Short Essay Writing
Course Book

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Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1
Lesson 1: Getting to Know Each Other ...................................................................................... 2
Lesson 2: The Question ........................................................................................................... 4
Lesson 3: Planning .................................................................................................................. 9
Lesson 4: Structure ............................................................................................................... 12
Lesson 5: The Body ............................................................................................................... 16
Lesson 6: Better Sentences .................................................................................................... 21
Lesson 7: The Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 29
Lesson 8: Bringing it all Together ........................................................................................... 33
Lesson 9: Form & Punctuation ................................................................................................ 35
Lesson 10: Hedging ............................................................................................................... 42
Lesson 11: Register ............................................................................................................... 46
Lesson 12: Editing ................................................................................................................. 49
Lesson 13: Feedback & Wrap-up ............................................................................................ 51
Appendices ........................................................................................................................... 52

1

Introduction
About the course
The Short Essay Writing course is operated through Aichi Prefectural University’s multilingual
learning centre (iCoToBa) as an extra-curricular class. The course is designed to help students todevelop their critical thinking and English academic writing skills and gain practice composing shortessays on a wide range of topics.
Rather than focusing on grammatical form, or on composition at the sentence level, this course
seeks to help students to critically examine the effectiveness and appropriateness of a written piece
as a whole. The course takes a process-writing approach, based on the three steps of pre-writing &planning, writing, and revision & editing. At the pre-writing level students share and develop ideas
through brainstorming and discussion. They then draw up simple essay plans to help them focus andorganise their ideas. After writing their essays, students draw on peer and teacher feedback as wellas their own observations to redraft their essays.
Specifically, the course aims to help students to:
1. gain an understanding of appropriate composition structure
2. develop critical thinking skills and be able to write in a logical, well-argued manner
3. develop a process-writing habit including the ability to self-edit
4. become familiar with set phrases and vocabulary used in academic writing
About this book
This book is essentially a teacher’s resource. It provides a comprehensive course, comprising
thirteen lessons designed to be taught in the order in which they are provided. Each lesson plan
includes a summary, objectives, a 90-minute lesson plan, and copiable class handouts. Additional
teacher resources are listed in the appendices.
The course has been designed for use together with an in-house portfolio system, which allows
submission and evaluation of written work online. All tasks can however be completed using regulare-mail and word processing software, or by manual typed or handwritten submissions.
All activities in this book were designed to be carried out in English. It may be beneficial in someinstances however, to allow students to complete discussion or planning exercises in their native
language.

1Lesson 1: Getting to Know Each OtherThis course will require students to work closely together to develop arguments and to peer-edit. It isessential then, to build good relationships and a comfortable class atmosphere in the early stages of
the course. This introductory lesson aims to allow students to begin getting to know each other, andprovides low-risk opportunities to begin actively using written and spoken English.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) get to know each other.
2) discuss expectations and goals.
3) understand schedule and course style.
4) consider differences between American and British English.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity

25

Warm-up
Brief teacher introduction. Students introduce themselves in pairs andMaterials

Aim

handout

Build relationships& share goals.

discuss the questions on the handout. Share answers as a whole class.
10

Course Outline
Look at syllabus together. Discuss assessment requirements,

syllabus

course details.

submission guidelines etc.
30

UnderstandYour English
Discuss briefly what types of English students are most familiar with.

handout

ConsiderDo a fun 20-question quiz to informally see whether students tend toquizdifferences

use more British or American English (see appendices for suggested

between British &quizzes). Share final results as a group. Do they match student

American English.

expectations?
25

Group Writing Fun
Each student starts with a blank piece of paper. Have them write

scrapShow that writing

down a name and then fold over the top of the page to conceal what

paper

can be fun.

they have written. Pass the paper to the left. The next student writes
what the subject did. Repeat the fold and pass, giving students
directions to ensure that the end result flows like a story (how they did
it, where, when, why). Have the last student unfold the story and readit to the group.

2

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 1: Getting to Know Each Other
Warm up
Do you often write in English? What types of texts?

In what situations do you expect to need to write reports in English?

What do you know about academic writing?

What are your strengths in writing essays? Weaknesses?

What specific writing tasks/styles are you keen to develop?

What do you expect to learn in this class?

Your English
1.

11.

2.

12.

3.

13.

4.

14.

5.

15.

6.

16.

7.

17.

8.

18.

9.

19.

10.

20.

3

Lesson 2: The Question
Students often respond to an essay question by writing about the topic it refers to, without clearlyanswering the actual question. This class helps students to break down question parts and identify
exactly what they must do in order to accurately and appropriately answer an essay question.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) understand the differences between typical essay types.
2) identify the key parts of a question.
3) practice planning essays to accurately respond to a question.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity

10

Warm-upMaterials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversation

relationships.

starters.
10

15

Essay Questions

Review & poolStudents brainstorm common instruction words in essay questions

current(think TOEFL, IELTS etc.). Share ideas.

knowledge.

Question Words
Look at question words on the handout. Students attempt to match

handout

the question.

them with the best meanings. Check answers together.
25

Key Question Parts
Use the handout to consider the importance of understanding the10

handout

Be able to identify

question and how to identify question parts. Do a few examples

the parts of atogether. See appendices for example essay questions.

question.

Starting Your Answer
Use example to demonstrate the process of identifying question parts

20

Pay attention tohandout

Understandand planning an answer.

process.

Task

Practice planning

Students identify the parts of the question and then devise their own

handout

a response to aquestion.

plans (10 min.). Share and discuss in pairs.

4

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 2: The Question
We are starting right at the beginning today, with the question. If you misunderstand the question,
you risk writing an essay that is interesting to read, but totally inappropriate! Reading the question
carefully is super important.
Here are some common instruction words:
analysecompareconsidercontrast

discuss

explainillustratesummarise

Match each instruction word with the best definition below.
_____________

Look carefully at the idea and all the parts it consists of. Your answer should be
logical, methodical and organised.

_____________

Give a detailed and exact explanation of the idea. Depending on the topic, youranswer may need to include reasons.

_____________

Use examples to show ideas clearly. Give the information briefly and clearly.

_____________

Compare two items and point out the differences between them.

_____________

Write the main points (not details) about the subject. Your answer should refer toall of the available information but be brief.

_____________

Set items next to each other and show their similarities and differences. Youranswer should be objective and balanced.

_____________

Describe the idea and give your thoughts about the subject.

_____________

Explain the idea in general and then with more detail, including supportive
information and examples. Your answer should look at the argument from bothsides, and give a conclusion.

5

Key Question Parts
There are three things you should make sure you understand in the question:
1. Topic – What is the question about, generally?
2. Focus – Which part of the above topic is the question asking about?
3. Instruction or question – What do you actually have to do in your answer?
Sometimes you will not be given a question, but rather a general topic. In order to bring focus andstructure to your essay, it is important to decide before you start exactly what the point of your essay
will be. To do this, you should make your own question.
Starting Your Answer
After you are clear on what you have to do, you can start to think about your main answer and what
reasons or examples to include. Take a look at the example below.
ExampleQuestion:
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

A teacher’s ability to relate well with students is more important than high-level knowledgeof the subject being taught.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Key Question Parts
Topic: teachers
Focus: relationship with students vs. subject knowledge
Instruction or question: agree or disagree and say why with examples
Starting your answer
Main point: I agree
Ideas:-

If teachers can’t relate to the students well then they can’t pass on their knowledge in a
useful way.

