Stone 4 · 32 lessons
Articles and essays
A beginning, a middle and an end. Eight kinds of essay, with model texts to read, hear and learn from.
- ✍️ Write it
- 📖 Read it
- 👂 Listen to it
- 🗣️ Say it
- Lesson 1Article IslandStart · free
- Lesson 2Article Island🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 3Article Island🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 4Article Island🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 5Article Island🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 6Article Island🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 7Article Island🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 8Article Island🔒 Full Access
Show all 32 lessons
- Lesson 9Descriptive essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 10Descriptive essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 11Descriptive essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 12Narrative essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 13Narrative essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 14Narrative essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 15Informative essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 16Informative essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 17Informative essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 18Opinion essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 19Opinion essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 20Opinion essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 21Problem and solution essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 22Problem and solution essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 23Problem and solution essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 24Cause and effect essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 25Cause and effect essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 26Cause and effect essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 27Compare and contrast essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 28Compare and contrast essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 29Compare and contrast essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 30Argumentative essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 31Argumentative essays🔒 Full Access
- Lesson 32Argumentative essays🔒 Full Access
Short answer: Articles and essays is stone 4 of the Learning Path. You plan and write a whole text with a beginning, a middle and an end, and you learn eight kinds of essay: describe, narrate, inform, give an opinion, problem and solution, cause and effect, compare and argue. There are 32 short lessons, with model texts to read, hear and say. Lesson 1 is free to try.
Who it is for
- Learners who can write a good paragraph and now need a longer text.
- Students preparing for school or exam essays.
- Anyone who needs to write a short article.
What you learn
- Plan an article with a beginning, a middle and an end.
- Read and hear model essays.
- Eight essay types: describe, narrate, inform, opinion, problem and solution, cause and effect, compare, argue.
Example
A short essay has an introduction with a clear main idea, two or three paragraphs that each develop one point, and a conclusion that closes the idea.
What is free
Lesson 1 is free to try. The other lessons are part of Full Access.
Where to read more
Each essay type has a free topic article with examples and common mistakes. Start with the English writing guide.
Questions
What is the difference between an article and an essay?
An essay develops an idea or an argument in a set structure. An article is usually shorter and informs the reader about a topic. Both need a clear beginning, middle and end.
How long are the essays?
At this level, short essays of about three to five paragraphs.
Do I need the earlier stones first?
It helps to be able to write a paragraph. If you can, you can start here.
What you will learn
- Plan an article with a beginning, middle and end
- Read and hear model essays
- Eight essay types: describe, narrate, inform, opinion, problem and solution, cause and effect, compare, argue
How a lesson works
Every step is spoken, so you always know what to do. You write a sentence or a paragraph, then you read the same text, listen to it and say it. A rule card (💡 Grammar) and a sound lesson (👄 Sounds) are one tap away. The microphone is optional.
The 9 topics in this part
Each topic has its own article with the idea, examples and where to practice. The lessons are in the same order.
- Article Island: Write a short article with a Beginning, a Middle and an End, and link the parts smoothly.
- Descriptive essays: Describe something so the reader can see, hear and feel it.
- Narrative essays: Tell a story with a problem, events in order, an ending and a lesson.
- Informative essays: Explain a topic with facts, steps and examples.
- Opinion essays: Give an opinion and support it with reasons and examples.
- Problem and solution essays: Explain a problem and suggest solutions.
- Cause and effect essays: Explain what causes something and what happens because of it.
- Compare and contrast essays: Show how two things are alike and different.
- Argumentative essays: Make a claim, give reasons, answer another view.
How to practice
- Play a little every day: about 15 minutes is enough.
- Say the sentence out loud after the voice, even without the microphone.
- Repeat a lesson that feels easy. Repeating is practice, not a test.
- When you make a mistake, open the rule card and read the examples.