Phrases for writing an essay. Useful expressions for essays in the Unified State Exam in English

Without much embellishment, we can say that in the Unified State Examination in English, the essay is the most difficult task. How can you correctly express your thought, give it logical arguments, support them with examples and explanations, and at the same time format the text correctly and without errors, and also not go beyond the limit on the number of words? In this article we will try to analyze the structure of the essay and give tips on improving the quality of your essay.

Let's start from the end. The essay you write will be assessed according to the following criteria:

The maximum number of points you can receive for an essay is 14 points.

Before thinking about how to properly fulfill each criterion, first let's make our English essay testable. The most important thing here is volume.

Formally, your English essay should be within 200-250 words. This should not be taken literally and panic if you have written 198 words. However, keep in mind that the essay will not be checked if the number of words in it is less than 180. If you get more than 275 words, then the examiner will count 250 words from the beginning of the essay, mark out the rest and check everything down to the line. That is, in the first scenario you lose the entire essay; with the second, you will most likely lose the conclusion, which is also important.

First of all, your English essay must cover ALL the aspects outlined in the assignment, and must also be written in an appropriate (neutral) style. It should be logically divided into paragraphs and correspond to the plan proposed in the assignment.

In order not to get confused in the process of writing your essay, you need to spend 5-7 minutes thinking about the plan and preparing all the arguments. Traditionally, we will divide the essay into five paragraphs.

Paragraph 1. Introduction

There should be a problem statement here. Since the statement of the problem is already stated in the assignment, your task is to correctly retell it. It is RETELL, not paraphrase.

Advice: Do not re-read the task 10 times until the wording is hammered into your head. Then writing the introduction in your own words will be very, very difficult. Read the situation given in the task once or twice, make sure that you understand it correctly. Close the finished situation and try to retell it in English exactly as you understood it, as if you were telling a friend about it who did not understand what was being said. ATTENTION: after you have done this, be sure to open the situation and make sure that your retelling essentially coincides with the situation given to you. Now you can move on.

Instead of banal “ Some people think, ... Others think, ..." can be used:

Some people claim that ..., while others argue that ...

After you have described the essence of the problem, you can ask the question directly, which you will answer in your essay. For example: “What is better: ... or ...?”, “What should we do: ... or ...?” etc. In 2018, a clarification was issued that classified rhetorical questions as stylistic errors. That's why we don't use them.

The last sentence of the introductory paragraph should state the purpose of your essay. This can be done, for example, like this:

In this essay I will try to look upon this issue.
In this essay I will try to express my opinion on this issue.
In this essay I would like to express my point of view on this issue.
In this essay I will try to answer this question. (This is the simplest option, if it is difficult for you to remember the previous two, remember it)

Paragraph 2. Your opinion

It is most logical to start this paragraph by expressing your position on this issue. Useful phrases (be sure to follow this punctuation!):

In my opinion...
From my point of view, ...
To my mind...
Personally, I think that...
I am certain that... (Please note! We do not abbreviate: we write I am...)
As far as I am concerned, ...

Next, you need to give 2-3 arguments confirming your point of view. There can be any arguments, as long as you interpret them correctly. That is, such that it would be difficult to argue with them (within reasonable limits, of course).

Advice: It is better to give 2 arguments and justify them in detail and give examples to support them, than 3 short and not fully developed ones. Remember that the essay has a word limit.

Here we must not forget about the means of logical connection of sentences. The first argument is good to start with:

Firstly...
To start with, ...
To begin with, ...
First of all...

After you have formulated the first argument, you need to confirm it and/or give an example to support it. Here are the simplest models of how to do this:

<аргумент>,because...
<аргумент>. That's why...
<аргумент>. For example, ...

If you started with the word “Firstly,...”, then the second argument should begin with the word Secondly...

If the first argument came with the phrases “To start with, ...”, “To begin with, ...”, then the second one can begin with the following words:

Moreover...
Furthermore,...
Besides...
In addition...

The second argument must also be supported by an example or proof.

Paragraph 3. Opposite opinion

You will begin the paragraph by stating an opposing opinion on the proposed topic or issue. You can do it like this:

Others believe that...
Some people argue that...
However, some people think that...

