In this lesson we compare three possible ways to structure a 4-paragraph essay. Let me know which way you prefer.

In this lesson we look at a more coherent plan for the “best time to be alive” question, and we start writing a paragraph for homework.

In this lesson we look at a more coherent plan for the “best time to be alive” question, and we start writing a paragraph for homework.

By improving the overall coherence or ‘harmony’ of our paragraphs, we can turn a good essay into an excellent piece of writing.

Let’s look at a possible essay skeleton for the ‘Best time to be alive’ question.

Let’s take a closer look at the “sentence pairs” in the essay about self-employment that I shared last week.

Writing “pairs” of sentences encourages you to develop coherent ideas, add detail, and use different cohesive devices (linking).

When you have a 13-sentence plan, it’s easy to write your essay. Just write a full sentence for each of the 13 points.

In this lesson I want to return to the idea that each sentence in your essay should do a particular job.

Most students learn simple linking words, like Furthermore or However. But did you know that there are other, more sophisticated ways to link your ideas?

Let’s compare 3 types of main body paragraph: the one-idea paragraph, the two-idea paragraph, and the three-idea paragraph.

Whenever I write a paragraph using ‘firstly, secondly, finally’, people ask me whether there are any good alternatives to these linking words.

I use the term ‘essay skeleton’ to refer to the main structural elements, or ‘bones’, of an essay. This lesson shows you an example.