even though you aren’t strictly required to substantiate every single point you make with a quotation, there’s no harm in trying.

A close reading of your quotations can enrich your appreciation of the question and will be sure to impress examiners. When selecting the best quotations to use in your essay, keep an eye out for specific literary techniques. For example, you could highlight Curley’s wife’s use of a rhetorical question when she says, a”n’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs.” This might look like:

The rhetorical question “an’ what am I doin’?” signifies that Curley’s wife is very insecure; she seems to be questioning her own life choices. Moreover, she does not expect anyone to respond to her question, highlighting her loneliness and isolation on the ranch.

Other literary techniques to look out for include:

• Tricolon – a group of three words or phrases placed close together for emphasis
• Tautology – using different words that mean the same thing: e.g. “frightening” and “terrifying”
• Parallelism – ABAB structure, often signifying movement from one concept to another
• Chiasmus – ABBA structure, drawing attention to a phrase
• Polysyndeton – many conjunctions in a sentence
• Asyndeton – lack of conjunctions, which can speed up the pace of a sentence
• Polyptoton – using the same word in different forms for emphasis: e.g. “done” and “doing”
• Alliteration – repetition of the same sound, including assonance (similar vowel sounds), plosive alliteration (“b”, “d” and “p” sounds) and sibilance (“s” sounds)
• Anaphora – repetition of words, often used to emphasise a particular point

Don’t worry if you can’t locate all of these literary devices in the work you’re analysing. You can also discuss more obvious techniques, like metaphor, simile and onomatopoeia. It’s not a problem if you can’t remember all the long names; it’s far more important to be able to confidently explain the effects of each technique and highlight its relevance to the question.

Step 4: Be creative and original throughout

Anyone can write an essay using the tips above, but the thing that really makes it “perfect” is your own unique take on the topic. If you’ve noticed something intriguing or unusual in your reading, point it out – if you find it interesting, chances are the examiner will too!

Creative writing and essay writing are more closely linked than you might imagine. Keep the idea that you’re writing a speech or argument in mind, and you’re guaranteed to grab your reader’s attention.

It’s important to set out your line of argument in your introduction, introducing your main points and the general direction your essay will take, but don’t forget to keep something back for the conclusion, too. Yes, you need to summarise your main points, but if you’re just repeating the things you said in your introduction, the body of the essay is rendered pointless.

Think of your conclusion as the climax of your speech, the bit everything else has been leading up to, rather than the boring plenary at the end of the interesting stuff.

To return to Of Mice and Men once more, here’s an example of the ideal difference between an introduction and a conclusion:

Introduction

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men , Curley’s wife is portrayed as an ambiguous character. She could be viewed either as a cruel, seductive temptress or a lonely woman who is a victim of her society’s attitudes. Though she does seem to wield a form of sexual power, it is clear that Curley’s wife is largely a victim. This interpretation is supported by Steinbeck’s description of her appearance, other people’s attitudes, her dreams, and her evident loneliness and insecurity.

Overall, it is clear that Curley’s wife is a victim and is portrayed as such throughout the novel in the descriptions of her appearance, her dreams, other people’s judgemental attitudes, and her loneliness and insecurities. However, a character who was a victim and nothing else would be one-dimensional and Curley’s wife is not. Although she suffers in many ways, she is shown to assert herself through the manipulation of her femininity – a small rebellion against the victimisation she experiences.

Both refer back consistently to the question and summarise the essay’s main points. However, the conclusion adds something new which has been established in the main body of the essay and complicates the simple summary which is found in the introduction.

Hannah is an undergraduate English student at Somerville College, University of Oxford, and has a particular interest in postcolonial literature and the Gothic. She thinks literature is a crucial way of developing empathy and learning about the wider world. When she isn’t writing about 17th-century court masques, she enjoys acting, travelling and creative writing. 

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Admission Tests: Essay Sections

Admissions tests: essay sections.

Most admissions tests are made up of several different components and many will involve essays or an essay-based section. This resource breaks down each Oxford and Cambridge Admission Test that includes an essay element, and gives our Oxbridge graduate tutors’ advice on how best to approach it.

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ELAT (English / Oxford and Cambridge)

Essay Format The ELAT gives you a choice of six texts (prose or poetry) and asks you to consider two or three of the different extracts, comparing and contrasting them.

Approach When approaching the ELAT, a good starting point is to focus on specific literary devices. Try thinking about the imagery and language, as well as the rhetorical devices being used. Make sure, however, that if you’re using literary terminology you know exactly what it means and are sure that what you’re discussing is an accurate example, and always back up your definition with an explanation of why it has been used and the effect it’s having. When comparing the passages, think about how they differ or are similar. Think about this not just in terms of the content, but also the form, structure, syntax, and style of the writers so as to give a comprehensive analysis of the text from all angles. In this test you are being assessed on your ability to analyse as well as your depth of analysis. You will also be required to demonstrate an eloquent writing style.

• ‘Many students are under the impression that picking three texts to compare and contrast rather than two may give them the advantage. The ELAT is all about close analysis, so the more detail you go into during the test, the stronger your essay will be. Thus, it would be unwise to bring in other texts if you don’t feel it is vital. Talking about outside texts may give the impression that you are avoiding the close analysis.
• Make sure that you divide your concentration evenly over the sources. If you write on two texts, make sure that you spend half your time on each of the texts. This is a compare and contrast exercise, so this is important. Practice poems can easily found online, however support from teachers can be invaluable when locating examples of prose and plays, as thematically-similar extracts can be hard to find. Similarly, matching extracts with common themes can also be a useful practice tool in itself.
• You should try to structure your argument thematically. Not only should you avoid talking about texts separately, but you should also avoid talking about form, language and style separately: use themes and ideas to integrate these points in each paragraph, talking about both extracts in each.
• The ELAT shows students’ close analysis technique, which will underpin English courses at Oxford and Cambridge. At Cambridge, one of the modules, ‘practical criticism’, is virtually identical to this Admissions Test, and carries throughout the three years.’

CLT/LNAT (Law / Cambridge and Oxford)

Essay Format In both the Cambridge Law Test and the National Law Admissions Test, you are required to write one essay in the space of one hour. These tests are designed to assess how well you can structure and make a convincing argument. The assessors want to see if you have the ability to weigh up both sides of an argument and make a persuasive case for one side or the other.

Approach It’s important to remember here that examiners aren’t particularly interested in which side of the argument you take, as they are not assessing interpretation. Lots of students argue opposing sides of the argument, but still come out with equally strong marks. The test also does not require you to have knowledge of law terminology or any other subject for that matter, as it is first an foremost an exercise in essay writing and argument making. Make sure that you are up to date on current affairs to help inform your argument, brush up on your writing skills and eloquence, and always double check your grammar. Before writing your answer, make sure that you have read the question properly and be sure not to rush into writing straight away. Think about how you’re planning to back up your arguments, and create a small written plan or at least a mental draft of how each point will flow into the next.

• To be able to understand the abstract issues which underlie the question.
• To be able to recognise the tension between the values expressed in the question. The question will most likely present controversial and complex ideas, and students should make sure that they do not underestimate their complexity.
• To be able to argue clearly and concisely, writing in paragraphs that include an initial point, and then defend the point throughout the rest of the paragraph.
• You may want to inform your arguments by bringing in examples, for instance if the question talks about liberty, you may wish to talk about recent terror attacks. If you cannot think of any relevant real examples, you can also use hypothetical examples.
• Try to avoid preamble. You must remember to write an essay, rather than a speech, so don’t use rhetorical devices like adjectives and adverbs. Contrary to popular opinion, you can use the word ‘I’, however avoid phrases like ‘I think’ or ‘in my opinion’. It is best to use ‘I’ in the context of ‘I will conclude’, ‘I agree’ or ‘I will argue’.
• In Oxford, studying Law Jurisprudence, you will write an essay a week following the LNAT format, the only difference being that you will refer to Law. The LNAT and the CLT give you the opportunity to show that you can write in this style competently.
• Use this tip – Look through your paragraphs and check that every line advances the argument. If it doesn’t, then it needs cutting or rephrasing.
• Don’t ‘beg the question’. Don’t assume the thing that the question wants you to examine. Make sure you really think about what the question wants you to discuss.’

BMAT (Medicine / Oxford and Cambridge)

Essay Format The BioMedical Admissions Test essay section presents you with a quote which you will have to define, argue both for and against, and come to a conclusion on. The essay is used to determine whether you can present information in an organised and reasoned manner, so it’s important that you write concisely. Doctors are frequently asked to summarise cases, coming to a conclusion based on their professional opinion; this essay is designed to replicate such a task and test your ability to do so.

Approach Particularly given that many Medicine applicants haven’t studied an essay-based subject since GCSE, this part of the test can represent a point of anxiety for many applicants. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s best to begin re-familiarising yourself with essay-writing as a skill. Remember to plan and structure your essay well (since you will only have one side of A4) before writing it in proper and eloquent English where possible. Make sure not to use any shorthand or bullet points as you will be marked down for this.

• ‘Examiners assess how coherent and logical the argument presented can be. Unlike a Humanities degree, they are not looking for a creative, opinionated, imaginative essay, they are looking for a well structured, precise, short piece of writing.
• The question or quote which is given can be extremely varied. They are usually scientific, either involving scientific language, or from a scientific source. There will always be a question that sounds medical, which the majority of students will choose. There is NO NEED to do that, it will not give you an advantage.
• Unlike section two, there is no syllabus to revise, however despite this, the BMAT essay section is very easy to practice. The formula of the question is so predictable and methodical that you can easily use your own quotes or statements to make mock tests.
• You shouldn’t feel like you need to shoehorn medical references into your essays. The essay section is about writing style and analysis, and less about your knowledge of the subject; this will be displayed in section two of the BMAT.
• The essay is designed to show time management, precision and organisation within a highly pressured environment. This is to show that you have the desired transferable skills to be a doctor, or a scientist.

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TSA Oxford (Experimental Psychology, Geography, Human Sciences, PPE, and PPL (Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics) / Oxford)

Essay Format If you are sitting the Thinking Skills Assessment for Oxford, you will need to sit an additional essay section. You will asked to choose one of four questions and write about your conclusions. Approach The questions aren’t subject specific, and there isn’t an set structure on how to answer this section, however it is best if you make sure you present an argument, back it up, assess the opposing side, and then come to a conclusion. Make sure you follow a reasoned and clear plan to give yourself the best chance of performing well.

Will Small is one of our top tutors for the TSA (Oxford and Cambridge). He studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St John’s College, Oxford: ‘Examiners are assessing your ability to: write a structured and clear essay, be able to argue competently, and demonstrate an ability to work well under strict time constraints. You will not have time to write in convoluted, flowery language. Your teachers can help refine your technique by ironing out individual idiosyncrasies within your writing style. Your teachers can also help you to demonstrate your passion for your subject. If your application is pooled, then your Admissions Test can help you to stand out, and therefore you should have a curiosity and knowledge of your subject that informs your argument. You will not need a bank of statistics, and should not think too much about bringing in outside sources or examples. Again, the allocated time is very short, and includes question choice and planning, so you should start arguing as fast as possible. In my course (PPE), I was writing two essays a week, informed by an enormous amount of reading. This meant by the end of my first year, I was writing in an incredibly concise manner. The TSA (Oxford) gives you the opportunity to practice this skill.’

HAT/HAA (History / Oxford and Cambridge)

Essay Format In both the History Admissions Test and the History Admissions Assessment, you will have a definition exercise, then an explanation exercise, and finally an essay. The essay part of the exam assesses how a student can structure an argument. Again, as is the case in many of the Admissions Tests, the essay section is not about what you know, it is about the skills you can display.

Approach Be wary of waffling! In GCSE, and occasionally even A-level, students can sometimes get away with a lot of preamble and big ideas without backing them up with hard arguments and evidence. However, in both the HAT and the HAA, you are being assessed on your originality, clarity, and precision, as well as your ability to spot flaws, which leaves little room for pontificating.

Through tutoring the HAT and the HAA, our Oxbridge consultants have compiled these tips for the essays:

• The HAT essay section is designed to test your ability to analyse a source critically and offer a coherent argument. You will be doing this throughout your course at either Oxford or Cambridge. Again, as a Humanities subject, there may be a temptation to write in a flowery, creative way. Due to the amount of time that you have, you should only spend half an hour on the essay section. This doesn’t allow for much time to demonstrate your essay writing prowess, so you should concentrate on your argument.
• You are allowed to bring in other historical sources, however make sure that if you do that it informs the sources presented in the test. You should not spend too much time discussing something which is not on the paper.
• The question may well be relatively open-ended, and whilst making sure that you answer the question directly, you should think about the different perspective lenses that you can analyse the content through. The source may be referring to a historical battle, but students could analyse through various different themes, such as colonialism or monarchy.
• The examiner will appreciate originality and this can be presented in a variety of different forms. This may come in your perspective on a source, the areas of the text you choose to focus on, or your conclusions. Take time before you leap into writing your argument to think about how you can stand out from your peers.

It’s worth noting that, although these are the main tests required for the above subjects, some colleges have different entry requirements or may set different tests (sometimes for each candidate in rare circumstances) so always make sure that you’re preparing for the correct test(s) when using these resources.

Overall, an essay section of an admissions test is designed to give the admissions tutors an idea of your ability to structure an argument, reason logically, and persuade the reader in clear and concise language in a given direction. Really focus on making your argument and thinking processes stand out, rather than trying to shoehorn in specific pieces of knowledge that you feel may be relevant, as this is not the purpose of the exercise. If you’ve got an essay test coming up, or any other form of admissions test, and aren’t sure where to begin, get in touch with our Oxbridge graduate consultants for up-to-date advice and bespoke guidance.

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History and English

• Admissions Requirements
• Fees and Funding
• Studying at Oxford

Course overview

UCAS code: VQ13 Entrance requirements: AAA Course duration: 3 years (BA)

Subject requirements

Required subjects: English Literature or English Language and Literature Recommended subjects: History Helpful subjects: Not applicable

Other course requirements

Admissions test:  HAT Written Work: Two pieces

Admissions statistics*

Interviewed: 46% Successful: 12% Intake: 14 Successful for a different course: 7% Applicant intake for a different course: 9 *3-year average 2021-23

History contact

Tel: +44 (0) 1865 615000 Email:  [email protected]

English contact

Tel: +44 (0) 1865 271055 Email:  [email protected]

Unistats information for this course can be found at the bottom of the page

Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.

About the course

A joint degree in History and English requires students to think critically about how we define ‘history’ and ‘literature’, and about how the two disciplines interrelate and, to a large extent, overlap.

Close attention is given to changing methodologies, to the nature of evidence and to styles of argument. It is assumed that historical documents are just as much ‘texts’ as poems, plays or novels, and are therefore as subject to interpretation as works of narrative, rhetoric and, fundamentally, language.

In turn, it is assumed that poems, plays and novels represent historically-grounded ways of interpreting a culture.

Interdisciplinary study has become a thriving area in its own right as scholars have moved away from what would once have been thought of as ‘purely’ historical or literary criticism to a more comparative way of thinking about the written records of the past (including, of course, the very recent past).

The History and English Faculties are among the largest in Britain, with long and distinguished traditions of teaching and research. Students are offered a great deal of choice in the course over their three years, and whether their interests are in the medieval period, the Renaissance, or the later periods, intellectually fruitful combinations are always possible.

The course structure at Oxford is intended to enable students to relate literary and historical ideas as effectively as possible in the investigation of their chosen historical periods, topics or authors. The structure recognises that some students will wish to opt for variety rather than close congruity between their historical and literary papers.

An interdisciplinary approach is embedded in each year of the course, with:

• dedicated classes in the first year as part of the Introduction to English Language and Literature paper
• a bridge paper taken in the second year (examined by extended essay)
• and an interdisciplinary dissertation in the final year.

All interdisciplinary elements of this course are co-taught or co-supervised by a historian and a literary scholar.

Oxford possesses exceptional library provision for both subjects in the Bodleian Library , the History Faculty and English Faculty libraries, other faculty libraries and the college libraries.

Unistats information

Discover Uni  course data provides applicants with Unistats statistics about undergraduate life at Oxford for a particular undergraduate course.

Please select 'see course data' to view the full Unistats data for History and English.

Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small. 

Visit the Studying at Oxford section of this page for a more general insight into what studying here is likely to be like.

A typical week

You will have up to two tutorials a week and will often, but not always, be working on two papers simultaneously. Most students attend three to four lectures a week. In the first and second years, you will also attend interdisciplinary classes with both English and History tutors present, in preparation for the bridge paper. For the final-year dissertation you will be allocated an adviser from each discipline. 

Tutorials are usually 2-4 students and a tutor. Class sizes may vary depending on the options you choose. There would usually be no more than around 12 students. 

Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by staff who are tutors in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students who are usually studying at doctoral level.

To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our  Academic Year  page.

Course structure

Years 2 and 3.

Visit the  History website  and the  English website  for the latest information on all course details and options.

The content and format of this course may change in some circumstances. Read further information about potential course changes .

Academic requirements 

Wherever possible, your grades are considered in the context in which they have been achieved.

Read further information on  how we use contextual data .

If a practical component forms part of any of your science A‐levels used to meet your offer, we expect you to pass it.

If English is not your first language you may also need to meet our English language requirements .

Astrophoria Foundation Year

If your personal or educational circumstances have meant you are unlikely to achieve the grades listed above for undergraduate study, but you still have a strong interest in the subject, then applying for History and English with a Foundation Year might be right for you.

Visit the Foundation Year course pages for more details of academic requirements and eligibility.

All candidates must follow the application procedure as shown on our  Applying to Oxford  pages.

The following information gives specific details for students applying for this course.

Admissions test

All candidates must take the  History Admissions Test (HAT)  as part of their application. 

Guidance on preparing for the test can be found on the  HAT  page.

We will be putting in place new arrangements for our admissions tests for 2024 onwards. We will provide more information on these arrangements at the earliest opportunity. 

Written work

Visit our further guidance on the  submission of written work  for more information, and to download a cover sheet.

What are tutors looking for?

Tutors are looking for intellectual curiosity, as well as a flexible approach to engaging with unfamiliar concepts or arguments and an enthusiasm for writing and talking about history, literature and language.

Shortlisted candidates will usually be given at least two interviews, one with the History tutor(s) in the college, and one with the English tutor(s). In the English interview, the candidate may be asked to discuss a piece of prose or verse, provided before or at the interview.

Successful candidates will read widely, and will be interested in pursuing a comparative approach to historical and literary texts. 

Studying this degree provides you with the opportunity to acquire a range of skills valued by recruiters and employers, including the ability to work independently, to evaluate the significance of evidence and to present arguments clearly and persuasively.

Graduates from this course have worked in the media, legal professions, public administration, teaching and finance.

Note: These annual fees are for full-time students who begin this undergraduate course here in 2024. Course fee information for courses starting in 2025 will be updated in September.

We don't want anyone who has the academic ability to get a place to study here to be held back by their financial circumstances. To meet that aim, Oxford offers one of the most generous financial support packages available for UK students and this may be supplemented by support from your college.

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

For more information please refer to our  course fees page . Fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our  guidance on likely increases to fees and charges.

Living costs

Living costs at Oxford might be less than you’d expect, as our  world-class resources and college provision can help keep costs down.

Living costs for the academic year starting in 2024 are estimated to be between £1,345 and £1,955 for each month you are in Oxford. Our academic year is made up of three eight-week terms, so you would not usually need to be in Oxford for much more than six months of the year but may wish to budget over a nine-month period to ensure you also have sufficient funds during the holidays to meet essential costs. For further details please visit our  living costs webpage .

• Financial support

**If you have studied at undergraduate level before and completed your course, you will be classed as an Equivalent or Lower Qualification student (ELQ) and won’t be eligible to receive government or Oxford funding

Fees, Funding and Scholarship search

Additional Fees and Charges Information for History and English

There are no compulsory costs for this course beyond the fees shown above and your living costs.

Contextual information

Unistats course data from Discover Uni provides applicants with statistics about a particular undergraduate course at Oxford. For a more holistic insight into what studying your chosen course here is likely to be like, we would encourage you to view the information below as well as to explore our website more widely.

The Oxford tutorial

College tutorials are central to teaching at Oxford. Typically, they take place in your college and are led by your academic tutor(s) who teach as well as do their own research. Students will also receive teaching in a variety of other ways, depending on the course. This will include lectures and classes, and may include laboratory work and fieldwork. However, tutorials offer a level of personalised attention from academic experts unavailable at most universities.

During tutorials (normally lasting an hour), college subject tutors will give you and one or two tutorial partners feedback on prepared work and cover a topic in depth. The other student(s) in your tutorials will be doing the same course as you. Such regular and rigorous academic discussion develops and facilitates learning in a way that isn’t possible through lectures alone. Tutorials also allow for close progress monitoring so tutors can quickly provide additional support if necessary.

Read more about tutorials and an Oxford education

College life

Our colleges are at the heart of Oxford’s reputation as one of the best universities in the world.

• At Oxford, everyone is a member of a college as well as their subject department(s) and the University. Students therefore have both the benefits of belonging to a large, renowned institution and to a small and friendly academic community. Each college or hall is made up of academic and support staff, and students. Colleges provide a safe, supportive environment leaving you free to focus on your studies, enjoy time with friends and make the most of the huge variety of opportunities.
• Porters’ lodge (a staffed entrance and reception)
• Dining hall
• Lending library (often open 24/7 in term time)
• Student accommodation
• Tutors’ teaching rooms
• Chapel and/or music rooms
• Green spaces
• Common room (known as the JCR).
• All first-year students are offered college accommodation either on the main site of their college or in a nearby college annexe. This means that your neighbours will also be ‘freshers’ and new to life at Oxford. This accommodation is guaranteed, so you don’t need to worry about finding somewhere to live after accepting a place here, all of this is organised for you before you arrive.
• All colleges offer at least one further year of accommodation and some offer it for the entire duration of your degree. You may choose to take up the option to live in your college for the whole of your time at Oxford, or you might decide to arrange your own accommodation after your first year – perhaps because you want to live with friends from other colleges.
• While college academic tutors primarily support your academic development, you can also ask their advice on other things. Lots of other college staff including welfare officers help students settle in and are available to offer guidance on practical or health matters. Current students also actively support students in earlier years, sometimes as part of a college ‘family’ or as peer supporters trained by the University’s Counselling Service.

Read more about Oxford colleges and how you choose

Applicants for this course may instead be offered a place for History or for English. 

FIND OUT MORE

• Visit the History Faculty's website
• Visit the English Faculty's website

Our 2024 undergraduate open days will be held on 26 and 27 June and 20 September.

Register to find out more about our upcoming open days.

English Faculty State School's Open Day  - 13 May 2023

Top-ranked history department in the UK

With more than 180 historians, Oxford's submission to REF 2021 was by far the largest in the United Kingdom.

More than 50% of our research* was ranked as 4* (world leading) putting us no. 1 in the country for 'research power'.

*Overall profile, impact and environment.  Visit the REF website for more detail . 

RELATED PAGES

• Which Oxford colleges offer my course?
• Your academic year
• Foundation Year

Related courses

• English Language and Literature
• Foundation Year (Humanities)
• History of Art

FEEL INSPIRED?

Why not have a look at some History magazines such as  History Today  or  BBC History  (which also has  weekly podcasts ). 

You may also like to explore the  British Museum  website or  BBC Radio 4 archives , both of which have excellent links to historical materials. 

For English, visit the University's collection of literary resources on our  Great Writers Inspire site .

You may also like to listen to radio programs such as BBC Radio 4's  In Our Time , or one of the  University's podcast series . 

Follow us on social media

Follow us on social media to get the most up-to-date application information throughout the year, and to hear from our students.

• How to write a C1 Advanced Essay

• Posted on 26/02/2020
• Categories: Blog
• Tags: C1 Advanced , Cambridge Exams , Writing

The Cambridge C1 Advanced is an excellent qualification to aim for if you’re thinking of studying or working abroad. It’s recognised by universities and governments all over the world and also helps you prove your language skills to future employers.

One of the most demanding parts of the exam is Part 1 of the Writing paper, which includes writing an essay. For many of you, this won’t come naturally… especially in another language.

So, to give you the best chance at success, we’ve created this in-depth guide full of Cambridge C1 Advanced Writing tips and useful language to get you producing excellent essays in no time.

So, pick up your pen, and let’s get started!

If you’d like to get more help with the C1 Advanced, consider our exam preparation class!

C1 Advanced Writing Requirements

The C1 Advanced Writing exam has two writing parts, which you must complete in 90 minutes. Both parts have a word limit of between 220-260 words. We recommend getting lots of writing practice under these conditions!

Part 1 is always a discursive essay . It requires you to think about arguments for and against a topic.

Part 2 is a situationally based writing task. This could be a letter , an email , a report , a proposal or a review and you have three options to choose from.

Today, we’ll be looking at how to do your best in part 1.

Before you begin

When you turn over the paper and begin Writing Part 1, take some time to read the task instructions. Identify all parts of the question, underlining which parts are obligatory and noting which parts are optional.

Let’s take a look at an example question!

Remember, you don’t have to use the opinions expressed in the box, but they may help you to get the ball rolling . Also, you only have to talk about two of the options given, not all three.

Make a plan

Take ten minutes to lay out your ideas. Make a pros and cons list for each of the three options and then decide which two you feel most confident with. Here’s some things you might come up with, can you think of any more?

Structure your essay

The essence of a good essay is a clear structure.

Introduction

Here you want to introduce the topic in your own words. Your first line should also grab the reader’s attention, then you should paraphrase the question. Finally, try using a statistic or a rhetorical question. This will make them want to read on, right?

Paragraph 1

Discuss the first option you’ve chosen. Include a good topic sentence and remember to give reasons for your answer. Describe some of the advantages, and even some of the disadvantages too. This will give a well-balanced argument.

Paragraph 2

Here’s where you introduce the second option. Again, try to present both sides of the argument and give reasons for your ideas. Gradually work towards the conclusion.

State your final opinion. This should be a summary of the rest of the essay and point clearly to which option you think is the most important. Do not introduce any new arguments at this stage. The conclusion is where you tie-up any loose ends .

This is an advanced piece of writing, so make sure your choice of language reflects it. You will get marked for accuracy, however, occasional errors can still be present as long as they do not impede understanding. So don’t play it too safe . This is your opportunity to show what you can do, so take some risks and have fun with it!

In the writing paper you should use a range of vocabulary, including less common lexis. Brainstorm some vocabulary related to the topic. Take your time to think of nouns and compound nouns that you know at C1 level. Really let your vocabulary sparkle .

No one likes a broken record . Find synonyms for simple words. You want to use a variety of language, and try not to repeat yourself too much. Check out these different ways of saying the same thing:

advantage = benefit, positive, upside

disadvantage = downside, drawback

effect = influence, impact, result, outcome

problem = issue, challenge, difficulty, obstacle, setback, complication

important = valuable, essential, beneficial

expensive = costly, dear, high-priced, extortionate

cheap = inexpensive, affordable, economical

big = great, large, sizeable, considerable, wide, vast

small = slight, tiny, little

Quick tip: Visit Thesaurus.com to study more synonyms!

Experiment with different grammatical forms. At this level you’re expected to have a good grasp on the grammar. You should use a range of simple and complex grammatical forms with control and flexibility. So challenge yourself with some of these…

• Participle clauses
• Conditionals
• Modal verbs
• Passive with reporting verbs
• Cleft sentences
• Comparatives
• Relative clauses

Useful expressions

To make your essay flow it’s best to use some key phrases. These will link all your ideas together, and help it sound semi-formal. Take a look at the expressions below. Why not use some in your next essay?

Introduction:

It is often said that…

Many people feel that…

We live in an age when..

More and more…

Introducing & Addition:

Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

On the one hand…

In addition…

What is more…

For example…

For instance…

As a case in point…

Contrasting:

In contrast…

On the other hand…

Alternatively…

However…

Conclusion:

All things considered…

As far as I’m concerned…

In light of the above…

What the examiners are looking for

When writing your essay, bear in mind what you’ll be marked on:

Have you answered all parts of the question? Is everything relevant to the question?

Communicative Achievement

Is the style and tone appropriate? Remember it should be semi-formal and neutral.

Organisation

Does it follow a logical order? Have you used paragraphs and linking devices?

Are you using a variety of grammar and vocabulary? Is it accurate?

Now your masterpiece has come together. Remember to take time to check your work. Here’s the official Writing Checklist from Cambridge Assessment English . And our list of the most common mistakes:

• subject + verb agreement
• singulars / plurals
• question formation
• variety of tenses
• dependent prepositions

Some final tips

Avoid contractions (I’m, they’re, we’re) as this is a formal writing.

Don’t use first person pronouns (I, my, our, us).

Practise under timed conditions.

Use model answers to practise fixed expressions.

——

Looking for more help with your Cambridge C1 Advanced exam? Here are our other guides from our blog:

C1 Advanced Reading and Use of English – Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3

And if you are not sure if you’re ready for the C1 Advanced, check out our article Am I ready for the C1 Advanced exam? to find out!

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Get the ball rolling (exp) : to start something.

Lay out (v): to explain something in detail.

Paraphrase (v): to say the same thing in a different way.

Tie-up any loose ends (exp): to resolve issues.

Play it safe (exp): to act cautiously.

A broken record (exp): when someone repeats themself.

Sparkle (v) : to shine.

Good grasp (exp): a good knowledge.

Bear in mind (exp) : to consider.

Masterpiece (n): an incredible work of art.

exp = expression

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Small Talk For Business English

• By: oxfordadmin
• Posted on 19/02/2020

Your Guide To Moving To The USA

• Posted on 04/03/2020

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Free English Lessons

Fce (b2 first) writing exam (essay) – video.

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In this lesson you can learn how to write an essay for the Cambridge FCE exam , step by step.

You’ll see exactly what to do at each stage in the fce writing essay section, and how to get the best possible fce score ., there are four steps to the writing process. you’ll see what to do at each step, then you’ll learn how the writing is assessed., 1. how to analyse your fce writing essay task.

First, you need to read the FCE writing essay task and identify exactly what needs to be included.

Let’s look at a sample question:

You’ve recently had a discussion in English class about society. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay. Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view.

University should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree? Notes 1. Taxes 2. Opportunity 3. Your own idea

So, what do you need to do? Most importantly, you need to say if you agree or disagree that university should be free for everyone.

You also need to use all the notes and give reasons for your point of view. That means your essay needs to include three central ideas: taxes, opportunity, and one other.

It also means that you need to reach a clear, justified conclusion. You can’t just say, ‘I agree’, or ‘I disagree.’ Think of it like this: you need to convince the examiner that your conclusion is correct.

You might think at this point, ‘yeah, obvious, thanks for the help, Kasia!’ Trust me; it’s harder than it sounds. Many FCE essays that we see don’t get these basic things right. It’s very easy to leave something out, or to go in the wrong direction.

Next, you’re writing this answer for your teacher so what style do you think it will be in? Formal or informal?

An essay should be formal. What does that mean?

Formal writing doesn’t use contractions, like ‘I’d’, ‘you’re’ or ‘don’t’. Write the full forms. You should also avoid using slang, colloquial vocabulary, or anything which sounds very conversational.

Next, think: what do you need to include?

You need to talk about taxes, opportunity, and you also need to add your own idea.

Even the ideas which are given to you—taxes and opportunity—are quite vague. That means you need to decide exactly what to talk about.

You also need to think about how to connect your ideas.

For example, with taxes you could say that if you pay taxes, then this should go back into society to benefit everyone. You could add to this by pointing out that having equal opportunities also benefits society. And for your own idea, you could talk about how people with higher education are more likely to be economically productive.

This is just one example, of course! There are many paths you could take.

Let’s talk about that in more detail.

2. How to Plan Your FCE Writing

Here’s what you need to do when you plan your writing for the FCE writing essay.

First, you need to decide what your conclusion is going to be. Are you going to agree or disagree that university should be free for everyone?

Decide your conclusion first, because everything else in your essay needs to lead to it.

Secondly, you need to plan how many paragraphs you’re going to have, and what you’ll put in each one.

Thirdly, you need to make sure your paragraphs are connected to your conclusion.

Let’s see an example:

• Taxes – parents pay taxes so children should get education. Children will pay taxes in the future.
• Opportunity – education creates more equal society. Higher standard of living for everyone.
• Economy – educated workforce helps the economy grow.
• Conc. – agree with statement

Pause the video if you want some more time to read the plan.

You can see that we use the key idea of ‘education’ in the notes for each paragraph. Doing this can help you to stay focused and on-topic, because you’re connecting each paragraph back to the main idea of the question.

When you plan, make sure that each paragraph has a clear focus.

Every good paragraph starts with a topic sentence, which summarises the main point of the paragraph.

The sentences which follow are called supporting sentences. These include reasons and examples to support your topic sentence.

A good exercise during planning is to take a paragraph and think to yourself: “What’s this paragraph about?”

If you can answer that question in one simple sentence, then that’s a good sign. Hopefully, your plan is clear. However, if you can’t answer that question, that shows that your plan isn’t totally clear in your head.

Once you’ve finished your plan, you’re ready to write your answer!

3. How to Write Your Answer

In your candidate answer book, you will now write your essay.

Let’s look at a model answer:

• There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.
• Firstly, a proportion of taxes should go to education. Some might say if you can afford university, then you should pay for it. But, this doesn’t take into account the fact that higher earners pay higher income tax so they are already contributing more.
• Secondly, by making university free for all, it creates more opportunitys for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation it makes the playing field more level.
• In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. The more people with degrees there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. So, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.
• In conclusion, free university ultimately benefits all members of society.

Pause the video to read, and start again when you’re ready.

First question: have we answered the question?

Yes: the conclusion states that ‘free university benefits all members of society.’ This shows that we agree that university should be free for everyone.

Next: have we used topic sentences?

Yes, we have. The first sentence of the essay tells you what the entire essay will be about.

Then, each paragraph’s topic sentence contains a key word from our plan. We have ‘taxes,’ ‘opportunities’ and ‘economy’.

Also, the topic sentences and paragraphs all reference the idea of ‘education’, either directly or indirectly. This shows that our points are relevant and connected to the task.

So, now you’re finished, right? No–there’s one more step. This answer is not bad, but it could be better.

4. How to Check and Improve Your Answer

The final step is to check your answer.

What type of things do you think you should look for?

Grammar, of course, but what else?

Check for spelling mistakes. Check for style—have you used any conversational language which doesn’t fit the tone of an essay like this?

Check your use of linking words and phrases. Many students overuse them; don’t use a linking word like nevertheless unless you’re sure it fits.

Check for repetition of vocabulary. Could you replace any simple vocabulary with something more advanced?

Look at our model answer again:

• There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity and the economy.
• Secondly, by making university free for all, it creates more opportunitys for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation * it makes the playing field more level.

The bold words are either mistakes, or they could be improved somehow.

How would you improve this? Pause the video while you read and decide.

The first problem is with grammar. Unless you’re talking about one specific university, you don’t use the.

Okay, what’s wrong with doesn’t? We’ve used a contraction! Don’t use contractions in your essay. So, it should be does not.

The next problem is a spelling mistake. When a word ends in ‘y’, it changes to ‘ies’ in the plural: opportunities .

Next is a punctuation mistake. There’s a comma missing. There are two clauses in this sentence and they need to be separated by a comma.

There’s nothing wrong with people with degrees but it’s quite basic. What else could you say?

You could say educated people, or even highly-educated people, either of which is slightly more elegant.

So is not a mistake, but we used so in the second paragraph already. You want to show the examiner your range of language, so here you could use something more precise like consequently.

