Tips for Good Opinion Paragraphs

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You will need to be well prepared in order to write a good opinion paragraph. Here are the
steps to take before you even start writing:

Pick a controversial issue - something people clearly agree or disagree with it strongly.
Decide which side you will take - do you agree or disagree with it? This will be your
opinion.
Get as much information as you can in order to defend your point of view - you will
need facts to support your point, examples of why your opinion is the correct one.
Find out as much as you can about opinions that are different from yours - get as
much information about the other side as you can.
Be ready to change your main idea if your research shows you that your thoughts
were not correct to begin with!

Now you are ready to start writing!

Make sure your main idea - your opinion about the subject - is clear and well stated.
For example:

Classes that start at or before 8 o'clock in the morning are not scheduled at the best
time to benefit the majority of the students who have to take them.
Transition into the body of the paragraph - For example:

There are many, many reasons for this.

Give your second strongest reason to support this idea. For example:

Most of the students are pretty young and stay up until late at night working or
socializing. They don't know how to manage their time well enough yet.
Give a specific example or statistics to support this statement. For example:

Look at statistics from college campus studies on this subject - say something similar to
this - A study done by _____________, from the _________ reports that University of
________ freshman students work_______ hours in the evenings, and then socialize
for _________ hours. They only get an average of ______ hours of sleep.
Give your weakest reason to support this idea. For example:

People have a difficult time getting up too early in the morning.

Give an example to support this statement too. For example:

describe how difficult it is for someone you know to get up and be ready in time. (look
around your classroom, at the students in the cafeteria - how many look tired and not
ready for the day's work yet?)
Give your strongest reason to support this idea. For example:

People learn best when they have rested long enough, and are awake and ready to
learn.
 Explain and give an example of someone you know, or statistics you have found to
support this thought. For example:

The ________ study conducted by ________ concluded that _____% of the students
who had not rested long enough, or well enough, fail their courses which are scheduled
early in the morning, and the average grades from early courses are ____ lower than
grades fro the same course scheduled for later in the day.
Give the strongest reason that others who do not agree with you have. For example:

Some people think that it is important to get your classes done and over with early in
the morning, so there is time for other activities during the day.
Refute this argument - prove that it is not really the correct view. For example:

This is true, early courses do free the people up for other activities later, but what is the
point of sacrificing learning, hurting chances for success, in order to be able to play
during a longer period of the day?
Finish with a good concluding sentence. For example:

Even though early courses are good for a few people who are at their best in the early
morning, they are not helpful to the majority of the students.

Now you are ready for the usual editing part of your writing. Make sure:

1. you have a main idea

2. your supporting points are directly related to the main idea
3. your transitions are good and logical
4. your sentences are in the correct order
5. you mentioned the other side,
6. you refuted the argument from the other side
7. your sentences are well written, with as few errors as possible

How to write an argumentative or opinion paragraph Prepared by Ms Gihan Ismail

http://www.kau.edu.sa/Files/0056665/Files/60155_How%20to%20write%20an%20argumentative%20or%20opi
nion%20paragraph.pdf

Writing an argumentative or opinion statement paragraph is not a difficult task as long as

