Essay writing for Competitive exams by: Muhammad Danial. Student At English Department SALU

1. ESSAY WRITING:
“True ease of writing comes from art not chance”
Essay writing is an art, skill that is in fact one of the most effective and
surest tests of the personality, mental development and maturity of the
writer. According to Random House Dictionary of the English language
an essay, “is a short literary composition on a particular theme or a
subject usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative or
interperetative”. The Oxford Dictionary defines essay as a literary
composition. It is usually prose in nature and precise on a particular
subject. According to the Chambers 20th
century Dictionary, an essay is
a trial, an experiment, a written composition less elabrote than any
treatise” Moreover, Ben Johnson Says, “An essay is a thing someone
does himself and the point of the essay is not the subject but charm of
the personality” Here Johnson defines that the essential point about an
essay is not the subject but the charm of personality. Subject does not
matter; What matter is that “the thing or the thought should be vividly
apprehended, enjoyed , felt to be beautiful and expressed with a
certain gusto” Again Dr Ben Johnson has given one of the best
definitions, “An essay is a loose sally of mind; an irregular , indigestible
piece” Thus, Dr Johnson means that an essay can be an innocent
means of literary self expression on any subject having a vast range
from kings to kite.

2. Essay For Competitive Exams:
When one talks of essay, one is immediately reminded of the great
writers in the literary field like Bacon, Hazlitt, Lamb, Stevenson, Swift,
Russel, Johnson etc. All these famous writers no doubt wrote
wonderfully ; their work adorn the English Literature. But the type of
essays that nowadays candidates appearing in the competitive exams
are required to attempt are quite different from the literary essays
written by these mentioned essayists.
As Far as the writing for an competitive exam is concerned, the
examiner wants clear expression of personality and ideas . The
candidate is given a limit to attempt the essay therefore, he/she has to
write in brief. Besides, the examiner wants to find out a consciousness
of approach and the precise nature of the subject matter which is
covered in essay. That is why the candidates are advised to be to the
point instead of talking at random.
TECHNIQUESOF EFFECTIVE ESSAY WRITING:
 While writing an essay, keep your readers in your mind. Try to
build up the interest of your readers or in other words write for
your readers.
 Choose the title very carefully in which you are at home. Never
select a title about you have hazy and ambiguous ideas.
 You should jot down your important points before start writing an
essay.

3.  Arrange your main points (out lines ) in a systematic order so that
it may make a coherent and logical composition.
 You may start your essay from the theme of the subject matter.
 You may also start your essay with any general opinion about
topic.
 You may start writing from a phrase, relevant to the topic.
 Avoid burdening your essay with redundant quotations.
 Don’t use too much idioms and phrases in your essay. Try your
best to write as simple as you can. Bombastic and inappropriate
vocabulary leaves bad impression on the reader.
 Put each main idea in a separate paragraph.
 You neither need to give numbers to paragraphs nor it is
necessary to give sub headings.
 Avoid using slang and colloquial terms and try to develop a
graceful, dignified, standard academic and literary style.
 The essay should be written in simple language. Sentences must
free from the grammatical errors.
 Every point should support the topic. Irrelevant material as never
appreciated.
 You are not supposed be an expert or a specialist on the subject.
Write the points which are universally accepted and correct in
accordance with your observation.

4.  Make your essay a balanced one and do not go against the topic
up to the hilt.
 Adopt and analytical and logical approach.
 Beginning and ending of an essay are very important. So, give
maximum attention to both of these.
 Never give a categorical or one sided conclusion. The conclusion
always be a balanced one.
 There is no hard and fast rule regarding the length of essay. It can
be written as required or according to the situation.
 Don’t forget brevity while writing ; it is the soul wit.
 Avoid repeatation of words and thoughts.
 Write in a beautiful and legible handwriting. A pleasing
handwriting is always considered an asset.
 You must revise your essay after completion to correct the
mistakes, if any.
Process of Essay Writing:
 The process of effective writing consists of four elements:
 Reading
 Observation

5.  Thinking
 Practice
An essay can be divided into three parts:
 The Beginning (Introduction)
 The Middle (Main body)
 The End (Conclusion)
Essay is usually divided into four kinds (classes).
1.Narrative Essay:
Those essays which narrate some events Such as:
Stories, Historical occurrences.
Biographical Sketches of famous persons
2.Descriptive Essay:
Those essays that consist of the description of some
places or things like:
Countries, mountains, seas, towns, buildings,
phenomena of nature etc.
3.Reflective Essay:
Reflective essays consist in reflections upon some
topics that are generally abstract in nature like,
Habits qualities, Social and political affairs.
4.Argumentative Essays: (Expository Essays)

6. They consist in exposition or explanation of a quote,
saying or a thesis.
Those essays are based on various arguments. Such as
1. If Gold rusts what should iron do?
2. I am the master of my fate.
Note: Be careful while writing the introduction
and conclusion.
An introductory Paragraph should have two things:
1. Attracts the reader’s interest.
2. Present a thesis sentence.
Remember that the main idea or point developed in an essay is
called the “Thesis Statement” or “Thesis Sentence” rather than as
in, a paragraph, the topic sentence. A thesis statement appears in
the introductory paragraph and it is then developed in the
supporting paragraphs that follow.
Conclusion:
The conclusion is an essay should be logical, convincing and
natural without a good conclusion, a well written essay will leave
a bad taste in the mouth of the examiner /reader. In n conclusion
a student should not go against the title of the essay. It is always
better to draw a balanced and objective conclusion. In a
controversial and objective picture rather than partial and one-
sided picture.

7. Note: Objectivity in writing is considered one of the finest
qualities of a writer.
This is a brief discussion on “Essay” If the
reader finds any short coming, I will say
before arguing that I am a man, neither
a statue nor a God.
Thanks.