-

People who have too much subject knowledge sometimes forget how to say things in a waythat normal people can understand.

-

Understanding the basics is more important than knowing lots and lots of details about the
subject.

-

Students will be more willing to listen and to ask questions if they have a good rapport withthe teacher.

6

Task
1. Look at the question below. Identify the topic, focus and instructions in the question.

Women are better parents than men. Discuss.

Topic:
Focus:
Instruction or question:
2. Write down your main point and some ideas of what you would write in an essay to answer thisquestion. Very rough ideas are fine at this stage. Just write anything you can think of, even if you
know it is not completely clear. Write in a list style and do not worry about perfect sentences.
Main point:

Ideas:

7

Short Essay Writing

ANSWER SHEETLesson 2: The Question
analyseLook carefully at the idea and all the parts it consists of. Your answer should be
logical, methodical and organised.

explain

Give a detailed and exact explanation of the idea. Depending on the topic, youranswer may need to include reasons.

illustrate

Use examples to show ideas clearly. Give the information briefly and clearly.

contrast

Compare two items and point out the differences between them.

summarise

Write the main points (not details) about the subject. Your answer should refer toall of the available information but be brief.

compareSet items next to each other and show their similarities and differences. Youranswer should be objective and balanced.

considerDescribe the idea and give your thoughts about the subject.

discuss

Explain the idea in general and then with more detail, including supportive
information and examples. Your answer should look at the argument from bothsides, and give a conclusion.

Task
Topic: parents
Focus: women vs. men
Instruction or question: discuss

8Lesson 3: Planning
An important part of process-writing is planning. In this class students are encouraged to consider theirargument as a whole and make sure it effectively answers the essay question before beginning towrite. This class will introduce various planning and brainstorming styles to help students find planningstyles that suit them.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) learn some new ways to plan essays.
2) practice using various planning styles to find which style suits.
3) understand the importance of good planning and structure.
Teaching Plan
ime

Activity5

Warm-up15

Materials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversation& get into

starters.

“English” mode.

Brainstorm
Students consider their essay writing process using the following

Consider current

questions to guide pair discussion:

essay writing

What is your Japanese essay writing process like?

practice.

Do you plan? Do you write in one go? Do you write in parts?
Do you usually start to write your essays well in advance of thedeadline or just before it?
Do you write better under pressure?
How about for English essays?
If you plan your essays, how do you do that?
Share some answers as a class.
15

Planning Styles

Introduce

Use handout to explain the five different planning styles.

handout

planning
techniques.

30

Planning Time
Students write plans for two essay questions using two of the planning

Try outtechniques.

styles introduced today.
25

handout

Discussion
Students share their plans and discuss the advantages andCompare different

disadvantages of each planning style and which they preferred.

techniques.

9

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 3: Planning
Planning is one of the most important parts of writing a good essay in English. Even if you have
limited time, always plan. It is easy to spot an unplanned essay.
There are many different ways to brainstorm and plan your essay. Today we will look at five styles.
1. Mind-map
In a mind-map you write the subject in the middle, and then use lines out from the centre toshow your ideas. Write your ideas on the lines. Ideas then branch into smaller parts with morelines, like tree roots.

2. Freewriting
Freewriting is just like it sounds..free! Set a timer and let yourself write down anything thatcomes into your head in that time. Empty your head onto the paper. Don’t stop writing! If you
have no ideas, then write that! After you are finished, read back over what you wrote andhighlight ideas that could be useful for your essay.

3. Tree diagram
This is a hierarchical style. Start with big ideas, then break them into smaller parts (reasons etc.)
and even smaller parts (specific stories or examples).

4. Clustering
Clustering is like mind-mapping, but you write your ideas in circles, and don’t worry so muchabout how the ideas connect together.

5. Venn diagram
This is useful for comparing two things. Draw two overlapping circles. Write one thing in eachcircle, then brainstorm and write everything the two things have in common in the middle part,and things that are different in the outside parts of the circles.

10

Task
Brainstorm essay plans for two of the questions below using two different styles from today’s lesson.
You can choose which styles to use, but please try at least one way that is new for you.
Questions:
1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

A problem shared is a problem solved.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
2. Do you prefer watching movies at the cinema or at home? Why?
3. Which do you feel is more important in your life: security, or freedom and independence? Usereasons and specific examples to support your answer.

11

Lesson 4: Structure
Building on from planning, we move to a sequence of classes targeting essay structure, beginning with
the introduction. Students often tend to use simplistic formulaic essay introductions which add little totheir arguments. In this class we will look at the main components of an introduction, and practicecomposing effective original introductions.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) understand the basic structure of a good essay.
2) know the parts and purposes of the introduction.
3) practice composing effective introductions.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up15

Materials

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversation& get into

starters.

“English” mode.

Pair Discussion

What do you know about the main parts of an English essay?

20

handout

Revise and learn

What do you do in each part? Students discuss in pairs, then use

about basic essay

handout to explain basic essay structure.

structure.

Preparation
Students go through the planning process: identify the question parts

20

Aim

handout

Practice question

and then brainstorm/plan answer ideas for 8 minutes. Share ideas inanalysis &pairs. This prepares them for the next activity.

planning.

Introduction Structure

Identify

Students work in pairs to put the introduction paragraphs in order.
Check answers together.

handout

appropriate flow
in introduction.

The correct answer is 4-2-3-1.
30

Introduction
Students work individually to write introductions for the essays they

Practice writing

brainstormed for last week. Some students will need more time so

introductions.

completion as a homework assignment is recommended.

12

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 4: Structure
There are three main parts in an essay. I’m sure you’ve heard about them, but do you understandthe purpose of each part? Take a look at the table below. It introduces what you should try to do in
the introduction, body and conclusion of your essay.
Part
Introduction

Body

PurposeBackground

Introduce the topic.

ThesisExplain the focus and the writer’s position.

Essay map

Tell the reader what this essay will do.

Key points, details

Present information in support of the thesis.

& evidence
Conclusion

SummaryRemind the reader of the main ideas and how they lead tothe thesis.

AdviceHighlight the best action to take in light of the thesis.
+ cover page + references

Today we will focus on the introduction. Sometimes the introduction can be the most difficult part ofthe essay. You essentially have to sum up your main ideas before you explain them, so you may
even end up completely rewriting the introduction after you have finished the rest of the essay.
A useful image to keep in mind when you write the introduction is this:generalspecific

13

Preparation
1. Identify the parts of this question:

Foreign language instruction should begin in kindergarten. Do you agree or disagree? Use specificreasons and examples to develop your essay.
Topic: _________________________________________
Focus: _________________________________________
Instruction or question: _____________________________________

2. Brainstorm for eight minutes. Use any style you like (freewriting, tree diagram etc.).

14

Introduction Structure
Here is an example introduction for the essay topic you just thought about. It is mixed up. Think
about the triangle shape, and re-order these paragraphs to form a logical introduction.
1.

This essay explains the advantages of early English education for learner ear-training andnatural fluency development, and in the preparation of learners to thrive in an increasingly
globalised world. With careful planning and appropriate attention to teaching methods,
early-education language programs can be of great value, and should be made available fromkindergarten.

2.

The Japanese government has recently introduced a new education policy whereby all students
will study English from elementary school rather than beginning in junior high school.

3.

If early exposure is linked to successful acquisition though, surely foreign language instruction
from kindergarten will give these learners the best chance of developing advanced English
language skills.

4.

