184 WRITING COACH An essay is a piece of factual writing in which you discuss an issue, inform the reader of your opinion or try to convince them of it. It is usually written as part of an exam or competition and is read by a teacher or a jury. The language should be neutral or formal, and the reader should not be addressed directly. This means avoiding phrases such as I am sure you have experienced and rhetorical questions like Have you ever experienced …? You should write in a factual style, focusing on your arguments, not your personal experiences or thoughts. For this reason, you should avoid using first-person pronouns (I, we) whenever possible. The title should also be factual and clearly state the topic. Essays in a nutshell: 1 Introduction: thesis statement The first paragraph introduces the topic. It ends with the thesis statement, which clearly states what you think about the issue at hand. 2 Body: explaining and proving the thesis statement The body consists of three paragraphs. Each paragraph focuses on one of the content points and begins with a sentence stating the main idea of the paragraph (the topic sentence). This main idea is then developed further in the following sentences, using relevant details such as evidence, examples or explanations to support it. 3 Conclusion: summary The conclusion summarises (paraphrases) your opinion, based on the arguments given in the main body. It should not introduce any new ideas. Sample task Your English class is discussing whether Austrians should be allowed to get their driving licence at 16. Your English teacher wants to know what you think about this and has asked you to write an essay. In your essay you should discuss: the impact of having a driving licence on teenagers’ mobility financial aspects of obtaining a driving licence at 16 possible safety concerns related to allowing 16-year-olds to drive Give your essay a title. Write around 400 words. Essay Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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