ESL Essay : Leisure Time

Everyone has different ways of spending his or her free time. Write about one or more ways
that you like to spend your leisure time. Do you exercise, read, play sports, shop, sleep, or
study? How often do you do this? Is this an activity that you do alone or with a group? How
does the activity help you relax, clear your mind, or feel better?

(This ESL Essay incidentally, was written by a friend of mine, who is an elementary school
teacher from Penghu Island Taiwan)

Everyone has different ways of spending his or her free time. As for me, I usually do reading
when I have free time. Most of the time, I read alone. I think because of through reading, I can
find out how beautiful this discover the beauty of the world. is.

When I was young, my parents were always busy working.; Therefore, they bought me a lot
of books to keep me company accompany me. Through reading, I have made friends with the
Three Little Pigs, Snow White, Red Riding Hood, and so on. Since then, reading is has become
an important part of my life. Books, magazines, or newspaper are very handy to carry around
with. The smallness of sizes and the lightweights of reading materials made it very convenient
for me to put them into my handbag. so various that I can pick up any size of them with me at
anytime. Besides, Moreover, I can read whenever and wherever I choose to. at anytime, Even
just a shred during an interval of time, like waiting for a bus or at break time at in school or at
work.; Some people even use time to read while they are in the toilets. In short, I can enjoy
reading no matter when or where.

In addition to the convenience, reading also enriches my life, brings gives me a lot of fun,
and releases me from the my pressures of modern living. I live in Taiwan and I'm an
elementary school teacher. While reading books on of travel, like ※Lonely Planet§ for
example, I would got to know what about other countries are like and what their cultures and
customs too. ; also, I can also get to would know about other peoples' stories through reading
their biographies. Besides, while reading, When I am immersed in a novel for example, I share
can experience the same feelings, such as excitement, sadness and happiness, with the
characters in the books. I went to the Hogwarts with Harry Potter, fell in love with Romeo and
Juliet, and decoded secret ancient codes with The Da Vinci Code; all of which brought me
enormous pleasure. such a good time. With Through reading, I can forget all about this
material set aside all the cares of this material world and just dive into the world books
provide. Reading relieves me from the burdens of the life, and serves as an outlet for my
frustrations.

I usually do reading alone when I have free time. Reading alone doesn't make me antisocial.
mean that I don't like to read with others., It is just because most of time, I'm I happen to be
alone when I have free time. In short, doing reading when I'm free can broaden my horizons,
mind make me happy, and help me relax.

After Correction

Everyone has different ways of spending his or her free time. As for me, I usually do reading
when I have free time. Most of the time, I read alone. I think through reading, I can discover
the beauty of the world.

When I was young, my parents were always busy working. Therefore, they bought me a lot
of books to keep me company. Through reading, I have made friends with the Three Little Pigs,
Snow White, Red Riding Hood, and so on. Since then, reading has become an important part of
my life. Books, magazines or newspaper are very handy to carry around with. The smallness of
size and the lightweight of reading materials made it very convenient for me to put them into
my handbag. Moreover, I can read whenever and wherever I choose to. Even during an
interval of time, like waiting for a bus or at break time in school or at work. Some people even
read while they are in the toilets. In short, I can enjoy reading no matter when or where.

In addition to the convenience, reading also enriches my life, gives me a lot of fun, and
releases me from the pressures of modern living. I live in Taiwan and I'm an elementary school
teacher. While reading books on travel, like ※Lonely Planet§ for example, I got to know about
other countries and their cultures and customs too. I can also get to know about other
peoples' stories through their biographies. When I am immersed in a novel for example, I can
experience the same feelings, such as excitement, sadness and happiness, with the characters
in the books. I went to the Hogwarts with Harry Potter, fell in love with Romeo and Juliet, and
decoded secret ancient codes with The Da Vinci Code; all of which brought me enormous
pleasure. Through reading, I can set aside all the cares of this material world and just dive into
the world books provide. Reading relieves me from the burdens of life, and serves as an outlet
for my frustrations.

I usually do reading alone when I have free time. Reading alone doesn't make me anti-
social. It is just because most of time, I happen to be alone when I have free time. In short,
doing reading when I'm free can broaden my horizons, make me happy, and help me relax.