Research into second language acquisition has long shown that the earlier in life a learner is
exposed to a second language, the more likely he is to succeed in acquiring it.
___ !

___ !

___ !

___

Task
Choose ONE of the plans you wrote last class. Here are the questions again:
1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

A problem shared is a problem solved.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
2. Do you prefer watching movies at the cinema or at home? Why?
3. Which do you feel is more important in your life: security, or freedom and independence? Usereasons and specific examples to support your answer.

Write the introduction for an essay about the question you chose.

15

Lesson 5: The Body
This class aims to develop students’ ability to think logically and critically to formulate soundarguments. Students learn about the importance of supporting information and practice using different
types of evidence to support and strengthen their arguments.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) understand the basic structure of a good essay.
2) practice identifying key arguments in an essay.
3) learn how to use supporting evidence.
4) practice planning and writing effective arguments.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up15

Materials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversationand get into

starters.

“English mode”.

Introduction Review
In pairs, exchange introductions from last class. Students identify the

introsContinue tothesis, background and essay map in the introduction they receive.

from lastconsider what

Discuss strengths/weaknesses they notice. If the introductions haveclass

makes a good
introduction.

already been submitted, you can also pass back teacher comments
and give students some time to read them and ask questions.
10

Brainstorm

Review essay

What goes in the body? Brainstorm as a group, then look at the10ideas.

Tree Diagram

Understand key
handout

arguments andessay, and complete the tree diagram with the details and the

supporting

examples that correlate to them. Check answers together.

evidence.

Evidence

Consider how to

Look at the three types of evidence together, then students complete

handout

supportarguments.

practice identifying each. Check answers together.
40

parts & sharehandout together.
Students work in pairs to identify the two main reasons in the example

10

handout

Task
Students edit the introductions they wrote last week and compose themain body for the essay they have begun. Some students will needmore time so completion as a homework assignment is recommended.

16

handout

Practice writing
body arguments.

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 5: The Body
The body holds the key points to explain your thesis, and supporting information. In general, you
should use a separate paragraph for each key point. (In longer essays you will need more than one
paragraph for each point.) Look at the example:
ExampleThere are many great gifts that can be given to a child. I believe that the
intro

best gift to give a child is a pet. I feel this way for two main reasons. First,
a pet can be very educational. Second, a pet can be a good friend to a young

child. For these reasons, I feel that there is no better gift for a child than.

a pet.

A pet is a very educational gift. Having a pet teaches children

responsibility. A pet has to be fed every day and be given a chance to exercise.

A pet owner also has to observe the health of their pet and take action if

it becomes sick. Practicing this kind of responsibility will make a child more
KP1

mature. Moreover, a pet can help teach a child about the stages of life. Pets
grow much faster than humans and a young child can learn a lot by observing
how his pet grows up. I had a pet gecko as a child and watching it grow froma baby to a full-sized adult taught me a lot and got me really interested inbiology and nature.

I also feel that a pet makes a great friend. It is good for children to havepets because pets are never judgmental. A child might have a bad day at school

KP2
R2

or he might get in a fight with his friends, but he will never fight with hispet. It will love him unconditionally. Furthermore, pets can prevent children
from being lonely. These days parents are often too busy to spend time with

their children. They often leave their kids home alone. This might leave somekids feeling lonely, but those with pets will never feel alone.

Adapted from http://www.toeflresources.com/index.php?id=toefl-independent-writing-section&lang=en

17Here is the tree-style essay plan for the above essay. Write in the key points, details & examples tocomplete the diagram.

thesiskey points

detailsè

best gift = a petèè
not judgemental

examplesè

never fightgecko

Evidence
It is important to include evidence for your reasons to make them stronger. There are three maintypes of evidence:① Statistics & Facts
Published facts and numbers. These need to be referenced.
② Examples
These can be examples from your own life or more general examples and may needreferencing.
③ Quotations
This is using the words of a credible professional. You must use quotation marks (“”) andreference.

18

Read these three examples of evidence. Which type of evidence is being used in each paragraph?
a) Many students have trouble using punctuation correctly. For example, Johnson et. al(2009) report that students often use commas incorrectly and mix up colons andsemi-colons.
b) Punctuation plays an important role in meaning construction and its misuse can make atext very difficult to understand. The Academic Writing Foundation (2007, p.65) argued
that amongst second language learners “many problems in meaning making arise from
simple errors in punctuation use”.
c) The Academic Writing Foundation (2007, p.66) found that more than 80% of student
essays had punctuation errors that impacted upon meaning.
Task
Edit your introduction and write the main body for the essay you began last week (the questions are
below). You do not have to write a conclusion yet. Plan your essay before you start writing!
Include two main points, and two examples for each point.

1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

A problem shared is a problem solved.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
2. Do you prefer watching movies at the cinema or at home? Why?
3. Which do you feel is more important in your life: security, or freedom and independence? Usereasons and specific examples to support your answer.

19

Short Essay Writing

ANSWER SHEETLesson 5: The Body
thesiskey points

detailsèèbest gift = a pet

educational

good friend

è
learn

learn stages of

prevent

responsibility

life

lonelinessfeedinggrow fastnever fightbusy

exercisechildren see

unconditional love

always there

healthgecko

not judgemental

examplesè

Evidencea) exampleb) quotationc) statistic20

Lesson 6: Better Sentences
In this class we practice constructing longer sentences without overcomplicating them, and usingtransitions effectively to promote the overall flow of an essay. Students will identify transitions in apiece of writing and practice using them to improve the flow of a piece of writing.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) be able to connect short sentences.
2) learn some new expressions for transition and emphasis.
3) better understand the use of transitions in English academic writing.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up15

Materials

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversationand get into

starters.

“English mode”.

General Feedback
Feedback on essays submitted last week. Hand back comments andessaysBuilding Better Sentences
Explain using the handout, then students practice and share in pairs.

handout

Build stronger
sentences.

Check answers together.
15

Consolidate lastweek’s material.

give students time to absorb them and ask questions.
15

AimTransitions & Emphasis
Look at the transitions on the handout. Read them. Students identify

handout

Become better atusing transitions.

words they know and can use, have heard but are not confident with,and those they don’t know. Compare in pairs. Take questions but
recommend students start with the words they know and thenincorporate others little by little with the help of a good grammar
dictionary.
10

Transitions in Academic Writing
Look at the example and identify transition words and emphasis words

handout

See transitions incontext.

together. Discuss. Point out the placement of transitions (generally
not as sentence starters).
30

Assignment
Students work in pairs to add emphasis or transitions to improve theflow of the paragraph without changing meaning. Share results.

21

handout

Practice using
today’s language.

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 6: Better Sentences
In academic writing, many students try to use longer sentences and end up using over-complicatedsentence structures, or fail to link parts of a sentence together naturally. Here is a brief practice
exercise. Make one good sentence for each question including all of the information.
ex. a) Toyota is a well-known company.
c) They are a Japanese company.

b) They make cars.
d) Toyota sales were up ten percent last year.

è Toyota, the well-known Japanese car company, had a ten percent increase in sales last year.
If you decide to use more than one adjective before a noun it is important to think about the order of
the adjectives. Here is a basic order to remember:
1. opinion or judgment (beautiful, ugly, easy, fast, interesting..)
2. size (small, tall, short, big..)
3. age (young, old, new, historic, ancient..)
4. shape (round, square, rectangular..)
5. colour (red, black, green, purple..)6. nationality (French, Asian, American, Canadian, Japanese..)7. material (wooden, metallic, plastic, glass, paper..)
8. purpose or qualifier (foldout sofa, fishing boat, racing car..)

size

è

è

opinionèeg. Her beautiful long brown hair lifted gently in the breeze.
colour

Task
Combine these small sentences to make one coherent sentence.
1. a) There are books.

b) The books are rare.

c) The books are in the library.

