Paraphrasing

Synonyms, active to passive voice, definitions, combine sentences (FANBOYS, who/which/that, if

conditional clause), appositives), noun to verbs

Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is your main idea and it is how you feel about the whole issue in one sentence

Opinion Essay (agree/disagree): This essay agrees that…(paraphrase view)..or….This essay

disagrees that….(paraphrase view)…. Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing
traffic and pollution problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Thesis Statement: This
essay disagrees that the best way to resolve increasing pollution and congestion problems is to raise the
cost of fuel.

Discussion (both sides, own view): For this kind of question we need to clearly state both sides of the
argument and state our own opinion. We do this by simply paraphrasing the question; thus stating both
sides, and then giving our own opinion. Our own opinion will be just one side of the argument. This essay
agrees that …(pick one side).. Some people think that parents should teach children how to be good
members of society. Others, however, believe that school is the best place to learn this. Discuss
both these views and give your own opinion. Thesis statement: Some argue that teachers should
teach youngsters how to be upstanding members of the community, whereas others feel this is the role of
the mother and father. This essay agrees that this duty should be filled primarily by parents.

Advantage/ Disadvantage: The principal advantage(s) is (xxxxx) and the main disadvantage
is….Computers are being used more and more in education. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages and give your own opinion. Thesis statement: The principal advantage is that
exposing children to languages as early as possible leads to higher levels of proficiency later in life and
this outweighs the main disadvantage of young children being overwhelmed by too many subjects.

Problem and Solution: Students are becoming more and more reliant on computers. What are some
of the problems associated with reliance on computers, and what are some of the possible
solutions? Our thesis statement will need to state one main problem and one main solution. Thesis
statement: The principal problem is students allowing machines to do all the work for them without
thinking for themselves and a possible solution is to have stricter supervision from teachers and parents.

Cause and Solution: In some countries the average weight of people is increasing and their levels
of health and fitness are decreasing. What do you think are the causes of these problems and
what measures could be taken to solve them? Thesis statement: The principal cause of this problem
is peoples’ sedentary lifestyles and a possible solution is to educate society about the dangers of not
keeping fit. The main cause(s) of this issue is…..

Outline Statement
outline sentence outlines what you will write about in the main body paragraphs. It should be one
sentence only. Question: There is a good deal of evidence that increasing car use is contributing to
global warming and having other undesirable effects on people’s health and well-being. Outline
statement: Firstly, this essay will discuss the production of greenhouse gases by vehicles and secondly,
it will discuss other toxic chemicals released by internal combustion engines.

Advantages and disadvantages: this essay will first discuss the (main advantage(s)) followed by an
analysis of the (main disadvantage(s)).

Problem and Solution: This essay will analyse the principal problem(s) and offer solutions to this issue.

Conclusion
In conclusion and to conclude are the only two linking phrases you should use to start your conclusion.
They tell the reader exactly what the paragraph is about and they are formal. Paraphrase thesis and
outline statements. We can also add a prediction (what we think will happen) or a recommendation (what
we think should happen) to our conclusion. This is totally optional. This allows to write something at the
end of the essay especially if not making it to 250 words.

Examples
You get higher marks for developing your ideas with explanations and examples. You don’t get any extra
marks for just listing lots of ideas. Task 2 is not a test of your knowledge via numerous ideas, it is a test of
your academic writing ability. For example, For instance, This is illustrated by….…such as….
….namely….

For example, thousands of Palestinians and Israelis have joined the same online groups that show
support for peace and solidarity, something that would have been impossible 25 years ago.

For instance, Cambridge University found in a recent study that 62% of men and women who paid for an
annual gym membership failed to go entirely after just one month.

This is illustrated by the fact that in the United States you must complete four years of higher education
before you can study law.

Many sports brands, such as Adidas and Nike, pay professional athletes million of dollars to endorse their
products.

There are now a few low cost airlines in the US, namely Frontier and Spirit, that offer very affordable
flights.