you don’t panic.Plan your writing well
Step-by-step guide
Read question and underline key words
• Read the instructions of the writing task well and decide on KEY vocabulary. •
Write words of the same or related meanings to these vocabulary words.
Example Should governments spend money on space exploration, or should they spend the
money on problems here first?
• Governments = nations, countries, authorities, politicians
• Spend = allocate, give, allot, provide, budget, make available, waste, award
• Space exploration = space program, trips to the moon, the international space station,
planets, planetary voyages • Money = budgets, taxes, resources,
• Problems = concerns, issues, worries, disasters, threats, threatening, war, famine, poverty,
education, homelessness, drugs, global warming
• Here = on earth, in our own countries, closer to home, in developing countries, foreign aid,
Step-by-step guide
Get ideas • Decide if you are ‘for’ or ‘against’ the idea.
• Brainstorm ideas to support your opinion.
• Eliminate the insignificant ones and keep the key issues.
• Be quick and stay focused.
Step-by-step guide
Decide on a layout • Usually it is best to express your opinion at the beginning of the
paragraph; in the topic sentence.
• Writing a paragraph, it is better to adopt one opinion as you do not have time or space to
discuss both sides. • In an essay, it is best to express both sides, each in a separate
paragraph, with an introduction of the topic and a conclusion of the summary of your opinion.
Paragraph layout
• Introduction 2 to 3 sentences • Side 1 2 sentences • Support 3 sentences • Side 2 2
sentences • Support 3 sentences • Concluding 1 to 2 sentences
Sentence Total …… 12 to 14 sentences
Step-by-step guide
Write your paragraph
• After deciding on ideas, start WRITING! • Write a paragraph the same order you could
follow when writing an essay.
Easy steps to write a good Introduction
One easy way to write the introduction for an argument or opinion paragraph is
1. One sentence ‘for’ the topic
2. One sentence ‘against’ the topic
3. One thesis statement about what you are going to do in the paragraph. This paragraph
will look at some of the arguments for and against, for example, space exploration. ‘Thesis’
sentence However, others feel it is a massive waste of money Sentence ‘against’ Many
people are excited about space exploration. Sentence ‘for’ Does space exploration benefit
mankind?
Easy steps to write a good Conclusion
What is a good conclusion?
1. It is the end of the essay.
2. It is the last part of the essay.
3. It is the part that the reader may remember most.
4. It should be clear and avoid confusing the reader.
A good conclusion will……
• rephrase the question
• summarize the main ideas
• give your opinion, if you haven't given it already
• look to the future (say what will happen if the situation continues or changes) but will…….
NEVER add new information Can you do all this in just 2 sentences?! How can you do this?
Ask the experts……….. TEACHERS Magic Word……………. Vocabulary
• The conclusion is very similar to the introduction.
• You should avoid repeating the same words over and over again.
• Use related words or synonyms of the question and the introduction. What is so common
between the introduction and the conclusion? Your intro and conclusion wrap around your
essay like a piece of bright paper "wraps" a present. They are not the main part of the essay,
but they do make your essay look good
A process paragraph

A process paragraph (or essay) explains how to do something or describes or explains how
something is done.
The process should be described in a series of steps that follow a logical time order.
1. Choose a topic that you have some knowledge about. It’s easier to write about something
you’ve done many times before.
2. Consider your audience. Who are you writing for and what background information does
your reader need to follow the steps? Most process writing is written in second person (you).
That gives your writing the feel that you are guiding another person through the steps of how
to do something.
3. Choose a topic that you can handle in a paragraph. You can’t cover how to fix the
Canadian health care system in a paragraph or even an essay, but you can manage to cover
how to quit smoking or how to change a bicycle tire flat.
4. Make sure that your topic sentence clearly states what you are going to explain and also
makes a point that indicates your view of your topic. E.g., by doing a little research and
planning, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a used car. Avoid simply
announcing your topic: e.g., this paragraph will explain how to get a deal on a used car.
5. Include every step. If you’re explaining how to change the oil in your car and you instruct
your readers to remove the plug from the oil pan to drain the oil, don’t forget to tell them to
replace it before adding the new oil.
6. Present the steps in the correct order. This helps avoid confusion.
7. Include all necessary details and steps. At the same time, you’ll have to decide how much
detail is sufficient within the limits of a paragraph

Transitional Expressions:
Begining a Process (at) first, initially, begin by
Continuing the Process second, third step, until, after (ward), then, next later, before,
when, while, as soon as, as, upon, during, meanwhile
Ending a Process finally, at last

Checklist

This is a checklist to help you when writing a Process Paragraph

* Narrow the topic. Think of who you are writing to
* Make a topic sentence that clearly states what your process result will be
* Free write or brainstorm some ideas that might help with the process
* Drop unnecessary information that are not necessary in the process
* Make a outline with the steps of how you will write it.
* Write a draft of the process and use transition expressions to indicate order
* Revise
* Proofread to make sure that you have no errors in grammar or spelling, punctuation, or
mechanics