Introduction to Academic English

Lesson 2: Understanding Essay Questions

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Recap question: “I can’t see the point of all us different students doing the same Academic English class.
All our subject-specific classes are in English, where we get all the language practice that we need, using
the specialist vocabulary that we need.” Do you agree?

AGREE: There IS specialist vocabulary that is only relevant to students doing that particular discipline.
And it is true that in other subjects there will be lots of practice in English-language writing and
reading/listening comprehension.

DISAGREE: Compulsory English classes like IAE focus on vocab that is useful in ALL disciplines, which
you may not be challenged to extend in subject-specific subjects. In addition to language, such courses
also develop the SKILLS (in critical thinking, reading efficiently, avoiding plagiarism etc.) that are key
to success in all disciplines.
Understanding Essay Questions

Orientation Task

Discuss the following questions in groups of 3-4. Be prepared to share your group’s ideas with the rest of
the class.

a. In secondary school, how often did you need to write essays?

What was the typical word length?

b. What advice was given from teachers on how to “unpack”

essay questions?

c. What can you do if there are certain words you don’t

understand in an essay question in an examination?

Unpacking an essay question

When you receive an essay question, you should always spend some time thinking about it before you
start, otherwise you might spend a great deal of time researching and writing an irrelevant, low-scoring
essay.

Understanding an essay question involves identifying content words (i.e. what topic/s you are to write
about) and instruction words (i.e. what you are to say about this topic), so that you’re on the right track.

Task 1: Consider the following IELTS Writing Task 2 style essay topic:

Outline the factors related to academic success at College level. Argue which of these is most
important.

1a. Underline the instruction words, and circle the content words.

1b. In groups, decide whether the following statements about the essay content are T (True) or F (False),
giving reasons:
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 i. You should only focus on College level academic institutions. T (this is clearly stipulated in
the question)
ii. Each factor should be described in detail. F (“outline” means description should be brief)

iii. It would be advisable to argue that 2 or 3 factors are equally important so as not to be too
opinionated. F. (The question requires the student to argue the single most important factor)

iv. You should list factors related to success in point form only. F. (perhaps in reports but not
academic essays - use full sentences within paragraphs)

1c. Now discuss which factors you would include in an essay on this topic, and decide which one is most
important for success. Note down your group’s ideas clearly, and be prepared to share these with the
class using the visualiser. Do you agree with other groups’ ideas?

Task 2. Imagine that as part of your programme, you have been asked to produce an essay on the
following topic:

“University education provides young people with more opportunities to learn professional
ethics* than if they immediately joined the workforce.” Discuss.

* = right versus wrong behavior in a particular profession, such as teaching

2a. Underline the instruction word, and circle the content words. What is the instruction word telling
you to do? Consider something by writing about it from different points of view with supporting
evidence.

2b. The essay question can be stated in other ways. Would you answer the question differently if you
were to write an essay on each of these titles? In what ways?

i. Illustrate the ways in which university education contributes to the learning of professional
ethics. ‘Illustrate’ means describing using examples, so no points of view/ opinions are
necessary

ii. “University education provides young people with more opportunities to learn professional
ethics* than if they immediately joined the workforce.” Do you agree? ‘Do you agree?’ requires
that you take a position and defend it, not just discussing or describing.

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Clearly, it is important that you know exactly what different instruction words are asking you to do. The
following instruction words are common to essay topics in many disciplines.

Task 3. In groups, match the instruction words on the left with their definitions on the right. See which
group gets the most correct answers in ten minutes. The first is done for you.

Instruction Word Definition

Account for m a. Examine one thing in relation to something else.

Analyse g b. Give good reasons for decisions or conclusions.

Argue j c. Judge the significance of something, referring to the special knowledge of experts.

Assess c d. Show something is accurate/true/valid by using evidence to build your case.

Comment on r e. Calculate the value/effectiveness of a theory/decision/object etc.

Compare a f. Give the main features, facts, or general idea of something, omitting minor details.

Define p g. Examine the topic by dividing it into parts and looking at each part in detail.

Describe n h. Explain something giving evidence or examples to establish a strong case.

Discuss q i. Look at critically or methodically in order to find out the facts of something.

Evaluate e j. Provide reasons for and/or against something, citing evidence.

Examine i k. Give a brief, concise account of the main points of something (leaving out details).

Illustrate o l. Follow the cause or stages in development of something.

Justify b m. Give a clear explanation of something and evaluate (possible) causes/reasons.

Outline f n. Give a full account or detailed representation of something.

Prove d o. Use examples or diagrams to explain something.

Show h p. Explain the exact meaning of a word or phrase.

Summarise k q. Consider something by writing about it from different points of view.

Trace l r. Give your own opinion about something, supported by reasons and evidence.
[Adapted from Francis Casey, How to Study: A Practical Guide, London: Macmillan 1985]

Pronunciation: Word stress

Most words with more than one syllable require one (or more) of these syllables to be stressed. This
means saying the syllable/s a bit louder and slower than then others. Take care, as stressing the wrong
syllable in a word can make the word difficult to understand, or even give the wrong meaning.

