• If you have ever said something like, “Why do there have to be so many tenses in English grammar?!” – you’re not alone.
    Well, the time has come to find out more about English tenses – and make English grammar easier to master. Check the Passive and Active Voice examples below – you’ll definitely find the tenses issue much simpler thereafter!

    Passive and Active Voice Examples: The Force of a Habit

    The first and foremost thing about these two is that, unlike Passive, Active Voice mentions the doer – the one who acts in the sentence. Once you learn this, you’ll realize that the form of Passive Voice is by far not as hard as most people believe it to be.
    Like Active Voice, Passive Voice also mentions the doer – but in a slightly different fashion. To say in Passive Voice who the doer is, you’ll need:
    For animate objects: by
    The paper was written by Jack.
    For inanimate objects: with
    The picture was drawn with a pen.
    Logically, the change of Voice is best when you care less about the doer in the sentence and more about the action described or its consequences.
    In Passive, “with” and “by” are extremely important – don’t confuse them!
    As for the verb “to be,” Passive Voice is actually based on that word. “To be” is used like a formal verb – it changes, while the notional part remains the same:
    Everyone is watching this movie. – The movie is being watched in every corner of the Earth.
    Generally speaking, the verb “to be” in English plays quite an important part.

    Read more

  • persuasion-topicWhen getting ready for a persuasive essay or a persuasive speech, you should start from the very beginning. That beginning is the choice of a winning persuasion topic. Do not waste your time on waiting for the muse and sparkles of inspiration. Instead, check this list of top 25 persuasive writing topics and select the most suitable of them for your project.
     
    Persuasion topics: stick to your interests

    1. Should TV news programs be required to mention at least some good news in their reports?
    2. Should sexual education start in middle school?
    3. Is it fair that legal age for driving is 18, but the legal age for gambling is 21?
    4. Can a boy and a girl be just friends?
    5. Should genetically modified food be banned and removed from all stores?

    Persuasion topics: define your stand

    1. Should marijuana be legalized for medical purposes?
    2. Should voluntary euthanasia be legalized for seriously ill patients?
    3. Should all healthy people become blood donors?
    4. Should doctors ask seriously ill patients if they would like to become donors?
    5. Should HIV testing become mandatory for everyone?

    Persuasion topics: formulate weighty arguments

    1. Is the one-child policy in China justified by the risks of overpopulation?
    2. Should cities provide free Wi-Fi Internet access to all citizens?
    3. Should people pay taxes on smoking?
    4. Should people living in regions with cold climate have longer vacations?
    5. Is technological progress beneficial or harmful for the society?


    Read more

  • good-persuasive-topicsVirtually every student has written a persuasive essay at least once. In this kind of paper, the author has to put forward a solid argument about a specific problem or question. The main issue is that some topics are too well-known, and it is difficult to say something new about them. If you are searching for good persuasive essay topics, you might want to read this article.
     
    Good Persuasive Topics: Journalism and Mass Media
     
    The role of mass media has always been quite controversial and there are plenty of topics that you may discuss:

    1. Do private media companies serve the interests of the community or just promote the interest of their owners?
    2. Can journalists be unbiased while reporting or evaluating events?
    3. Is it necessary to censor movies with explicit violent or sexual content?
    4. Should advertising of tobacco products be prohibited? Will this policy reduce smoking in the country?
    5. Can Internet completely substitute television and printed media? Can you imagine the world without television?

     
    Good Persuasive Topics: the World of Politics and International Relations
     
    Politics and international relations also spark heated debate among many people. There are many problems and questions that still remain unresolved. You may pick some of them for your paper, for instance:

    1. Should international organizations like UNO intervene into the activities of state governments? In what cases, can such intervention be justified?
    2. Is the very idea of international government realistic?
    3. War is an inherent part of the world’s history. Can you imagine the world without wars?
    4. Is the idea of human rights universal? Does it vary across countries and cultures?
    5. Can modern technologies such as Internet help people understand better international relations?

     
    Good Persuasive Topics: Political Correctness and Its Influences

    Read more

  • The child is father of the man. Of course, to some extent William Wordsworth was right, but some people corrupt such notion and make children work like adults. This issue is often considered by students in child labor essays. What exact topics can you take?

    1. Risk groups in a child labor essay. You can try to define what kind of children (nationality, parents’ welfare, character features) are usually exposed to such work. Are they only orphans? In your child labor essay you may analyze what social circumstances cause such phenomenon. What countries can be characterized by child labor abundance?
    2. Local situation in your child labor essay. Try to define whether there are (were) cases of child labor use in your city (country). When was the latest case recorded: several centuries (maybe, years or months) ago? You can devote your child labor essay to statistical analysis of the issue. How many cases were recorded in your city? What children were victims (orphans, poor children, etc.)?
    3. Ethics in your child labor essay. It is also possible to contemplate on ethical issues in your child labor essay. Do you think it is possible to use child labor? Maybe, children can work several hours for good payment? What about part-time job for school children? In your child labor essay you can also depict your own example of part-time work. If you did not have part-time job, explain why you did not work. What reasons make your peers work?
    4. Filthy parents. You can consider the vicious pattern when adults adopt children and use their children. In your child labor essay you may refer to different cases mentioned in newspapers, TV shows, etc. You may also use fiction: such movies like It Takes Two or Slumdog Millionaire illustrate such situations.


    Read more

  • Review of ancient philosophical works
     
    Antique Greek Philosophy appeared to be a profound theoretical foundation for numerous theories. Plato’s contribution to various spheres of knowledge can hardly be underestimated. Working on one’s Plato essay, a student has a splendid opportunity to review the works of this ancient man of wisdom. The main principles of Plato’s philosophy and his dialogues can have a significant impact on learner’s views and way of thinking. Fortunately, there is a lot of extant Plato’s works. Students have a plenty of materials for writing a Plato essay.
     
    It is advisable to mention Plato’s mentor Socrates and his student Aristotle in one’s paper. A good Plato essay requires a comprehensive analysis of ancient doctrines and taking into consideration the context of philosopher’s theories. Certainly, some his theories could be misinterpreted by researchers and translators in the course of time. Working on one’s Plato essay, a student should avoid using somebody’s summary of philosopher’s works and give preference to work with the primary sources.
     
    Useful hints for writing a Plato essay

    1. Choose a concrete aspect of philosopher’s work for touching upon in your Plato essay. Try to resist temptation to make your theme too broad. You should not start reviewing irrelevant sources.
    2. Formulate a strong thesis for your Plato essay and make it the last sentence of the first paragraph of your paper. Collecting materials for supporting this statement make sure to choose only the weightiest arguments.
    3. Work on logical structure of your Plato essay, it could make your reasoning sound more persuasive. It is advisable to systematize your arguments.


    Read more