This is followed by 1-2 arguments confirming the opposite opinion. I advise you to initially think about two. And how much to write in the end: 1 or 2 – decide in the process, based on the resulting size of your essay.

Advice: You will then have to challenge opposing arguments, so when you come up with them initially, think about how you will challenge them. If you have nothing to object to an invented argument, it is better to immediately replace it with another, so as not to have to do this while writing an essay. It's also limited!

Tip: When challenging arguments, you should not repeat anything written in the second paragraph. Therefore, if you cannot come up with a counterargument without repeating yourself, try to come up with something else. Alternatively, you can come up with other arguments in favor while the essay is not yet written. In any case, it is better to think about this initially while you are planning your essay, rather than during the writing process!

Paragraph 4. Your counterarguments

The point of this paragraph is to explain why you disagree with the opposing opinion. You can start a paragraph, for example, with a sentence:

I cannot agree with this opinion because ...
I am afraid I cannot agree with this idea because ...
“I am afraid” rather than “I"m afraid” sounds a little strange, but it’s better not to shorten it, because you can pay for it with precious points.

ATTENTION: if you gave two arguments in the previous paragraph, then you must refute both. They can be distinguished by the following phrases:

As for...,
Speaking about...,
As far as... is concerned,

Advice: When refuting opposing arguments, it is best to suggest ways to solve them, rather than prove their ineffectiveness. For example, if someone believes that pets are dangerous, then one should not argue that they are, in fact, harmless. It is better to turn this disadvantage into an advantage, saying that they are excellent guards in country houses.

Paragraph 5. Conclusion

The most common mistake many students make is that in conclusion they simply express their opinion. This is not enough. After all, the conclusion applies to the entire essay, not just the second paragraph.

Thus, in the conclusion you need to summarize everything that was said in the essay and express your point of view. You can also give your recommendations on the existing problem. The most important thing is that the conclusion should not contain any new information.

In conclusion...
To sum up...
To conclude...

Next, we let the reader understand that there are two points of view on this problem, and despite the opposite point of view, we still adhere to ours. For example, this can be done according to the following scheme:

Despite the fact that ..., I am convinced that ...
Taking into consideration different opinions on this issue, I believe that ...

Language design of the essay

After you have written your Unified State Exam essay in English, be sure to review it again for possible errors. From my experience of the most common mistakes, I advise you to pay attention to the following things.

Task 40.

Introduction
“It is common knowledge that...” - “Everyone knows that...”.
“The problem / issue / question of... has always aroused heated / sharp disputes /debates / discussions / controversy” - “The problem... has always caused lively debate.”
“The sight of smb Ving*… is familiar to everyone. But have you ever wondered whether...?" - “The sight (of someone doing something) is familiar to everyone. But have you ever wondered... have...?"
“Our modern world is unthinkable / unimaginable / inconceivable without... However, there are plenty of people who believe that it is not necessary / doubt the necessity / importance / use / benefit / good of...” - “Our modern world is unimaginable without... However there are a lot of people who think it doesn't matter/question the importance...
“Let’s speculate what makes them think so” - “Let’s think about what makes them think so.”
“There has been a dispute on... Let's speculate who is right: to proponents / defendants / fans of... who claim that... or the opponents / adversaries, who believe in...” - “There is a discussion about... Let's speculate who is right: defenders (of something) who claim that ... or opponents who believe in ... ".
“…has become an integral / inalienable / imprescriptible part of our life. Let’s speculate, however, what stands behind it” - “...has become an integral part of our lives. But let's think about what's behind it."
“New technology and advances in... have raised ethical dilemmas” - “New technologies and advances in... have led to a dilemma affecting the ethical side of this issue.”
“...gaining increasing popularity today, many still dispute / doubt / challenge / bring into question / cast doubt on its use for the society” - “Now, when... is gaining more and more popularity, many still question its benefits for society "
“It is often difficult to decide which position to take whenever there is a debate regarding a choice between... and...” - “It is often difficult to decide which position to take when it comes to debates regarding the choice between... and...”.
“Development in... seems to have had an adversary effect on...” - “Development in... seems to have had the opposite effect on...”.

