Practical Essay-writing in English

Practical Essay-writing in English

Structurally speaking, an essay is a group of paragraphs where each para represents a factual thought related to the subject matter

By Mukesh Sharma

The students who have completed their schooling through Hindi medium, and have studied English as a subject to pass out 10^th or 12^th, often find the question on essay in competitive exams for government services rather challenging. Of course, at school level, the questions which are based on prescribed text books, can be answered by mugging up the answers – a common practice, but the question on essay in competitive exams is usually based on some proverbs/quotations or some socio-politico happenings; it needs general awareness; it needs the practical knowledge of English language related to human life, society, politics, religion and nature.

What is noteworthy, whenever one sits down to write something, his/her mind uses pre-conceived sentences available in mind collected, unconsciously, through academic pursuit and life-journey of years. However, if one writes down in second language and the needed sentences are not available in mind in that language, a quick mental translation process starts from first language (mother tongue) to second language. Since languages, usually, defy translation, one ends up with non-standardised sentences or fractured English e.g:

Wo apne baal khule rakhti hai (Hind sentence)

She keeps her hair loose (translated non-standardised sentence)

She wears her hair unkempt (Standardised English sentence)

Furthermore, as a computer stores the information in the form of tiny pixels, the mind stores it in the form of pictures. To a mind, a word is just a sound if not represented symbolically, and it gets dissipated in the unknown maze of memory lanes of mind. But a sentence represents an action and creates a mental picture. And the mind is picture retentive rather than sound. So, to write well one needs to feed the mind with the variety of readymade sentences related to different aspects of life as much as possible. It can be possible if one has good reading habit and is a voracious reader. It is simple as one learns to speak by repeatedly hearing sentences, one learn to write too by reading the written sentences. More one reads, more one learns to write –  man begins to learn by imitation only. Only a well-read man can write well.

That is why with the poor vocabulary and poor feeding of English sentences, the students are not able to think in English – If one can think correctly, one can  write accurately. Translation often upsets the apple-cart.

In this age of cut-throat competition and confusion,  people want short cuts to success – there is rat race for success not for knowledge. No doubt, smartness is the need of the hours. So, even if one has not read many books, one can commit to memory at least some short-listed useful proverbs/quotable quotes. The use of right quote at the right place not only helps one to endorse his/her views with the thought of others but also passes himself/herself off as a learned person. Therefore, this blogger sincerely suggests his valued readers/students to read and cram the proverbs and quotations. Proverbs have been given in Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary also. Quotations of famous writers can be read from any good book on quotation. Student-writers must make their own collection of socially, politically  etc. relevant quotations, and it can be collected from internet too.

Before practical writing is discussed at length, the students first must understand the characteristics of an essay. Oxford dictionary says: “an essay is a literary composition on any subject.” In other words, it is an exercise in expression of one’s own exclusive thoughts on some topic; it must reflect the unity, order, brevity, style, and a personal touch in the expression of thought. Further on the basis of style and subject  matter, essays can be divided into five categories:

1.      Narrative Essay – It seeks to narrate the subject matter e.g. story of Lakshmi Bai etc.

2.      Expository Essay – It is an expression of exclusive thoughts on the subject matter e.g. on some social practice, religion, habit etc.

3.      Reflective Essay – It is an expression of exclusive thoughts on the subject matter e.g. on some social practice, religion, habit, etc.

4.      Imaginative Essay -  consists of expression of imagination on the topic e.g. if I were a  superman.
5.   Descriptive Essay – consists of description of some event/happenings. It is commonly asked in the exams.

If one wishes to know how essays are written, one must read some renowned essayists of the yester- years such as Francis Becon (16^th century) – known for his short and sententious essays; Joseph Addition (17thcentury) – known for his thought provoking average length essays; Thomas Babinghan Macaulay (19^th century) -  known for his long but quintessential  and critical essays.

