WRITING ESSAYS opening: It is often said that ... / Many people claim that ... In this day and age ... / Nowadays ... / These days ... We live in an age when many of us are... is a hotly-debated topic that often divides opinion. ... is often discussed yet rarely understood. It goes without saying that ... is one of the most important issues facing us today. The following essay takes a look at both sides of the argument. introducing points: Firstly, let us take a look at ... / To start with, ... First of all, it is worth considering ... Secondly, ... Thirdly, ... Furthermore, ... / In addition, ... / What is more, ... / On top of that, ... Another point worth noting is ... / Another factor to consider is ... Lastly, ... / Finally, ... / Last but not least, ... presenting ideas & giving examples: When it comes to noun/gerund, ... According to experts, ... In terms of noun/gerund, ... Research has found that ... With respect to noun/gerund, ... There are those who argue that ... Not only ... but also... For instance ... / For example... / such as ... expressing result & reason: contrasting: Asa result, ... / As a result of ..., Although/Even though subject + verb, ... ...hasled to.../...has resultedin... Despite/In spite of noun/gerund, ... Consequently, ... / Therefore, ... Despite the fact that subject + verb, ... On account of ... / Due to .. On the one hand ... On the other hand ... One reason behind this is However ... / Nevertheless, ... / Even so ... concluding: opinion: To sum up, ... / In conclusion, ... As far as I'm concerned, ... All things considered, ... From my point of view, ... Taking everything into consideration, ... In my opinion, ... Weighing up both sides of the argument, ... Personally speaking, ... The advantages of ... outweigh the disadvantages. My own view on the matter is ... @{ CORK ENGLISH TEACHER (©)very calm | serene very afraid | fearful very careful | cautious very angry | furious very cheap | stingy very annoying | exasperating very clean | spotless very bad | awful very clear | obvious very beautiful | gorgeous a very cold | freezing very big | massive very colorful | vibrant very boring | dull very competitive | cutthroat very bright | luminous very complete | comprehensive very busy | swamped very difficult | arduous very confused | perplexed very dirty | filthy very creative | innovative very dry | arid very crowded | bustling very dull) tedious very dangerous | perilous very easy | effortless very dear | cherished very empty | desolate very deep | profound very excited | thrilled very depressed | despondent very exciting | exhilarating very detailed | meticulous very expensive | costly very different | disparate very fancy | lavish very happy | ecstatic very fat | obese very hard | difficult very friendly | amiable very hard-to-find | rare very frightened | alarmed very heavy | leaden very frightening | terrifying very high | soaring very funny | hilarious very hot | sweltering very glad | overjoyed very huge | colossal very good | excellent very hungry | starving very great | terrific very hurt | batteredvery important | crucial very mean | cruel very intelligent | brilliant very messy | slovenly very interesting | captivating very necessary | essential very large | huge very nervous | apprehensive very lazy | indolent very nice | kind very little | tiny very noisy | deafening very long | extensive very often | frequently very long-term | enduring very old | ancient very loose | slack very old-fashioned | archaic Very open | transparent Very rainy | pouring very painful | excruciating very rich | wealthy very pale | ashen very sad | sorrowful very perfect | flawless very scared | petrified very poor | destitute very scary | chilling very powerful | compelling very serious | grave very pretty | beautiful very sharp | keen very quick | rapid very shiny | gleaming very quiet | hushed very short| brief very shy] timid Very stupid] idiotic very simple | basic very sure | certain very skinny | skeletal very sweet | thoughtful very small | petite very talented | gifted very smart| intelligent very tall | towering very smelly | pungent very tasty | delicious very smooth | sleek very thirsty | parched very soft | downy very tight | constricting very sorry | apologetic very tiny | minuscule very special | exceptional very tired | exhausted very strong | forceful very ugly | hideous