How can you write the perfect B2 essay without planning?
You can't! You can't? You can't! And how can you plan the perfect B2
essay if you don't know what the structure is?
You can't! You can't? You can't! My name is Toby, this
is SMASH English and here is everything you need
to know about the perfect structure for the
perfect plan for the perfect B2 First
essay!
I am going to show you an essay but the paragraphs will be in the wrong
order. Wow that's exciting! It is your job to take these paragraphs and put them in
the right order! You have 30 seconds to do
this so take your time and have fun!
Go!
Ok! Ok! Let's put the essay into the correct order. Wow! What a magnificent
piece of writing this is! Well done, Toby!
Did you get it right? I cannot see you or hear you but I will pretend that you
are here, you are beautiful and you got it correct!
So well done, you! You beautiful imaginary person!
But why do the parts of the essay need to be
in this order and why should you follow this pattern for every essay that
you write? I don't know! Are you going to tell me,
Toby? Yes! Yes I am! This here is our
introduction. What does it do? It introduces the topic! Seriously,
every student says that and it drives me crazy! It is more complicated than that!
The first sentence is a general statement about the topic.
So it does... introduce the topic... fine. The second
sentence presents the question that the essay question
is asking. We need the examiner to know that we know what
the topic is for the essay and what the question is for the essay.
Otherwise the examiner could think we have misunderstood!
So the introduction is very important especially in marks for CONTENT. If you
don't know what that means and you don't know about the Cambridge
Marking Scheme that the examiners use then watch my video on it! Because how
can you give the examiners what they want
if you don't know what they want? I can't! I can't! No you can't! So yes,
the introduction does introduce the topic
but it also says "Hey Mr. Examiner! I know the topic and I know the question!
Aren't I great?" And the examiner will say "Yes! Yes you
are!". So by reading this introduction can you understand what the question of
the essay is? I'll give you five seconds...
The question was this. Did you get it right?
Yes you did! You are beautiful, you are here with me now and you are telling me
"yes, Toby! I got it right because your introduction
was so brilliant!" Thank you... Now we have our three body paragraphs.
What do these do? They discuss the prompts. Yes! One paragraph
for each prompt. Remember one of the most common mistakes that students make when
writing their B2 First essay is not including all the prompts. In a B2
First essay you are given a question and two prompts to include. You must
include these prompts in your essay and you must include a third prompt "your own
idea". The examiner must be able to easily understand what these three
prompts are without looking at the question. So if
you dedicate one paragraph for each prompt it makes
it clear to the examiner that you need high
marks for CONTENT and ORGANISATION. So
do it! One paragraph for each prompt! Introduction, prompt, prompt, prompt! Yes?
Yes! Yes! But it gets more difficult... Are these three body paragraphs
random or are they organized in a logical
way? Can you see any way that they are connected?
I am a very logical man...
These two paragraphs agree that having a sibling has disadvantages
because these paragraphs express a similar idea,
they are linked together with a "not only...but
also..." inversion. This paragraph is in contrast to the
other two and suggests having siblings is better.
Because this paragraph is in contrast to the other two
it begins with a concessive clause. Do you have to do this? No... But you should
structure every FCE essay this way. This is because
it guarantees a clear organization to your
essay. It guarantees that all the prompts are
connected logically and related to the question.
Paragraphs two and three being in agreement
allows us to connect them with a "not only...but also..."
inversion which is an organizational pattern, an example of complex grammar,
and shows that you thought about where to position your prompts.
Paragraph four is in contrast to paragraphs two and three
so you can start it with a concessive clause. This is a cohesive device, a
linking expression, allows you to use more complex grammar,
and again shows planning to your essay. So
that's why it's a really good idea! So paragraph one:
introduction. Paragraph two: a prompt. Paragraph three: another prompt that
agrees with the point of paragraph two. Paragraph four: another prompt but
this prompt must disagree with the prompt discussed in paragraphs two and
three. So that leaves paragraph five which is:
our conclusion. So what does the conclusion do?
First it restates the point made that disagrees with your opinion.
That could be paragraphs two and three or it could be the point made in
paragraph four. Then it contrasts this with the points
made that do agree with your opinion. That could be
restating the points of paragraphs two and three or it could be restating the
point made in paragraph four depending on what your opinion is. And
then finally we give our own opinion.
This ensures that our conclusion is clearly linked
to our essay. Often students will say "I think that blah blah
blah blah blah" and it does not reference anything you
have said before. "Having a sibling is a terrible thing
because I fight with my brothers all the time. In conclusion I think it is best to
have a sibling..." makes no sense and students do it a lot
so make sure you put your conclusion at the
end (firstly), restate the points made in a logical way
and then make sure your opinion is connected to what you said before.
And that's the conclusion. So, to sum up: how should you construct your essay?
Introduction, prompt, prompt, prompt, conclusion. But as
we have seen it is more complicated than that. Now you
know the structure, you can start planning your essay! And
that's a video for another time... And with that we
are finished! Now you know how to structure
every single B2 First essay that you will ever
write! Doesn't that feel good? I feel great!
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Thank you! BYE!
you