Second paragraph

“I think / I believe / I consider that...” - “I believe / believe that...”.
“Some opponents of... might argue / contend that...” - “Some opponents... may argue that...”.
“They assume / suppose...” - “They admit...”.
“I am convinced that...” - “I am convinced that...”.
“I don’t share the above-given view” - “I do not share the above opinion.”
“You would probably agree with me that...” - “You would probably agree with me that...”.
“To my mind... / In my opinion... / It seems to me that...” - “In my opinion... / It seems to me that...”.
“They look upon it as...” - “They look at it as...”.
“I can’t but agree that...” - “I cannot but agree that...”.
“They are in favor* of... / They approve of... / They favor...” - “They are for... / They approve...”.
“I am against... / I don't approve of... / I don't support the idea of... / I personally frown on... - “I am against... / I don’t approve of... / I don’t support the idea of... / I personally don’t approve ..."
“It is said / believed that...” - “It is believed that...”.
“...is believed to V1**” - “It is believed that someone is doing something...”.
“It goes without saying that...” - “It goes without saying that...”.

Third paragraph

However
On the other hand
…. Whereas….

Firstly,….
Secondly….
Finally,…..

Fourth paragraph

“To a certain extent, it is right, but isn’t there...? /don't smb V1? / …” - “To some extent this is true, but doesn’t there exist...? / isn’t (someone doing something).”
“To a certain extent, it is right, but we shouldn’t forget that… / we should consider the fact that… / we shouldn’t underestimate… / one shouldn’t disregard… / one should take into account …” - “ To some extent this is true, but we must not forget that... / we must take into account the fact that... / we must not underestimate... / cannot be neglected... / should be taken into account...".
“However veracious it sounds, I wouldn’t agree with the above mentioned idea” - “No matter how true it may sound, I would not agree with the above mentioned idea.”
“Defenders of... may be applauded for seeking to V1, but what they propose would in fact seriously damage / decrease / threaten, etc.” - “We can applaud the advocates... for trying (to do something), but what they are proposing actually seriously harms/reduces/threatens...”
“However, I disagree with these contentions” - “However, I do not agree (sleep) with these points of view.”
“While... could lessen / worsen / decrease, etc... this is a small loss that could be offset by...” - “While... can weaken / worsen / decrease... this is a small loss that can be compensated...”.
“However, this idea cannot go further than being an immature claim because / since...” - “However, this idea cannot be anything other than a superficial statement, because...”.
“This point has merits on the surface and could be acceptable to an extent. Yet, serious doubts can be raised against this view when one considers...” - “This view has some advantages on the surface, and it can be accepted to some extent. At the same time, this idea can be questioned when we consider...".

Last paragraph
“To conclude / sum up, / in conclusion...” - “In conclusion...”.
“All in all...” - “In general...”.
“All things considered...” - “Taking into account all of the above...”.
“Taking everything into account... / Taking all this into account / consideration...” - “Taking all this into account...”.
“...is a controversial issue, so it is up to a person whether to V1 or to V’1. Yet, I am convinced that..." - "... is a controversial question, so everyone must decide here personally (to do something or not to do something). And yet I am convinced that...”
"Although numerous skeptics frown on... our society need(s)..." - "Despite the fact that numerous skeptics do not approve... our society needs...".
“But to all who... I have only one response: we cannot afford to wait / ignore / neglect / disregard...” - “But to all who... I have one answer: we cannot afford to wait / ignore / neglect...”.

Format and rules for writing an essay “expressing opinion”

The essay “expressing opinion” is written in a formal (business) style.
In this type of essay, you need to express your point of view on a given topic, as well as bring other people’s points of view opposite to yours and explain why you disagree with them. Your opinion should be clearly stated and supported by examples or evidence.
The volume of the essay is 200-250 words (minimum 180 words, maximum 275)
The essay should actively use constructions such as “In my opinion”, “I think”, “I believe”
It is necessary to use introductory words and constructions like “On the one hand, on the other hand”..., linking words (Nevertheless, Moreover, Despite...)
It is prohibited to use abbreviations such as “I’m”, “they’re”, “don’t”, “can’t” (otherwise the score for organizing the essay will be reduced)
The “expressing opinion” essay has a strict structure, changing which when writing the essay will lead to a decrease in score. The essay “expressing opinion” consists of 4 paragraphs:

1) Introduction(introduction)

In the introduction, you must clearly formulate the topic-problem, indicating that there are two opposing points of view on the problem (Some people claim that mobile phones are very useful devices while others argue that life could be less stressful without them.) and express your opinion without using too many personal constructs
However, the first sentence should not repeat the given topic of the essay word for word. Recommended ending of the first paragraph: Now I would like to express my point of view on the problem of …

2) Main part

1 paragraph. Give 2-3 arguments supporting your point of view, supporting them with examples or evidence.
In the second paragraph you should adhere to only ONE point of view, for example: Mobile phones in my opinion are very useful devices. OR I consider the mobile phone to be a harmful and useless invention.
You must provide 2-3 arguments with evidence to support your own opinion

2 paragraph. Give opposing points of view (1-2), and explain why you DO NOT agree with them. Example: However, some people think that mobile phones not only keep you in touch with your relatives and friends but also provide you with a great number of facilities. I can’t agree with this statement because…
Your counterarguments to the opinions of other people should not repeat the 2nd paragraph.

3) Conclusion

It is necessary to conclude, referring to the topic given in the 1st paragraph, that there are 2 points of view on the problem, and also confirm your own point of view.
For example: “There are different points of view on this problem. I think that...” or “Taking everything into consideration, there are two different points of view on this problem. I believe that...

Useful vocabulary for composition"expressing opinion"

1 paragraph Introductory phrases

It is popularly believed that….
People often claim that... Some people argue that...
A lot of people think that…
It is often suggested/believed that…
Many people are in favor of the idea that... Many people are convinced that...
Some people are against…

2 paragraph. Phrases expressing your point of view:

I would like to explain my point of view on this situation.
I would like to express my opinion on this problem.

Phrases characterizing the advantages of the problem under discussion:

As already stated I’m in favor of… for a number of reasons…
There are many things to be said in favor of…
The best/ thing about……. is...

Phrases listing points of view:

Firstly, /First of all….
In the first place
To start with, / To begin with,
Secondly, Thirdly, Finally,
Last but not least,

Phrases that add new arguments:

Furthermore, /Moreover, /What is more,
As well as…. /In addition to this/that…
Besides, /…….also….
Not only…., but…… as well.
Apart from this/that….
not to mention the fact that

3 paragraph.

Some people believe that… however they fail to understand that…
they fail to consider that… they forget that…
Some people argue that…. I can't agree with it as...
I disagree with this point of view (statement, opinion) because …
It has become fashionable for some people to argue that…
Contrary to what most people believe, I think that…
As opposed to the above ideas…I believe that…

4 paragraph. Closing phrases:

In conclusion,
On the whole,
To conclude
To sum up
All in all,
All things considered
Finally,
Lastly
Taking everything into account,
Taking everything into consideration

Expression of personal opinion:

In my opinion this subject is very controversial
In my view…
To my mind...
To my way of thinking…
Personally I believe that…
I feel strongly that...
It seems to me that...
As far as I am concerned…

Criteria for assessing the completion of tasks C2

Solving a communication problem (CONTENTS)	ORGANIZATION OF THE TEXTS		Grammar	Spelling and punctuation

