A Problem-Solution Essay Unemployment Revised - July 2015 Prepared by: M. Agata Szczerbik for Injaz Summer School 2015

Example questions Topic and instruction words Traffic congestion in Abu Dhabi is increasing with every passing month. What are the possible solutions for this problem? Many people feel that movies, TV and advertisements do not depict our lives in a realistic way. What negative effects can this have on family life and what are the best ways people and society can deal with this problem? Unemployment is a serious social and economic issue for many countries today. What are some possible solutions to this problem?

Example questions Topic and instruction words Traffic congestion in Abu Dhabi is increasing with every passing month. What are the possible solutions for this problem? Many people feel that movies, TV and advertisements do not depict our lives in a realistic way. What negative effects can this have on family life and what are the best ways people and society can deal with this problem? Unemployment is a serious social and economic issue for many countries today. What are some possible solutions to this problem?

INTRODUCTION 1. Hook/General statement(paraphrase the topic) 2. Details/background (why is it a problem?) 3. Thesis statement In almost all countries of the world today unemployment is one of the biggest problems governments and people have to face.It is a problem for the people because without a salary it is very difficult to provide enough of the essential things for life for the family. For the government it affects the economy, because if people cannot buy then many businesses will fail. However, there are several solutions for this problem.

Introduction Hook (paraphrase the topic) In almost all countries of the world today unemployment is one of the biggest problems governments and people have to face. Details (why is it a problem?) It is a problem for the people because without a salary it is very difficult to provide enough of the essential things for life for the family. For the government it affects the economy, because if people cannot buy then many businesses will fail. Thesis However, there are several solutions for this problem.

BODY 1 Solution one – name a solution You can start with: The first and most important solution is... E.g. The first an d most important solution is for the goverment to support new businesses. 2. More details about the solution give examples Use: can,could,may, might, if....will/would E.g. If the government offered loans to people to set up their own businesses, this would provide employment for all the people employed in the business appears, tends to, seems to 3. Results of the solution Use: consequently/as a result/this would mean E.g. This would mean that the government would make money from the business in taxes created by the employment.

BODY 2 Solution two-name the solution Start with : Another solution is... A second possible solution is... e.g. A second possible solution to the problem of unemployment is to provide work schemes for people 2. More details about the solution give examples Use: can, could, may, might, should if....will/would e.g. Instead of unemployed people just claming unemployment benefits, these people should have to work for a company for this money. 3. Possible results of the solution Use : Consequently.../As a result/This would mean... e.g. This would mean that they would get trained for new jobs and be able to apply for new jobs with their new skills.

BODY 3/optional Solution three-name the solution You can start with: Finally, 2. More details about the solution Give examples Use:can, could, may, might, should, if....will/would 3. Results of the solution You can use: Consequently.../As a result.../This would mean

CONCLUSION 1. Restate the problem (paraphrase the thesis) In conclusion, to sum up, in summary E.g. In conclusion, though the problem of unemployment affects every country, there are solutions to this problem. 2. Summarise the solutions given in paragraphs E.g. He government should provide more training for unemployed people and students and support new businesses 3. Final thought – a suggestion, an opinion, or a prediction

WRITING YOUR ESSAY

4 STEPS TO WRITE AN ESSAY STEP1 Analyse the question (underline the key words) – 1 MIN STEP2 Plan your essay – 5 MIN STEP 3 Write the essay – 30 MIN STEP 4 Revise the essay – 4 MIN

4 STEPS? A P W R

WRITING USE LINKING WORDS

LINKING WORDS To add similar ideas – and, in addition, furthermore, moreover, as well as, besides To add contrasting ideas – but, however, in contrast, on the other hand, whereas, while

What is the linking word? The first solution is to have a healthy lifestyle. That means we should eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. _____________, cutting on fats and carbohydrates might help overweight people lose weight.

LINKING WORDS To explain your ideas - therefore, that’s why, this would mean To give results - as a result, consequently To give examples – such as, for example, for instance To summarise – to sum up, in summary, in conclusion

WRITING Compound and Complex Sentences Modal Verbs Conditionals

SENTENCES Use ‘which’ ‘that’ ‘because’ ‘so’ to make Simple – Diabetes is a common problem in the UAE. Complex (that, which, because) A lot of people agree that diabetes is a commomn problem in the UAE. and Compound (so) sentences Diabetes is a common problem in the UAE, so the government should take some steps to do something about it..

MODAL VERBS Use modal verbs to give solutions and explain details The government should introduce (shouldn’t) The parents can tell (can’t) The teacher must/have to explain (mustn’t, don’t have to) The students might/may/could use dictionaries (might not, may not, couldn’t)

CONDITIONALS Use conditionals - ‘if’sentences to give results of the solutions (second and first conditional) If the government ordered (past) to close down all fast food restaurants, there would be (would+infinitive) fewer overweight people in the country. If parents provide (present) mostly healthy meals for their children, the obesity among children will decrease(will+infinitive)

HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PARAGRAPHS WRITING HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PARAGRAPHS

DEVELOPING PARAGRAPHS Give enough explanation and examples PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE -topic sentence (introduction) - explain detail 1 (add example) - explain detail 2 (add example) -concluding sentence (as a result, that would mean, consequently, if...)

ACADEMIC WRITING REGISTER AND STYLE - determined by social occasion and audience. Your writing is academic so it should be formal. Think of clothes/shoes and the way you style your hair. What do you think about the pictures below? Formal or informal style?

IMPERSONAL STYLE 1. Try not to use personal pronouns, such as, I , we , you. E.g. instead of In this essay I will talk about some solutions to this problem, you can write: There are, however, several solutions to this problem. 2. The Passive voice can be used to create an impersonal style. e.g. The government is expected to .... 3. You can use phrases begining with it or there . e.g. It is possible that...

Avoid absolute statements No one can deny... Rememeber that opinions can always be denied. Use words that make it sound that something is possisbly true, not definitely true.

Avoid absolute statements Use : appears seems to tends to Modal verbs – can, should, may, might Adverbs – possibly, perhaps, apparently, probabaly

USE HIGHER REGISTER OF VOCABULARY DO NOT USE: Slang or every day words – you know, well, like Phrasal verbs e.g. instead of using look into, use investigate USE: Some VTL words you have learnt from your Integrated Course

PUNCTUATION DO NOT USE: Contracted forms Instead of using doesn’t, it’s, they’ve,use does not, it is, they have

REVISING YOUR ESSAY

PUNCTUATION a lot NOT alot whereas NOT where as full stops, commas, capital letters, is the word written together or separately? a lot NOT alot whereas NOT where as LINKING WORDS Correct? Different?

VOCABULARY CORRECT SPELLING ? DIFFERENT RANGE ? E.G. DON’T USE ‘BAD’ ‘GOOD’ – USE ‘HAS A NEGATIVE EFFECT’ ‘HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT’ DID YOU USE VTL WORDS ?

TO DEVELOP YOUR WRITING READ MORE IN ENGLISH WRITE MORE IN ENGLISH WRITE IN ENGLISH AND BRING YOUR WORK TO THE WRITING CENTRE

WRITE AN ESSAY Crime has become a serious problem in big cities all over the world. What are the best ways governments and society can deal with this problem?

FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL W R 5-10 min planning 30 min writing 5 min reviewing 250 words in 40 min