Guide to spelling, punctuation and grammar

A
NALYSIS
Opening paragraph
(1) Using the term ‘auteur theory’ as the opening words of the essay
signals to the reader that you are addressing the topic immediately.
(2) This is an emphatic opening sentence saying something specific
about the subject by explaining how the theory arose and mentioning
some of the leading supporters of auteurism. ‘Waffle’ is avoided.
(3) Specific examples of directors favoured by the auteur critics are
provided, but no detail is gone into at this stage of the essay.
(4) This last sentence of the opening paragraph points the way for what
is to come in the body of the essay.
Paragraph 2
(1) ‘This’ refers back to the opening paragraph and provides a link, as
does ‘then’.
(2) This long sentence explains further the thinking behind the theory and
details particular directors favoured by the supporters of the theory.
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(3) This sentence acknowledges the collaborative nature of film-making
but emphasises the centrality of the role of the director, according to
the auteur theory.
(4) The final two sentences of the paragraph are a neat expression of the
gist of what has been stated.
Paragraph 3
(1) ‘It can safely be asserted’ acts as a linking device.
(2) The first sentence of the paragraph makes the key point of the
paragraph that the supporters of the auteur theory had something
personal to gain from proposing it.
(3) Sentences two, three and four develop this key point further.
(4) The last two sentences present a specific example of a director and
draw a conclusion from what has been stated.
Paragraph 4
(1) ‘Thus’ is used as a linking word between paragraphs.
(2) The first sentence of the paragraph clearly states the subject of the
paragraph (the industrial nature of Hollywood film-making) in a
clear, simple sentence.
(3) Sentences two to six develop this point, providing detail of what the
role of director was expected to be within the Hollywood industry.
(4) The last sentence adds an additional idea about films of merit made
within this system being a ‘happy accident’, which rounds off the
paragraph.
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14 –S
AMPLE ESSAY
9:
A FILM STUDIES ESSAY

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Paragraph 5
(1) ‘However’ is the linking word between paragraphs.
(2) The first sentence clearly states that the topic of the paragraph is
about how some directors manage to impose a personal vision on the
films they direct.
(3) Sentences two to five examine the work of one director in particular,
Alfred Hitchcock, to illustrate the point. Specific films directed by
Hitchcock are referred to.
(4) The last sentence makes a counter-assertion about Hitchcock’s
movies, which refers back to the point about film-making as a
collaborative process.
Paragraph 6
(1) ‘Nevertheless’ is the linking word between paragraphs.
(2) The topic of the paragraph (directors acting as their own producers)
is stated in the first sentence of the paragraph.
(3) The long second sentence details some of the functions of the
producer, but reiterates the idea that film-making is a collaborative
process.
(4) The last sentence uses the example of an individual director to
emphasise this point.
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