Make up specific examples to support the main point if you cannot think of real one. For example, a
recent study by Queen’s University found that …. For instance, a recent poll by the UK Government
found that …. The New York Times reported in March 2015 that…You can make your example specific by
adding: dates, place/business/university names, names of people, statistics. You don’t have to add all of
these things, only one or two are required to make it more specific.
Linking Words

Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

Example 1: Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language
at primary schools rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the
disadvantages?

We have to say if the advantages are stronger than the disadvantages. Not ‘if there are more advantages
than disadvantages’. The question is not asking you to talk about numbers, but comment on the overall
weight of the advantages or disadvantages. For example, there are a huge number of advantages to
travelling by private jet, but there is one huge disadvantage (the cost) that stops most people from flying
that way and therefore the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. In this example we will have to
decide which side (advantages or disadvantages) is stronger and this will affect our structure. If you
choose advantages then you will have to say why these are much stronger than the disadvantages and
why the disadvantages don’t hold much weight. You would also have to make this clear in your thesis
statement. A topic sentence tells the examiner what the rest of the paragraph is about. In other words, it is
a summary of your first idea.

Adv/ Disadv Outweigh Structure

Some authorities think that it is more

favorable for pupils to begin studying
languages at primary school instead of
secondary school.
Paraphrase question
This essay will argue that the
Thesis statement advantages of this outweigh the
(state which one drawbacks.
Introduction: outweighs the The essay will first demonstrate that the
other) earlier someone learns an additional
Outline sentence language the more likely they are to
master it and that it brings added
(adv, disadv) cognitive benefits, followed by an
analysis of how the primary
disadvantage, namely confusion with
their native tongue, is not valid.
 The main reason to start kids off with
foreign languages early is that this
increases the likelihood they will
achieve fluency in adulthood.
That is to say that they will have far
more years to perfect their skills and it
will seem perfectly normal to speak
bilingually.
For example, in countries such as
Topic Sentence Holland and Norway where English is
Main Body taught from a very young age, more
Explain why it is
Paragraph 1 than 95% of adults speak it at an
(Stronger Side): strong advanced level.
Example Learning a second language also helps
to improve overall cognitive abilities. In
other words it benefits the overall
development of a child’s brain.
A recent survey by Cambridge
University found that children who
studied a new language before the age
of 5 were significantly more likely to
score higher in Mathematics and
Science.
Those opposed to this say that it causes
the child to become confused between
their mother tongue and the other
language.
Topic Sentence However, there is actually no evidence
Main Body
Explain why it is not to support this view and children from
Paragraph 2
(Weaker Side): strong bilingual families do just as well in both
Example languages.
My own son was brought up speaking
both Vietnamese and English and
outperforms most of his classmates in
both.
On balance, the fact that early foreign
Summary of main language learning leads to higher
fluency and improved brain function
Conclusion: points clearly outweighs the flawed argument
restate position that it impairs uptake of native
languages.

Practice Recent Questions

1. Some people think governments should be responsible for solving the traffic and pollution
problem. Do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
2. Some people tell that to reduce traffic and pollution, government should increase the tax on
the petrol (gasoline). Would there is more benefits than the drawback?
3. Age difference between parents and children was greater in the past than now
Is the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in your opinion?
Example 2: In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between
finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages
for young people who decided to do this.

This type simply asks us to discuss the advantages and disadvantages. It does not ask for our opinion or
say which side is better or worse, so we should not include this information in our answer. This requires a
simple structure which looks at the advantages in one paragraph and the disadvantages in the other.

Adv/ Disadv Structure

Before embarking on college many
young people are advised that a year
Paraphrase question working or travelling may be a good
option. This essay will
Introduction: Outline sentence (adv, suggest that saving money is the biggest
disadv) advantage of this and a reduced
motivation to study is the primary
disadvantage.
Third level education is very expensive
and lots of students decide to work for 12
months and save up money before they
begin their studies.
This allows them to pay for their living
Topic Sentence (Advantage costs, tuition fees and accommodation
Main Body
1) Explain how this is an and focus on their studies, rather than
Paragraph 1
(Advantages): advantage struggle financially or have to get a part
Example time job on top of their academic work.
The Times recently reported that the
average student at a UK university
requires over $12,000 per annum just to
survive and many drop out because they
cannot afford to stay.

