ESSAY WRITING

HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY PPP

Structure of the Opinion Essay:

Introduction–introduces the topic and state your opinion clearly and the reasons for your opinion. Give your readers ahoy to engage them with the topic.

Body- consists of three or more paragraphs each presenting a separate viewpoint supported by facts, reasons and examples.

Conclusion– summarizes / restates your opinion using different words, summarising central points of the essay. Express some personal hopes, fears or recommendations (never include examples or explain new things).

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.

A for and against essay

EXAMPLES OF ESSAYS

Should rich countries help poorer ones?

Does foreign aid work? Or does it only help the rich country by keeping the poorer country dependent?

Today, the world is becoming more and more closely linked. Trade has increased and the movement of people between countries is greater than ever before. (BACKGROUND) However, billions of people still live in poverty, and in many places, the gap between rich and poor is widening.

There are many reasons for helping poor countries. First of all, there are humanitarian reasons. Like individuals who give to charity, many countries feel it is their religious, social, or moral duty to help people in other countries who are suffering from famine, drought, war, or disease. However, many rich countries also donate money for political or diplomatic reasons. They want to maintain a relationship of dependency with the recipient, or simply to influence the government and direction of the country. A further reason why many countries help poorer ones is for economic reasons. The donors may want to control the supply of commodities such as oil, water, or wheat. Alternatively, the richer country may want to ensure markets for their own products, whether these are planes, computers or shoes.

However, aid is not necessarily the best way to help a country. For one thing, billions of dollars of aid often goes missing, into corrupt governments or inefficient administration. A second point is that many foreign aid projects are unsuitable for the target country. Many agencies build huge dams or industrial projects that fail after a few years or that do not involve the local people. Furthermore, much aid returns to the donor. This can be in the form of expensive specialized equipment and experts from the donor country.

There are many other ways we can help poor countries. Opening up trade barriers, so that poor countries can sell their goods is one way. Another is to remove subsidies so that imported goods from poorer countries can compete fairly. A third method is to forgive debts. Many poor countries have huge interest repayments on old loans.

The needs of the poorer countries may seem obvious. However, although our humanity makes us want to help eliminate poverty and suffering, we must examine the real needs of poor countries and implement solutions that will benefit both them and us.

SELF-ASSESS

Introduction Paragraphs

Your intro must grab the reader's attention, but it must also spell out what your essay is going to be about.

1. Does it include a context for your argument?
2. Does each sentence follow the next in logic? (There should be no leaps in logic.)
3. Is the last sentence of your first paragraph your thesis?
4. Does your thesis identify the specific position you will take in your paper?

Thesis

Your thesis must be a claim that can be argued (it cannot be -the world is round" or something that is already established) it 's a statement of your opinion.

1. Does your thesis represent a specific arguable position?
2. Is there a counter position to your position? (There should be one you can recognize).
3. Is your thesis more than just a statement of your topic? (Or of the process you'll take?)
4. Is your thesis declarative? (It cannot be a question).
5. Is your thesis appropriate for the length of your paper? It must be narrow enough...

Body Paragraphs

Your body paragraphs are where you make your argument. Each paragraph argues one aspect of your overall thesis. Your paragraphs must be arranged to logically flow from one idea to the next (think chronological order; what do we need to know next?)

1. Does each paragraph begin with a topic sentence?
2. Does the topic sentence argue one aspect of your argument? (Note that a reader should be able to

read your thesis and your topic sentences and have a clear idea of your argument.)
3. Is each topic sentence followed by a discussion (in your own words) of the argument?
4. Does your paragraph answer how and why? (How is your claim true? Why is it true?)
5. Do your quotations come in only after you have discussed your argument in your own words using

your own examples?
6. Are your quotations brief and to-the-point?
7. Are your quotes introduced?
8. Are they cited correctly?
9. Could you remove all your quotes and still have a clear argued paper?

Conclusion:

This is where you answer the question "so what?" Make sure you are looking at the bigger picture, and challenging your readers to do the same.