Write Essays like an Expert: A Step-by-Step Guide

Model Essay Sample Question Nowadays, food has become easier to prepare. Has this change improved the way people live? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. Model Answer Since the beginning of time there is something that we have always needed: Food. Food and its preparation are a natural part of life. Ease of preparation has made people’s lives better in some ways, but it has also reduced our quality of life in other ways. This essay will discuss the key reasons for my opinion in greater detail. Easier food preparation has created many conveniences for us in today’s world. One of the biggest ways it improves our lives is by saving time. In the past, they did not have the option of buying packaged or frozen food. As a result, people had to spend a lot more time in the kitchen preparing food every day. This was especially true for women. Today, we do not always have time to cook food. So, frozen food allows us to spend less time in the kitchen and focus more on other activities that are more productive. On the other hand, the advent of frozen food has reduced the quality of our lives in many ways. Packaged food may be easier to prepare and seem to save us time in our days. However, cooking fresh food is much healthier, even though it takes a little longer. In the long run, cooking fresh food has more benefits than eating ready-made meals. First of all, fresh food tastes better. Studies have shown that eating delicious food improves our mood. Secondly, fresh food is more nutritious. On the whole, if people only eat frozen food, they will not be healthy and will have to spend more money on medical fees. These points negate the benefits of easy preparation. All in all, our lives have not been improved by the fact that food has become easier to prepare. Sometimes, in life, convenience does not equal progress. [301 Words] Step-by-Step Model Answer and Analysis Notes and Planning No Quality of food is worse Bad for health Good things are worth waiting for Bad taste Romance of cooking is lost Yes Convenience Good for today’s lifestyle Time for other things Lack of time Gives women opportunity to work Introduction Make a general statement related to the question Since the beginning of time there is something that we have always needed: Food. Focus more on the question Food and its preparation are a natural part of life. Give your opinion Ease of preparation has made people’s lives better in some ways, but it has also reduced our quality of life in other ways. Add a linking sentence This essay will discuss the key reasons for my opinion in greater detail. Body Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence (this is a summary of your 1st opinion) Easier food preparation has created many conveniences for us in today’s world. Give an example or a reason to support your idea One of the biggest ways it improves our lives is by saving time. In the past, they did not have the option of buying packaged or frozen food. Explain the benefit or result of this example As a result, people had to spend a lot more time in the kitchen preparing food every day. This was especially true for women. Today, we do not always have time to cook food. Add a concluding sentence that refers back to your topic sentence So, frozen food allows us to spend less time in the kitchen and focus more on other activities that are more productive. Body Paragraph 2 Topic Sentence (this is a summary of your 2nd opinion) On the other hand, the advent of frozen food has reduced the quality of our lives in many ways. Give an example or a reason to support your idea Packaged food may be easier to prepare and seem to save us time in our days. However, cooking fresh food is much healthier, even though it takes a little longer. In the long run, cooking fresh food has more benefits than eating ready-made meals. Explain the benefit or result of this example First of all, fresh food tastes better. Studies have shown that eating delicious food improves our mood. Secondly, fresh food is more nutritious. On the whole, if people only eat frozen food, they will not be healthy and will have to spend more money on medical fees. Add a concluding sentence that refers back to your topic sentence These points negate the benefits of easy preparation. Conclusion Summarize your opinion about the topic All in all, our lives have not been improved by the fact that food has become easier to prepare. Sometimes, in life, convenience does not equal progress. I hope you enjoyed this free sample of my e-book, iExpert English. The Full Version of the book is available for only $4.99 as an iPhone/iPad app at: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/iexpert-english/id379599991?mt=8 Or get the PDF version for only $4.99. Just send me an e-mail at Farhad@FarhadDesai.com and put iExpert English in the subject line. The Full Version of iExpert English includes the following: Part 1 - Model Essays with Analysis and Explanation Model Essay #1 Page 3 Step-by-Step Model Answer and Analysis Page 4 Model Essay #2 Page 7 Step-by-Step Model Answer and Analysis Page 8 Model Essay #3 Page 12 Step-by-Step Model Answer and Analysis Page 13 Part 2 – The Secret Tools for Essay Success The Top 10 Common Mistakes Page 18 Using Articles Correctly Page 21 Using Determiners Correctly Page 22 Three Important Tenses Page 23 Linking Words Page 25 Idea Generation Page 26 Three Emergency Ideas Page 27 How to use the Three Emergency Ideas Page 28 Final Thoughts Page 34 This e-book will help you to write well for work/school assignments and reports, and even standardized tests such as TOEFL or IELTS. It will also help you learn how to focus your thoughts and express yourself in any language - even your own. Part 1 provides you with 3 model essays. In this section you will not only receive model essays to follow, but you will also get a detailed breakdown of each paragraph, plus important notes on grammar, vocabulary, and structure. Part 2 provides you with all the essential details you need to make your essay as well-written as possible. In this section you will receive valuable information from The Top 10 Mistakes most people make, to simple rules for articles and determiners, and even a section on Idea Generation. The information in iExpert English is the result of years of research and testing by Language Test Specialists around the world. Read it over carefully and practice these secrets as much as possible. Thank you and we wish you success in your writing. Sincerely, Farhad Desai The Full Version of iExpert English is available for only $4.99 as an iPhone/iPad app at: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/iexpert-english/id379599991?mt=8 Or get the PDF version for only $4.99. Just send me an e-mail at Farhad@FarhadDesai.com and put iExpert English in the subject line. Copyright © 2010 by Farhad Desai. You have been licensed one copy of this document for personal use only. Any other reproduction or redistribution is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved. Grammar Alert! The Present Perfect tense is commonly used in introductions to link ideas from the past to the present. Structure Alert! When a question asks you your opinion (without asking you to agree or disagree) it is often easier to take both sides and give your overall opinion at the end. Vocabulary Alert! Linking Words (like, on the other hand) connect ideas. Not including them in your essay could lead to a lower score. See page 26 for a comprehensive list of Linking Words.