International IUd for Health Professionals How to write an essay: a few tips http://www.medecine.ups-tlse.fr/anglais/index.php?pg=34 1. Adopt a top-down approach: first things first (always go from the more important to the less important), at all the different levels:  Structure of the essay: state your main idea right at the beginning  Structure of the paragraph : remember: 1 idea per paragraph, stated at the beginning, then explained & exemplified  Structure of the sentence: active if agent is the main piece of information (“who” “does” “what”), otherwise passive (when agent is less important than object). 2. Write in clearly identified paragraphs; leave a blank line between paragraphs 3. Use transition markers so that it is easy to follow your demonstration (e.g “first, then, last but not least”). Do not use “Indeed”, “Moreover”, “Nevertheless” etc… at the beginning of paragraphs or sentences. 4. Use short sentences as a rule 5. Use a few complex sentences to show the range of your skills (always start with the main clause)    6. Relative clauses Condition clauses (“if”, mind the tenses of the verbs) Tense clauses (« as soon as, when, once, before, until, after », mind the tense of the verb) Use structures that don’t exist in French so that your essay will read & sound English…but only after making sure you master them (look at the grammar recap)  Infinitives  Gerunds  Modals 7. Proof-read for (once for each individual item listed below):     Agreement (subject/verb) Tense formation Tense use Adjectives (no “s”, always before the noun: eg: les meilleures réponses possibles → the best possible answers) Please visit: http://www.askoxford.com/betterwriting/plainenglish/?view=uk Revised 2012 Félicie Pastore