essay

Writing an essay

Proficiency Cambridge Exam

https://engxam.com/handbook/how-to-write-an-essay-c2-proficient-cpe/#cpe-essay-structure

How to write a CPE essay?

You will be asked to write such an essay as a part of your final PNJA exam. The question always has a discursive focus. Discursive writing is a style used in academic writing and it requires the high level of language competence.

You are required to base your essay on input material which will take the form of two texts, each approximately 100 words long. The texts will be based on a variety of authentic, contemporary sources. You need to answer the question with between 240-280 words.

THE TOPIC

Read the two texts below. Write an essay summarising and evaluating the key points from both texts. Use your own words throughout as far as possible, and include your own ideas in your answers.

TWO TEXTS

Classroom assessment is idealistic. It’s all very well to talk about teachers judging their students work in the classroom, and students working alone at home on their projects, but everyone knows that continuous assessment doesn’t work like that. Teachers are only human, and tend to be softer on their students than an examiner would be (or, in a worse scenario, harder on a student they don’t like). Parents or older siblings help students with the projects they have to do at home, even if it’s just coming up with ideas for them. Exams may not be fun, but at least we get to see what each individual student is capable of.

Examinations are not fair. Making judgments about the ability of students based on examinations that take place just once or perhaps twice a year is simply not fair. So many students fail to show their true ability due to anxiety, stress and a number of other factors. Many students who do well in exams do so simply by cramming facts into their heads the week before the exam, to be forgotten by the following weekend. Surely assessment of the work done in class and at home throughout the school year would be a fairer system?

1. READ THE PROVIDED TEXTS AND IDENTIFY THE COMMON TOPIC.DECIDE IF THE TEXTS CONTAIN CONTRASTING OR COMPLEMENTARY VIEWS.

2. WRITE YOUR INTRODUCTORY SENTENCE (opening paragraph)

FIRST SENTENCE: IDENTIFY THE COMMON TOPIC OF BOTH TEXTSsample sentences Both texts support the idea that.../The texts consider the issue of.../ The two texts discuss....

The two texts express contrasting views on the hotly debated issue of school exams.

3. CONTINUE WITH YOUR OPENING PARAGRAPH COMMENTING BRIEFLY ON EACH TEXT...

The first text mentions/considers/advocates The second text....

4. WRITE DOWN TWO KEY POINTS FOR EACH TEXT AND MOVE ON TO THE MAIN BODY OF YOUR ESSAY

Classroom assessment is idealistic

Examinations are not fair

Extract 1. Key points: 1) Unfair to judge a year’s performance just once or twice a year. 2) This unfair system forces students to temporary parrot-fashion learning

Extract 2. Key points: 3) Continuous assessment depends too much on the teacher who may be either too lenient or too strict. 4) Parents and siblings may give an unfair advantage to some students over their classmates who don’t have help at home.

MAIN BODY - PARAGRAPH 1

Topic sentence + Point 1 + Point 2

MAIN BODY - PARAGRAPH 2

Topic sentence + Point 3 + Point 4

Write Paragraph 2 of the main body using the template provided: [Topic sentence] ................ [Paraphrase the third point] ...................... [Paraphrase the fourth point] ...........................

MAIN BODY - PARAGRAPH 3

Your opinion starting with a topic sentence

CONCLUSION - closing remark

No new ideas!!!

All in all, the examinations can contribute to an objective assessment of school performance as long as they are combined with elements of continuous assessment.