The task is completed in full: the content reflects all aspects specified in the task; the style of speech is chosen correctly, taking into account the purpose of the statement and the addressee; The norms of politeness accepted in the language are observed.	The statement is logical: the means of logical connection are chosen correctly; the text is divided into paragraphs; the format of the statement is chosen correctly	The vocabulary used is appropriate to the task at hand; There are practically no violations in the use of vocabulary. (1-2 errors)	Grammatical structures are used in accordance with the task at hand. Virtually no errors. (1-2 errors)
The task is completed: some aspects specified in the task are not fully disclosed; there are individual violations of the stylistic design of speech; the norms of politeness accepted in the language are generally observed	The statement is basically logical; there are some disadvantages when using logical communication means; there are some disadvantages when dividing the text into paragraphs; there are some violations of the format of the statement	The vocabulary used corresponds to the task, however, there are some inaccuracies in the use of words or the vocabulary is limited. But the vocabulary is used correctly (3-7 errors)	There are a number of grammatical errors that do not impede understanding of the text (3-7 errors)	There are practically no spelling errors. The text is divided into sentences with correct punctuation (1-2 errors)
The task has not been completed completely: the content does not reflect all aspects specified in the task; There are often violations of style; generally the accepted norms of politeness in the language are not observed	The statement is not always logical: there are shortcomings or errors in the use of means of logical communication, their choice is limited; division of text into paragraphs is illogical or absent; there are numerous errors in the format of the statement	An unreasonably limited vocabulary was used; There are frequent violations in the use of vocabulary, some of which may make it difficult to understand the text	Either elementary-level errors are common, or errors are few in number but make it difficult to understand the text. (8-12 errors)	There are a number of spelling or punctuation errors that make the text much more difficult to understand (3-10 errors)
The task was not completed: the content does not reflect the aspects specified in the task or does not correspond to the required volume (200-250 words) Note: the minimum number of words is 180, the maximum is 275. If the essay has 179 words - “0” for content, if there are more than 276 words, then only 250 words from the beginning are checked.	There is no logic in the construction of the statement; the format of the statement is not respected	An extremely limited vocabulary does not allow you to complete the task (cannot be placed if there is no “0” for content)	Grammar rules are not followed (more than 12 errors)	Spelling and punctuation rules are not followed More than 10 errors

Essay sample

Many cities in Europe do everything to promote bicycles as an ecologically clean type of transportation; however the governor of St. Petersburg signed a decree according to which bicycles will not be allowed in the city centre.

Do you agree that bicycles should be banned in the center of St. Petersburg?

Write 200-250 words

Use the following plan:

1. Introduction. (State the problem)

2. Express your opinion and give reasons for it.

3. Give other people's arguments and explain why they are wrong.

4. Make a conclusion

In European cities people ride bicycles a lot because they are aware that bikes help to save fuel and reduce pollution in cities. However, the governor of Saint-Petersburg decided to ban bicycles in the city center and I fully agree with it. I would like to explain my point of view on it.

In my opinion, the governor is absolutely right. In the first place, our roads are not adapted for biking as in Europe; they are too narrow and there are no separate lanes for bicycles. Moreover, bikes do not help the traffic situation but even sometimes make it worse as bicyclists often break traffic rules and cause accidents. In addition, the weather in St. Petersburg is not good for bicycle commuting. In winter roads are covered with ice, in autumn and in spring rains are frequent and roads are wet, so it is very difficult for cyclists to move.

On the other hand, some say that bikes are undoubtedly useful for our health, I can not agree with it completely as there are a lot of road accidents where cyclists are injured. Some people may argue that bikes are ecologically clean, but you can also put special purifying facilities on cars which are faster and more comfortable as transport.

To sum up, there are different points of view on this problem. I believe that bicycles should be banned in the city center where streets are not specially created for them. As I see it, a bike is a kind of transport for short trips in the countryside.

Unified State Exam in English. Letter. Task C2. Video tutorial.

Introductory phrases and filler words exist in any language. Such phrases help start a conversation, connect parts of a conversation, parts of a sentence, thoughts and ideas with each other. Introductory phrases and words in English help to give speech an emotional and semantic coloring, making speech more expressive and rich. Such expressions can convey the speaker's attitude towards the statement.

Examples of using introductory words and phrases in English

Knowing the introductory phrases and plug-in constructions in English will be very useful for those who are learning this language because it will help the beginner improve his language skills. Today we will look at the most common and frequently occurring introductory phrases in the English language, the so-called cliches, and their use in speech.

What are these English introductory phrases?

Introductory phrases are called introductory phrases because the sentence begins with them, and they do not play any grammatical or semantic role in the sentence. Such expressions enhance the emotionality and expressiveness of the statement, but if they are discarded, the meaning of the sentence will not change in any way.