________________________________________________________________________________

2. a) The flag is Mexican.

b) The flag is red.

c) The flag is white.

d) The flag is green.

________________________________________________________________________________
22

3. a) You will need a jar.

b) The jar must be clean.

c) The jar must be large.

d) The jar must have a tight lid.

e) You will need some tape.

f) You will need some water.

________________________________________________________________________________

4. a) The train was late today.

b) There was track work being done.

c) The track work was maintenance.

________________________________________________________________________________

5. a) The mouse was scared.
c) The mouse was hiding.

b) The cat wanted to eat the mouse.
d) The mouse was in his house.

________________________________________________________________________________

6. a) Travelling by train is popular.
b) It has become more popular in the last ten years.
c) It is because it is better for the environment to travel by train than by car.
d) That’s because it uses less fuel.

________________________________________________________________________________

23

Transitions and Emphasis
Transitions link your ideas together logically. They show readers the connection you want them tosee between pieces of information. Emphasis also guides readers, by helping them to focus on what
you think is important. Here are some examples of language for different types of transitions andemphasis:
Adding information

Contrasting

Sequence / Cause

Emphasisfurthermore

althoughfirstnotablymoreoverconversely

secondmost importantly

likewiseirrespective

third

in fact

additionallyneverthelessthus

essentiallyin addition

notwithstanding

therefore

certainly

similarly

on the contraryhence

most of all

as wellon the one hand

thenprimarily

also

despitenext

most significantlyin the same way

however

beforeparticularly

equally important

thoughaccordingly

especiallybesides

whereasas a result

undoubtedly

further

yet

since

above allanotherstillbecausesureat the same timeratherdue toactually

tooin contrast

previously

indeedwhile

meanwhilein spite ofsubsequently

There are many possibilities! It is good to use a variety, but start with words you know, and always
check how to use new words before you put them in your essay.
A word of caution: Many Japanese learners of English tend to overuse transitions, or to try andfind English equivalents for Japanese transitions. The two writing styles are very different, and so is
the use of transitions. Read your work aloud and think about the flow to help you decide whether
transitions are necessary. Your writing can sometimes be stronger if you begin sentences (especiallyat the start of a new paragraph) without transitions.

24

Task
Here is an example short essay question and answer. Underline the transitions and emphasis words.
Question:
Do you agree with the following statement? Grades encourage students to learn.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

Many different factors encourage students to study, and thus to learn. Some people say that
grades are not useful for encouraging students to learn, while others believe that grades are agood motivator in pushing students to try harder. I agree with the second opinion because
competing for grades helps students learn more and because grades help students measurethemselves compared to a standard.
Competing for grades with your classmates makes you study harder and learn more. If yourgrade is lower than average that is a sign that you are not studying hard enough and thatshould be a motivation to try harder. I’m sure no one wants to be last in the class, so low grades
are certainly a motivator to study. On the other hand, if you have marks that are higher than
average, that means that you are doing a good job and you should continue doing it, which isalso motivating.
Scores themselves though, are not the only thing that encourage students in a graded learning
situation. Learning just to get a mark is of debatable usefulness; it is just a number on a pieceof paper after all. If we look beyond those numbers to what they actually mean though, grades
are what allow students to measure their knowledge. Tests (and test scores) enable students to
identify their weaker points, so they know what they should work harder on. At the same time,they are able to see the positive side of progress they are making. Success, too, is an effective
motivator.
We can see then, that grades do encourage students to study harder, and thus to learn. Marksare a good motivator because they help students to compare themselves with others and tomeasure their personal knowledge.

25

Re-write this paragraph using transitions and emphasis as appropriate to make thewriting more connected and improve the flow.
Transitions are important. They are important in academic writing. They allow writers to connect themain ideas in an essay. They make the writing more fluent and less choppy. They provide the reader
with directions for how to piece together your ideas into a logically coherent argument. They makeyour essay stronger. They make your essay more likely to convince the reader that your ideas arecorrect. Many students do not use effective transitions. Their essays come across as disconnected.
Writers should always be aware of the need to connect both sentences and paragraphs together.

26

Short Essay Writing

ANSWER SHEET 1

Lesson 6: Better Sentences(other answers possible)Task
1. a) There are books.

b) The books are rare.

c) The books are in the library.
There are rare books in the library.

2. a) The flag is Mexican.

b) The flag is red.

c) The flag is white.

d) The flag is green.

The Mexican flag is red, white and green.

3. a) You will need a jar.

b) The jar must be clean.

c) The jar must be large.

d) The jar must have a tight lid.

e) You will need some tape.

f) You will need some water.

You will need some tape, water and a large clean jar with a tight lid.

4. a) The train was late today.

b) There was track work being done.

c) The track work was maintenance.
The train was late today due to track maintenance.

5. a) The mouse was scared.
c) The mouse was hiding.

b) The cat wanted to eat the mouse.
d) The mouse was in his house.

The mouse was hiding in his house, scared because the cat wanted to eat him.

6. a) Travelling by train is popular.
b) It has become more popular in the last ten years.
c) It is because it is better for the environment to travel by train than by car.
d) That’s because it uses less fuel than travelling by car.
Travelling by train has become popular in the last ten years, because it uses less fuel and is better forthe environment than travelling by car.

27

Short Essay Writing

ANSWER SHEET 2

Lesson 6: Better Sentences
Many different factors encourage students to study, and thus to learn. Some people say that
grades are not useful for encouraging students to learn, while others believe that grades are agood motivator in pushing students to try harder. I agree with the second opinion because
competing for grades helps students learn more and because grades help students measurethemselves compared to a standard.
Competing for grades with your classmates makes you study harder and learn more. If yourgrade is lower than average that is a sign that you are not studying hard enough and thatshould be a motivation to try harder. I’m sure no one wants to be last in the class, so low grades
are certainly a motivator to study. On the other hand, if you have marks that are higher than
average, that means that you are doing a good job and you should continue doing it, which isalso motivating.
Scores themselves though, are not the only thing that encourage students in a graded learning
situation. Learning just to get a mark is of debatable usefulness; it is just a number on a pieceof paper after all. If we look beyond those numbers to what they actually mean though, grades
are what allow students to measure their knowledge. Tests (and test scores) enable students to
identify their weaker points, so they know what they should work harder on. At the same time,they are able to see the positive side of progress they are making. Success, too, is an effective
motivator.
We can see then, that grades do encourage students to study harder, and thus to learn. Marksare a good motivator because they help students to compare themselves with others and tomeasure their personal knowledge.

transitionemphasis28

Lesson 7: The Conclusion
Many students struggle to end their essays appropriately, and either finish abruptly or simply repeat
the introduction. This class focuses on how to summarise the main points in an essay without being
repetitive, and how to tie arguments in with the introduction to strengthen the essay thesis.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) learn how to recognise good and bad conclusions.
2) practice writing conclusions.
3) bring together structural topics covered so far to revise and conclude an essay.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up

5

25

Materials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversation& get into “English

starters.

mode”.

ReviseWhat are the three parts of an essay? What should you include in an

Review previous

introduction? Body? Conclusion? Discuss with students.

material.

