Argumentative essays expressing opinion

Argumentative essays expressing opinion

An essay expressing opinion is a formal piece of writing in which your own opinion is clearly stated and supported by reasons.

Structure:

Introduction (Paragraph 1)

The subject or topic. A statement of your opinion.

Main body

Paragraph 2

Viewpoint 1 supported by a logical reason and illustrated by examples

Paragraph 3

Viewpoint 2 supported by a logical reason and illustrated by examples

…

Paragraph 4

The opposing viewpoints and reason.

Conclusion (Final paragraph)

A summary of your viewpoints. When you restate your opinion use different words!

ARGUE YOUR IDEAS LOGICALLY.
BASE YOUR ARGUMENTS ON SOUND PREMISES. A premise is a basic assertion that serves as the starting point of an argument.
GIVE EXAMPLES
DO NOT IGNORE THE OPPOSITION.

Illustration (exemplification)

USE EXAMPLES THAT ARE RELEVANT. A example has failed if it does not help your reader to see the general truth of what you are saying.
USE DETAILS TO MAKE YOUR EXAMPLE VIVID. The reader should be able to visualize the actual circumstances in your example.
WHEN NECESSARY, ESTABLISH A CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR EXAMPLE AND THE POINT YOU ARE MAKING. Connective expressions commonly used to introduce an example are: for example, for instance, to illustrate, an illustration of this is…, another instance of, here are few examples.

Each piece of writing consists of sentences and paragraphs that are joined by connectives. There are three basic groups of connectives: of AND type, of BUT type and of OR type.

Joining Sentences by Connectives of AND Type

1. Connectives of addition

AND, ALSO, BOTH… AND, BESIDES, IN ADDITION TO, AS WELL…

2. Connectives of cause/effect

SO, THEREFORE, AS A RESULT, THUS, HENCE, CONSEQUENTLY, ACCORDINGLY…

Joining sentences by connections of BUT Type

1. Connectives of concession(indicate the surprising nature of what follows in view of what was said before, a kind of contrast is indicated)

BUT/YET, ALTHOUGH/EVEN THOUGH, HOWEVER, NEVERTHELESS, IN SPITE OF / DESPITE (THAT), WHILE/WHEREAS

Joining Ideas

1. Connectives used to add information

ADDITIONALLY, ALSO, ABOVE ALL, FURTHERMORE, MOREOVER, SIMILARLY, WHAT IS MORE, BESIDES…

2. Connectives used to express result

AS A RESULT, SO, THEREFORE, THUS, HENCE, CONSEQUENTLY…

3. Connectives used to express contrasting ideas

HOWEVER, YET, NEVERTHELESS, NONETHELESS, IN CONTRAST, ON THE OTHER HAND, CONVERSELY, AT THE SAME TIME…

Joining sentences by connections of OR Type

IN OTHER WORDS, TO PUT IT SIMPLY, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO SAY, RATHER, IN THAT CASE, THAT IS, I.E., NAMELY. These connectives introduce a reformulation of what has come before to make the idea clearer or to explain or to modify it.

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