What is common in all types of essays is the exclusive thoughts of the author couched in paragraphs. Structurally speaking, an essay is a group of paragraphs, where each para represents a factual thought related to the subject-matter. Each para is headed by a factual statement/outline. On the basis of keywords, this statement/outline can further be expanded, elaborated, illuminated and exemplified that collectively give it a shape of a well-written para. Likewise, para after para may be developed to pen down a complete essay on any topic. Valued readers may take the clue from this blogger’s well acknowledged and acclaimed blog entitled ‘Of Paragraph-writing’. As discussed in the said blog, chunks and connectives play a crucial role in the development of the paras, the same is applicable to the development of paras in an essay. Here this blogger seeks to suggest a standardised format for the essay, particularly, for the students who feel that their English is not strong enough to think and write correctly and comfortably. This blogger sincerely believes that  the valued readers would find this very helpful. Here are suggested common chunks and connectives for the development of paras.

Common chunks

-          It is very much significant that . . .

-          It throws light on the wholesome truth. . .

-          But as a matter of fact

-          It is maintained that

-          But every coin has two sides

-          It is generally believed that . . .

-          It doesn’t mean that . . . .

-          It is the received wisdom

-          Truth can’t be created; it exists in nature, only a true truth seeker can discover it.

-          Nothing is absolute in this world except God.

-          It still holds water that

-          A mound can’t be made without digging a hole

-          It is very well acknowledged and acclaimed fact that

Common Connectives

-          As a matter of fact

-          It is believed that

-          It is maintained that

-          It is obvious that

-          It is evident that

-          It is contended that

-          It is well said

-          There is no doubt that

-          Interestingly enough

-          It is an irony

-          Keeping in view

-          There is no knowing what is next

-          Needless to say

-          Under the circumstances

-          It can be concluded

-          In other words

-          It won’t be wrong to say that

Suggested format

 Introductory Paragraph

Explain and elaborate the topic with the help of chunks and incorporate different keywords related to topic to spell out the scope of the essay. Numbers of keywords may be set as per the prescribed limit of words for essay as each key word has to be developed into a para.

Factual thought/outline- Para 1

-          Use chunks and connectives  to expand and explain on the basis of key words in outline

-          Negative and positive aspects of the fact may be discussed to expand para

-          Endorse it with the quotation/proverb of a renowned writers

-          It may be illuminated with examples too

-          Restrict it to 80-100 words

Factual thought/outline – Para 2

-          Develop para on the same guideline as given in para 1

Concluding para

In the light of all the discussed factual thought, draw a conclusion using the chunks and connectives. It may be restricted to 30-50 words.

It is evident that with the help of this format students may write essay on any topic of any prescribed word limit.

Write two essay in 100-1200 words from each A & B  (UPSC 2019 Mains)

A

             1       Wisdom finds truth

                   OR

2         Best for an individual is not necessary best for the society

B                                           

3         Biased media is a real threat to Indian society

                                 OR

4         Neglect of or primary health care and education in India are the reasons for its backwardness.

SPECIMEN

Answer

Wisdom finds truth

The statement ‘Wisdom finds Truth’ is very much significant and sententious. It throws light on wholesome truth. It is a hard fact that born in the laboratory of the world, the wisdom reflects the ways of the world. No doubt, wisdom is an empirical knowledge; it is a consequential experience; it is a circumstantial credible evidence; it is a reality of life; it is timeless; it is a gift from one generation to another; the world without wisdom shall be like a time rudderless vessel in the ocean of time knowing nothing how to swim ashore. As sunshine leads to the sun, wisdom leads to truth.

N.B. (Nota bene): read carefully the abovementioned introductory para and note how the factual thoughts have been incorporated.

Para-1

It is a well acknowledged and acclaimed fact that the wisdom is an empirical knowledge. There are two types of knowledge – one acquired from books and another from the experience of life. The bookish knowledge is theoretical but the knowledge acquired from the experience of life is called practical or empirical knowledge. It is a proven knowledge that stands in good stead in difficult time of the life. If a curd is knowledge, wisdom is the churned out butter.

N.B. (Nota bene): Read carefully and note how the para has been developed with the help of chunks and key words. It can be expanded further, if need be.

