Writing outstanding essays takes rigour and skill, especially at the high school level. In order to avoid failing grades, more students are turning to online high school English tutoring.
Many students struggle because they lack the most important skills required for good essay writing. Students seek English tutoring because they are unable to identify their own errors or how to correct them in order to improve their writing.
Because teachers cannot give equal attention to every student, schools provide little individualised instruction and assistance. Teachers have a set curriculum to follow as well as administrative responsibilities; the most they can do is set up consultation sessions for students who have questions or want to improve their writing skills.
Let’s See How To Write Perfect High School Essays!
# 1 ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONS
The most common essay writing mistake is a lack of question interpretation. The purpose of ambiguous essay topics is to encourage students to think critically and take aside.
Forming arguments and balancing points for an essay comes second. Even if an essay topic is only two lines long, there is a lot to analyse and interpret before writing.
If students are asked, “Is the prosperity of first world countries affecting the growth of third world countries?”
This question contains several key words. In this case, some definitions are required to form a clear scope:
- What are first world countries?
- What constitutes a third-world nation?
- How would you characterise success?
- What influences a country’s progress?
- How do developed countries exploit developing nations?
When students see a question, they should automatically think of some tips. Therefore, question analysis is the process of defining key words and segmenting the question. This is the first step to writing a good essay.
# 2 SUFFICIENT SUBSTANTIATION OF DISCUSSION POINTS
Repeating a point or reiterating it by paraphrasing does not help. To make an argument credible and convincing, examples must be used.
Students often make the mistake of writing too example-driven essays. These essays are full of facts and statistics but lack arguments and a clear stance.
An example of a strong argument versus a weak argument with no examples:
- Argument without example:
“Public fear of immigration and Muslim minorities assimilating into majority cultures in Europe has fueled Islamophobia. This marginalises them and severely impacts their livelihood.”
- Argument with a specific example, explanation, and link:
“Islamophobia is a symptom of the loss of human values. Example: European governments failed to ensure equal rights for all, causing unemployment, poverty, and lack of civic and political participation among Muslim minorities, all of which exacerbate discrimination.
The Syrian refugee crisis has increased public anxiety about immigration and the integration of Muslim minorities into majority cultures.
Even in countries where they have lived for generations, some Muslims living in Europe are portrayed as inherent threats to the European lifestyle.
To be an effective writer, students must keep up with current events, read articles, and develop the habit of reading novels.
# 3 CONCISE WRITING
Over-descriptive essays are another common student error. The main disadvantage of such writing is that it lacks clarity, logic gaps, and distracts the examiners from the important information or points of arguments.
Over-descriptive writing weakens a strong argument, which is why tutors stress the importance of writing concisely. This does not come easily, so students must be patient and persistent to improve. The best way to improve this skill is to write essays frequently, preferably with the help of an English tutor.
# 4 PERSISTENCE IS ESSENTIAL
Learning a language is difficult, especially after childhood, so becoming a good writer takes dedication and perseverance. One cannot assess one’s performance in an English essay test because students do not have time to review their work or check for grammatical errors. It’s important to keep trying even if you get a bad grade on a test.
Writing good English essays takes time and effort, but it is not impossible. Denial does not help students who believe they are alone in their struggles. Tutors in English have the expertise and knowledge to guide students in the best way possible.