Corrected and explained

Everyone has different ways of spending his or her free time. As for me, I usually do reading
when I have free time. Most of the time,(※the§ is necessary here) I read alone. I think
because of (You are not wrong, but I just thought ※through§ is a better word) through
reading, I can find out how beautiful this (※discover§ is a much more emotional word than ※
find out§. ※Beauty of the world§ sounds better) discover the beauty of the world. is.

When I was young, my parents were always (emphasize ※always§ to give it a stronger feel)
busy working.; Therefore, they bought me a lot of (※a lot of§ gives tells the reader more than
just buying ※books§) books to keep me company (You are not wrong, but try ※keeping me
company§ as a variation) accompany me. Through reading, I have (※have made§, ※have
eaten§, ※have taken§) made friends with the Three Little Pigs, Snow White, Red Riding (Don't
forget the ※Riding§) Hood, and so on. Since then, reading is has become (※Has become§
stresses the fact that it was never before) an important part of my life. Books, magazines, (No
※,§ when you have the ※or§) or newspaper are very handy to carry around with. (emphasize
that you want to ※carry them around§) The smallness of sizes and the lightweights (※sizes
and weights§ is not wrong, but sounds like an expression used in your science books) of
reading materials made it very convenient for me to put them into my handbag. (Make your
description more graphic, like ※putting in your handbag§ so the reader will try to picture or
imagine what you are doing) so various that I can pick up any size of them with me at anytime.
Besides, Moreover, (meaning besides) I can read whenever and wherever (meaning anytime
and anywhere) I choose to. at anytime, Even just a shred during an interval (Not ※shred of
time§ but ※interval of time§) of time, like waiting for a bus or at break time at in school or
at work.; Some people even use time to read while they are in the toilets. In short, I can enjoy
reading no matter when or where.

In addition to the convenience, reading also (※also§ because it is an additional point you
are making) enriches my life, brings gives (※bring§ is not wrong.) me a lot of fun, and releases
me from the my pressures of modern living.(Pressure from what? Why not tell the reader it is
from modern living) I live in Taiwan and I'm an elementary school teacher. While reading
books on of travel, like ※Lonely Planet§ for example (※Lonely Planet§ is a popular book
about travel), I would got to know what about other countries are like and what their cultures
and customs too. ; also, I can also get to (※get to know§ as in trying or attempting to find out
about something) would know about other peoples' stories through reading their biographies.
Besides, while reading, When I am immersed (※immersed§ as in very indulged or very
focused in doing something) in a novel (Novel, why not tell what you are reading) for example,
I share can experience (※share's is alright, but experience is a feeling of been into something
physically. A more powerful way to describe your feelings) the same feelings, such as
excitement, sadness and happiness, with the characters in the books. I went to the Hogwarts
with Harry Potter, fell in love with Romeo and Juliet, and decoded secret ancient codes with
The Da Vinci Code; all of which brought me enormous pleasure.(※enormous§ means ※big or
huge§) such a good time. With Through reading, I can forget all about this material set aside all
the cares of this material (or all the woes of this world. Meaning the worries or concerns)
world and just dive into the world books provide. Reading relieves me from the burdens of the
life, and serves as an outlet for my frustrations.(An ※outlet§ is a ※channel§ and in this
context, it means to vent your anger, or frustrations)

I usually do reading alone when I have free time. Reading alone doesn't make me
antisocial.(※Antisocial§ means not wanting to be around people or doing things that others
disapprove of, socially) mean that I don't like to read with others., It is just because most of
time, I'm I happen to be (※Happen to be§ means ※by chance§ like ※I happened to see him
at the department store) alone when I have free time. In short, doing reading when I'm free
can broaden my horizons, (Your ※horizons§ are the things you know, or your knowledge base,
so to speak) mind make me happy, and help me relax.

What is an ESL Essay?

An academic ESL Essay is a document or text written in order to:

1. Analyze a topic closely

2. Develop a point of view in relation to that topic through research and thought

3. Persuade your reader that the point of view you have developed is well supported by the
ideas and

information you present

ESL Essays have three main parts or stages:

The initial statement of the point of view that you have developed in response to the topic

(sometimes called the thesis statement). This part of the ESL Essay is the introduction.

The argument or arguments which are presented to support this point of view. This part is the
body of the ESL Essay.

The summary of the arguments and the restatement of the overall point of view that has been

developed. This part of the ESL Essay is the conclusion.

