Page 2: Commenting and Discussing Techniques

This page focuses on strategies for writing comments and discussions.

For comments:

• Express personal opinions with a clear structure
• Explain the text's message before stating your own arguments
• Use phrases like "The author claims/maintains..." to refer to the original position
• Arrange arguments in a logical order
• Conclude by summarizing your stance

For discussions:

• Examine the topic from different perspectives, weighing pros and cons
• Present and evaluate arguments for and against the issue
• Use transitional phrases like "On the one hand... On the other hand..." to structure your points

Highlight: Both comments and discussions should have a clear introduction, main body, and conclusion. The introduction should refer to the topic and state the issue, while the conclusion should summarize your final thoughts.

Example: A good way to introduce your opinion in a comment: "It is my belief that..." or "As far as I can see..."

Vocabulary: Refute - To prove that an argument or statement is false or incorrect.

Page 3: Comparison Writing Techniques

This page outlines the approach for writing comparative essays.

Key points for comparisons:

• Compare relevant aspects from the text with another source
• Highlight similarities and differences using evidence, facts, examples, and experiences
• Structure can follow either a point-by-point or subject-by-subject approach
• Conclude by summarizing why there are similarities and differences based on your comparison

Highlight: When writing a comparison, focus on points relevant to the task and make it clear whether similarities or differences are more significant.

Example: A point-by-point approach compares one aspect at a time across both subjects, while a subject-by-subject approach presents all aspects of the first subject before moving to the second.

Vocabulary: Point-by-point approach - A method of comparison that examines one aspect across all subjects before moving to the next aspect.

Page 4: Useful Phrases for Essay Writing

This page provides a comprehensive list of phrases to enhance essay writing.

Categories of useful phrases include:

• Expressing similarity (e.g., "Similarly", "In the same way", "Likewise")
• Expressing contrast (e.g., "In contrast to", "On the contrary", "However")
• Repeating information (e.g., "As I have said", "As has been noted")
• Connecting sentences (e.g., "Therefore", "Moreover", "Furthermore")
• Proving a point (e.g., "Because", "Obviously", "Accordingly")

Highlight: Using a variety of transitional phrases can significantly improve the flow and coherence of your essay.

Example: To express contrast, you could use phrases like "On the one hand... on the other hand" or "Although... nonetheless".

Vocabulary: Transitional phrases - Words or phrases that help connect ideas and improve the flow of writing.

Page 1: Essay Writing Fundamentals

This page covers the basics of writing summaries, outlines, and mediations.

For summaries and outlines:

• Focus only on information relevant to the task
• Avoid personal opinions, quotations, or unnecessary explanations
• Use your own words to convey the main ideas concisely

For mediations:

• Adapt the content for the target audience, not word-for-word translation
• Include only the most important or relevant information
• Consider the appropriate format (email, blog, letter, speech)

Highlight: When writing summaries or outlines, concentrate on the essential information related to the given task, rather than summarizing the entire text.

Example: A good introductory sentence for a summary might be: "The excerpt from [title] by [author] deals with the situation of [topic] and contains information about [main idea]."

Vocabulary: Mediation - The process of conveying information from one language to another, adapting it for a specific audience or purpose.