Para-2

It won’t be wrong to say that the wisdom is a consequential experience. It is a fact that the wisdom is born out of the resultant experience. It is well said that even truth is not absolute; it changes with the circumstances. The sun rises is East is a truth on the earth. But sun rises and sets in space after every three hours. The earth has one moon but the Jupiter has eight moons. In other words, truth may change with the circumstances but wisdom remains unchanged in the circumstances. So it can be said that the wisdom is a consequential experience.

N.B. (Nota bene): Note how with the help of key words, in outline, a para has been developed.

Para-3

It is also contended that the wisdom is circumstantial credible evidence. Of course, it holds water under specific circumstances irrespective of age and time. It can’t be refuted. “Anger starts with foolishness and ends with repentance.”This quotation can’t be proved wrong. It is an axiomatic saying. There is wisdom in the statement. It is obvious that wisdom is a circumstantial evidence.

N.B. (Nota bene): Note how the para-2 has been developed on the basis of key words

Para-4

It is generally believed that wisdom is the reality of the life. “Nothing is absolute in this world except God” says Newton. Only God can create the truth. Man can simply make discoveries. Truth exists in nature; it remains hidden in nature; only a resolute truth seeker can discover it. All the scientists, philosophers or intellectuals make incessant efforts to winnow the wheat of the reality out of the visible chaff of truth. And thus refined truth is called wisdom. Wisdom is the true reality of the life.

Para-5

Wisdom is timeless. Of course, the truth may change with time and circumstances. For instance, Killing someone in self defense may not fall under the category of murder. So the truth may change. It depends on the circumstances. But wisdom doesn’t change either with the circumstances or time. Wisdom doesn’t let the inimical circumstances be developed. What seems imminent can be averted by the wisdom. Mahatama Buddha changed the heart of killer Angulimar by his wisdom. So, wisdom is timeless. It doesn’t change with time or circumstances. On the contrary, it has power to change the circumstances.

Para-6

Wisdom is a gift from one generation to another. To be on lighter side, even wisdom tooth is cut after many years of experience in matured age. And elders always taunt at the foolishness of a youngster by saying he/she has yet to cut the wisdom tooth. All the religious scriptures of all the religions are endowed with nothing but wisdom. All the saints and philosopher lay their hand on wisdom after years of experiment, experience and observations. Such wisdom when put out in books, it can easily be transferred from one generation to another. Armed with the wealth of wisdom, new generation further makes new discoveries and new observation, and a new knowledge is produced. As living being bear the living beings, wisdom begets the wisdom. Evidently enough, wisdom is a gift from one generation to another.

Para -7

The world without wisdom shall be like a rudderless vessel in the ocean of time knowing nothing how to swim ashore. In fact, life is governed by the wisdom. The knowledge is transferred by one generation to another. Based on that a new knowledge is produced. Thus produced knowledge furthers the progress of human civilization. The little knowledge of Wright Brothers in the flying of an air craft laid the foundation for the today’s jet and supersonic planes. Their discovery was the prototype of today’s high teach planes. Wisdom is an asset created by one generation and is used by the posterity. Without wisdom the world would be like a rudderless vessel not knowing how to swim ashore.  Without light, one can’t see even with the healthy eyes.

Concluding Para

In the light of above mentioned factual thoughts, it can be convincingly concluded that truth is wisdom and wisdom is truth. As sunshine leads to sun, wisdom leads to truth. Wisdom finds truth.

******

Mind you, there is no hard and fast rule for writing. Each learned writer can create his/her own style and diction. Here this blogger doesn’t claim any high erudition. Take it just a suggestion. And this blogger sincerely believes that the students, particularly, from Hindi medium and from Hindi heartland- UP, Harayana, MP and Bihar, with poor English, would find this format very helpful and useful. it might be conducive to the fulfillment of their cherished dream.

Practice improves skill. Read and re-read your own written essay, you will be able to refine it. For practice, attempt at least 20 essays that will bring confidence in you and hone your writing skill.