The Conclusion
Use handout to go through the elements in a conclusion. Students

handout

Learn components

check the “do not” list and then work in pairs to identify problems withof strong

example conclusions. Look at dos and the example of a betterconclusions.

conclusion together.
55

Writing Time
Students revise their Lesson 5 essay, edit and write a conclusion. You

essaysConsolidate topics

may like to collect these in class or allow students to complete them ascovered so far andhomework.

use to self-edit.

29

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 7: The ConclusionPart
Introduction

Body

PurposeBackground

Introduce the topic.

ThesisExplain the focus and the writer’s position.

Essay map

Tell the reader what this essay will do.

Key points, details

Present information in support of the thesis.

& evidence
Conclusion

SummaryRemind the reader of the main ideas and how they lead tothe thesis.

AdviceHighlight the best action to take in light of the thesis.

The Conclusion
It’s your last chance! This is where you reinforce your arguments, summarise your ideas andconvince the reader that you are right. This is where you show them how your findings relate to theirreal life, after they put the paper down. This is your final chance to make a good impression, andfinish strong!
Do not:"Begin with overused phrases such as “in conclusion”, “in summary”, or “in closing”. These arefine in speeches, but sound rather trite and simplistic in writing.

"Introduce new ideas in the conclusion"

Simply rephrase the thesis"

Make emotional appeals"

Include evidence that should be in the body"

Change the thesis

30

Task
Look again at the short essay from Lesson 5. The question was: “What is the best gift to give to achild?” Here are some examples of different conclusions for that essay. All of them have problems.
Look at the “do not” list above, and try to find out what the problem is for each conclusion.
a) In conclusion, as I have shown, pets are the best gift to give to children.
b) Pets are educational and make good friends. They can be expensive, but the cost is worth it in the end. I
think that pets are the best present to give to a child.
c) Pets are the light in a dark world for some children. Children who are lonely, waiting for their parents tocome home, can find solace in their pets. Children who have been bullied at school can return home toweep into their pets’ fur and be comforted. Without pets, this world would be a bleak place for children.
Pets are more than just a great gift, they are a life-saving gift.
d) Pets are a great gift to give to children. Cats are an especially good choice, as they require little time totake care of, and are relatively clean animals. They are surely the best gift a child can receive.

So how do you make a strong conclusion? Below are some suggestions. The length of your reportwill affect the number of items you include in your conclusion.
Do:"

Return to the themes in the introduction. If you asked a question in the introduction, answer it.

"

Include a brief summary of your main points, but don’t simply repeat them. Show how it allcomes together to support your argument.

"

Propose recommendations, or questions for further research (if applicable).

"

Point out implications of what your report has shown. How is your information relevant orimportant in the real world?

Here is an example of a simple but solid conclusion for the same essay as above.
A pet is the very best gift to give to a child. This is because pets are very educational, and they are greatcompany. In these times when young people are increasingly introverted and parents are spending more timeaway from home, a pet is an invaluable friend and teacher. There really is no better gift that a child canreceive than a pet.

31

Short Essay Writing

ANSWER SHEETLesson 7: The Conclusiona) In conclusion, as I have shown, pets are the best gift to give to children.
b) Pets are educational and make good friends. They can be expensive, but the cost is worth it in the end. I
think that pets are the best present to give to a child.
c) Pets are the light in a dark world for some children. Children who are lonely, waiting for their parents tocome home, can find solace in their pets. Children who have been bullied at school can return home toweep into their pets’ fur and be comforted. Without pets, this world would be a bleak place for children.
Pets are more than just a great gift, they are a life-saving gift.
d) Pets are a great gift to give to children. Cats are an especially good choice, as they require little time totake care of, and are relatively clean animals. They are surely the best gift a child can receive.

a) overused phrase (in conclusion) & simply rephrasing the thesisb) new information (cost)c) emotional responsed) changed thesis

32Lesson 8: Bringing it all Together
This class is a chance to pause and absorb all the materlal covered so far. Students are encouraged tofollow the process of identifying the question parts, brainstorming, planning and writing for a new
essay topic. This essay will be revisited in future classes as we develop self-editing skills.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) revise and consolidate information learned so far.
2) practice writing a complete essay with appropriate structure and solid logic.
3) create a first-draft to be used as a basis for self- and peer-editing in future classes.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up85

Materials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversationand get into

starters.

“English mode”.

Write
Use the handout to explain today’s task. Go through instructions andhandout

Use all the skills

questions briefly. Require each student to begin with a planning stage

covered so far toand to discuss plans with the teacher before writing. Most students

create an original

will need to complete this as a homework assignment. You can haveessay.

students write essays directly on computers, or handwrite in class andtype later.

*if possible use a computer lab for this class*33

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 8: Bringing it all Together
Write your first full essay. Plan your essay before you start writing to help you write a logical essay
with a clear introduction, strong arguments, and a solid conclusion. Remember to check yourunderstanding of the question carefully and make sure you answer it in your essay.
"

Type your essay.

"

Font: Tahoma"

Font Size: 11"

Spacing: Double space"

Include your name and the essay question.

"

Include “Lesson 8” and your name in the title when you save.

Choose ONE of the following questions to answer in your essay:
1. People pay too much attention to the less important things in life and fail to see the larger issues.
Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use specific reasons and details to explain youropinion.
2. What are some important qualities of a good school teacher? Use specific details and examples to
explain why these qualities are important.
3. It has been said that "not everything that is learned is contained in books." Compare andcontrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion,
which source is more important? Why?
4. In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this phenomenon. Use specificreasons and details to develop your essay.
5. What are the important qualities of a good son or daughter? Have these qualities changed orremained the same over time in your culture? Use specific reasons and examples to support youranswer.

There is no set word limit for this essay but you need to provide at least three main arguments to
support your answer and examples or other evidence to back up your reasons. Focus on writing an
essay that you are happy with and proud of rather than counting words.
We will use this essay in future classes to analyse your strengths and weaknesses and to practiceself-editing and peer-editing.

34

Lesson 9: Form & Punctuation
Different institutions, departments and professors have different ideas about essay format but do notnecessarily give students details about what they require. This class introduces one simple style, andencourages students to confirm the requirements of their specific situations. This class will also look at
the types of punctuation most commonly used in English academic writing and how to use them.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) become familiar with various report formats.
2) develop an understanding of appropriate punctuation.
3) improve their punctuation skills through practice.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up15

Materials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversationand get into

starters.

“English mode”.

Formatting

What formatting style does your department require? Font?

handout

ConsiderReferencing? Margins? Sections? Students discuss. Share briefly as aimportance ofclass. Also consider differences when writing for other purposes.

format.

Look at the information on the handout. Brainstorm ways to check(peer reading, spell check, Word grammar check, reading aloud,dictionary checks, internet checks for unknown punctuation).
25

Spelling

RecogniseWork through the exercises and check together.

handout

commonmisspellings.

10

Punctuation

Remind students

Overview main punctuation types on handout.

handoutof common
punctuation.

35

Punctuation PracticeStudents improve

Complete activities on the sheet and go through answers together.

handout

understanding ofEnglishpunctuation.

* essay comments from Lesson 8 essays will be given next week when we self-edit*35

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 9: Form & Punctuation
Formats
Different institutions require different report formats. Most universities use official format guidelinesthat are used around the world (eg. APA Style http://www.apastyle.org/), but sometimes aninstitution might modify a format for their own use. It is important to check.
In general:"

Align lines on the left side of the page.