Writing the ESL Essay

When preparing an ESL Essay you undertake a number of different activities:

1. Choosing a question

2. Analyzing the question

3. Making an initial plan

4. Locating resources

5. Reading and noting

6. Writing the first draft

You may find that you move backwards and forwards among these activities. For example,
when you are writing your first draft you may constantly refer back to your analysis of the
question to make sure you are answering the question. Sometimes as you read you discover
ideas that you hadn＊t thought of or come across previously, and so you may need to locate
further resources.

Choosing a question

If you have a choice of ESL Essay questions you might consider the following factors when
deciding which ESL Essay to do:

1. Which topics interest you most?

2. Which topics have good resource materials available?

3. Which topics are most relevant to you personally or professionally?

4. Which topics might be easiest for you to write about?

Analyzing the question

Analyzing the question enables you to keep your ESL Essay on the topic by identifying the
important parts of the ESL Essay question. There are three main parts to an ESL Essay question
which you need to identify:

Task or directive words such as ＆analyze＊, ＆discuss＊, ＆compare＊. A list of commonly

Information words. This part of the question describes what content you will focus on in the
ESL Essay
Limits words. There are two kinds of limits in ESL Essay questions. There are limits to the
information part of the question confining it, for example, to a particular place, time or group.
There are also limits set on the length and time for the ESL Essay and sometimes limits on the
resources you are to use.

Commonly Used Task Words

Task word Meaning

analyse examine closely; examine something in terms of its parts and how they are related to
each other

argue present a case for and/or against ＃

assess decide the value of ＃

compare discuss two or more things in terms of their similarities and differences

contrast discuss two or more things, emphasizing their differences

criticise give a judgment about the value of ＃ and support that judgment with evidence

define make clear what is meant by ＃; use a definition or definitions to explore the concept of
＃

describe present a detailed account of ＃

discuss consider and offer some interpretation or evaluation of ＃; present and give a
judgment on the value of arguments for and against ＃

enumerate give an item by item account

evaluate attempt to form a judgment about ＃

examine inspect ＃ in detail and investigate the implications

explain make clear the details of ＃; show the reason for, or underlying cause of, or the means
by which ＃ occurs

illustrate offer an example or examples to show how or that, or make concrete the concept of
＃

interpret make clear the meaning of ＃ and its implications

justify give reasons why certain decisions should be made, or certain conclusions reached
outline go through and identify briefly the main features of ＃

prove show by logical argument

review report the chief facts about ＃;offer a criticism of ＃

summarise describe ＃ concisely

trace identify and describe the development or history of ＃ from some point, or from its
origin

Adapted from:

Marshall, L. & Rowland, F. 1993 2nd Ed. A guide to learning independently. Longman Cheshire,
Milton, Qld.

Peters, P. (1985). Strategies for student writers. Wiley & Sons, Melbourne.

Overall an ESL Essay

?? explains your position about a particular topic

?? may be explaining or defending your position

?? may be reflective and draw upon personal experience

?? set up with a stated thesis at the beginning and supporting paragraphs

Common Types of ESL Essays

?? descriptive

- provides details of how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, etc.

- or what something is

- or how something happened

- Ex: what happened over your summer vacation

?? definition

- tries to define a specific term

- usually a word or concept that is not concrete

- Ex. what is friendship

?? compare/contrast

- looks at how two things are the same (compare)

- or different (contrast)

- or both

- lots of details and facts

- Ex. school when your were a child and school now

?? cause/effect

- why something happened (cause)

- or what happened because it did happen (effect)

- Ex. why tsunamis occur

?? process

- steps in how to do something

- needs to follow a very logical order

- Ex. how to distill salt from salt water

?? argumentative (persuasive)

- tries to persuade the reader to the writer＊s point of view

- Ex. mandatory recycling

?? critical

- strengths and weaknesses of someone else＊s work

- Ex. the use of color in Monet＊s paintings

a. critical b. argumentative c. process d. cause/effect e. compare/contrast f. definition g.

1. _____ public transportation is better for the environment than driving

2. _____ what happened to a town after a volcano erupted

3. _____ what honesty means

4. _____ what a skier has to do to become a champion skier

5. _____ two ways of celebrating birthdays

6. _____ how to be successful at math

7. _____ every college should offer free basic courses to the public

8. _____ similes in the work of poet Langston Hughes

How to Write a Good ESL Essay

So much goes into writing a good paper. You need to know a lot, and that means read a lot;
you must sort through plenty of evidence, decide what you make of it, decide what material
will help you make your case, and how to organize it. You must decide on your purpose, which
means you must decide what you＊re trying to say, why it is worth saying, and whom you＊re
speaking to. And once you＊ve got the basic shape, you must make decisions about how to
introduce your paper, conclude it, polish the sentences, integrate quotes, and so on.

