- •Discursive compositions expressing opinions
- •Introduction
- •Useful Words and Phrases
- •Are computers a necessity?
- •Writing assignment:
- •English and Maths are more important subjects than Art and Music
- •The secret of happiness
- •Learn to be lucky
- •Are you a successful leader?
- •For and Against Compositions
- •Introduction
- •Points to remember:
- •First and Last Paragraph Techniques
- •In the first paragraph you can state the topic by:
- •In the last paragraph you can give a balanced consideration or your opinion by:
- •The Pros and Cons of Parents Educating Children at Home
- •Writing assignment:
- •The pros and cons of using the Internet
- •No more secrets
- •Love-hate relationships Mobile phones
- •Writing an essay providing solutions to problems.
- •Useful vocabulary:
- •How can we make our city a better place to live?
- •Writing assignment:
- •1.1 Look at the problems (1-5) and match them to the solutions (a-e). Which of these problems do you think is the most / least serious? Can you think of anymore problems and solutions?
- •Self - talk
- •Auntie Claire writes:
- •A sad story of a sad man
- •Perform the following writing task
Discursive compositions expressing opinions
Opinion essays are discursive essays in which you present your personal opinion on a particular topic. Opinion essays are normally written in a formal style, therefore you should avoid using colloquial expressions, short forms or personal examples. You can find this type of writing in the form of an article in newspapers, magazines, etc.
Your opinion must be stated clearly and supported by justifications. You should also present the opposing viewpoint(s) in a separate paragraph. A good argumentative composition expressing opinion should consist of:
Introduction
Set topic and your opinion clearly
Main body
Para 1: Viewpoint 1 and reason
Para 2: Viewpoint 2 and reason
Para 3: Give the opposing viewpoint and reasons
You may include more viewpoints, and therefore more paragraphs in the main body
Conclusion
Restate your opinion, using different words
Points to remember:
Never start writing your composition before making a plan.
Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence which summarizes the paragraph.
Each viewpoint should be joined to the others with linking or sequence words, e.g. in the first place, to start with, what is more, also, furthermore, besides, apart from this, it is argued that, etc.
Useful Words and Phrases
To list viewpoints: To start with, In the first place, Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, Finally
To add viewpoints: Both …and, What is more, Not only… but also, In addition, etc Furthermore, Besides, Not to mention the fact that, etc
To present the other side of the argument: Contrary to what most people believe, As opposed to the above ideas, Some people argue that … etc
To express opinion: I believe, In my opinion, I think, In my view, From my point of vie, I strongly believe, I feel that, It seems to me that, etc
MODEL
Are computers a necessity?
Computers play an important role in our lives today, whether we realize it or not. Some people are beginning to ask if we really need them. In my opinion, computers have become a necessary part of modern life.
In the first place, computers can save a lot of storage place. Storing information on computer discs is one of the most efficient ways of keeping data. One computer disk can hold the same amount of information as several books.
Furthermore, computers save everyone a lot of valuable time. Saved information can be found at the touch of a button, whereas searching for it manually takes much longer. Therefore, our everyday lives are made much easier – from going to the bank to doing the shopping.
Nevertheless, there are those who claim that computers are unnecessary and make our lives more complicated. They argue that in the past we managed very well using other methods and that we have become too dependant on computers. What is more, a large number of people make friends through the Internet and communicate virtually. Some people even describe the computers as their best friend! People are becoming more and more isolated from each other because they have less real human contact.
All in all, I strongly believe, that computers are a useful tool. They have changed our lives for the better and become absolutely essential. The time saved by using computers for repetitive tasks enables us to use our own time more creatively and productively. There is no reason why we should not make them work to our advantage.