Writing an opinion essay

-
Live Life Happy. Flickr.com
We live in a fast-paced world, too fast for a lot of us. It is worth stopping and reflecting about ways to improve our lives before we get a heart attack! I find the quote on the left very inspiring, do you?

I'm writing this post for those of you who would like to practise writing your opinion or writing an argument. There is a model of how to write an opinion essay in your book Global, Unit 7 pages 88-89. I think you will find it useful.

Writing an article
In the exam you will probably be asked to write an article. What it means is that you will be required to express your opinion or present an argument on an issue. It is essential that you understand the task in order to decide what kind of argumentative essay you have to write (cause and effect, problem and solution, for and against, advantages and disadvantages).

In this task you will be required to present a strong position on a particular topic. Your purpose is to persuade the reader on your particualr point of view.

Task 1. Reading an example from your book
  1. Go to page 88 of your textbook Global "Adanced" and read "The best way to achieve good health".
  2. What kind of argumentative essay is this?
  3. Does the writer hold a strong opinion about the topic?
  4. Does the writer state very clearly in the introduction her/his opinion?

Task 2. Structuring an argument
Decide if the writer has structured her/his article following Structure A or Structure B.

Task 3. Useful language
In an opinion essay you will find the following language:
  • It is commonly / widely / generally acknowledged, believed, agreed that....
  • It is often claimed / suggested / argued that.....
  • All the evidence suggests....
  • Some people claim that .....while /whereas others claim / argue /defend that..... 
More opinion essays
If you would like to read and analyse more opinion essays, read write a five paragraph essay.

Preparing to write
1. Choose one title and write an article expressing your opinion:
What is the best way to find happiness / success / wealth?

2. Plan the following points:
  • What are you going to write in the introduction?
  • How many paragraphs are you going to write and what are you going to write in each paragraph?
  • What is your conclusion?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ADVANCED C1:Describing works of art

-
Image
Art beyond sight Look at the painting by John Sloan and answer the questions below: John Sloan. Sunday, Women drying their hair, 1912 What is the focal point (the place your eyes are drawn to? What can you see in the foreground? What can you see in the background on the right? and on the left? What is happening in the painting? Do you think there is a story behind the painting? If so, what is the story? Which of these words would you use to describe the light in the painting?                      bright         dazzling         harsh          rich          glowing       warm                     dim             gloomy          faint           soft                   7. Which of these words would you use to describe the mood or atmosphere ?           peaceful        relaxed        joyful             cheerful        happy depressed      gloomy       miserable      somber agressive       angry          distressing    frightening boring         
Read more

Prepositions

-
Image
Public domain Many students of English complain about how difficult it is to learn English prepositions. I agree. I remember, as an undergraduate, I had to memorise never-ending lists of prepostions, adverbials, phrasal verbs...I found it an impossible task. Look at the picture on your left. What is the meaning of   at your own risk ? Click on this dictionary and check. Listening An embarrassing anecdote This is from a VOA (Voice of America) recording. The presenter talks about a friend, a non-native English speaker, who tried to tell someone "you will hear from me" meaning he would get in touch. But instead of saying "I'll get back to you" , he said "I'll get back at you" which means "I'll take revenge". The wrong preposition sent a completely different message with embarrassing consequences. Listen to What difference does a preposition make? In this interview the presenters talk to Professor  David Thatcher. Tip:  I
Read more

Civil rights movement

-
Image
Martin Luther King Jr. Do you know that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated in America on 20th January? He is one of the greatest and most influential figures in the American civil rights movement. We had the pleasure of listening to a visiting American speaker who came to our school to give a talk on the history and the impact of the civil rights movement. He talked about Martin Luther King Jr., but also about those who are not so well-known but paved the way for freedom . His life How much do you know about Martin Luther King Jr? Click on this BBC link and take notes. A bit of history of the civil rights movement. Reading and Speaking Look at the photos below. Do you know who they are? What did they do to pave the way for African-Americans? Click on the history of the civil rights movement and learn about the timeline of the civil rights movement in America. Takes notes. You are going to report your findings in class. The beginning of the civil rights
Read more