"

Leave an empty line between paragraphs, or indent the start of the new paragraph.

"

Use 1.5 or 2 line spacing.

"Use 11 or 12 point font.

"

Number your pages (not including cover page if you have one).

"Use bold, italics, underline etc. sparingly.

"

Do not capitalise entire words.

"

Stay away from expressive punctuation.

"

Do not use contractions.

Of course, it is also vital that you check and double-check the spelling, grammar, capitalisation andpunctuation of your report. Here are some practice activities looking at common spelling errors.
Spelling PracticeSome of the words in parentheses require the addition of the letter e; others are correct. Write thecorrect spelling of the word on the line.
1. Gus is (tru-ly) sorry for keeping you awake last night.

_______________

2. We were criticized (sever-ly) by the sewing circle.

_______________

3. The shed was (complet-ly) demolished.

_______________

4. The Simpsons are (argu-ing) again.

_______________

5. Mr. White is (judg-ing) the essay contest.

_______________

Some of the words require the addition of ie; others require ei. Write the correct spelling.
1. Paint the (c--ling) before you paint the walls.

_______________

2. Gus has been (rec--ving) threatening e-mails.

_______________

3. I paid almost five dollars for that (p--ce) of pie.

_______________

4. I don't (bel--ve) in coincidence.

_______________

5. The guests brought (th--r) (fr—ends) to the wedding.

_______________

36

Some of the words require the addition of i; others require y. Write the correct spelling.
1. Have you (tr-ed) the dessert yet?

_______________

2. The baby (cr-ed) throughout the church service.

_______________

3. (Lonel-ness) was never a problem for Henry.

_______________

4. She (fl-es) to New York tomorrow.

_______________

5. I have always (rel-ed) on my friends.

_______________

Complete each word with the letter a, e, or i.
1. I have to submit my (ess-y) today.

_______________

2. English (gramm-r) is difficult.

_______________

3. Examples that are not related to the topic are (irrel-v-nt).

_______________

4. We put the puppies in (sep-rate) rooms.

_______________

5. Henry is an (independ-nt) thinker.

_______________

Some of these words require the doubling of a consonant; others are correct.
1. The sun was (shin-ing) brightly.

_______________

2. The experiment was (control-ed) by a madman.

_______________

3. The movie is (begin-ing).

_______________

4. She keeps (forget-ing) to call me.

_______________

5. The bunny went (hop-ing) down the path.

_______________

Some of these words require the addition of one or more letters; others are correct.
1. Caley (su-prised) me.

_______________

2. You are (prob-ly) going to be late.

_______________

3. We must work together to improve the (enviro-ment).

_______________

4. My dad works for the (gover-ment).

_______________

5. The waitress (recom-ended) the chicken.

_______________

spelling practice from http://grammar.about.com/od/spelling/a/revexspell.htm

37

Punctuation Marks
Punctuation can be tricky in English. Reading your work aloud is very helpful in deciding where to put
punctuation. If you pause when you are reading, it is probably a good position for a comma or aperiod. Here are some simple guidelines for common punctuation:
Name

.

,
?

periodfull stopcommaquestion
mark

:

colon

;

semicolon’

apostrophe“”()

quotationUse ~"at the end of a sentence"

after an abbreviation

Never use two periods together (..) or after question marks (?.)"

to separate words or groups of three or more"

between adjectives where ‘and’ could be inserted"

to show a short break or pause in a complete sentence"

after a question"

before a list"

to connect two clauses when the second part gives extra information about
the first"

to show possession"in contractions (informal writing only)"

before and after the exact words someone said or wrote"

to add information not necessary to make the sentence complete"

like parentheses in informal writing

marks
parentheses
brackets

-

dash

-

hyphenUse one or two dashes depending on where in the sentence the information comes.

"

to join two words in a compound word or number

Punctuation Practice I – Commas
Write the missing commas into these sentences:
1. There was no question that John's painting a huge colorful and ugly mural was the worst entry in
the art exhibit.
2. Werner von Braun Willy Ley and Edward Teller noted authorities in the field of rocket development
have done much to guide the missile program of the United States.
3. Mr. Cready's ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time is I believe amazing.
4. Running around the house the dog was abruptly stopped by a fence.
5. Glamour the woman's fashion magazine recently incorporated with Charm another fashion
journal.

38

Punctuation Practice II - semicolons, colons, dashes, quotation marks, italics (use anunderline), and parentheses.
Add in the missing punctuation:
1. The men in question Harold Keene, Jim Peterson, and Gerald Greene deserve awards.
2. Several countries participated in the airlift Italy, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.
3. Only one course was open to us surrender, said the ex-major, and we did.
4. In last week's New Yorker, one of my favorite magazines, I enjoyed reading Leland's article How
Not to Go Camping.
5. Yes, Jim said, I'll be home by ten.
6. Arriving on the 8 10 plane were Liz Brooks, my old roommate her husband and Tim, their son.
7. He used the phrase you know so often that I finally said No, I don't know.
8. The automobile dealer handled three makes of cars Volkswagens, Porsches, and Mercedes Benz.
9. Though Phil said he would arrive on the 9 19 flight, he came instead on the 10 36 flight.
10. Whoever thought said Helen that Jack would be elected class president?
punctuation practice from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/3/5/16/

39

Short Essay Writing

ANSWER SHEET 1

Lesson 9: Form & Punctuation
Some of the words in parentheses require the addition of the letter e; others are correct. Write thecorrect spelling of the word on the line.
1. Gus is (tru-ly) sorry for keeping you awake last night.

truly

2. We were criticized (sever-ly) by the sewing circle.

severely

3. The shed was (complet-ly) demolished.

completely

4. The Simpsons are (argu-ing) again.

arguing

5. Mr. White is (judg-ing) the essay contest.

judging

Some of the words require the addition of ie; others require ei. Write the correct spelling.
1. Paint the (c--ling) before you paint the walls.

ceiling

2. Gus has been (rec--ving) threatening e-mails.

receiving

3. I paid almost five dollars for that (p--ce) of pie.

piece

4. I don't (bel--ve) in coincidence.

believe

5. The guests brought (th--r) (fr—ends) to the wedding.

their friends

Some of the words require the addition of i; others require y. Write the correct spelling.
1. Have you (tr-ed) the dessert yet?

tried

2. The baby (cr-ed) throughout the church service.

cried

3. (Lonel-ness) was never a problem for Henry.

loneliness

4. She (fl-es) to New York tomorrow.

flies

5. I have always (rel-ed) on my friends.

reliedComplete each word with the letter a, e, or i.
1. I have to submit my (ess-y) today.

essay

2. English (gramm-r) is difficult.

grammar

3. Examples that are not related to the topic are (irrel-v-nt).

irrelevant

4. We put the puppies in (sep-rate) rooms.

separate

5. Henry is an (independ-nt) thinker.

independent

Some of these words require the doubling of a consonant; others are correct.
1. The sun was (shin-ing) brightly.

shining

2. The experiment was (control-ed) by a madman.

controlled

3. The movie is (begin-ing).

beginning

4. She keeps (forget-ing) to call me.

forgetting

5. The bunny went (hop-ing) down the path.

hopping40

Short Essay Writing

ANSWER SHEET 2

Lesson 9: Form & Punctuation
Some of these words require the addition of one or more letters; others are correct.
1. Caley (su-prised) me.