Here are the main cliches with examples that will help you diversify your English speech: Moreover,...
- Moreover…
Tom is absent today, moreover, he is ill. - Tom is absent today, moreover, he is ill. Most of all...
- Most…
Most of all I like ice-cream. — Most of all I love ice cream. It is important to know that…
- It is important to know that...
It is important to know that this question needs an urge decision. “It is important to know that this issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible. It is important to remember that…
- It is important to remember that...
It is important to remember that we have no time to be late, nobody will wait for us. “It’s important to remember that we don’t have time to be late because no one will wait for us.” In conclusion...
- In conclusion..., As a conclusion...
In conclusion I’d like to say that you’ve done a great work. — In conclusion, I would like to say that you have done an excellent job. After all...
- In the end…
I am sick and tired of this conversation, and after all, it’s late, it’s time to go home. “I’m tired of this conversation, and in the end, it’s late, it’s time to go home.” In any case, … / Anyway, … / Either way, …
- In any case..., Still...
In any case, we should prevent him. Anyway he must know about the problem. “In any case, we should warn him.” Still, he should know about the problem. Actually...
Actually Tom didn’t know about the problem, so he isn’t guilty. - Actually, Tom didn’t know about the problem, it’s not his fault.
Fortunately...- Fortunately…
Tom is late. Fortunately, we didn’t manage to begin the conference. - Tom was late. Fortunately, we haven't started the conference yet.
Unfortunately…- Unfortunately…
Unfortunately, I didn’t finish my homework. — Unfortunately, I didn’t finish my homework.
Firstly...- First of all, first of all...
Let's begin. Firstly, I want to ask you some questions. - Let's start. First I would like to ask you a few questions.
Instead of…- Instead of…
Instead of watching TV now, you’d wash up. — Instead of watching TV now, you should wash the dishes.
In the first place,…- At the first place…
In the first place we must finish our work for today. - First of all, we must finish our work for today.
From time to time...- Occasionally…
Do you often see Alex? Yes, from time to time he visits me. — Do you see Alex often? Yes, he visits me from time to time.
Аs a result of…- As a result of the fact that...
As a result of what is done, we have a great job. “As a result of what has been done, we have done a good job.”
Indeed...- In fact, in reality...
Indeed, I need you. - Actually, I need you. Also in the proverb A friend in need is a friend indeed. — A friend is known in need (Literally: a friend in need is truly a friend).
In order to…- So that, in order to...
In order to manage everything, you should plan your day. — To manage everything, you must plan your day.
In other words...- In other words…
She doesn't want to finish her task, in other words, she is lazy. “She doesn’t want to finish her work, in other words, she’s lazy.”

Popular introductory clichés in English speech

Even more English introductory clichés

Of course, in the English language there are a lot of expressions that do not play any grammatical role in a sentence, but lexically enrich and decorate speech:

It seems that...- It seems that…
It is cloudy and windy outside. It seems to me that it will rain. — It’s cloudy and windy outside. It seems to me that it will rain.
In short...- Briefly speaking…
I am not sure he understood the problem. In short, he didn’t understand anything. “I'm not sure he understood what the problem was.” In short, he didn't understand anything.
Besides...- Besides…
I am very tired; besides, I think that I’ve caught a cold. “I’m very tired, and besides, I think I’ve caught a cold.”
In addition,...- In addition, besides...
We have a lot of work. In addition we must finish it till Sunday. - We have a lot of work. Besides. we have to finish it before Sunday.
By the way...- By the way, by the way...
By the way, did you pay for the internet? — By the way, did you pay for the Internet?
However...- Nevertheless, still...
I’ve finished my article; however, I have some details. — I finished my article, however, there are still some details left.
Frankly speaking, …- Honestly…
Frankly speaking, I don’t believe him. “Honestly, I don’t believe him.”
In my opinion,…- In my opinion, in my opinion...
In my opinion, Alex is a very sincere man. — In my opinion, Alex is a very sincere person.
Аt first, … / First, …- First, first...
Can I take your car? At first, I must speak with my parents. -Can I borrow your car? First I have to talk to my parents.
First of all,…- First of all…
I want to be a doctor. But first of all, I must finish the school. - I want to be a doctor. But first of all I have to finish school.
Let us/Let"s/Let me…- Allow me, let's...
Let me see your documents. - Let me look at your documents.
On the one hand, …, on the other hand, …- On the one hand on the other hand…
On the one hand this question is very important, but on the other hand it can wait. - On the one hand this question is very important, on the other hand it can wait.
Also...- Also…
I’ve bought some dresses for my daughter; also I’ve bought a skirt for me. — I bought several dresses for my daughter, and I also bought a skirt for myself.
Nevertheless...- Still, nevertheless, despite...
Nevertheless, Ann is late, we’ll begin without her. — Even though Anna is late, we will start without her.
I would rather...- I would prefer…
I would rather finish this exercise. — I would prefer to finish this exercise.
I would like to...- I would like…
I would like ice-cream with fruits. — I would like an ice cream sundae.
I think, … / I believe, … / I guess, …/I consider…- I think, I think, I guess...
I consider that our planet needs protection. — I think that our planet needs protection.
Maybe...- May be…
Tom didn't come to our party. Maybe he is ill. Tom didn’t come to our party. Maybe he got sick.
Probably…- Maybe…
Probably Kate will win the contest. — Katya will probably win this competition.
It's possible that...- It’s possible that...
I can't connect the internet. It’s possible that our computer is broken. — I can’t access the Internet, perhaps our computer is broken.

