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

2. 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?

3. 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?

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

10. WRITING YOUR ESSAY

11. 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

12. 4 STEPS? A P W R

13. WRITING
USE LINKING WORDS

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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

17. WRITING
Compound and Complex Sentences
Modal Verbs
Conditionals

18. 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..

19. 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)

20. 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)

21. HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PARAGRAPHS
WRITING
HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PARAGRAPHS

22. 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...)

23. 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?

24. 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 You can use phrases begining with it or there . e.g. It is possible that...

25. 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.

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

27. 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

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

29. REVISING YOUR ESSAY

30. 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?

31. 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 ?

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

33. 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?

34. FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAILW R
5-10 min planning
30 min writing
5 min reviewing
250 words in 40 min