surprised

2. You are (prob-ly) going to be late.

probably

3. We must work together to improve the (enviro-ment).

environment

4. My dad works for the (gover-ment).

government

5. The waitress (recom-ended) the chicken.

recommended

spelling practice from http://grammar.about.com/od/spelling/a/revexspell.htm
Punctuation Practice I – Commas
Write the missing commas into these sentences:
1. There was no question that John's painting, a huge, colorful, and ugly mural, was the worst entry
in the art exhibit.
2. Werner von Braun, Willy Ley, and Edward Teller, noted authorities in the field of rocket
development, have done much to guide the missile program of the United States.
3. Mr. Cready's ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time is, I believe, amazing.
4. Running around the house, the dog was abruptly stopped by a fence.
5. Glamour, the woman's fashion magazine, recently incorporated with Charm, another fashion
journal.
Punctuation Practice II - semicolons, colons, dashes, quotation marks, italics (use anunderline), and parentheses.
Add in the missing punctuation:
1. The men in question (Harold Keene, Jim Peterson, and Gerald Greene) deserve awards.
2. Several countries participated in the airlift: Italy, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.
3. “Only one course was open to us: surrender”, said the ex-major, “and we did”.
4. In last week's New Yorker, one of my favorite magazines, I enjoyed reading Leland's article “HowNot to Go Camping.”
5. “Yes,” Jim said, “I'll be home by ten.”
6. Arriving on the 8:10 plane were Liz Brooks, my old roommate; her husband; and Tim, their son.
7. He used the phrase “you know” so often that I finally said “No, I don't know.”
8. The automobile dealer handled three makes of cars: Volkswagens, Porsches, and Mercedes Benz.
9. Though Phil said he would arrive on the 9:19 flight, he came instead on the 10:36 flight.
10. “Whoever thought,” said Helen, “that Jack would be elected class president?”41

Lesson 10: Hedging
This class focuses on using precise and objective language in academic writing. We look at hedging
techniques to help students craft statements that are strong and persuasive but still realistic andbelievable.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) understand the importance of believable accurate statements.
2) be able to use hedging techniques to modify strong statements.
3) analyse their own writing and employ hedging tools as necessary to modify it.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up15

Materials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversationand get into

starters.

“English mode”.

Precision & Objectivitiy

UnderstandConsider the difference between facts and opinions together, thenhandout

difference
between opinions

students work to identify opinions and facts in the sample paragraph.

and facts.
10

Hedging

Understand needUse handout to explain what hedging is and why it is important.

20

for hedging and

Before looking at the second page, have students brainstorm ways tobrainstorm how tomodify the statement “Japanese students do not study”.

do it.

Techniques

Teach someGo through the different ways to hedge on the handout.
40

handout

handout

hedging tools.

Students read through their essays from Lesson 8 and identify places

essays &Students re-read

where hedging may be necessary. Where PC access is available, havecomments

their own work

Self-edit

students edit their essays in Word using track-changes (teach this ifwith their newnecessary).

understanding of

Finally, give students a commented version of their essays (teacher

hedging andcomments) pointing out places where more or less hedging is

attempt to edit

necessary. Students finish editing their essays at home.

appropriately.

*if possible use a computer lab for this class*42

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 10: Hedging
Precision & Objectivity
This week’s lesson is about finding the balance between strong persuasive sentences, and sentencesthat are just too much.
In academic writing, you are encouraged to give your own ideas, but you have to support your ideas
with solid facts. It is important to be clear about what is a fact and what is an opinion.
Look at this paragraph. Underline facts with a straight line. Underline opinions with a wavy line.
Hong Kong is a place of industry, beauty and culture. More than 200 billion dollars worth of goods passthrough Hong Kong every year, making it one of Asia’s largest ports. With its own stock market and with atleast three globally strategic international banks, Hong Kong is also a very important financial centre. To thefifteen million visitors who pass though Hong Kong every year, however, Hong Kong is probably better
remembered for its beauty, and its unique mix of East and West.
http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/icosa/reading/language-in-context/reading-skills2/index.html
It is important to make sure that the opinions in your writing are supported by solid facts. Sometimes
it is necessary to use hedging to make sure that your facts are totally accurate. Hedging is also
useful to tailor your opinion to exactly match the supporting facts.
So what is hedging? Well, look at this statement:“Japanese students do not study.”
Do you believe this? Are you perhaps thinking something like “not all Japanese students are thesame” or “I study, and I am a Japanese student”?
We can use hedging to soften this statement so that it is more accurate and believable. There aremany different options.

43

Hedging Tools
Verbs
suggestindicate

estimate

assumeappear

seem

may

could

believe

perceive

tend

proposeex. Evidence suggests that Japanese students do not study.
Adverbsratherslightly

somewhata little

often

probably

possibly

perhapsapparently

arguably

ex. Japanese students often do not study.
Adjectives
likelyprobablepossible

uncertain

unlikely

many

numeroussomethe majority of

ex. Many Japanese students do not study.
Modifiers
tend

for the most partto some extent

apart fromwith the exception of

excludingex. Japanese students tend not to study.
Conditionals
if

when

in the situation

should you

as long as

unlessprovided thatwheneverex. Japanese students do not study unless they have to.

44

Short Essay Writing

ANSWER SHEETLesson 10: Hedging

Hong Kong is a place of industry, beauty and culture. More than 200 billion dollars worth of goods passthrough Hong Kong every year, making it one of Asia’s largest ports. With its own stock market and with atleast three globally strategic international banks, Hong Kong is also a very important financial centre. To thefifteen million visitors who pass though Hong Kong every year, however, Hong Kong is probably better
remembered for its beauty, and its unique mix of East and West.
http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/icosa/reading/language-in-context/reading-skills2/index.html

45

Lesson 11: Register
It can be difficult for students to adjust their language to the more formal academic register whenwriting essays. This class simplifies the issue of academic register by providing a list of rules to use asa checklist when self-editing.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) learn simple rules for academic language.
2) practice editing expressions for appropriate written academic register.
3) analyse register in their own writing and edit as necessary.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up10

Materials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversationand get into

starters.

“English mode”.

Discuss

What differences are there between written and spoken language?

handout

Share ideas.

How about between casual written language and formal written
language/academic language? Students discuss in pairs, then as aclass.
15

Register

Learn/review

Go through the checklist together.

handout

basic “rules” foracademic register.

20

Practice
Students practice recognising and editing phrasal verbs andhandout

Practice

conversational language using more formal expressions. Students

substituting

work in pairs or individually to complete the practice exercises on the

two-word verbs.

handout and check as a group.
35

Self-edit
Students access their most recent essay drafts (which include edits

5

essaysContinue tofrom last week, and perhaps teacher comments on edits) and use thepracticechecklist to check their work. Re-draft, again using track-changes.

self-editing.

Preparation
Next week we will peer-edit. Check with students whether they would

Prepare for next

prefer to do this in the form of anonymous written comments orclass.

face-to-face discussion? Have students write preference on paper andhand-in.

*if possible use a computer lab for this class*46

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 11: Register
RegisterAcademic writing has a different tone to spoken or casual written language. Here are some things to
be careful of:#

Avoid phrasal verbs (two-word verbs like “turn on” or “go up”).

#

Do not use idioms.

#

Most common verb tenses should be present and past.

#

Avoid contractions (words with apostrophes like don’t, didn’t, can’t).

#

Keep sentences clear and concise.

#Do not be too assertive. (Use hedging tools to keep statements precise.)#

Never begin a sentence with “And” “But” or “Because”.