Despite these advantages, many

students often get used to working or
travelling and don’t want to return to a life
of study after a year off.
Topic Sentence This short term view can cause some to
bypass university altogether and go
Main Body (Disadvantage 1)
straight into a job that is beneath their
Paragraph 2 Explain how this is a capabilities or may not offer the same
(Disadvantages): disadvantage prospects their future career might have
Example done.
For instance, a recent survey by the
British Government found that 26% of
students who take a gap-year never
enter tertiary education.
 In conclusion, taking a break from
studies can be advantageous if it allows
people to gather up savings, however,
Conclusion: Summary of main points they should also be careful that it does
not lead to disillusionment with education
altogether.

Example 3: Computers are becoming an essential part of school lessons. Discuss the advantages
and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

This is more like an opinion essay and a discussion essay at the same time. Your structure will reflect this
by having a paragraph for advantages and disadvantages, but also having a clear position on the
statement.

Adv/ Disadv – Opinion Structure

Information technology is becoming a

ubiquitous part of learning.
Paraphrase question This essay will show that this is a welcome
Thesis Statement (your development and can enhance educational
Introduction: practice.
opinion)
Outline sentence (adv, disadv) It will first suggest that the instant availability
of huge amounts of information is the
primary advantage, followed by a discussion
of how it can sometimes lead to plagiarism.
The main benefit computers bring to
learners is easy access to vast amounts
resources. Learners were once limited to
Topic Sentence (Advantage 1) the books they had and the knowledge of
Main Body
Explain how this is an their teacher, now they can learn about
Paragraph 1
(Advantages): advantage anything they choose at the touch of a
Example button. Google is
a prime example, because it allows people
to easily search for whatever they are
looking for quickly and accurately.
One possible drawback is that using the
internet to complete academic work can
Topic Sentence (Disadvantage sometimes lead to pupils copying articles
Main Body 1) from the internet.
Paragraph 2 As a result, students do not have to think
Explain how this is a
(Disadvantages) about their tasks and learn very little.
: disadvantage The Sunday Times recently reported that
Example 72% of college graduates in the UK
admitted to copying and pasting Wikipedia
articles at least once.
 Overall, it is a very positive development
because most students will take advantage
of the power of the information
Main Body superhighway to enhance their studies,
Explain Opinion
Paragraph 3 rather than using it to cheat.
(Opinion): Example For example, in 2005 Cambridge University
found that students who regularly used a
computer were 26% more likely to get a
first-class degree than those who did not.
In conclusion, the web has provided a
gateway to knowledge unlike anything seen
before and although it can sometimes lead
Conclusion: Summary of main points to a few taking the easy route and
plagiarising, it is a very positive step in the
evolution of education.

Discussion Essay – both views and opinion

Example 4: Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say that this is a
positive trend, while others argue that it is leading to negative consequences. Discuss both sides
of this argument and then give your own opinion.

They typically state two opinions and then ask you to discuss both and give your opinion. Make sure you
do these things in the essay. If you only discuss both views and fail to give your opinion you will lose
marks

There is an ever increasing use of technology, such

Paraphrase question as tablets and laptops, in the classroom.
It is often argued that this is a positive development,
State both points of view
Introduction: whilst others disagree and think it will lead to adverse
Thesis Statement ramifications.
Outline sentence This essay agrees that an increase in technology is
beneficial to students and teachers.
This essay will discuss both points of view.

State first view point
Discuss first view point
Main Body Reason why you agree or
Paragraph 1 disagree with viewpoint
Example to support your
view
It is clear that the internet has provided students with
access to more information than ever before.
Moreover, learners have the ability to research and
learn about any subject at the touch of a button.
It is therefore agreed that technology is a very
worthwhile tool for education.
Wikipedia is a prime example, where students can
simply type in any keyword and gain access to in-
depth knowledge quickly and easily.

