Writing. Writing in which you are expected to consider a topic from opposing points of view and give a balanced consideration or your opinion

An argumentative composition is always a formal, impersonal piece of

writing in which you are expected to consider a topic from opposing points of view and give a balanced consideration or your opinion. Personal expressions such as / believe or / think should only be used in the final paragraph where you can give your opinion.

A good argumentative essay (for/against) should consist of:

a) an introduction in which you state the topic.

b) a main body which consists of two paragraphs. The points for, with your

justification, appear in one paragraph and the points against, with your

justification, appear in another paragraph.

c) a final paragraph in which you sum up the arguments and give a balanced

consideration or your own opinion.

Points to remember

• Decide on the points for and against the topic before starting your composition.

• Never write an argument for or against a topic without supporting it with justification, e.g. One disadvantage of driving a car is that it creates pollution. This is evident from the poor air quality found in cities where there is a lot of traffic.

• Do not use short forms or strong personal expressions.

• Each paragraph should start with a sentence (topic sentence) which summarises what the paragraph is about, e.g. There are many advantages to owning a car. To begin with, it allows you..., However, owning a car has a number of disadvantages as well. Firstly, you need to..., etc.

• The use of linking words is absolutely necessary when writing an argumentative composition:

To introduce points: Firstly/To begin with/In the first place, One point in favour of/ against is/One advantage of... is/One disadvantage of... is, etc.

To add more points: Secondly/What is more/Furthermore/A further advantage of... is, etc.

To make contrasting points: However/On the other hand/ Although/In spite of, etc. To conclude: To sum up, In conclusion/On balance/All things considered, etc.

Compositions expressing opinions are formal in style. Unlike for/against argumentative essays, this type of topic asks for your own opinion, which should be clearly stated and supported by reasons.

A good argumentative composition expressing opinion should consist of:

a) an introduction in which your opinion is clearly stated,

b) a main body which can consist of two or more paragraphs. Each viewpoint, supported by a logical reason, should be presented in a separate paragraph. The opposing viewpoint is mentioned in a new paragraph. In the same paragraph you might include a lead-in opinion to your conclusion.

c) a conclusion in which you sum up your viewpoints and re-state your opinion.

Points to remember

• Never start writing your composition before making a plan.

• Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence which summarises 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: Firstly, In the first place, To begin with, Secondly, Thirdly,

Finally, etc.

To add viewpoints: both...and, What is more, not only...but also, In addition, 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, I strongly

believe, I feel that, It seems to me that, etc.

37. Compare two models, which is expressing opinion and which is for and agains t?

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of tourism

Have you ever thought about the effect tourism can have on an area? It may seem, at first, that tourism brings only benefits, but further consideration shows that it also has negative effects.

On the positive side, tourism provides employment. Many local people find jobs in hotels and restaurants, and shopkeepers have more customers. What is more, the extra income means that local councils have more money to spend on expanding and improving their facilities, thus making them better for both visitors and residents.

On the other hand, tourism can do a great deal of harm. For example, pollution is caused both by the increase in traffic and the litter that visitors leave behind. In addition, local traditions and lifestyles are replaced by new customs and habits. This creates confusion among the local people and causes conflicts between young and old.

In conclusion, an area can benefit from tourism in many ways. However, it can also do a great deal of harm, and local residents should be aware of this before deciding to encourage it.

Recycling - How Important Is It Really?

Saving certain recyclable materials and taking them to recycling centres has become part of the daily routine in many homes. In my opinion, this should be encouraged for a number of reasons.

To start with, it is very important for people to realise the damage that our rubbish is doing to the environment. Our towns, rivers and seas are becoming more and more polluted with household waste. This could easily be prevented if people took the time to sort, save and recycle their rubbish.

Another important reason is that many forests are being destroyed due to paper being wasted. Hundreds of thousands of trees are unnecessarily cut down to make paper products. Again, by recycling the paper that we would otherwise throw away we could reduce this wastage.

Many people argue that the actual process of collecting and recycling materials is expensive and unnecessary. They say that special machinery is required and that many people have to be employed to operate it, thus making recycling more expensive than simple waste disposal. They forget, however, that recycling both creates jobs and is beneficial to the environment.

All points considered, I strongly believe that people should be made aware of the benefits recycling can bring, and should be encouraged to participate in programmes that will help create a cleaner world for everyone in the future.

38. Writean argumentative (for and against/expressing opinion) essay on one of these topics:

1. Man versus Nature.

2. Recycling: for and against.

3. My responsibility for the eco-safety.