In this post: The "see A as B" pattern (3 Looks, 3 Ts, 2 Rs), the Undoubtedly background-sentence formula and why I stopped relying on it, and adverbs that add emphasis without overstating.
Paraphrasing · 3 parts
- 1. The principle and synonym tables
- 2. "See A as B", openings, adverbs (you are here)
- 3. Blacklist, practice and exercises
✦ In this post
4. “See A as B”: 3 Looks, 3 Ts, 2 Rs
“Some people see A as B” is one of the most common ideas in a Task 2 introduction. In my notes I turned it into a memory aid: 3 Looks, 3 Ts, 2 Rs. The “Looks” are the three verbs of seeing.
| Memory aid | Verbs | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Looks | see, view, look upon | see / view / look upon A as B | Some people view university education as the key to a successful career. |
| 3 Ts | take, treat, think of | take / treat / think of A as B | Many parents treat smartphones as a babysitter. |
| 2 Rs | regard, refer to | regard / refer to A as B | Others regard team sports as the best way to learn cooperation. |
| Extra | consider | consider A (to be) B | I consider this a negative development. |
How I actually used it in my essays
Whereas some people look upon science as something used to mainly benefit human beings, others refer to all other factors as equally important. (opening of my Science essay)
I consider this method of advertisement a negative development. (Advertising, September 2023)
…explain why I consider it an adverse development. (Owning a home, notes version of Task 41)
Points to watch
- refer to A as B originally means “to call A by the name B”, so it is closer to naming. You can use it to mean “regard”, but it is less direct than regard or view. Once per essay is enough.
- consider A B without as is the most standard form. Some people write consider A as B, but in an exam, choose the safest version.
- A noun after as is the safest choice. My notes say: “don’t put an adjective straight after as; use as something equal“. Strictly speaking, regard / see A as + adjective (regard it as important) is fine in English. But refer to A as means “to call”, so it needs a noun, which is why my sentence “refer to … as equal” had to become “as something equal”. If you always use a noun in the exam (as a priority, as something meaningful), you never have to worry.
- Don’t use two different “regard” verbs back to back in the same paragraph; it looks like showing off. Look upon once in the introduction and view in the conclusion is plenty.
5. The Undoubtedly background sentence: formula, examples and how I changed it
In the early stage of my writing preparation, almost every essay opened with a “background sentence” starting with Undoubtedly, and only the second sentence paraphrased the prompt. The advantage of this formula is that you never get stuck at the start; the disadvantage is that, used for long enough, it reads like a template. Here is the formula:
Undoubtedly, with + noun phrase (trend), subject + has / have + past participle ….
Undoubtedly, as + subject + verb (trend), subject + has / have become ….
Background sentences from my notes (with my later corrections)
| What I originally wrote | Problem | Corrected version |
|---|---|---|
| Undoubtedly, with the rapid development of technology, the transmission of information has been becoming more and more efficient and effective. | The present perfect continuous is clumsy here. | …, the transmission of information has become increasingly efficient. |
| Undoubtedly, with the increasing number of population worldwide, the scarcity of housing has become progressively more pronounced. | Population isn’t counted with number. | Undoubtedly, as the global population continues to grow, the scarcity of housing has become increasingly pronounced. |
| Undoubtedly, with time progressing, the interactions between neighbors have become less frequent than before… | “With time progressing” is not something a native speaker would say. | Undoubtedly, as time passes, interactions between neighbours have become increasingly infrequent, eroding the sense of community. |
| Undoubtedly, due to the non-stop trend of globalization that came around a decade ago, learning at least a foreign language or more has been of great importance. | Too long, and “come around” is used imprecisely. | (Example) Undoubtedly, in an increasingly globalised world, learning a foreign language has become essential. |
| Undoubtedly, social status and wealth seem to play a crucial role in all the criteria for judging an individual. | No trend here, but it’s fine. | Keep it. “Play a crucial role in” is a very useful collocation. |
Why I later stopped using Undoubtedly so much
From mid-May onwards, my introductions gradually changed from a four-sentence template (“Undoubtedly + background sentence + Whereas some people look upon… + As for my perception… + the reasons will be thoroughly elaborated on as follows”) to two sentences: paraphrase the prompt, then state my position. There were three reasons, all from my own analysis against the band descriptors:
- It wasted words. The template introduction often ran to 60–70 words, a fifth of a 300-word essay, which left the body paragraphs too shallow.