So, these were the main introductory phrases and plug-in constructions in the English language. We hope that these simple clichés and expressions will help you connect sentences as you speak.

The goal of learning written English may be different for everyone: someone needs to take international exams where they need to pass the written part, someone needs to write letters for work, and someone wants to blog in English. The introductory phrases for writing an essay in English, which we will consider today, will also be needed in order to beautifully express your opinion orally.

Before we begin, I want to give a small recommendation that may seem obvious, but many people neglect it: before writing an essay or letter, make a plan. Many students consider this optional, but a clear outline will help indicate what issues you want to address in the essay. For example, if you are writing an essay for an exam, the task itself can be quite lengthy, and it is very easy to miss one of the questions posed, simply because you are immersed in your own thoughts and forget about it. A plan also helps reduce thinking time and get you started writing faster. For me, the most difficult thing about writing an essay is starting to write it. The given topic may be so alien to me that I have a question: what exactly can I write here? Or, on the contrary, there may be so many different thoughts on a given question that I’m at a loss as to where it’s best to start, and how to put all this mess in my head into a beautiful, structured text, and fit into the given word limit. In this case, the plan helps me a lot. Having spent 5 minutes writing it, I already know where to start and how to continue.

The phrases that we have given below will help you start your thought correctly and win a few correctly written words if you are writing an essay specifically for the exam.

What can you write in the first paragraph of an essay in English:

When starting to write an essay, it is important to voice the statement of the problem, and it is also worth noting what position you take on this issue. There is no need to fully disclose your opinion in the first paragraph, just express it in general terms. For example, you need to express your opinion about which vacation is better: passive or active. Then you can start your essay something like this:

Most people think that the best way to spend their vacation is to lie on the beach and do nothing, but in my opinion, the more active you are - the more energy you will have.

Most people think that the best way to spend a holiday is to lie on the beach and do nothing, but I personally believe that the more active you are, the more energy you will have.
In this paragraph you are only expressing your opinion in general terms. Why you think this way - you will write in the next paragraph.

Now let's move on to phrases that can be used in the first paragraph of the essay:

Most people think/suppose/reckon/consider that... - Many people think that...

If you are writing an essay for an exam, it is better to replace the word think with synonyms to demonstrate good vocabulary.

Many people believe (any other synonym can be used instead of believe) ...., but others don’t agree. — Many people think... but others do not agree with this opinion.
It is generally agreed today that...
Today, with increased frequency - today more and more often...

Let's say you need to write an essay in which you need to compare live communication with communication on social networks. Then you can start it like this:

Today, with increased frequency, people prefer to tell the news, using their phones, instead of doing it face-to-face.
Today, more and more, people prefer to share news using their phones instead of doing it face to face.

Consider the following cliché phrases in English:

For the great majority of people... - for the majority of people...
We live in a world in which... - we live in a world in which
They / people often say that ... - people often say that ....

Don't forget that we can replace the word people with they. We can also use them when talking about a person whose gender we do not know. That is, instead of writing ‘she or he’, you can simply write ‘they’.

