Guide to spelling, punctuation and grammar

6
SAMPLE ESSAY 1: 
A DISCURSIVE ESSAY
Discursive essays, sometimes referred to as ‘argumentative’ essays,
involve you in putting forward arguments for and against a particular
point of view. The skills you are being assessed on include clarity and
conciseness of expression, organisation of the facts/relevant points, the
ability to balance arguments for and against, and overall structure.
Essays of this type can often be rambling and unfocused. To avoid those
faults, it is necessary to keep a tight hold on the development of the
argument you are making and to back up the points you are making with
detailed examples. Allow for the counter-arguments to the thesis you are
supporting and deal with them. 
The essay below has been written in response to this topic:
‘Watching professional sport has become far too important for
many people, especially men, and this obsession usually is a sign
that something is missing from their lives.’ Discuss this statement,
making your own point of view clear.
Opening paragraph
There is no doubt that the sports industry in this
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country has grown massively over the last twenty
years. 
(1)
This growth is linked with the development
of cable and satellite television channels, many of
which supply continual sports coverage to
subscribers. These channels earn huge revenues not
only from subscriptions but also from advertisers who
rush to advertise their goods and services when
important sports events occur. The governing bodies
of the various major sports in Britain, such as
football, cricket, rugby and tennis, have cooperated
with the television companies in signing agreements
to allow the televising of their ‘products’. 
(2)
Thus, the
amazing hype that surrounds major, or even run-of-
the-mill, sporting events stems from the pooled and
vested interests of the owners of the media outlets
and the groups who control the sports themselves.
This continual high-intensity marketing of sport has
led to a nation of obsessive watchers, most of whom
are male. 
(3)