Sentence- framing, Key to Good Writing

Sentence- framing, Key to Good Writing

Writing is like drawing water from well; more one draws the water, more it gets clear and clean

By Mukesh Sharma

The sentence-framing should not be confused with sentence-making. Based on translation from mother tongue/first language to English, the sentence- making is taught to students who learn English as a second language, through tenses and modals at school level. Though dependent on basic rules of sentence- making, the sentence framing is a syntactical ability of the writer to couch thoughts into suitable sentences, and draw a pen-portrait for the visualization of the scene and to enable the readers to feel the described situations. The Grammarians call it ‘composition’ or ‘synthesis’.

Be it a student or an ordinary educated person, sentence-framing is the most common problem. One can afford to speak badly but can’t take liberty with the written sentences. If one has confusion about the meaning of a word/ phrase, one can look it up in dictionary. If one has confusion about the correctness of a sentence, no dictionary is available to verify the correctness of the sentence. The most of the student-writers make the serious syntactical errors, and continue to drag it on even without the knowledge of its incorrectness.

Confusion over sentence-framing

The best way to learn sentence-framing is to read at least two English newspapers seriously daily without fail. It gives the idea to describe the same event/ incident in two different ways. To a learner, imitation is the easiest way to learn an ‘art’. Apart from sense, an avid reader must study the sentence-framing used by the scribe / journo in the newspapers for writing Headline, News stories, Editorials, Feature, Articles and Commentative writes -up.   

Before actual sentence-framing is discussed, it is inevitable to know how the mind reacts to the acquisition of a second language. Mother tongue is picked up through repeated hearing, and relating the words / sentences to things and situations that too without the knowledge of grammar. Of course, English can be picked up, if one lives among native speakers. This blogger has met scores of men/ women from Punjab settled in UK/US. They speak English with British/ US accent although they don’t know to write or read. It is easier to pick up a language than to learn as one picks up to sing a song like the singer even without the knowledge of ragas or suras just by repeatedly listening. Hearing and reading are the modes to pick up a language that further helps to read and write.

Moreover, right from first standard to PG level, students read number of text-books prescribed in syllabus. During this academic pursuit, the mind is fed with the great number of sentences, and whenever, a student sits down to write something, mind starts ‘supplying’ the readymade sentences which are already there in the mind. It doesn’t make any new sentence. If an attempt is made to think and make a new sentence, the mind makes it through translation from Hindi to English. So, the need is to feed the mind with the standardized sentences related to different situations of life to write well, as much as possible. 

However, to be a good writer, one must know how to mould sentences according to the need of thoughts, and here comes the sentence-framing. All the writers use THREE TYPES OF SENTENCES to express their thoughts.

1.   Simple sentence: A sentence which has one subject and one predicate with one finite verb.

Simple sentences are short and emphatic. It helps to create a staccato effect. It is used for clarity and emphasis. Besides children story books, it is extensively used in poetic expressions. Here are a few examples:

i.)    He was injured. He couldn’t walk.

ii.)    We are not alone. There is moon. There are trees. There is wind. Over and above, there is God.

iii.)    Making tea in kitchen, she burns her fingers

-    Born and brought up in a village, she was unknown to tea.

-    Learning English is not difficult.

-    (using participles)

-    Hinduism, one of the oldest religions, is observed in India and Nepal.

-    You have to work hard to become somebody in life (Using ‘infinite’)

Fair is foul, and foul is fair - Macbeth, Shakespeare

2.   Compound sentence:  A sentence which is made up of Principal or Main clauses where two independent clauses are connected to each other with a connective (co-coordinating conjunction) such as : for, or , therefore, so, yet, but, and, still, nevertheless, however, only, it is used for brevity and explicability. For example:
  i.)        Parents scold you, for they love you.

ii.)        Hurry up or we will get late.

iii.)       He was lazy; therefore he didn’t get any work.

iv.)       I don’t have cash, so I will withdraw from ATM.

v.)        He is not well off, yet he will never compromise with his principle.

vi.)        He may be honest, but I can’t trust him.

vii.)      He is rich and he can buy out

viii.)     She was annoyed, still she kept quiet

ix.)        He failed, nevertheless he didn’t lose heart.

x.)        The parents give their children the boat; they can’t however meet all the demands.
xi.)    She knows English; only she can’t speak eloquently.

