Spring came to Devon in England today! The good weather and longer days means that it is time for students at our university to look ahead and think that in a couple of months they will be taking their exams and often that means writing essays. For this reason I am going to spend a few weeks thinking about essay writing and what is it that makes a good essay.
Here’s an example of a short text with linking words used well:
“An essay comparing and contrasting University education in the USA and Australia
The Western style of education has gained popularity over the last decade. Many foreign students come to countries like Australia and the USA to study at university and improve their employment prospects. In this essay I will briefly compare and contrast these two countries in terms of their appeal to foreign students.
There are many similarities between the two countries. Firstly, they both have a very multicultural population so it is possible to enjoy food from your own country when homesickness arises. Also, as they are both large countries it is possible to find an institution in an area with a climate that suits you. Another similarity is that their tertiary institutions have a reputation of quality and excellence in academia.
On the other hand, there are some appreciable differences. The main one is that education in the USA is much more expensive than in Australia. However, many students think that it is worth paying the extra money as some American universities have a world-wide reputation. Furthermore, as the USA has a much larger population there are a wider range of institutions to choose from and naturally, a wider range of courses.
To sum up, America offers more choice and a more acknowledged reputation, but at a higher cost. Australia offers similar quality but is cheaper if you can find the course that you want.”
From: http://www.parapal-online.co.uk/resources/essays.html
Good, isn’t it? One of the reasons it is good is the linking words it uses: Firstly, Also, Another similarity is that, On the other hand, Furthermore…
You can improve your mastery of linking words consciously and subconsciously. You should do some exercises which focus on these words and you should read as much as you can in English to see how these words behave in their ‘natural habitat’!
Further reading and exercises: from RMIT University in Australia here.