🐾 영어에세이 잘 쓰는 방법은 V+ing 정복하기!
영어 글쓰기에서 문장을 풍부하게 만드는 핵심은 바로 V+ing입니다. 현재진행형, 현재분사, 동명사를 자유롭게 쓸 수 있으면 문장이 훨씬 자연스럽고 표현이 다양해집니다. 이번 글에서는 세 가지 차이를 배운 뒤, Comparative Essay: Cats and Dogs로 직접 써볼 거예요. 🐶🐱
1️⃣ V+ing 세 가지 기본형 완전 정리
① 현재진행형 (Present Continuous)
👉 be + V-ing : 지금 일어나고 있는 일이나 일시적인 행동을 나타냅니다.
- She is studying English now. (그녀는 지금 영어를 공부하고 있다.)
- We are preparing for our writing test. (우리는 글쓰기 시험을 준비 중이다.)
② 현재분사 (Present Participle)
👉 V-ing (형용사처럼) : ‘~하고 있는’ 상태나 특징을 설명합니다.
- The crying baby looks sleepy. (울고 있는 아기가 졸려 보인다.)
- Feeling tired, I took a short break. (피곤해서 잠깐 쉬었다.)
③ 동명사 (Gerund)
👉 V-ing (명사처럼) : 주어, 목적어, 보어로 쓰입니다.
- Reading English books helps us write better. (영어책 읽기는 글쓰기를 향상시킨다.)
- I enjoy listening to music while studying. (나는 공부할 때 음악 듣는 걸 좋아한다.)
| 형태 | 문법 역할 | 의미 | 예문 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 현재진행형 | 동사 | 지금 ~하는 중 | She is writing a letter. |
| 현재분사 | 형용사 | ~하고 있는 (명사 수식) | The running boy fell down. |
| 동명사 | 명사 | ~하는 것 | Running is fun. |
2️⃣ Writing Tip 💡
에세이에서는 현재진행형으로 ‘지금의 행동’을, 현재분사로 ‘명사의 특징’을, 동명사로 ‘일반적인 습관’을 표현하면 글이 훨씬 자연스러워요.
예를 들어, “Cats love sleeping quietly.” 처럼 쓰면 간결하면서도 생동감 있게 표현할 수 있습니다.
3️⃣ Comparative Essay: Cats and Dogs 🐕🐈
이제 실제로 V+ing를 사용해 비교·대조 에세이를 써봅시다.
다음 예시는 Topic → Hook → Supportive 1·2·3 → Conclusion 구조로 약 130단어로 작성되었습니다.
🎯 Topic
Cats and dogs are both popular pets, but they have very different personalities and lifestyles.
✨ Hook
When people think about pets, they start imagining cute faces, warm cuddles, and joyful moments at home.
🧩 Supportive 1 — 공통점
Both cats and dogs enjoy being with humans and creating happy memories. Caring for them means feeding them every day and keeping them healthy.
🧩 Supportive 2 — 차이점
Cats are quiet and independent, often sleeping by the window or watching birds outside. Dogs, however, love running around and playing with people. While cats are resting most of the day, dogs are waiting for their owners to come home.
🧩 Supportive 3 — 나의 생각
In many families, one child is walking the dog while another is feeding the cat. Having a pet means learning patience and understanding emotions.
✅ Conclusion
Both animals bring joy and comfort to people’s lives. I personally prefer cats because I love watching their calm eyes while I am reading in the evening. Writing about them helps me realize that caring for pets is like practicing love.
4️⃣ 에세이 구조 복습 🧭
- 🎯 Topic: 주제 제시 (비교할 대상)
- ✨ Hook: 독자의 흥미 유발
- 🧩 Supportive: 공통점 → 차이점 → 개인 생각
- ✅ Conclusion: 주제 마무리와 느낌 전달
5️⃣ 자신감 Up! ✨
영어 에세이는 어려운 문법보다 명확한 구조와 반복 연습이 더 중요합니다. 오늘 배운 V+ing 형태를 익혀서 문장을 확장해 보세요. 지금부터 writing을 시작하는 순간, 영어 글쓰기는 쉬워집니다! ✍️
🐾 Mastering V+ing Is the Secret to Writing Better Essays!
When you can use present continuous, present participle, and gerund freely, your sentences become smoother and more expressive. Let’s learn them clearly and practice with a comparative essay titled Cats and Dogs.
1️⃣ Understanding the Three V+ing Forms
① Present Continuous
👉 be + V-ing : Shows an action happening right now or temporarily.
- She is studying English now.
- We are preparing for our writing test.
② Present Participle
👉 V-ing as an adjective describing a state or feature.
- The crying baby looks sleepy.
- Feeling tired, I took a short break.
③ Gerund
👉 V-ing acting as a noun (subject, object, or complement).
- Reading English books helps us write better.
- I enjoy listening to music while studying.
2️⃣ Writing Tip 💡
In essays, use present continuous to describe actions, present participle for vivid description, and gerund to express habits or general facts. For example: “Cats love sleeping quietly.” sounds simple yet natural.
3️⃣ Comparative Essay: Cats and Dogs
🎯 Topic
Cats and dogs are both popular pets, but they have very different personalities and lifestyles.
✨ Hook
When people think about pets, they start imagining cute faces, warm cuddles, and joyful moments at home.
🧩 Supportive 1 — Similarities
Both cats and dogs enjoy being with humans and creating happy memories. Caring for them means feeding them every day and keeping them healthy.
🧩 Supportive 2 — Differences
Cats are quiet and independent, often sleeping by the window or watching birds outside. Dogs, however, love running around and playing with people. While cats are resting most of the day, dogs are waiting for their owners to come home.
🧩 Supportive 3 — Personal Thought
In many families, one child is walking the dog while another is feeding the cat. Having a pet means learning patience and understanding emotions.
✅ Conclusion
Both animals bring joy and comfort to people’s lives. I personally prefer cats because I love watching their calm eyes while I am reading in the evening. Writing about them helps me realize that caring for pets is like practicing love.
4️⃣ Review the Structure 🧭
- 🎯 Topic: Introduce the subject to compare
- ✨ Hook: Draw readers’ attention
- 🧩 Supportive: Show similarities, differences, and your opinion
- ✅ Conclusion: End with emotion or reflection
5️⃣ Confidence Boost ✨
Good writing doesn’t need difficult grammar—it needs clear structure and confidence. Once you understand how to use V+ing forms, you can express ideas freely and beautifully. So start writing today. Your English story begins now! ✍️