Lesson video

Hi everyone, and welcome to our first lesson of our new unit, where we're going to be learning to write an essay based on the Windrush.

In today's lesson, you're going to identify the features of an essay in preparation for writing about the Windrush.

Here are some key words we're going to use.

Essay, purpose, argument, layout, linguistic features.

Well done.

An essay is a piece of writing that explores arguments about a particular issue.

The purpose is the aim of the text.

An argument is a logical, reasoned way of presenting a set of ideas.

The layout refers to how a text is structured.

Linguistic features are the language structures that are used within a text.

Today, we're going to be identifying the features of an essay in preparation for writing about the Windrush.

First of all, we are going to consider the purpose and layout of an essay, and then we're going to move on to learning about their linguistic features.

An essay is a piece of writing that explores arguments about a particular issue.

It is a non-fiction text and it is formal in tone.

Select the adjectives that appropriately describe essays.

Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you've noticed that an essay should be informative, based on real life issues or events, and formal.

We would not describe essays as funny.

The purpose of an essay is to inform the reader about a particular subject.

An essay is often written in response to a question.

It uses the power of an argument to answer the question.

An argument is a logical, reasoned way of presenting a set of ideas.

An essay can be used to set out one argument in lots of detail, or it can set out two or more arguments to present a balanced view of an issue.

True or false? Essays only ever explore one argument.

Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you spotted that this is false.

Now, choose how to justify your answer.

Well done if you spotted that the correct answer is B.

The purpose of essays is to inform the reader about a particular topic and relevant arguments surrounding them.

Some essays explore one argument whilst others explore a range of arguments.

Essays often follow the same structure and layout.

They start with a title, which is usually an essay question, or a statement to answer or respond to.

Then we have the introduction.

The introduction is the first paragraph that states the argument and introduces the reasons to be explored.

Then we have the main sections.

They contain paragraphs of information related to the particular reasons that support the argument.

And finally, we have a conclusion.

This is the last paragraph that summarises the information from the text and restates the argument.

Match the layout features of essays with their functions.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

Great work, everyone.

The title is a layout feature presented as a question or a statement, which the writer explores through discussion of one or many arguments.

The introduction is the first paragraph that states the argument and introduces the reasons to be explored.

The sections contain paragraphs of information related to the reasons that underpin the arguments.

And the conclusion is the last paragraph that summarises the information from the text and restates the argument.

Now that we've completed our first part of our lesson, where we've understood the purpose and the layout of an essay, we are now going to explore the linguistic features of an essay.

Linguistic features are the language structures that are used within a text.

The purpose of an essay is to answer a question or a statement with one or many logical, reasoned arguments.

For this reason, linguistic features need to be formal and informative in tone.

The writer needs to sound credible when they present their arguments.

That mains that the writer needs to sound well-informed and give accurate information.

Here are some of the linguistic features we need to use.

Fronted adverbials, parenthesis within brackets, facts and statistics, a range of sentence types.

Well done.

Let's first talk about fronted adverbials.

True or false? A fronted adverbial goes at the end of a sentence.

Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you spotted that this is false.

Now, choose how to justify your answer.

Great work if you spotted that a fronted adverbial goes at the start of a sentence, and it is followed by a comma.

A formal fronted adverbial starts a sentence and it is followed by a comma, and we can use this scaffold as a visual reference to help us.

It is formal in tone, and it links one sentence to the previous sentence, so the sentence that came before it.

Formal fronted adverbials can be grouped into two categories.

We can think of them as either, and formal fronted adverbials.

These are words that we can use instead of the word, and.

They link two sentences together by adding on another similar idea.

Let's say some examples together.

In addition to this, as well as this, also, furthermore, moreover, building onto this.

We can also use, but formal fronted adverbials.

These are words that are also formal fronted adverbials, but this time they add a contrasting idea to the previous sentence, so they give a different idea or viewpoint.

Let's have a go at saying these together.

However, despite this, on the contrary, in contrast to this.

So, we have our and formal fronted adverbials and our but formal fronted adverbials.

They're both similar, because they're both formal.

They both start a sentence and they have a comma after them.

But our and fronted adverbials link on another similar idea to the previous sentence, whereas our but formal fronted adverbials link on a contrasting idea to the previous sentence.

A fronted adverbial of cause is a sentence starter that explains the cause and the effect of something.

If we start with the cause, then we can discuss the effect of that cause.

It follows the same rules as the formal fronted adverbial in that it is formal in tone, and it links one sentence to the previous sentence.

It also starts a sentence and it is followed by a comma.

So we can use the same scaffold here.

Let's have a look at an example of using fronted adverbials of cause to link cause and effect.

Let's read this together.

"Britain had been bombed during the war.

Consequently, the country's economy and infrastructure needed to be rebuilt." So, the cause here was that Britain had been bombed during the war, and the effect of that bombing was that the country's economy and the infrastructure needed to be rebuilt.

And we can link that cause and effect with the word, consequently.

We could also use, as a result, or due to this.

All of those are examples of fronted adverbials of cause.

A viewpoint fronted adverbial is a sentence starter that tells the reader the writer's point of view.

A viewpoint fronted adverbial follows some of the same rules in that it is formal in tone, and it starts a sentence, and is followed by a comma, so we can use this scaffold.

A point of view is what someone thinks about a subject or a fact.

When writing an essay, it is important that we stay neutral.

That mains that we don't give away our personal opinions.

However, some viewpoint fronted adverbials are appropriate to use, and we can talk about those now.

When we're writing an essay, it's important to sound credible.

Whilst personal opinions are not appropriate, some viewpoint fronted adverbials are.

So, we could use, of significant interest, of particular interest.

These are for very interesting facts.

We could also use, notably, significantly.

These are for facts that are important.

Match the fronted adverbial type to its example, and pause the video while you do that.

A formal fronted adverbial is, additionally.

This is an example of an and formal fronted adverbial.

A fronted adverbial of cause is, as a result, and a viewpoint fronted adverbial is, notably.

Let's explore some other appropriate linguistic features.

Now, let's talk about about parenthesis within brackets.

Parenthesis is additional information.

It can be removed from a sentence and the sentence will still make sense.

Brackets can be used for parenthesis in non-fiction texts.

Let's read this sentence together.

Jamaica is approximately 4600 miles from England.

Now, if I wanted to give some additional information about Jamaica, I could say that Jamaica is a country in the Caribbean.

Let's try adding that parenthesis into my sentence.

Jamaica, a country in the Caribbean, is approximately 4600 miles from England.

Now I've added in my parenthesis, but it all runs together, so it'd be quite confusing for my reader to understand where the main part of the sentence is and where the parenthesis is.

So this is why I need to use brackets.

These bracket are used to demarcate the parenthesis, and they separate it from the rest of the sentence.

Let's read it one more time.

Jamaica, a country in the Caribbean, is approximately 4600 miles from England.

Which of these sentences uses brackets for parentheses correctly? Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you spotted that the correct answer was A.

He was born in London, England.

The additional information here is that England is the country that London is in.

It can be lifted out from the sentence and the sentence would still make sense without it.

Now that we've discussed fronted adverbials and parenthesis within brackets, let's talk about facts and statistics.

These are used to give the reader factual information that backs up the writer's argument.

They're another tool for the writer to use to sound credible.

So again, credibility's really important when we're writing an essay, because we need to sound well-informed and like we really understand the topic that we are writing about.

Here are some examples of facts.

After World War II, London needed to be rebuilt.

Over 1000 people travelled to England on the Empire Windrush.

The Empire Windrush arrived in England in 1948.

The voyage from Jamaica to England lasted 22 days.

What are facts? Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you spotted that facts are statements that can be proved to be true.

Finally, let's talk about a range of sentence types that we might use in an essay.

Let's review what a relative complex sentence is.

A relative complex sentence is a sentence formed of a main clause and a relative subordinate clause.

The main clause can be interrupted by the relative clause, like we see in this sentence.

Let's read it together.

The Windrush Generation, who travelled to England in 1948, arrived from the Caribbean.

We can also add a relative clause to the end of the main clause.

Let's read this one.

They travelled to England, which is part of the UK.

In both of these sentences, commas are used to separate the relative clause from the main clause.

So when the main clause interrupts the main, when the relative clause interrupts the main clause, we have a pair of commas either side of it.

When the relative clause goes at the end of the main clause, we use one comma to separate it from the main clause, and then a full stop to end the sentence.

Adverbial complex sentences are sentences that include a main clause and an adverbial subordinate clause.

Let's read this together.

Although people were promised many opportunities in England, the reality was very different.

Here, my adverbial subordinate clause is, although people were promised many opportunities in England.

And I know this because it starts with the word although, which is an example of a subordinate conjunction.

So, the subordinating conjunction starts the adverbial subordinate clause.

Some appropriate subordinating conjunctions to use in an essay would be, although, because, after, before.

Non-finite complex sentences are sentences that include a main clause and a non-finite subordinate clause.

Journeying to the UK, many of the Windrush community were excited at the prospect of living in England.

My non-finite subordinate clause here is, journeying to the UK, and I know this because it starts with a verb, which is in the progressive verb form, journeying.

And I know this because it has the -ing suffix.

So, a non-finite subordinate clause begins with a progressive tense verb with the -ing suffix.

Match the complex sentence types to their definitions.

Pause the video while you do that.

Well done if you spotted that the relative complex sentence is a sentence formed of a main clause and a relative subordinate clause.

An adverbial complex sentence is a sentence formed of a main clause and an adverbial subordinate clause.

And a non-finite complex sentence is a sentence formed of a main clause and a non-finite subordinate clause.

Now it's time for your task.

Read the model essay and find the following linguistic features.

Let's begin by reading through it together.

"The Victorian era was a glorious time for Britain." "Do you think this statement is correct? Discuss why or why not.

Between 1837 and 1901, Great Britain was ruled by Queen Victoria.

This monarch's reign was an important, complicated period in British history.

This essay will explore the positives and negatives of life in Victorian Britain.

During the Victorian era, many factories and industries were established in Britain.

As a result, many jobs were created, which meant that people were able to establish successful careers and businesses.

In addition to this, Britain was able to sell its products around the world, leading to it becoming a wealthier country.

Despite the benefits of the Victorian era, people's living and working conditions, particularly in London, were very poor, and this is considered to be one of the most negative legacies of Victorian Britain.

Because of the severity of air pollution at the time, people struggled to breathe or see properly.

This led to a great deal of health problems amongst the Victorian population.

Moreover, many people became homeless as they could not afford a place to live.

In conclusion, Queen Victoria's reign was an important part of British history.

Despite the fact that Britain's global power grew during the Victorian era, it is evident that it was a very difficult time to survive for the vast majority of the population.

This does not align with our modern day British values." Pause the video now while you complete your task.

Great work everyone.

An example of a fronted adverbial could have been, between 1837 and 1901, during the Victorian era, as a result, in addition to this, despite the benefits of the Victorian era, and moreover.

One example of parenthesis within is, particularly in London.

One example of a fact or statistic could have been any of these.

"Between 1837 and 1901, Great Britain was ruled by Queen Victoria.

Many jobs were created, which meant that people were able to establish successful careers and businesses.

Britain was able to sell its products around the world, leading to it becoming a wealthier country.

Because of the severity of air pollution at the time, people struggled to see or breathe properly.

This led to a great deal of health problems amongst the Victorian population.

Many people became homeless as they could not afford a place to live." Any of those facts would've been correct.

A relative complex sentence was, "as a result, many jobs were created, which meant that people were able to establish successful careers and businesses." An example of an adverbial complex could have been any of these, "Because of the severity of air pollution at the time, people struggled to breathe or see properly.

Moreover, many people became homeless as they could not afford a place to live." Or, "Although Britain's global power grew during the Victorian era, it is evident that it was a very difficult time to survive for the vast majority of the population." And lastly, an example of a non-finite complex sentence was this one.

"In addition to this, Britain was able to sell its products around the world leading to it becoming a wealthier country." In this example, the non-finite subordinate clause is at the end of the sentence.

Well, everyone that now brings us to the end of our first lesson of this unit, where we've been identifying the features of an essay in preparation for writing about the Windrush.

The purpose of an essay is to inform the reader about one or more than one argument that supports the writer's answer to a question or statement.

The writer must sound credible.

Linguistic features help achieve the appropriate tone and contribute towards meeting the texts purpose.

Linguistic features of an essay include fronted adverbials, parentheses within brackets, use of facts, and use of a range of sentence types.

I hope you've enjoyed learning about the features of an essay, and we can use this knowledge with our planning in the rest of this unit to write our own essays.

Well done, everyone.