Quick guide for short discursive essays

Follow these simple instructions if you need to write a discursive essay of about 100 words.

Steps prior to your writing!

1st    Think about the topic in order to get new ideas. Two or three ideas are more than enough!
2nd    Make sure that your ideas are politically correct, innovative and not aggressive.
3rd    Now you have the ideas, think of an explanation for them.

Now you know what you are going to talk about, let's start writing!

Divide your text in three paragraphs (introduction, presentation of ideas and conclusion.)

1st paragraph: INTRODUCTION (about 20 words / 2 sentences)

1st sentence: Use a generalisation about the topic. (i.e. if the topic is about sport and teenagers, talk about why sport is so important 'Sport has always been important for society from Ancien Greece until nowadays')

2nd sentence: Tell the reader what you are going to talk about. (i.e. 'In this essay I am going to discuss different reasons why teenagers do not practice sport.')

2nd paragraph: PRESENTATION OF IDEAS (about 6 words / 6 sentences)

1st    Each idea should have two sentences. Make sure you number them (i.e. 'Firstly,' 'then...') Don't forget linking some of them with connectors (i.e. 'Moreover,' 'however...')

2nd    Start each idea with an exposition of itself (i.e. 'Firstly, students spend a lot of time at school.')

3rd    Now, develop it in a sentence or maximum two! If you are writing about three ideas, use one sentence to explain it. (i.e. 'When classes are finished we have to keep on studying at home.')

4th    Do the same with the rest of ideas.

3rd paragraph: CONCLUSION (about 20 words / 2 sentences)

1st    Summarise what you have talked about. Feel free to copy the second sentence in your introduction but don't forget to change the words and grammar. (i.e. 'In this essay we have seen some reasons why young people are not able to practice sport.)

2nd    Finish you conclusion with a piece of advice or a condition. (i.e. 'I think that we would feel better if we did any kind of activity.)

Now, the best way to learn is to practice!

Dani.