At the end of the first paragraph, after you have written the introduction, you can summarize your arguments:

Let us consider what the advantages and disadvantages of ... are - let us consider what the advantages and disadvantages are ...
Let's consider some pros and cons of it. - Let's look at some pros and cons.
Let us start by considering some facts. — Let's start by looking at some facts.
I suppose we should start by looking at some facts - I suppose we should start by looking at the facts

Here are the arguments for and against:

First of all, it is worth mentioning/highlighting the fact that... - First of all, it is worth noting/emphasizing the fact that...
To begin with, ... - Let's start with that ...
Firstly, ... / Secondly, ... / Finally, ... - Firstly, ... / Secondly, ... / Finally, ... .
On the one hand…., but on the other hand…. on the one hand..., but on the other hand...

Don’t forget that if you write ‘firstly’, then you should also write ‘secondly’ so that the structure of the essay is logical. The same goes for ‘on the one hand’.

One argument in support of - one argument in support
The first thing that needs to be said is - the first thing that needs to be said is...
First and foremost I want to highlight that... - first of all, I want to emphasize that...
It is true that... the truth is that
It is clear that - it is clear that...
It is undeniable that.. - it cannot be denied that...
It is a well-known fact that...
A number of crucial issues arise from the statement. For example / for instance, ... - This statement raises many key issues. Eg,….
One of the most striking features of this problem is - One of the most striking aspects of this problem...
Another good thing about… is that…. - the second positive aspect regarding…. - this is what…
What is more,… . - moreover…
Besides, besides this...
What I meant to say is that... - I meant that...
Although... - although...
In spite of... - despite...
In spite of widespread belief that…., in my opinion…. — contrary to popular belief that…., I believe….
Furthermore, one should not forget that .. - moreover, we should not forget that...
In addition / moreover - in addition
Thus, - in this way
Nevertheless, one should accept that - However, it should be admitted that ...
Perhaps we should also point out the fact that ... - Perhaps we should also point out the fact that ... .
It would be unfair not to mention that fact that... - It would be unfair not to mention the fact that...
We cannot ignore the fact that…. - we cannot ignore the fact that...

You can confirm your opinion by asking the reader to imagine a certain situation; this can be done using the phrase:

Let us concede that - let’s say that...
We are not warranted in believing.. - we have no reason to believe...
The most common argument against this is that... - the most common argument against this is that...

Synonyms for think

We already wrote above that it is better to replace the word ‘think’ with synonyms to make the speech look richer.

I believe... - it should be remembered that believe can mean not only “to believe”, but also to think, to believe, to be convinced. This word means your confidence in a particular issue.

You can enhance the effect by saying:

I strongly believe... - I am firmly convinced
I suppose... - to believe, to admit...
In my opinion / On my mind - in my opinion...
I’m of opinion that... - I believe that...
it can believe that - it can be assumed that
I ween - I think, I believe, I hope..
As I can judge... - as far as I can judge...

We refer to the opinion of experts

Many teachers advise, whenever possible, to support your arguments with the opinions of experts.

We can’t be dismissive of experts’ opinion... - we cannot neglect the opinion of experts...
Experts in this field have a theory - experts in this field believe that (experts in this field have a theory)
Specialists in this area are convinced that... - specialists in this area are convinced that...
Experts emphasize that... - experts emphasize that...
From these facts, one may conclude that - based on these facts, one can conclude...
Which seems to confirm the idea that .. - which seems to confirm the idea that...

We draw conclusions:

In the last paragraph it is worth summing up the above and emphasizing your point of view. To do this, you can use the following linking words:

To sum up what has been said - let’s summarize what was said;

Or you can simply write:

To sum up, to summarise - let’s sum it up in this way
In conclusion, I want to say that although...
To draw the conclusion, one can say that - To summarize, we can say that
The arguments we have presented prove that - the arguments presented prove that...
So it’s up to everyone to decide whether ... or not - everyone must decide for themselves ... whether or not.

These introductory phrases for writing essays in English will help you write high-quality, coherent text, as well as express your opinion beautifully. Learn at least some of them - it definitely won’t be superfluous :).