Our conclusion is only one sentence, so let’s add an extra point. We’re still under the maximum word count. This could help us to state our opinion more clearly.

Let’s change it to:

• In conclusion, free university should be free for everyone. It makes economic sense and ultimately benefits all members of society.

Here’s the final version of our essay:

• There are many factors to consider when deciding if university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.
• Firstly, a proportion of taxes should go to education. Some might say if you can afford university, then you should pay for it. But, this does not take into account the fact that higher earners pay higher income tax so they are already contributing more.
• Secondly, by making university free for all, it creates more opportunities for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation, it makes the playing field more level.
• In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. The more highly-educated people there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. Consequently, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.

At this point, it’s looking good! Next, let’s focus on what you can do to produce a good FCE writing essay which will get a high score in your exam.

5. How to Improve Your Score

Your essay score is made up of four parts. For each part, you get a score from zero to five.

• Content – how well the candidate has fulfilled the task
• Communicative Achievement – how appropriate the writing is for the task
• Organisation – how well the writing is put together
• Language – focuses on vocabulary and grammar

First there’s Content . The mark scheme says this “focuses on how well you have fulfilled the task”. In other words, have you done everything you were asked to do?

This corresponds to step one of our writing process. Analyse the task carefully and make sure you do everything it asks you to. A good tip is to underline the key words in the task to help you identify what you need to do.

Next there’s Communicative Achievement . This “focuses on how appropriate your writing is for the task”.

Have you used the correct register? Have you used contractions? Basically: does your essay look and sound like an essay?

Then we have Organisation . This looks at “how the writing is put together”. Is it logical and organised? By planning your writing carefully, it will already be organised. Remember to plan your paragraphs carefully and write a clear topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.

You can also use linking words and phrases to make the connections between paragraphs even clearer.

In our essay, we used many linking words, including firstly, secondly, in addition, although, consequently and in conclusion. Look through the essay again, and note how the linking words and phrases are used. Can you find any more examples of linking words in the essay?

Finally, you have Language : vocabulary and grammar. The examiners will be looking for a range of language as well as how accurate it is. In step four, you saw how checking your essay can improve your language.

Are you worried that making mistakes will affect your mark? Of course, making a lot of mistakes will lower your mark, but remember this is only one part of your score.

For B2 level, the Cambridge mark scheme says, ‘Occasional errors may be present but do not impede communication.’ That means you can still score 5 from 5, even with some small mistakes.

But, hopefully, you’ll catch most of them when you’re on step four – checking and improving your answer.

You’ve seen how to write an essay for FCE, but you can use the same process for other Cambridge exams, including the CAE and CPE when you get that far.

Good luck with your exam preparation and let us know when you pass! Thanks for watching!

Keep practicing with more Free English Writing Lessons from Oxford Online English!

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The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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Pages:  379-406

In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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Barge Collision In Texas Causes Oil Spill, Shuts Down Pelican Island Bridge

A barge collided with a bridge pillar in Galveston, Texas, causing an oil spill and leading to the closure of the only roadway connecting Pelican Island to the mainland. Authorities report no injuries as of now.

The incident occurred around 9:50 a.m. Wednesday when a tugboat, maneuvering out of Texas International Terminals, lost control of two barges due to strong currents and high tides, according to David Flores, the bridge superintendent from the Galveston County Navigation District.

"Conditions were challenging with the current and tide, and the tugboat operator lost control," Flores said, ABC News reported.

One of the runaway barges struck the bridge, impacting two telephone poles and leading to an oil spill into the surrounding waters. Emergency crews are currently engaged in containment and cleanup efforts.

Aerial footage reveals significant damage, including a portion of a parallel rail line now resting atop the barge. Flores clarified that this rail line, intended solely as a protective measure for the bridge structure, has never been operational.

Pelican Island, a critical area linked to Galveston by the affected bridge, houses a major shipyard, Texas A&M University of Galveston, and the tourist attraction Seawolf Park. The bridge, a crucial connection for residents and students, is now temporarily inaccessible.

The city of Galveston confirmed the road closure via a Facebook statement, noting, "Engineers from the Texas Department of Transportation are on their way to assess the damage. The bridge will remain closed until it is declared safe for use."

At approximately 10:00am this morning, a barge owned by Martin Petroleum collided with the Pelican Island Bridge that connects Galveston Island to Pelican Island. Power was temporarily interrupted to...

Meanwhile, Baywatch Dolphin Tours, a local business, is coordinating with Texas A&M University to shuttle people off the island during the bridge closure and plans to offer this service long-term if necessary.

The 1960-built Pelican Island Causeway Bridge, rated as "Poor" in the 2023 National Bridge Inventory, has been under scrutiny due to its deteriorating condition. The bridge's superstructure, responsible for bearing traffic loads, received a particularly low rating.

Federal data indicate the bridge, last inspected in December 2021, handles an estimated daily traffic of 9,100 vehicles.

This incident follows closely on the heels of another maritime accident in Baltimore, where a cargo ship hit the Francis Key Bridge, resulting in the deaths of six construction workers on March 26.

As the investigation and repair efforts proceed, authorities are urging the public to stay updated on travel advisories and heed any safety warnings related to the bridge and surrounding waters.

© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.

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