You can＊t do that in one draft. Forget it. 每 But how, then, do you break down the task? It
helps to write an intermediate draft: one in which you lay out the goals of the paper, your
thesis (or at least, the question you are trying to answer), the audience you imagine yourself
addressing, and above all, the evidence you＊ve come up with. We will call this the ※research
draft.§
It＊s all tentative! Please note: the research draft doesn＊t set your paper in stone. Your
thesis may well change, and you may have to do more research, or leave out some of the
material you planned to include. However, the research draft helps you make these decisions.

Content and Format

Your research draft should present the following:

Thesis and outline. Write the point you plan to make as a single, declarative sentence. Then, in
a

series of single, declarative sentences, lay out your main supporting points. You can do this in

classic outline format, or simply as a list of sentences.

Evidence. Lay out the evidence you plan to use in your paper. This should be organized in a
bulleted list, or in paragraphs. Distinguish between facts (actual information) and opinions
(people＊s views on it) and identify the name of the source (writer or publication).

Audience and purpose. In a few single, declarative sentences, clarify who you are talking to.
This

is not the same as asking who will read your paper. I will read your paper, and your classmates;

but you are not really writing to us. You are writing to a figure of your imagination, and the
more clearly you can envisage this person, the more easily you can clarify your purpose. Are
you trying to persuade someone of your thesis? Are you explaining a complex issue to an
outsider?

Problems. Here, explore some of the difficulties you might have. (As you work through the
composition modules on using introductions, integrating quotes and so on, you can consider
those decisions here.) Do you think you might struggle with organization? Are you still not sure
of your thesis? Do you need more information? Clarify here.

Sources. List your sources, giving full names of writer and publication, date of publication,
editor, or any other evidence that you will need to include.
What is in Each Part of an ESL Essay?

What are the main parts of an ESL Essay? Introduction, body, conclusion.

Why is an ESL Essay divided into these parts?

This Arrangement makes the reader＊s job easier. The information is presented in an order
that is clear and logical.

What are the parts of an introduction?

(1) General topic,

(2) narrowing the focus,

(3) thesis

Why does an introduction have these parts?

Organized in this way, an introduction gives background to the topic and then focuses
more and more on the specific topic. This enables the reader to understand the thesis more
easily and completely. The reader can then read the body of the ESL Essay while making
predictions about the kinds of information that will be given in the body.

What kinds of information can be put into each part?

The general topic contains background information, locating the topic of the ESL Essay in a
broader context. The next part narrows the focus by providing more specific information that
the reader may need in order to understand the thesis. The thesis then appears, giving the
main argument of the ESL Essay that follows.

What are the main parts of a body paragraph? (1) Topic sentence and (2) support.

Why does a body paragraph have these parts?

Beginning with a topic sentence gives the reader a clear idea of what kind of information is to
follow. The support gives detailed information relating to the topic sentence.

What kinds of information can be put into

the parts of a body paragraph? ESL Essays are open to all kinds of academic information and
topics.

What are the parts of a conclusion?

(1) Commitment to the thesis,

(2) followed by expansion.

What kinds of information can be put into

the parts of a conclusion? If the writer feels that he/she has proved the thesis, the thesis can
simply be restated here, usually in a different way. In the expansion, the writer links the thesis
with more general related ideas that are not contained in the thesis. One common expansion
is to make predictions about the future. Another is to generalize to a larger domain.

What are some common patterns of information in ESL Essays? Many longer ESL Essays (and
letters to the editor, business documents, case studies, etc.) use the pattern: situation,
problem, solution, evaluation. Other common patterns also occur.

What kinds of restrictions on vocabulary might occur in an ESL Essay? How might these
restrictions vary from one part of an ESL Essay

to another?

Vocabulary is topic related and academic (fairly formal). The main variation in language use
in an ESL Essay is between general and specific, depending on what part of the ESL Essay
contains it.
 The general topic at the beginning of the introduction is very general. So is expansion at the
end of the conclusion. The support in the body paragraphs uses different degrees of specific
information, however.