Writing Effective Biographies, Opinion Essays, News, and Descriptions
Biography
A biography tells the story of another person’s life. It gives important information about the person’s childhood and career.
Structure
- Paragraph 1: Introduction and early life
- Paragraph 2: Main events
- Paragraph 3: Conclusion
Content
- Use narrative tenses to talk about past events.
- Use time expressions.
- Use relative clauses.
- Use adjectives to describe the person.
Useful Language
- Positive adjectives: Ambitious, brilliant, brave, creative.
- Negative adjectives: Aggressive, arrogant, egotistical, vain.
- Useful verbs: Become, break, die.
- Useful phrases: Was born in, spent his…
Opinion Essay
In an opinion essay, you give your opinions about a subject. You only need to write from one point of view.
Structure
- Paragraph 1: Explain the background to the situation and state your opinion.
- Paragraph 2: Give your main opinion.
- Paragraph 3: Give another opinion.
- Paragraph 4: Summarize your opinion and give a conclusion.
Content
Give your own opinion of the topic, use linkers of clause, example.
Useful Language
- Giving opinions: Personally, I think, I strongly feel…
- Sequencing ideas: Firstly, last of all…
- Adding arguments: Also, as well, besides.
- Giving evidence: According to, it is clear that…
- Making recommendations: It would be a good…
- Linkers of cause: As, due to, as a result of.
- Linkers of result: As a result, so.
- Linkers of contrast: Although, however.
- Summing up: To sum up, all in all…
Newspaper Report
A newspaper report describes an event or incident, giving relevant information about when and where it happened and who was involved.
Content
Passive forms, appropriate reporting verbs, contractions.
Useful Language
- Passive forms: Past simple, past continuous, past perfect, present perfect, will.
- Reporting verbs: Say, tell, comment.
- Verbs + prepositions.
- Giving additional information: Also, too, as well.
- Giving unconfirmed information: Is reported to have.
Description of a Person
In a description of a person, we tell the reader about a person’s appearance and personality.
Structure
- Paragraph 1: Introduce the person and describe their appearance.
- Paragraph 2: Describe the person’s personality.
- Paragraph 3: Give your opinion of the person with reasons.
Content
Use present tense, examples, variety of adjectives.
Useful Language
- Age
- Appearance
- Clothes
- Personality
- Similes and idioms
- Modifiers
- Adverbs of frequency (always, usually)
Description of a Place
In a description of a place, we can describe the appearance of the place, its atmosphere, things that happen there, and why we like or dislike it.
Structure
- Paragraph 1: Explain where the place is and summarize the reason for choosing it.
- Paragraph 2: Give more information about the place, both in general and in detail.
- Paragraph 3: Say why you / other people like/dislike it.
Useful Language
- Location: Only ten minutes from where I live.
- Comparatives and superlatives: The best/most popular.
- Giving reasons: What I like about…
- Adjectives: Huge, tiny, modern.
- Nouns: Architecture, design.
- Recommending: This is a building every tourist should see.