State second view point
Discuss second view point
Main Body Reason why you agree or
Paragraph 2 disagree with viewpoint
Example to support your
view
However, many disagree and feel that technology
deprives people of real human interaction.
Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such
as discourse, debate and empathy.
Despite this, human interaction is still possible
through the internet and this essay disagrees
technology should be dismissed for this reason.
For instance, Skype and Facebook make it possible
for people to interact in ways that were never before
possible.

In conclusion, while the benefits of technology,

particularly the internet, allow students to tap in to
Summary of main points limitless sources of information, some still feel that
Conclusion: State which one is more people should be wary of this new phenomenon and
important or better not allow it to curb face to face interaction.
However, as long as we are careful to keep in mind
the importance of human interaction in education, the
educational benefits are clearly positive.

1. Some people think that decreasing the speed of vehicles will increase road safety, others
believe there are other options. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Many people
think that the road safety will improve when government will decrease the speed limit, other
people think that there are better ways in improving road safety. Discuss both the views and
give your opinion. Also quote any example from your experience to support your view.
2. Some people believe that the best way to travel within a city is by car. Others believe it is
best to travel by bicycle.– Discuss both views and give your opinion.
3. Some people believe zoos are cruel to animals others think helps to protect them” discuss
both views and give your opinion.

4. Some people thinks that it is necessary to testing medicine on animals, its intended to
human, however, some thinks that its not the way of use animals for testing a
medicine. Discuss both your views and give your opinion.

5. Some believe it is the responsibility of government to take care of environmemt, others thing
people are responsible for it. Discuss both views and give your opinion

6. Business and cultural exchange between countries is increasing and this is thought to be as a
positive development by some. however, others believe that it may lead to loss of national
identity. Discuss both views and give your opinion?

7. Some people think that we are becoming independent of each other while other people say
that we are becoming more dependent on each other. Discuss both views and give your
opinion. Include any relevant example.

8. Adults do very less excercise these days. Some people think that showing sports events on
the television such as Olympic and international tournaments can be the best way to
 encourage adults to do excercise. Others believe there are other effective ways to do so.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
9. Some people of the believe that universities should only offer places to students with high
marks. While others believe that people of all ages should be allowed even if they don’t do
well in school. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
10. Some people believe that teenagers should concentrate on all subjects while others think they
should focus on subjects in which they are best and find intersting.discuss both views nd
give ur opinion. Some people think that teenager students should concentrate on each
subject equally, while other think that they should choose what they are interested in.
Discuss both views and give your opinion
11. Some people argue that reading is the best way for graduates to improve their knowledge
but others think that there are better ways for adults to do that. Discuss both views and tell
your idea.
12. Some people find it beneficial to enroll the young children to nursery school before primary
school. While others think it is good to keep children with families. Discuss both views and
give your opinion. Some people think that it is beneficial for young children to go to nursery
school before they go to primary school. Other people believe that it is better for young
children to stay all day with their families. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

13. Nowadays, people move from one country to the other for finding jobs Some people think
children of these families suffer because of this while others think it is helpful for them.
Discuss both views and give your opinion. Some people believe that parent moving to other
country for a work,will give a beneficiary to the children and other people believe that it will
affect the children growth. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

14. In some cultures the old age is highly valued, while in others youth is more valued. Discuss
both views and give your opinion.

15. Some people believe that older people are happy in this current modern world. While,
Others argue that elders were quite favorable in the past. Discuss both views and give your
own.

16. The number of old people are increasing in many countries. Some people think this causes
problems, while others think old people play an important role. Discuss both views and give
your opinion. Include examples.

Opinion Essay – Agree / Disagree

Example: In some countries an increasing number of people are suffering from health problems
as a result of eating too much fast food. It is therefore necessary for governments to impose a
higher tax on this kind of food. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

With this type of essay we have two choices:

 1. We agree with the statement or;

2. We disagree with the statement

Some teachers advise that you can partly agree and disagree but this often leads to an essay with no
clear focus and a confusing structure. So for this agree or disagree essay you can say either:

1. This essay agrees that governments should tax fast food or;

2. This essay disagrees that governments should tax fast food

I think I will have more ideas for A, so I’m choosing this one. Always choose the one that you feel
comfortable writing about even if you don’t personally feel that way. There are no points for writing about
how you feel, you just want to impress the examiner.

