How to Write Better Essays

deepest of emotions. When you read it, it seems the simplest thing in

the world to do. But like most things that are done well, its simplicity

disguises the hard work that’s been invested: in this case in trying to

overcome the difference between written and spoken communication.

Written v. spoken

We’re all aware of the problems this difference creates for a student

writing an essay. As we’re not sitting next to our readers, we’re not able

to tell them what we really meant to say each time they stop to strug-

gle with one of our more difficult expressions. This is made even more

difficult if our work is being marked by an external examiner, who won’t

have the same familiarity with and sympathy for our ideas as our tutor

does.

But perhaps the most elusive aspect of normal speech, that’s diffi-

cult to capture in our written work, is any emphasis we might express

through tone or gesture. This has to be conveyed through our choice

of words and phrases, and through sentence rhythm and punctuation.

And, of course, unlike the oral explanations we might give in answer

to a question, in our written work readers can go at their own pace;

they can even go back and re-read one of our arguments. All of which

makes writing a much more concentrated form of communication than

speech.

Given these problems you couldn’t be blamed for putting your

hands up in the air in despair; it seems a frighteningly difficult task.

But the truth is, it’s a lot simpler than we allow ourselves to think.

If, when we come to write, we have convinced ourselves that it isa

difficult task, this is exactly what we will find. We’ll tend to complicate

the task unnecessarily, making it virtually impossible to do a good

job. This is what Matthew Arnold says about style and the business of

writing:

People think that I can teach them style. What stuff it all is! Have some-

thing to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of

style.^1

Sentences

Most students find writing difficult because they’re convinced that

it’s much more complicated than Matthew Arnold describes it. And it

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