Writing: Opinion essays

Structure of the Opinion Essay:

• Introduction – introduces the topic and state your point of view clearly
• Body - consists of two or three  paragraphs each presenting a separate viewpoint supported by reasons/examples
• Conclusion – summarizes/restates your opinion using different words

Useful Language:

То express opinion: I believe, In my opinion, I think, In my view, I strongly believe, I see it, It seems to me (that), As far as I am concerned, I am (not) convinced that..., In my opinion/view …My opinion is that …, I (firmly) believe …, I (definitely) feel/think that, I am inclined to believe that ……

То list points: In the first place, first of all, to start with, Firstly, to begin with

То add more points: what is more, another major reason, also, furthermore, moreover, in addition to this/that, besides, apart from this, not to mention the fact that

То introduce contrasting viewpoints: It is argued that, People argue that, There are people who oppose, Contrary to what most people believe,

As opposed to the above ideas

To introduce examples: for example, for instance, such as, in particular, especially

To conclude: To sum up, All in all, All things considered, Taking everything into account.

Paragraph outline: Examples:

INTRO

It is generally believed that_________________________________________ and I completely agree. I really feel it is better_____________________________ although some think ________________________________________. I personally prefer to _________________________.

BODY

There are several reasons why I think________________________________ is better. First of all, you ____________________________________. Most of people think ______________________________.

Secondly, ____________________________ gives you the opportunity to ________________________. I´m absolutely convinced that __________________________________. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, ____________________ makes you learn__________________________ which is another positive/negative aspect.

CONCLUSION

It seems to me that ________________________ is far better. There are lots of reasons to __________________. To sum up, from my point of view, _______________________________. Maybe in the future,____________________________

AN EXAMPLE:

It is clear that learning a foreign language brings children several advantages. However, learning a foreign language requires attention, perseverance, time and work. Besides, some scientists say it may also have some drawbacks.

Firstly, most of experts agree on the fact that young children learn a language faster as they are enthusiastic to explore and learn new things. In addition, they pick up the pronuciation better and enjoy copying and learning through games. Secondly, nowadays, foreign languages are just as impotant as maths. What is more, learning a foreign helps students have better education and job opportunities.

On the other hand, it is said that learning languages increases work for parents and this effort adds extra academic load. We should also consider the fact that children need to concentrate on learning their mother tongue rather than learning a foreign language, sometimes missing their own cultural identity. Furthermore, learning a new language at an early age may be confusing and a waste of time. As a result, this learning could even delay the development of the child’s first language.

In conclusion, studies show that there are many advantages to learn a foreign language. Nevertheless, in my opinion, we have to consider pros and cons of learning at a very young age. I  strongly feel languages always open doors, but, from my point of view, they should be learned once the first language has been developed.