A6 - Essay Writing 4 - Language & Style

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 5,6

Essay Writing 4
Language and Writing Style

A6 - Periode II

Formal writing tends to include the following:

• Does not use contractions: Would use “cannot” instead of “can’t”
   
• Long and complex sentences: Sentences tend to be compound and contain commas to link two ideas or use transitions like “Furthermore” and “To exemplify,”

Formal writing tends to include the following:

• Objective: Does not offer personal opinions
  
• Doesn’t use colloquial language: You won’t see any slang or common everyday vocabulary
  
• Diverse vocabulary words: Vocabulary is of a higher level
  
• Use of words that are subject-specific: For example, if you are writing about biology, you’d use words like “epithelial cells” instead of “skin cells”
  
• Use of third person: Does not use first person pronouns like “I” or “me”
  

1. Linking Words

- Shows how your arguments / paragraphs are connected
- "Moreover, On the contrary, Nevertheless, Additionally"
- Check the list in your reader, also for other useful phrases

- Personal opinion: "In my view, To my mind, I believe that, ..."
- Concluding: "Finally, All in all, On the whole, In conclusion, ..."
- Etc. 

1. Linking Words

- Toevoegen:        Moreover, Furthermore, Additionally, Also, And
- Tegen gaan:       However, But, Yet, While, Despite, In contrast
- Benadrukken:   Especially, Particularly, Clearly, Importantly
- Ordenen:             First, Second, Finally, Previously, Before, 
- Gevolg geven:   Therefore, Thus, Hence, As a result, So 

- Voorbeeld:          For example, For instance, Such as, Like
- Vergelijken:        Similarly, Likewise, Just as, Equally, Same as

1. Linking Words

- Samenvatten:     In conclusion, In short, To summarise
- Reden geven:      Because of, In fact, In order to, Due to
- Toegeven:             Admittedly, Even though, Even if, Although
- Voorwaarde:        If, In case, Unless
- Generalisatie:      In general, Overall, Generally

Relative pronouns

Who = people
Which = animals & objects
Whose = bezit 

That = both

"This is the car which I bought in 2013."
"The boy, whose bike had been stolen, was late for school."

Relative pronouns

• Link to a word previously mentioned
  
• Links up two parts of the sentence

Martin played Tennis with Sophie, who was slightly injured.

relative pronoun

Noa sold her phone, which was old and damaged.

relative pronoun

Defining relative clauses

Defining relative clauses:  essential information

• In the middle or end of sentence
• No commas!

He is the doctor who helped my grandmother.

This is the airport where I lost my bag.

Non-defining relative clauses

Non-defining relative clauses:  additional information

• In the middle or end of sentence
• Starts and ends with comma
• No use of that
  

The Times, which is published in London, is a daily newspaper.

The Times is a daily newspaper.

Relative pronouns

You can leave out relative pronouns if:

• it is a 'defining relative clause'
• the pronoun does NOT relate to the subject
  
• there is a pronoun behind it

The flowers which he gave me were beautiful.

Persoonlijk: ik, jij, hij, etc.

Bezittelijk: mijn, zijn, onze, etc.

Wederkerend: me, je, zich, etc.

The flowers he gave me were beautiful.

11. Is that the man _____ car got stolen?

1. Who
2. Which
3. Whose

After eating lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, Tim went to the gym to exercise.

1. simple
2. compound
3. complex

1. He couldn't get the machine to work ______ having read the instructions.

1. however
2. despite
3. contrary to
4. nevertheless

2. _____ the computer had recently been repaired, it still kept crashing.

1. Whereas
2. Therefore
3. Although
4. Hence

3. _____ his best efforts, he did not win the election.

1. Due to
2. In spite of
3. Nevertheless
4. On behalf of

12. My neighbour's dog, ____ was over 15 years old, passed away last week.

1. Who
2. Which
3. Whose

13. My brother is the only one ____ can repair your computer.

1. who
2. which
3. whose

14. My history teacher, ____ lessons are always really good, is going to retire next year.

1. who
2. which
3. whose

15. Evan, ___ bike got stolen last week, got a brand new one from his grandparents.

1. who
2. which
3. whose

4. The company was doing badly and ______ it had to close down.

1. because of
2. consequently
3. since
4. due to

Don't:

- Don't use abbreviations (etc. = etcetera, vs. = versus)

- Don't use contractions (don't = do not, won't = will not, 
   I'm = I am, can't = cannot, it's = it is, we'd = we had / we would)

- Don't switch between tenses too often. Try to stick mostly to 
   either the present or the past tense.

Do:

- Do: add as many linking words as possibe
   (moreover, however, in addition, furthermore, firstly, secondly)

- Do: use linking words such as "However" and "Moreover" at 
   the beginning of your sentences, and "but" / "and" in the 
   middle of them. 

Common Grammar Mistakes

- Their (their house), They're (they are), There (there is no water)
- We're (we are), where (where were you?)
- Than (= vergelijkingen, bigger than), then (= toen/daarna)
- Witch (= heks), which (= welke), wich (= x)

- Noun vs. Verb: Effect (= een effect), affect (= beïnvloeden)
- Plural: child/children    "New York and London are (not is)"

Common Spelling Mistakes

- Capital letters: i > I , new york > New York   

- Verb instead of the noun: live = life , believe = belief  
- Missing letters: interpet = interpret , suprise = surprise 
- Added letters: aible = able , neccessary = necessary 

- Mixed up letters: maby = maybe , definetely = definitely 

When unsure, look it up! Especially if you have time left! 

Vocabulary

- Think about words with similar meanings, even for simple
    words: "he says" > claims, argues, believes, states

- Think of alternatives in Dutch and translate those to English
   (so use your dictionary):
   boos > woedend, kwaad, gefrustreerd, vol haat, ...
   angry > furious, pissed off, frustrated, resentful, ...

Most importantly...

- Reread your essay! 
- Check your grammar!

- Check your spelling!
- Add some linking words / nicer vocabulary!

I often see too many mistakes that you could have seen yourself, because people want to quickly hand it in and leave.