Essay
ESS-ay /ˈeseɪ/
Neutral Neutral
What it really means
The main type of written assessment in arts and social science subjects. UK essays want an argument supported by evidence and references — not just a summary of what you read.
Chinese explanation
文科和社科最主要的书面作业形式。英国的 essay 要求提出论点并用证据和文献支撑——不能只是总结读过的内容。
Example conversation
A: How's the essay going?
B: I've got the reading done, just need to actually argue something.
A：论文写得怎么样？
B：材料读完了，就差真正提出个论点了。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
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All University Words
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake