English Composition: Free Writing on a Topic or Data Set
English composition (free writing)
This domain asks you to produce organised English under a prompt: an opinion essay on a stated topic or a description-and-commentary task based on a data set such as a table or graph.
Core rules
- Open with a clear thesis that directly answers the prompt; do not restate the prompt as your whole introduction.
- Develop two reasons, each with a concrete example or consequence.
- For data tasks, state the overall trend first, then cite only two or three precise figures; do not walk through every row.
- Use paragraph-level cohesion: topic sentence, support, link.
- Leave two minutes to check subject–verb agreement, articles, and plural forms.
Worked example
Prompt: "Some cities now close central streets to cars on Sundays. Do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?" Weak opening: "Recently, this problem is discussed." Strong opening: "Closing central streets to cars on Sundays does more good than harm, because it improves air quality and supports local shops." Reasoning: the strong version names a position and previews two supporting lines, giving the essay a spine. The weak version has no argument and wastes words.
Traps
- Memorised templates that do not fit the prompt.
- Describing a chart without interpreting it ("The number was 42").
- Mixing percentages with raw numbers or misreading the year labels.
- Presenting only one side when the prompt asks you to weigh both.
- Long sentences that collapse into comma splices.