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Writing an opinion essay
When you write an opinion essay, you express what you think about a topic and try to convince the reader to agree with you. At this level, you should also consider what other people might think and explain why you disagree with their point of view. To do that, you need to organise your ideas clearly, use connectors to link your sentences, and support your arguments with examples and facts.
Here’s an example essay:
Social media does more harm than good
✍ Write an essay giving your opinion. Say whether you agree or disagree with this statement and give reasons to support your opinion.Nowadays, social media plays an important role in our lives, and many people say it brings more problems than benefits. However, although I understand the reasons, I don’t agree with this statement. I believe social media helps us stay connected and learn new things every day.One reason why social media is positive is that it allows people to keep in touch with friends and family, even if they live far away. For example, you can easily share photos or send instant messages.Furthermore, it is an excellent tool for learning. There are thousands of pages where you can find useful information or practise new skills for free.
Although some people say that social media is a waste of time and talking to strangers online can be dangerous, it also has many positive aspects. I think this depends on how people use it. Most people use social media to learn something new and communicate with people they already know in person.
To sum up, social media is a tool that can have positive and negative effects. If you manage your time well, social media can bring more advantages than disadvantages because it offers opportunities to communicate and learn in ways that were impossible before.
➟ Introduce the topic and the conclusion
➟ Introduce a contrasting point
➟ Give your opinion
➟ Introduce reasons
➟ Give an examplePlan your ideas
Before you start writing, decide what your opinion is and what reasons support it. Then, think about what people who disagree with you might say and how you can respond to their opinion.
Here’s an example:
Topic: Social media does more harm than good.
Opinion: I disagree.
💡 Reason 1: It helps people stay in touch with friends and family.
→ Fact 1: You can communicate easily with people in other countries.
→ Fact 2: It allows you to share photos, messages, and experiences instantly.
💡 Reason 2: It is useful for learning and finding information.
→ Fact 1: Many schools use social media to share content.
→ Fact 2: You can learn from experts or follow online courses.
▲ Opposing view: Some people say social media is a waste of time and it can be dangerous.
▼ Response: That can be true, but it depends on how people use it and who they communicate with.Write down all your ideas, but you don’t need to use all of them. Choose one or two for your essay.
Organise your text
An opinion essay at this level usually has four paragraphs:
1️⃣ Introduction
2️⃣ Reasons that support your opinion
3️⃣ A contrasting view and your response
4️⃣ Conclusion
Let’s look at each part in detail.Paragraph 1 – Introduction
Introduce the topic with a general statement, mention the topic, and clearly give your opinion.Nowadays, social media plays an important role in our lives, and many people say it brings more problems than benefits. However, although I understand the reasons, I don’t agree with this statement. I believe social media helps us stay connected and learn new things every day.You can start with a question or a general statement to get the reader’s attention.
How often do you check your social media accounts?Paragraph 2 – Main arguments
Give the main reasons for your opinion. Include examples or facts to make your argument stronger.One reason why social media is positive is that it allows people to keep in touch with friends and family, even if they live far away. Furthermore, it is an excellent tool for learning. There are thousands of pages where you can find useful information or practise new skills for free.The paragraph starts with a clear reason (‘One reason why…’). Then, the writer adds examples and a connector: ‘Furthermore.’
Paragraph 3 – Contrasting view
At B1+, you should also mention what other people think and explain why you disagree. This shows that you can see different points of view and defend your own.Although some people say that social media is a waste of time and talking to strangers online can be dangerous, it also has many positive aspects. I think this depends on how people use it. Most people use social media to learn something new and communicate with people they already know in person.The writer introduces the other point of view (‘Although some people say…’), then gives a clear response (‘I think this depends on…’).
Paragraph 4 – Conclusion
Summarise your ideas and restate your opinion using different words. Avoid introducing new arguments here.To sum up, social media is a tool that can have positive and negative effects. If you manage your time well, social media can bring more advantages than disadvantages because it offers opportunities to communicate and learn in ways that were impossible before.The writer uses a concluding phrase (‘To sum up’) and repeats their opinion in a different way.
Useful language
You can use these expressions to organise your ideas and make your opinion essay clear and easy to follow.
Stating your opinion
- In my opinion, …
- In my view, …
- From my perspective, …
- I’m convinced that …
- It seems to me that …
Introducing a reason
- One reason is that …
- Another reason is that …
- The main reason is that …
Supporting your reason
- This is because …
- For example, …
- Furthermore, …
- Moreover, …
Introducing a contrasting view
- Although some people say …
- While it is true that …
- On the other hand, …
- However, …
- In contrast, …
- Some people argue that …
Giving examples
- For example, …
- For instance, …
Concluding
- In conclusion, …
- To sum up, I believe …
- Overall, I think …
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