Vocabulary Building and Essay Writing

Writing Essays and Extended Responses

Analytical Words for Essay Writing

General Essay Writing Tips

PLAN YOUR RESPONSE

Planning a Response

Do not use words you can not define or understand
Do not use vague terms such as 'things', 'etc', 'and so on'.
Avoid using the thesaurus as a way to elevate your ideas- words are often used in the wrong context.
Use Formal Language, be direct and concise. Check out Formal Language rules HERE
AVOID NOMINALISATIONS!!!!!

Write a THESIS

A thesis is your main argument. It is your answer to the question asked. It is made up of a number of ideas/ reasons why you agree/ disagree with the essay question. Your whole essay should connect to these ideas, as you build up evidence to support your response.

When you write a thesis, it needs to:

Use clear, straight forward language that is precise and specific.
contain 2 or 3 main ideas that can be explored throughout your essay (these are the TE's of your paragraphs)
connect directly to the question- it is what follows after the question ie. "Great novels aim to teach us about ourselves and our world. This is true for the novel "xxxxxxx" because (INSERT THESIS HERE). "
Your thesis should include the main themes/ ideas/ concerns of the text you have studied and how they connect to the question you have been asked.
The points in your thesis will become your topic sentences later in the essay

Understanding the Question

AKA "What is it asking me?"

deconstructing a question

Ways to say 'important'

Eliminating 'Very'

Connectives: words to link ideas

Connectives: create cohesion through connectors!

in contrast alternatively furthermore moreover is analogous

in comparison similarly correspondingly conversely nevertheless

additionally indeed

Words to use when comparing

like also alternatively as well as

but compared to concurrently differs from

however in contrast to in other respects in spite of this

just as greater than nevertheless not only

on the one hand on the other hand rather

similarly specifically the way that whereas

even though similar in that in both cases on the contrary

in the same way

Words to use when contrasting

alternatively although by contrast conversely

even though however in contrast in fact

in no way similar or differs from even so

in other respects in spite of this greater than nevertheless

on the contrary on the one hand on the other hand opposing

rather unlike not only but also whereas while whilst yet

Words to use when sequencing ideas

after also and then as as a final point as well as as soon as

at the outset at the same time before every time first, second, third, etc

following initially in summary in the beginning lastly meanwhile

now that once on top of previously prior to subsequently up until now

finally formerly moreover