Written Expression

The five types of text, how to plan and build a composition, the connectors that hold it together, and three model compositions on the topics that come back every year.

يتكوّن الدرس من 5 أجزاء: Types of Text، Planning a Composition، Connectors and Useful Expressions، Model Composition: Corruption and Bribery، Model Composition: Consumers and Child Labour.

Types of Text

The comprehension question *"What type of text is this?"* comes back every year. There are five answers, and each has its own marks of recognition.

1. The five types

A single text may belong to more than one type: a newspaper article often narrates and argues at the same time. In that case name the dominant type and justify.

2. Recognising the type from a sentence

3. Discourse markers as clues

The connectors a text uses tell you what it is doing.

**because, due to, as a result, consequently** → explaining → expository
**first, then, after that, finally** → ordering events or steps → narrative or prescriptive
**however, although, on the other hand, in my opinion** → weighing → argumentative
**on the right, in the middle, above, below** → placing → descriptive

4. Reference words

The exam also asks what a pronoun refers to. The rule is simple: a reference word almost always points backwards, to the nearest noun that fits in number and meaning.

> *Counterfeit medicines are dangerous. They contain no active substance.* > *They* = counterfeit medicines.

Watch for: *it, they, them, this, that, these, those, such, the former, the latter, one, the same*.

5. Practice

A. Name the type of each text.

A leaflet explaining how to install a water filter, step by step.
An article defending the ban on advertising aimed at children.
A page describing the surface of Mars.
A report explaining why the price of wheat rose in 2022.
The story of the first landing on the Moon.

B. What does the underlined word refer to?

*Consumer associations test products. **They** publish the results.*
*Organic food costs more than conventional food, but many buyers prefer **it**.*

C. Justify.

> Read a text of the unit and say which type it belongs to, giving two reasons drawn from the text itself.

Planning a Composition

The second part of the paper asks for a composition of about 150 words. Marks are lost far more often for structure than for vocabulary.

1. Before writing: five minutes of thought

**Read the topic twice** and underline the key words. A topic asking *"how"* is not answered by a text saying *"why"*.
**Decide your position** if the topic is argumentative. A composition that hesitates between two opinions convinces nobody.
**List your ideas** in the margin, in note form, in Arabic or in English — nobody reads the draft.
**Choose the three strongest** and cross out the rest. Three developed ideas beat six mentioned ones.
**Order them**: the strongest argument last, because it is the one the reader remembers.

2. The three-paragraph plan

3. Writing the introduction

Three ways to open without wasting words:

**A general statement**: *Corruption is one of the most serious obstacles to development in many countries.*
**A question**: *Why do consumers continue to buy products they know to be harmful?*
**A fact**: *Every year counterfeit medicines cause thousands of deaths worldwide.*

Then announce the plan in one sentence: *In this composition I shall explain the causes of this problem and suggest possible solutions.*

4. Writing the body

Each paragraph follows the same shape:

**Topic sentence**: the idea in one sentence.
**Explanation**: why it is true.
**Example or evidence**.
**Link** to the next paragraph.

> *First of all, corruption discourages investment. Foreign companies avoid countries where contracts depend on bribes rather than on quality. As a result, jobs are not created and the economy stagnates.*

5. Writing the conclusion

Never introduce a new argument in the conclusion. Two moves are enough:

**Summarise**: *To conclude, corruption harms the economy, weakens trust and discourages honest work.*
**Open**: *It is high time governments applied the law to everybody without exception.*

6. The last two minutes

Reread hunting for four things only:

the **-s** of the third person;
the **agreement** of the verb with its subject;
the **tense** you announced at the start;
the **full stops** and capital letters.

These four corrections earn more marks than any rare word.

7. Practice

A. Write an introduction of two sentences for each topic.

The dangers of junk food.
Should space exploration be financed by poor countries?

B. Write a complete body paragraph on the idea: *advertising influences children more than adults.*

C. Write two possible conclusions for the topic: *counterfeiting harms the national economy.*

Connectors and Useful Expressions

A composition is judged on the way its ideas hold together. These are the words that do the holding.

1. Organising the text

2. Expressing an opinion

**In my opinion,** advertising should be regulated.
**From my point of view,** … / **As far as I am concerned,** …
**I strongly believe that** … / **I am convinced that** …
**It seems to me that** … *(more cautious)*
**There is no doubt that** …

Avoid repeating *I think* in every paragraph; vary the formula.

3. Weighing two sides

**On the one hand,** … **On the other hand,** …
**Some people claim that** …, **whereas others argue that** …
**It is true that** …, **but** …
**Although** this argument has some weight, …
**Admittedly,** …, **nevertheless,** …

The examiner rewards a composition that admits the opposite view before refuting it.

4. Cause, result and purpose

5. Suggesting and recommending

Governments **should** apply the law without exception.
Consumers **ought to** check labels before buying.
It is **high time** the authorities **took** serious measures.
**Stricter controls should be introduced.** *(the passive is useful here)*
**What is needed is** a real information campaign.

6. Expressions to avoid

7. A model paragraph using the connectors

> First of all, counterfeiting damages the national economy. Indeed, every fake product sold is a genuine one that was not, so the legitimate producer loses income and the state loses tax. Moreover, counterfeit goods are often dangerous: fake medicines contain no active substance, and as a result patients are treated for nothing. Although some buyers argue that fakes are cheaper, they forget that a product which does not work is never cheap.

Read it again and notice that the connectors alone carry the reasoning.

