Opinion Essays
A successful opinion essay should have:
1. An introductory paragraph in which you state the topic and your opinion;
2. A main body which consists of two or more paragraphs.
2.1. Each paragraph should present a separate viewpoint supported by your reasons.
2.1. Another paragraph giving the opposing viewpoint and reasons may be included; and
3. A conclusion in which you restate your opinion using different words.
..................................
Para 1: INTRO
(state the topic and your opinion clearly)
MAIN BODY
...........................
Para 2:
(viewpoint 1 <--> reason/example)
Para 3:
(viewpoint 2 <--> reason/example)
Para 4:
(give the opposing viewpoint <--> reason/example # your viewpoint<--> reason/example)
Para 5: CONCLUSUIN
(restate your opinion, using different words)
=====
*(you may include more viewpoints, and therefore more paragraphs in the main body)
Para 1:
INTRODUCTION
Suggested phrases
The 1st paragraph often begins with a topic sentence, which is explained or illustrated in the sentences that follow. Here is a list of opening phrases which are often used at the beginning of topic sentences.
A)
It is a fact that ...
Recently we have all become concerned that ...
These days,/Nowadays, ...
......... it seems that ...
.........we are becoming aware of the fact that ...
In the past, people ..., but now ...
...
...
B)
C)
EXPRESSING OPINION
Выражение личного мнения:
In my opinion,…/In my view,…./To my mind ,…/To my way of thinking, …
Personally I believe/think/etc. that…
It is my firm belief that ...
I firmly / strongly believe that ...
I am inclined to believe that ...
It strikes me that…
I feel very strongly that…
It seems to me that...
As far as I am concerned, I think that...
BODY
Suggested phrases
Introducing contrasting viewpoints
(On the other hand, ...)
(Some) People argue that ...
Some may argue that ...
Opponents of this view say ...
There are people who oppose ...
Contrary to what most people believe ...
As opposed to the above ideas…
RESPONDING TO OPINIONS
(can be used to acknowledge and then dismiss opinions that differ from your own)
Despite claims that..., it is a fact that...
It may be true that ... but all too often...
While it might be argued that ...., the truth is that ...
Although ..., it must be remembered that...
Examples:
...Some people claim that some experiments on animals are done for medical reasons. What they forget is that in the majority of cases they are not .
...Despite claims that some experiments on animals are done for medical reasons, it is a fact that in the majority of cases they are not.
...It may be true that some experiments on animals are done for medical reasons but all too often they are not.
...While it might be argued that some experiments on animals are done for medical reasons, the truth is that in the majority of cases they are not.
...Although some experiments on animals are done for medical reasons, it must be remembered that in the majority of cases they are not.
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MODEL ESSAY 1 The plane is
MODEL ESSAY 1
The plane is the most convenient means of travel. Give your opinion on this statement.
To start with, there really is no faster way to travel. You can go from one country to another in a matter of hours which gives you more time to enjoy the actual purpose of your trip, rather than waste time travelling and dragging your luggage around. Furthermore, you always feel well looked after on an aeroplane. You are served drinks and meals and offered newspapers and blankets which all help to make the journey more comfortable and enjoyable.
Of course, there are people who argue that travelling by plane can be a nightmare, with airport delays, cramped seats and turbulence to put up with. What is more, aeroplanes and airports are often targeted by terrorists, which makes some people think that travelling by plane is unsafe. They forget, however, that the number of deaths caused by cars is larger than that caused by planes.
To sum up, I firmly believe that air travel will always remain popular. Its speed, comfort and convenience are hard to beat.
(Слов: 230Смотрим на структуру этого эссе (Essay Structure)
An opinion essay (the writer’s opinion is stated in the beginning and the ending)
Para 1: INTRO (State opinion)
Travelling by plane better than other means of transport
BODY
Para 2:
(Viewpoint 1 -> reason):
Faster -> you can reach your destination quickly
(Viewpoint 2 -> reason):
Looked after -> drinks, meals served, etc
Para 3:
(Opposing VP -> your reason):
Travel by plane a nightmare – delays, cramped seats, turbulence; targeted by terrorists
Para 4: CONCLUSION (Restate your opinion)
Air travel best when it comes to speed and convenience
Пройдемся по критериям оценки ЕГЭ.
<...>
На что следует обратить
На что следует обратить внимание:
1) СONCLUSION почти зеркально отражает INTRO, ничего нового в заключении писать не следует. Пишем то же, что сказали во вступлении, только другими словами:
СONCLUSION: (I firmly believe that) air travel ...(is) hard to beat.
1) В абзацах главной части Viewpoint -> reason всегда логически связаны: reason поясняет, конкретизирует или иллюстрирует примерами более общий Viewpoint, который только обозначает авторскую точку зрения:
MODEL ESSAY 2 (Exams) Many
MODEL ESSAY 2 (Exams)
Many students suffer extreme anxiety when faced with the prospect of exams. In my view, their role needs to be re-examined if they are to continue to play a part in the educational system.
In the first place, exams do not actually test a person’s knowledge of a subject but rather how much they can remember on the day of the exam. In addition, facts such as {students feeling unwell or suffering from a case of nerves on the day of the exams} are not taken into consideration. Furthermore/Apart from this, the exam system is unfair to people who {have studied hard but have poor memory for facts and figures. Also/Besides, it is often the case that {pple who have not studied can copy from someone else who has.}
However, it is argued that exams are the most efficient way of comparing the abilities of a group of people and {that an exam will often encourage pple to compete to get better grades. Making grades and exam results the main point of learning though, gives sts the wrong idea of what education is all about.}
In conclusion, it seems to me unfair to give a person only one chance to show what they are capable of. I think that the whole educational system needs to be changed so that exams are not the only way of assessing a student’s knowledge.f>
Слов: 230+
EXPRESSING OPINION (Выражение
EXPRESSING OPINION (Выражение личного мнения):
.......In my opinion,…/In my view,…
.......To my mind ,…/To my way of thinking, …
........From my point of view, ...
........As I see it, ...
.......Personally, I believe / think / claim etc. that… (COMMA)
....... I personally believe / think / claim etc. that… (NO comma)
.......It is my firm belief that ...
....... I firmly / strongly believe that ...
....... I am inclined to believe that ...
....... I am strongly / firmly convinced that
....... I feel very strongly that…
....... I for one think that (colloq.)
.......It strikes me that…
.......It seems to me that...
.......As far as I am concerned*, ...
--------
"As far as I am concerned" is closer to "Within the limit of my knowledge".
Sometimes you can also hear "As far as I know" "As far as I am aware of"......and so on.