BODY OF ESSAY PRACTICE

CHOOSING EFFECTIVE GENERAL STATEMENTS: Complete the following activities which

will help your understanding of general statements, reasons and examples.

1. Which of the following is the most effective general statement?
It is generally agreed that good health is our most important asset.
Good health is our most important asset.

2. Which of the following is the more effective general statement?

Pets help ease stress and make people more relaxed
Pets are believed to help ease stress and make people more relaxed.

3. Which of the following is the more effective general statement?

Generally speaking, young people in my country do not have part-time jobs.
Young people in my country do not have part-time jobs.
MATCHING GENERAL STATEMENTS TO REASON/EXAMPLES
Look at the statements below and then match the appropriate reason or
example so that it matches the statement.
Statement

Reason / Example

1. Health is our most precious asset

because of growing industrialisation in developing

countries.

2. As the old saying goes, money cannot

buy happiness.

such as food, clothing, and housing.

because they think that these things will

3. On the other hand, it is true that some
money is essential for basic needs
bring them happiness.
4. People spend money on new
possessions
5. It seems that even clean air is
becoming increasingly rare

as without it, you cannot enjoy your wealth.

For example, statistics show that some of the

happiest people in the world are also the poorest.

MATCHING GENERAL STATEMENTS TO REASON/EXAMPLES

Match each of the following sentences into the appropriate box.

Statement

For example, when my parents were choosing a school for me, they
decided it was better to send me to a private school which had a school
uniform rather than a public school which did not.

Reason

It is generally believed that school uniforms should be compulsory

in high schools.

Example

This is because parents and teachers think that uniforms enhance school
discipline.

COMPLEX SENTENCES PRACTICE

BUILDING COMPLEX SENTENCES
Finish the sentences by matching the linking words in the middle column and the sentence
endings on the right to form a grammatically correct and logical sentence.

in spite .... they generate cheap electricity.

Solar energy is efficient ..

of

as well

Large windmills may be ugly ....

as

means of transport.
whereas

Hydrogen engines are cheap ....

.... private cars are a convenient

.... solar energy research is

under-funded.

Public transport can be irregular and

inconvenient ....

but / yet /
although
yet /

Fossil fuels remain extremely

popular ....

.... clean.

but / although

BUILDING COMPLEX SENTENCES 2

.... the pollution they cause.

because of

Nuclear energy is often

from petroleum.

unpopular ....
Wind power is a promising

.... this is another product made

although / yet / but .... more energy sources are required.

alternative energy source ....

since /

Generally speaking, people

have become more energy-

because
because /

Recycling plastic is a good idea

....
Cities and populations are

since

as a result

.... more research is necessary to

convince the general public.
.... the damage to the
environment which has already been
.... it is considered unsafe.

increasing steadily and, ....

Look at the pairs of sentences and join them together to make one complex
sentence using relative pronouns and type your answer in the relevant box.
Sentence 1. The average adult can weigh up to 5000 kilograms. The average adult has
a lifespan of 60 to 70 years.
Sentence 2. Females reach sexual maturity between 9 and 12 years of age. Females
can produce young until around 50 years of age.
Sentence 3. Asian elephants live in many different habitats. The habitats include open
grasslands, marshes, and forests.
Sentence 4. Asian elephants are threatened by a loss of habitat. The loss of habitat is
caused by warfare, agriculture, human settlement and logging.

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
Read the following writing task:

Now answer the questions

below.

CONDITIONAL
SENTENCES
Fill in the gaps in the
conditional sentences with the
appropriate form of the verb
given in brackets.
1. If governments around the
world do not pass laws to reduce pollution levels, temperatures ....... (continue) to
increase.
2. If temperatures continue to increase, there ....... (be) serious consequences for the
world's climate.
3. The fight against global warming would have started earlier if all of the world's
governments ....... (sign) the Protocol on Climate Change.