Introduction

English writing skills are highly important for students appearing for the Chinese middle school entrance exams or commonly known as Zhongkao. However, many students face difficulties in writing a structured and coherent essay that showcases their language proficiency. In this article, we have gathered some essential English phrases and sentence structures that can be used in a middle school English essay, which can help students to write more fluently and precisely.

Useful Phrases for Expressing Opinions and Ideas

The following phrases are useful for students to express their ideas and opinions in an English essay:

  • From my point of view / in my opinion / as far as I am concerned: These phrases can be used to state a personal opinion about a particular topic.
  • In conclusion / all things considered / in summary: These phrases are used to summarize the main points of the essay.
  • Furthermore / in addition / moreover: These phrases are used to add more information or to elaborate on a point.
  • On the other hand / however / nevertheless: These phrases are used to show contrasting ideas or to acknowledge another point of view.
  • It can be argued that / some people believe that / it is widely accepted that: These phrases are used to introduce opposing viewpoints or different perspectives.

Sentence Structures for Different Types of Essays

Depending on the type of essay, different sentence structures can be used. Here are some examples:

  • For a descriptive essay: Adjective clauses, similes or metaphors can be used to describe the setting, characters, or objects. For instance, "The sky was a stunning canvas of orange and pink, painting a perfect picture of tranquility."
  • For a persuasive essay: Modal verbs and conditional sentences are necessary to persuade the readers. For example, "If we implement this policy, we would save millions of lives."
  • For a narrative essay: Action verbs and temporal connectors can be used to describe the sequence of events. For example, "Suddenly, I heard a loud noise and turned around to see the dog running towards me."

Conclusion

Mastering the necessary English phrases and sentence structures for essay writing is vital for students preparing for the Zhongkao exam. Practice and consistency are key to improve writing skills, so students should try to write as much as possible and seek feedback from their teachers or peers. Utilizing these phrases and structures can help simplify the writing process and produce a high-quality essay that satisfies the examiners' requirements.