Now we have to think of ideas for why governments should tax fast food. Here are some:

 Cigarettes and alcohol are taxed in the same way

 The money raised could be used to treat people with health problems

 Fast food companies should be punished for selling unhealthy food to people

 Making the food more expensive would stop people eating it

 The money raised could be used to educate people about healthy eating

We don’t need to use all of these, just two for our supporting paragraphs. I’m going to pick the first and
the fourth ones because I know a little about these two and feel confident I can expand on them with
explanations and examples. Remember the examiner wants you to fully support your arguments, not just
list a lot of ideas.

It is argued that governments should levy a tariff on junk

food because the number of health risks associated with
Paraphrase question consuming this kind of food is on the rise.
This essay agrees that a higher rate of tax should be
Introduction: Thesis Statement paid by fast food companies.
Outline sentence Firstly, this essay will discuss the fact that alcohol and
tobacco companies already pay higher taxes and
secondly, discuss how higher taxes could raise prices
and lower consumption.
 Higher excise on liqueur and cigarettes has proven to be
successful at curbing the harm caused by these
substances.
This revenue has been used to treat health problems
Topic sentence associated with these products and has proven useful in
Main Body advertising campaigns warning people about the dangers
Paragraph 1
Explain
of alcohol and tobacco abuse. Tax from fast food could
Example be used in the same way.
The United Kingdom is a prime example, where money
from smokers is used to treat lung cancer and heart
disease, while at the same time, pumped into health
campaigns in schools to warn children about the dangers
of smoking.
Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower
consumption.
Fast food companies would pass on these taxes to
consumers in the form of higher prices and this would
Topic sentence lead to people not being able to afford junk food because
Main Body it is too expensive. Junk food would soon become a
Paragraph 2
Explain
luxury item and it would only be consumed occasionally,
Example which would be less harmful to the general public’s
health. For instance, the cost of
organic food has proven prohibitively expensive for most
people and that is why only a small percentage of the
population buy it regularly.
Summary and In conclusion, junk food should be taxed at a higher rate
Conclusion: reiteration of because of the good precedent set by alcohol and
tobacco and the fact that the increased cost should
mainpoints reduce the amount of fast food people buy.

1. About the huge amount time and money for protecting the wild animals should be for
human population, to what extends do you agree or disagree

2. It is waste of money and time researching past; it is more important study issues which affect
the world today. To what extent do you agree or disagree? : people argue that it is not
important to study history, it is more essential to focus on present. To what extent you
agree. Some people think that researching about past is waste of money and time. We
should instead focus on issues of today’s world. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Do you agree we don’t need to research the past and we more focus on studying the present?
3. Some countries have prisons for prisoners. Other think education is the best way to make
people not commit crimes. To what extent do you agree.
4. It is not necessary to have an internet access in order to have a full life. give your opinion

5. Newspapers and internet as a source for news. More and more people are reading news
from the internet, but most of the people likes reading news from a newspaper. Give your
views.
 6. People spend too much on family celebrations such as birthdays and weddings. What are
importance of these celebrations? Do you think people really spend too much?

7. The availability of entertainment such as playing video games on handheld devices are
harmful to an individual and to a society they live in. To what extent do you agree or
disagree.

8. International tourism is becoming a major industry. People think it causes only more tension
than the anticipated understanding between different countries . ?
Agree/disagree? International Tourism is a good business but can lead to “fights” instead of
understanting between tourists and locals. To what extent do you agree/disagree.

9. Some people think that large international sporting events only brings drawbacks, and that it
is not worth hosting them. Countries hosting international events have to face may
problems. To what extent you agree or disagree?

10. Some Stay-at-home parents think they need to be compensated by the government, do you
agree or disagree? Some parents, specially mothers, stay at home instead working, and some
people think should receive a salary for that. Do y agree or not?