#

Try to use formal language (avoid very simple or casual-sounding words like “do”, “get”, “have”,“really”).

#

Avoid vague words (like “stuff”, “things”, “a bit”, “kind of”).

#

Do not start a sentence with a number.

#

Avoid vague or personal pronouns. (The rules here are changing and the use of “I” or “we” isbecoming more acceptable. It is best to avoid “they” or “you” as these sound overly casual.)

Practice
Change the underlined parts to make these sentences sound more formal and academic.
1. This will cut down the amount of drug required and so the cost of treatment.
2. There’s been quite a lot of interest in how background noise affects our ability to concentrate.
3. The cost of life has gone up in Western society.
4. But, 45,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every year, making it the number 1
common cancer in the UK.
5. In the past five years, they did studies which looked at the effect of music on learning.
6. The aggregate of outstanding balances went up and down quite violently.
8. Dieters often feel that they should totally get rid of high-fat and high-sugar foods.
9. Export figures won’t get better until the economy gets better.
10. Jones (2008) says that huge problems showed up after implementation of the new policy.

47

Short Essay Writing

ANSWER SHEETLesson 11: Register(other answers possible)

Practice
Change the underlined parts to make these sentences sound more formal and academic.
1. This will cut down the amount of drug required and so the cost of treatment.

reduce2. There’s been quite a lot of interest in how background noise affects our ability to concentrate.

There has, considerable
3. The cost of life has gone up in Western society.

risen
4. But, 45,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every year, making it the number 1
common cancer in the UK.

However, most
5. In the past five years, they did studies which looked at the effect of music on learning.

researchers, examined
6. The aggregate of outstanding balances went up and down quite violently.

fluctuated
7. Dieters often feel that they should totally get rid of high-fat and high-sugar foods.

avoid
8. Export figures won’t get better until the economy gets better.

will not, improve, revives
9. Jones (2008) says that huge problems showed up after implementation of the new policy.

states, significant, appeared48Lesson 12: Editing
Peer- and self-editing are valuable tools which students tend to underuse. This class aims to teachstudents to read both their own work and that of others critically, and to give them experience both
giving and receiving constructive criticism.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) practice objective reading and constructive criticism.
2) apply their understanding of structure, register, form etc. to edit a piece of writing.
3) consider criticism and decide how to act on it to re-draft their essays.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up10

Materials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversationand get into

starters.

“English mode”.

Feedback
Give feedback.

Give comments on student self-editing so far. Has it been effective?
Superficial? etc. Today will be the final opportunity to re-draft essays,
which will need to be submitted this week.
15

Check-list
Go through checklist. This should not be new information now but

handout

covered so far.

check understanding of everything.
30

Peer Edit
Students exchange essays and provide each other with constructive

30

Revise all material

handout

Practice reading

criticism. Depending on class preferences (ascertained last week), thiscritically andcould be written (give out anonymous essays randomly) or

givingface-to-face (pair up students). Encourage constructive criticism but

constructive

also emphasise that comments are not to be taken personally!

criticism.

Self-edit
Students consider comments they were given (and can consult withessaysContinue tothe teacher). Begin a final re-draft. The final essay will need to bepractice

submitted for homework.

self-editing.

*if possible use a computer lab for this class*49

Short Essay Writing

Name: __________________

Lesson 12: Editing
Proof-reading
Do you usually proof-read your essays? You should. It is easy to make small errors when you arewriting, and sometimes even the whole structure of an essay can look a bit strange one day later.
In a test situation it may not be possible to make big changes to your writing, but in take-homeassignments it is always possible. Do not be afraid to make huge changes if they result in a better
piece of writing. You will feel happier with yourself in the end.
Here is a checklist to help you look at writing objectively.
Essay Checklist �Have I answered the question and done everything it asked?
Does my introduction contain a thesis, background and essay map?
Are my main arguments clear?
Do I use examples or other evidence to support my arguments?
Do I use transitional phrases where necessary?
Are my sentences appropriate lengths?
Does my conclusion summarise my arguments and show how they support my thesis?
Have I used academic language (no phrasal verbs, idioms, abbreviations)?
Have I used grammar that I am comfortable with?
Are my spelling and punctuation correct? (Look for red or green underlining in Word.)
Are my statements balanced and accurate?

50Lesson 13: Feedback & Wrap-up
The final class is an opportunity for detailed individual essay feedback from the teacher, and a chance
to gather student feedback on the course.
Lesson Objectives
Students will ~1) receive individual feedback on their final essays.
2) reflect on their development over the duration of this course.
3) provide feedback to improve future courses.
Teaching PlanTime

Activity5

Warm-up

30

Materials

Aim

Students introduce themselves in pairs and warm up with some light

Build relationships

conversation. See appendices for suggested warm-up conversationand get into

starters.

“English mode”.

Feedback
Hand back final essays and detailed comments. Allow students time toessays &Provide final

read through the comments and corrections, then take individualcomments

feedback.

surveysGet feedback fromquestions. Provide general feedback to the whole group.
20

Student Feedback
Talk about the course. What were its strengths and weaknesses?

30

What areas do the students feel they have improved in? What

students about

weaknesses have they identified?

course.

Grab Bag
Fun writing activity to finish with. Prepare a selection of small pieces ofhandout

Writing is fun!

paper with individual English word on (you may like to include someacademic language from this class and some other funny words). Eachstudent selects 5 words and then has to write a paragraphincorporating all the words. Share the paragraphs.

*Alternatively if there is not a lot of feedback to give to students, a post-course TOEFL-style timed
essay could be useful to allow students to bring together all they have learned*

51

Appendices
British/American English Quizzes
https://www.usingenglish.com/files/pdf/how-british-is-your-english-questionnaire-and-speaking.pdf
https://www.blogthings.com/isyourenglishbritishoramericanquiz/
http://www.gameswithwords.org/WhichEnglish/
Warm-up Conversation Starters
How was your weekend?
What did you have for breakfast this morning?
What is your most difficult class this semester?
What are you interested in these days?
How are your classes going at the moment?
Do you have a part-time job?
What time did you get up this morning?
What do you enjoy watching on TV these days?
What do you like to do to relax?
Did you bring lunch today?
Have you been shopping recently? What did you buy?
Are there any foods that you dislike?
Do you prefer hot weather or cold?
What was the last book you read?
Can you drive?
Sample Essay Questions
http://www.toeflresources.com/index.php?id=sample-toefl-essays
http://www.goodlucktoefl.com/toefl-writing-topics.html
https://blog.udemy.com/toefl-writing-topics/
https://www.learn4good.com/languages/toefl/writingtopics.htm
http://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/
http://www.dcielts.com/ielts-essays/sample-ielts-essay-questions/
http://www.proofreadingservices.com/blogs/esl/11846089-22-engaging-esl-essay-topics-you-can-use-t
o-improve-your-writing-skills

52

執筆者
坂本

ファーン（iCoToBa

英語担当）

Short Essay Writing Course Book
2017 年 1 月発行
発行：愛知県立大学 iCoToBa（多言語学習センター）〒480−1198 愛知県長久手市茨ヶ廻間 1522－3 E 棟 2 階
E-mail: icotoba@for.aichi-pu.ac.jp
http://www.for.aichi-pu.ac.jp/icotoba/
本教材は、愛知県立大学グローバル人材育成推進事業の成果の一部として刊行された。
印刷

株式会社

53

あるむ