In this blog post, I’d like to propose (suggest) a strategy you can use in English writing tests.
This will be based on the requirements of the Japanese Eiken pre-1 test. That’s equivalent to (similar to) CEFR B2 or TOEIC 730+.
Requirements
- Write an essay on the given topic.
- Use two of the four points provided to support your answer.
- Structure: introduction, main body, conclusion
- Length: 120 ~ 150 words
Example Topic
TOPIC: Agree or disagree: Social media improves our understanding of different cultures.
POINTS
- Online learning
- False information
- Ease of communication
- Cultural exchange
Choosing Two Points
The first challenge is to choose which of the two points you want to write about. Let’s do a brainstorm. It will help us decide whether to answer the question with “agree” or “disagree”.
I recommend trying to think of two keywords for each point, which might be difficult, especially if you don’t have much time. Maybe your keywords look like this:
- Online learning: resources, work together
- False information: fake news, ???
- Ease of communication: speed, translations
- Cultural exchange: ???, ???
That’s fine! Now you know you should write about online learning and ease of communication. Because all the keywords are positive, we can answer the question with “I agree“.
Introduction
I agree that social media can help us understand different cultures. There are two reasons why I think so.
Notice how I changed the wording a little so it’s not copying the question exactly.
Let’s Talk About Scoring
Essays are given points based on: Content, Structure, Vocabulary and Grammar.
If you look at example answers in a textbook, they usually show you perfect answers. That can be quite intimidating (scary). I prefer to focus on writing an essay that isn’t perfect, but good enough.
Why? Well, if you force high-level vocabulary and grammar into your essay, you are more likely to make mistakes and lose points. Even if you don’t make mistakes, your word and grammar choices might not sound natural in the context of the essay.
So, let’s keep it simple and get a score that’s good enough to pass.
Main Body
We need to give two reasons, so we’ll do that in two separate paragraphs and use Statement, Reason, and Example to give each one some structure:
1. Online learning: resources, work together
Statement: Firstly, we can understand other cultures better through educational content and opportunities to collaborate (work together).
Reason: Online platforms offer videos and articles about different countries, as well as forums for discussions with people worldwide.
Example: For instance, someone could watch a Japanese tea ceremony tutorial on YouTube and then discuss the experience with viewers from Japan and other countries in the video comments.
2. Ease of communication: speed, translations
Statement: Secondly, social media helps us communicate across different cultures by allowing fast conversations and removing language barriers.
Reason: These platforms have instant messaging and comments, along with automatic translation to make interactions (communication) more accessible and meaningful.
Example: For example, a British student learning Spanish can instantly chat with a native speaker in Argentina using real-time translation on platforms like WhatsApp.
Conclusion
For these reasons, I think social media helps people learn about different cultures.
And that’s the whole essay! Below is the complete, final answer, which is exactly 150 words! 😄
The Final Answer
I agree that social media can help us understand different cultures. There are two reasons why I think so.
Firstly, we can understand other cultures better through educational content and opportunities to collaborate. Online platforms offer videos and articles about different countries, as well as forums for discussions with people worldwide. For instance, someone could watch a Japanese tea ceremony tutorial on YouTube and then discuss the experience with viewers from Japan and other countries in the video comments.
Secondly, social media helps us communicate across different cultures by allowing fast conversations and removing language barriers. These platforms have instant messaging and comments, along with automatic translation to make interactions more accessible and meaningful. For example, a British student learning Spanish can instantly chat with a native speaker in Argentina using real-time translation on platforms like WhatsApp.
For these reasons, I think social media helps people learn about different cultures.
Wrap-up
I hope this has been helpful. For me, the Statement – Reason – Example approach is my favorite way to structure an answer, whether written or in a speech. Keep it in mind and practise it when you can!
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All the best,
Nick
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