For example, say to your partner “I like desSERTS” OR “I like DESerts”.

Does your partner think you like yogurt and ice-cream, or places with no rain?

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There are no fixed rules regarding word stress, and to be sure you must look up the word in a dictionary
(or click the audio to hear it, if available). Yet there are some general tendencies:

Type of word Examples Tendency Exceptions

apple
two-syllable nouns and stress on the first syllable hotel
table
adjectives Apple lagoon
happy
the noun has stress on the first syllable
words which can be suspect
"You are the SUSpect!" respect
used as both import
the verb has stress on the second syllable witness
nouns and verbs insult
"I susPECT you."
fairly equally balanced but with stronger
hairbrush
compound nouns stress on the first part
football
HAIRbrush

Syllable stress often shifts when we pronounce words in different forms. Here too there are no fixed
rules, but there are some tendencies:

Type of word Examples Tendency

equal stress on the first syllable
two-syllable adjectives
neutral EQual NEUtral

equalize stress on the first syllable

verb form (three syllables)
neutralise EQualize NEUtralise

noun form (= ‘the state of equality stress on the second syllable

being…’; four syllables) neutrality eQUAlity neuTRAlity

noun form (= ‘the act of equalization stress on the fourth syllable

making…’; five syllables) neutralisation equaliSAtion neutraliSAtion
[adapted from https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/word-stress]

Task 4a. Your teacher will pronounce the following words. Notice the way syllable stress shifts when
pronouncing nouns and adjectives. Circle the syllable that carries the stress.

i. a. stra.te.gy b. stra.te.gic vi. a. psy.cho.log.y b. psy.cho.lo.gi.cal

ii. a. e.ner.gy b. e.ner.ge.tic vii. a. be.ne.fit b. be.ne.fi.cial
iii a. cre.a.tion b. cre.a.ti.vi.ty viii. a. con.struct b. con.struc.tion
iv. a. hi.e.rarch.y b. hi.e.rarch.i.cal ix. a. nat.ion.a.lit.y b. nat.ion.al
v. a. ag.ri.cul.ture b. ag.ri.cul.tur.al x. a. re.a.li.ty b. re.al

Task 4b. Now take turns reading i-x (above) to your partner. Are you using correct syllable stress?

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Grammar and vocabulary: Word Families (1)

Word ‘families’ are the different forms that a word can have: noun, verb, adjective or adverb. They are
related in meaning (hence ‘family’), but using the correct form is very important. Using the wrong form
is one of the most common mistakes in student writing.

Task 5. Work in pairs (student A & B) to complete your respective lists. You each have ONE missing
word form on EACH line of your list, and your partner knows what it is. To find out what it is so that you
can write it in the white space (black spaces denote no word form), you must ask each other questions.
Take care with your word stress. For example:

STUDENT A: What’s the adverb form of aNAlysis?

STUDENT B: It’s ‘anaLYtically’

You must not look at each other’s list! (so student B turn over NOW)

Early finishers should ask their partner to make sentences using words that they do not understand.

STUDENT A’s list:

NOUN ADJECTIVE VERB ADVERB

analysis; analyst/s; analyser/s analytic/al analyse/es/ed/ing analytically

assumption/s assume/es/ed/ing

concept/s; conceptualisation conceptual conceptualise/es/ed/ing conceptually

conception;
contract/ contractor contract/s/ed/ing contractually

derivation/s, derivative/s derive/es/ed/ing

establishment/s (dis)establish/es/ed/ing

factor/s factored/ing

identity/ies; identification (un)identifiable identify/ies/ied/ying

(re/mis)interpretation/s interpretive (re/mis)interpret/s/ed/ing

(il)legality (il)legal (il)legally

occurrence/s occur/s/ed/ing

principle/s (un)principled

researcher/s research/s/ed/ing

sector/s

specific/s; specification/s specific specify/ies/ied/ying specifically

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STUDENT B’s list:

NOUN ADJECTIVE VERB ADVERB

analysis; analyst/s; analyser/s analytic/al analyse/es/ed/ing analytically

assumption/s assume/es/ed/ing

concept/s; conceptualisation conceptual conceptualise/es/ed/ing conceptually

conception;
contract/ contractor contract/s/ed/ing contractually

derivation/s, derivative/s derive/es/ed/ing

establishment/s (dis)establish/es/ed/ing

factor/s factored/ing

identity/ies; identification (un)identifiable identify/ies/ied/ying

(re/mis)interpretation/s interpretive (re/mis)interpret/s/ed/ing

(il)legality (il)legal (il)legally

occurrence/s occur/s/ed/ing

principle/s (un)principled

researcher/s research/s/ed/ing

sector/s

specific/s; specification/s specific specify/ies/ied/ying specifically

*NOTE that the most common form is shown in bold

[Adapted from Academic Word List 1 – www.rmit.edu.au/studyandlearningcentre]

TIP These words, and other word family vocabulary from the next three lessons, will be tested in the
final exam. Know the meaning of each, and how to use the various forms in a sentence!