3.   Complex sentence:  A sentence which has one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses that usually begins with dependent clause and connected together with a connective (subordinate conjunctions) such as :after, although, as, because, before, even though, if, since, though, unless, until, when, whenever, whereas, while. For example:

- After her first degrees, she decided to get a job.

- Although, she was poor in English, she cracked IAS.

- As netas are corrupt, the people have become indifferent to the issue of corruption.

- Because of financial problems, he couldn’t sustain his business.

- Before you fill up the form, read the instructions.

- Even though he is poor, he can’t be dishonest.

- If he works hard, he can succeed.

- Since he is sick, he can’t attend class.

- Though he is genius, he can’t crack IAS.

- Unless you work hard, you can’t succeed.

- Until he comes, you will have to wait.

- When I reached station, the train had left.

- Whenever you need me, you can turn to me.

- Some netas pretend to be global whereas Modi is a pure nationalist.
- While there is sun, we can make hay.

Furthermore, there are certain standardized phrases extensively used by the writers/ journalist to maintain flow of thoughts from once sentence to other or form one paragraph to another. For example:

-   Over 50 percent people are below poverty line in India. As a matter of fact, the most of the netas are corrupt.

-   For no apparent reasons, she turned down his proposal.

-   Infact there is cut throat competition; it is not easy to start a new business.

-   It passes belief that people like Asaram can commit rape.

-   Parents always scold their children for their mistakes.  Needless to say, they care for their kids.

-   The students study day and night to crack IAS exams. Obviously, the success doesn’t come cheap.

-   As a servant of public, netas live king’s life. On the contrary, public, the master live in abject poverty.

-   The most of the netas roll in money. Surprisingly enough, they have no personal business.

-   The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Undoubtedly, democracy has been replaced with ‘lootocracy’.

Besides sentence-framing, yet another common problem faced by the student- writers is the ‘sequence of tenses’. It is usual pit-fall for the students. Here, the students must follow certain established rules:

1. Past tense in Principle clause must follow Past tense in the Subordinate clause too. For example:

-   The court found out that he was not guilty.

-   All students worked hard so that they might crack SSC.

Exceptions

i)  In case of universal truth, past may be followed by present tense:

-     Gandhi said that non-violence is key to peace.

ii) If subordinate clause is introduces by ’than’, a past tense in principle clause may be followed by any tense as required in subordinate clause.

iii)   She loved him more than she loves her own children.

-      The people liked Indira Gandhi more than they like Rahul Gandhi

2.   Present or Future tense in principle clause may be followed by any tense as required.

-  People think that he did commit the crime

-  People can’t believe that he committed the crime.

Exceptions

- Subordinate  clause denoting’ purpose’ must be in present, if principle clause is present or Future:

People work hard so that they may earn.

Since writers/ scholars maintain that English Grammar is more confusing than comprehensive, it is better to study the sentence-framing, and style of established writers and develop a distinctive diction. Look at the lucid prose/ style/ word play. While addressing the senators on government, David E. Lilienthal says:

   “Any form of government, therefore, and any institutions which make men means rather than ends, which exalt the state or any other institutions above the importance of men, which place arbitrary power over men as a fundamental tenet of government, are contrary to that conception, and therefore, I am deeply opposed to them.” 

After the assassination of Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the nation with the words:

   “Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere. . . . The light has gone out, I said, and yet I was wrong. For the light that shone in this country was no ordinary light. The light that has illumined this country for these many years will illumine this country for many more years . . . .”

Mind you, writing is a matter of practice. It is like drawing water from well. More one draws the water more it gets clear and clean. Life is the best school. One continues to learn until the last breath. So live life long as a student in this vast world.