- Undoubtedly is too absolute. “Without doubt” works for “technology is developing rapidly”, but the background of many prompts is actually debatable, and opening with Undoubtedly makes you sound dogmatic.
- It looked memorised. When the same sentences appear in every essay, an examiner can easily tell they are a template, and that earns nothing for LR or CC.
In the essays that scored 7–7.5 after June, my first sentence was usually one of these:
| Pattern | What I actually wrote | Source |
|---|---|---|
| It is true that… | It is true that eating too many sugary products leads to health problems. | Task 7 |
| It is argued that… | It is argued that saving money for the future is essential for all generations. | Saving money (Cambridge 19, Test 3) |
| It is commonly thought that… | It is commonly thought that the frequent usage of electronic devices keeps individuals from developing their interpersonal skills. | Digital devices (Task 35) |
| Paraphrase the prompt directly | In some nations, the proportion of young adults is bigger than that of the older generation. | Task 45 |
6. Adverbs: add emphasis, but don’t overstate
Adverbs are where a sentence gets its tone, but they are also where it is easiest to overstate. Here is the adverb list from my notes:
| Meaning | Adverbs | Usage note |
|---|---|---|
| Completely | utterly, absolutely, entirely | Utterly usually goes with negative words: utterly unacceptable. |
| Without doubt | undoubtedly, undeniably, apparently | My notes originally said undeniable, which is the adjective; the adverb is undeniably. Apparently means “it seems” or “reportedly”, so it is much weaker. |
| Relatively | relatively, comparatively | relatively cheap, comparatively outstanding |
| At the same time | simultaneously, at the same time | I loved putting simultaneously at the end of a sentence. No more than once per essay. |
| Significantly | significantly, considerably, dramatically | Dramatically is for very large changes. |
| Indisputably | (patterns) It is irrefutable that…, There is no denying that…, It is readily apparent that… | It is undeniable that… (adjective) also works. |
Don’t overstate: when to use undoubtedly and definitely
Looking back at my essays, one habit stands out: I packed undoubtedly, undeniably and definitely into every paragraph. In Trial essay 3, for example, I wrote “it is undoubtedly that they will purchase it”, and the corrected version became “it is likely that they will purchase it”. This isn’t only a grammar problem; it is a logic problem. Does seeing an advert mean someone will “without doubt” buy the product? Of course not.
| Overstated | More reasonable |
|---|---|
| undoubtedly / definitely will | is likely to, tends to, may well |
| always | often, usually, in many cases |
| everyone / nobody | most people, few people |
| It is undoubtedly that… (also ungrammatical) | It is likely that… / There is no doubt that… |
Watch the position of the adverb as well: before a main verb, but after be and auxiliary verbs. ✓ will undoubtedly increase; ✗ will increase undoubtedly.
Continue reading · Part 3 of 3
IELTS Notes in English · Writing Language (post 2 of 4)
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✦ Target Your Future
Some days you practise for hours and the score still does not move. I hope these notes remind you that the setbacks are part of the road: every recording you replayed, every essay you rewrote and every sentence you finally dared to say is progress you have already made.
I wrote this down so the next person can take fewer detours. You do not have to follow my method exactly. Find a rhythm that works for you, rest when you need to, and come back for the next small step.
I hope what you take away is more than a number on a score report: a little more confidence in yourself, and the courage to step a bit closer to the world.
— Ting
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