11. Parents should attend class to children care , agree or disagree. Agree/disagree on whether it
is important to give childcare training to parents.

Problem and Solution/ Causes and Solution

Example 5: Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st Century and sea
levels are continuing to rise at alarming rates. What problems are associated with this and what
are some possible solutions.

Problem: flooding of people’s homes and businesses Solution: build flood barriers or move to higher
areas Problem: loss of agricultural land and starvation Solution: switch to more suitable crops Problem:
displacement of millions of people Solution: move people in a planned and orderly way before the floods
Problem: groundwater undrinkable Solution: build desalination plants

Climate change is among the principal dangers

facing people this century and ocean levels are
increasing dramatically.
Introduction: This essay will first suggest that the biggest problem
Paraphrase question caused by this phenomenon is the flooding of
Outline sentence (say what you will homes and then submit building flood protection as
discuss in the rest of the essay) the most viable solution.
 The foremost problem caused by climbing sea levels
is the flooding of peoples’ residences.
Millions of people all over the world live in coastal
areas and if the sea rises by even a few feet, they
will be inundated with water and lose their
Main Body Paragraph 1 property.
(Problems): Shelter is one of the most basic of human needs
and widespread flooding would cause millions of
people to become homeless, not to mention losing
all of their possessions.
State Problem The devastation brought about by widespread
Explain what the problem is flooding was clear for all to see during the 2011
Result of the problem Tsunami in Japan, in which millions of people were
Example displaced.

A possible solution to this problem would be to

build flood barriers. Flood defences, such as dikes,
dams, and floodgates, could be built along coasts
and waterways, thereby stopping the water
Main Body Paragraph 2 reaching populated areas. The Netherlands is
(Solutions): one of the most populated areas in the world and
also one of the most vulnerable to flooding and
they have successfully employed various flood
State solution defence systems.
Explain how solution solves problem
Example
To conclude, stemming the rising tides caused by
increasing global temperatures is one of the foremost
challenges we face and it will ultimately lead to many of
Conclusion: the worlds’ cities being left underwater, but a possible
solution could be to utilise the flood prevention techniques
already used by countries like Holland. It is
Summary of main points predicted that more and more countries will be forced to
Prediction or Recommendation take such measures to avoid a watery catastrophe.

1. An increased of consumer goods production resulted to damage to natural

environment. Why is this the case? What are the solution to the problem? The increase of use
of production of consumable goods is causing damage to the nature. Why does that
happen? What is the solution to it?

2. The world of work is changing rapidly. Working conditions today are not the same as before
and people no longer rely on taking one job for life. Discuss the possible causes for these
changes and give your suggestions on how people should prepare for work in the future.
3. People are less fit and active nowadays than in the past, what are the reasons for this? what
measures can be taken to fix this?
4. It is believed that young people are interested in international pop singers and movie stars
more than history, and historians. Why? Give reasons, and examples. What should be done
to increase the knowledge of younger people about famous people in the history of their
country

Two-Part Questions

1. Some people use technology to take advice for their medical problems rather than seeing to
doctor. Why this is so? It is positive or negative development according to you

2. Some people think that it is a good idea for parents to teach children about money. Why is it
important to teach children about money? What is the best way for parents to teach children
about money? Give relevant examples or your own experience. Many parents think that it is
good to teach the children about value of money. Why do you think is it important to teach
them the value of money? What are the ways that can help children in learning about the
same?

3. The topic was emerging technology. Does it reduce or increase the gap between rich people
and poor people

Good or bad; Positive or Negative

1. In some countries senior people want to share their lives with retirement community rather
than living with their adult children.is it positive or negative trend?

2. Organised tours to remote areas of the world are increasingly becoming popular. Do you
think this has a positive/negative impact on the native people and environment and why.
Give examples.( I may not have reproduced the exact sentence).

3. Now-a-days culture is more or less same around the world when compared to previous. is
this a positive trend or negative trend.

4. Why more and more people are choosing skin surgeries these days. According to you are
these operations good or bad.
Vocabulary for Common Topics