8. Practice

A. Rewrite this paragraph using at least four connectors.

> *Junk food is cheap. It is rich in sugar and fat. Children like it. Obesity is increasing. Schools should sell healthy meals.*

B. Give three ways of expressing an opinion about the same idea.

C. Complete the argument.

> *Some people claim that space exploration is a waste of money, whereas *

Model Composition: Corruption and Bribery

1. The topic

> Corruption slows down the development of a country. Explain how it harms the economy and suggest two measures that could reduce it. *(about 150 words)*

2. The plan

3. The model

> Corruption is the abuse of a position of power for private gain, and it is one of the most serious obstacles to development. Bribery, embezzlement and tax evasion exist in every society, but their consequences are heaviest where resources are already scarce. > > First of all, corruption damages the economy. When a contract is awarded to the firm that pays the largest bribe rather than to the one that offers the best work, roads are badly built and hospitals are badly equipped. Moreover, foreign investors avoid countries where an official decision can be bought, so jobs are not created. Finally, corruption destroys the trust of citizens in their institutions. > > Two measures could reduce it. Firstly, public contracts should be published so that anybody can examine them; transparency is the enemy of corruption. Secondly, employees who report illegal practices must be protected by law instead of being punished. > > To conclude, corruption is not only a moral question but an economic one. It is high time the law was applied to everybody without exception.

4. What earns the marks

A clear **definition** in the first sentence.
Each paragraph has **one idea**, announced by a connector.
**Concrete examples**: roads, hospitals, investors.
The grammar of the unit used naturally: the **passive** (*is awarded, was applied*), **so** for result, ***it is high time* + past simple**.
A conclusion that **summarises** and **proposes**.

5. The vocabulary used

*abuse of power, private gain, embezzlement, tax evasion, to award a contract, foreign investor, transparency, to report illegal practices, institutions.*

6. Variation: the same plan, another topic

> *Counterfeiting harms both the consumer and the national economy.*

7. Your turn

Write a composition of about 150 words on one of these topics.

*Bribery is sometimes described as a "normal fee". Explain why this idea is dangerous.*
*What can an ordinary citizen do against corruption?*

Model Composition: Consumers and Child Labour

1. First topic: advertising and the consumer

> Advertising influences what we buy. Say whether this influence is positive or negative, and justify your answer. *(about 150 words)*

The model

> Advertising is a form of communication designed to promote a product, a service or an idea. Nobody escapes it: it reaches us in the street, on television and on our telephones. > > On the one hand, advertising is useful. It informs consumers of what exists, allows a new firm to reach buyers, and finances a large part of the press. On the other hand, its influence is often harmful. Adverts aimed at children push families to buy sweets and drinks rich in sugar; as a result, obesity is increasing. Furthermore, many adverts are misleading: a holiday advert may show a beach which is in fact two kilometres from the hotel. > > In my opinion, the problem is not advertising itself but the absence of control. Although consumers must learn to be critical, the law should also punish misleading messages. It is high time advertising aimed at children was regulated.

2. Second topic: child labour

> Child labour is a worldwide problem. Explain its causes and its consequences, and suggest a solution. *(about 150 words)*

The model

> Child labour is any work that harms children physically, mentally or morally, or that prevents them from going to school. Millions of children are concerned, mainly in the poorest regions of the world. > > The main cause is poverty. When a family cannot survive on the parents' income, the children are sent to work. Moreover, some employers prefer children because they accept very low wages and rarely complain. Consequently, children work long hours in dangerous conditions: in some workshops they lose their fingers, and a number of them die every year. > > The consequences last a lifetime. A child who does not go to school becomes an adult without qualifications, and poverty is passed from one generation to the next. > > To conclude, the only lasting solution is education. Schooling must be free and compulsory, and families must be helped so that they no longer depend on their children's wages.

3. What the two models share

A **definition** in the opening sentence.
A **balanced** treatment when the topic allows it, and a clear position at the end.
Connectors at the head of every paragraph.
The grammar of the year used naturally: the passive, *so that*, *although*, *it is high time*.
A conclusion that **proposes** rather than repeats.

4. Ten expressions worth memorising

It is one of the most serious problems of our time.
The main cause of this phenomenon is…
This situation has serious consequences for…
Some people argue that…, whereas others believe that…
It is true that…, but we must not forget that…
As a result, / Consequently, / That is why…
Measures should be taken in order to…
It is high time the authorities took action.
To conclude, / All in all,…
If everybody made an effort, the situation would improve.

5. Your turn

Choose one topic and write about 150 words.

*Should genetically modified food be authorised in our country?*
*The budget devoted to space exploration is wasted money. Discuss.*
*Humour helps people to face difficulties. Do you agree?*

الجزء الأول من الدرس مفتوح للجميع، وبقيته مع الاشتراك.

Written Expression

Types of Text

Types of Text

1. The five types

2. Recognising the type from a sentence

3. Discourse markers as clues

4. Reference words

5. Practice

Planning a Composition

Planning a Composition

1. Before writing: five minutes of thought

2. The three-paragraph plan

3. Writing the introduction

4. Writing the body

5. Writing the conclusion

6. The last two minutes

7. Practice

Connectors and Useful Expressions

Connectors and Useful Expressions

1. Organising the text

2. Expressing an opinion

3. Weighing two sides

4. Cause, result and purpose

5. Suggesting and recommending

6. Expressions to avoid

7. A model paragraph using the connectors

8. Practice

Model Composition: Corruption and Bribery

Model Composition: Corruption and Bribery

1. The topic

2. The plan

3. The model

4. What earns the marks

5. The vocabulary used

6. Variation: the same plan, another topic

7. Your turn

Model Composition: Consumers and Child Labour

Model Composition: Consumers and Child Labour

1. First topic: advertising and the consumer

The model

2. Second topic: child labour

The model

3. What the two models share

4. Ten expressions worth memorising

5. Your turn

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