CHAPTER 01: IELTS-BASED OPINION ESSAYS:
INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS
1.1
FACTS VS. OPINIONS
When completing an IELTS-based essay, more often times than not, you will be tasked
with writing some sort of opinion essay. Given this fact, one must be able to clearly express
their own opinions, and from there, they must then support their opinions with verifiable facts.
Therefore, it is vital that you understand the difference between what a fact is and what an
opinion is. In this section we will discuss and practice the fundamentals of both.
According to Vivyan (2010), the differences between facts and opinions can be
characterized in the table below:
Table 1.1 Fact vs. Opinion
FACT




Evidence to support its truth
Undisputable
Driven by rational thought
Head
OPINION



 Heart
Based upon a belief or personal view
Arguable
Driven by and reinforced by emotion
The first criterion for the differences between a fact and an opinion is that a fact is based
on some sort of evidence or truth, whereas an opinion is based on a personal view or judgment.
For example, one can go to the library or search online from a reliable source to confirm a fact.
Most reference books found in a library are sound sources to verify any fact that one may have.
However, when searching online, one must be careful to cite their sources from reliable
websites, based on the fact that there are so many blogs and opinion-based websites. Although
easy to find information from, one must be especially careful when using Wikipedia (or any
Wiki websites), as with these websites, anyone can alter or modify the information found on
these sites. I would advise against using information directly from Wikipedia (or any Wikibased website), but you can always scroll down to the bottom of the Wikipedia screen to utilize
the original source of the information. Make sure to investigate the original source, and if the
original source comes from a legitimate source, then feel free to utilize the information.
The second criterion for the differences between a fact and opinion is that a fact is
undisputable, and an opinion is arguable. In every generation, there is always going to be the
debate of The Greatest . . . of all time. I good example of this is Michael Jordan. During the
NBA legend’s playing days of the 1990s, there was always a big debate as to who was better:
Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson? Over the years that debate has pretty much been settled,
but now the debate has transitioned into who is the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time): Michael
Jordan or Lebron James? With Lebron James’ career still going (somewhat) strong, the debate
still rages on. Therefore, there is still uncertainty, or the ascertain is still being argued. The
ascertain is not undisputable, as different people hold different points of view. For the most
part, when someone uses the phrase The Greatest . . ., it can be assumed that what is about to
be expressed is an opinion.
The third criterion for the differences between a fact and opinion is that a fact is driven
by a rational thought and an opinion is driven by and reinforced by emotion. What is meant by
a rational thought is that an idea or action is well-thought out or analyzed, but an opinion would
lack a sufficient rationale and is supported by and based on feeling or emotion or a combination
of the two. If you are reading a statement or listening to a speak that is expressing an abnormal
amount of feeling or emotion, it can, therefore, by surmised that what you are reading or
hearing is an opinion, and not a fact.
The final criterion for the differences between a fact and opinion is an extension from
the third criterion in that a fact is based on one’s brain and an opinion and is based on one’s
heart. Of course, the brain is what allows us to come up with opinions, but it is the brain that
can help us distinguish between a fact and opinion, and when you speak from the heart this is
what allows to really allow our emotions to be heard by those around us. Similar to the third
criterion
DIRECTIONS: For self-study, read each sentence. Decide whether each example is a fact or
opinion. Write the word fact or opinion beside the appropriate sentence. The first one (Ex.) has
been done for you.
Ex.
__Opinion__ Deserts are not as beautiful as forests.
1
_________
St. Patrick’s Day is associated with the country of Ireland.
2
_________
Earth’s largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean.
3
_________
Abraham Lincoln was the greatest president.
4
_________
Madrid is the capital of Spain.
5
_________
Leftover spaghetti is delicious.
6
_________
Honeybees are insects.
7
_________
Baseball is much more interesting than football.
8
_________
Blue is an attractive color.
9
_________
Brazil is on the continent of South America.
10
_________
My parents like classical music more than pop music.
11
_________
Lemons and limes look similar except for their color.
12
_________
Sunflowers are the prettiest flowers.
13
_________
We live in a brick house.
14
_________
My aunt is the funniest person I know.
15
_________
I’m expecting a phone call in ten minutes.
16
_________
All dinosaurs are extinct.
17
_________
Horses are the most beautiful animals in the world.
1.2
PARAPHRASING AND USING SYNONYMS
Paraphrasing is recognizing where an idea or concept came from, but restating it in a
way by using your own words. By doing this, one not only gives credit to someone else’s idea,
but they can also develop a voice for themselves. There are 5 fundamentals steps to effective
paraphrasing (Gahan, 2021):
1. Read the passage several times to fully understand the meaning
2. Note down key concepts
3. Write your version of the text without looking at the original
4. Compare your paraphrased text with the original passage and make minor
adjustments to phrases that remain too similar
5. Cite the source where you found the idea
1.2.1 Read the passage several times to fully understand the meaning
In order to comprehend the main idea or topic being discussed, it may be necessary to
read the article or passage numerous times. If one fails to read the passage more than once, it
may be possible to misunderstand what is being discussed and when it comes time to write the
response to the article or essay, the wrong topic may be discussed. Therefore, it is highly
advised to read the passage both quietly and out loud to make sure the central theme is fully
understood. If one still cannot full comprehend the central theme of an essay or passage, it is
recommended to ask a friend or colleague if they can pinpoint the central theme.
1.2.2 Note down key concepts
Upon fully comprehending a written composition, the second step is to identity
keywords and phrases that support the central theme. The most efficient method to recognizing
the keywords or phrases is to either circle or underline the vocabulary words that most directly
support the central theme of the written composition. From there, think of possible synonyms
(vocabulary words with similar meanings) that could be substituted in place of the vocabulary
words in the original passage. The reason for this is because when paraphrasing, one wants to
effectively summarizing what the original author was saying, but say it in a way that can be
expressed effectively and efficiently in their own words.
DIRECTIONS: For self-study, from the table please, choose the correct synonym. The first
one (Ex.) has been done for you.
polite
big
kids
quick
yell
little
glad
beautiful
dollars
excellent
Ex.
_____big_____
tall
5
____________
fast
1
____________
children
6
____________
pretty
2
____________
money
7
____________
nice
3
____________
scream
8
____________
good
4
____________
small
9
____________
happy
1.2.3 Write your version of the text without looking at the original
Now that the main idea of the written composition has been determined and the key
vocabulary words and phrases have been identified, it is now time to write for the the passage
to be re-written in your own words. While paraphrasing, it is a good idea not to look at the
original passage. The most important thing is to be able to recall the main idea or points of the
passage and have the synonyms you plan to use in mind.
1.2.4 Compare your paraphrased text with the original passage and make minor
adjustments to phrases that remain too similar
Now that your paraphrased version of the original author’s idea has been completed, it
is time to compare the two. Place them side-by-side and make sure that the two are stating the
same main idea and that all the synonyms that were used, match up with the original vocabulary
words that were used in the original author’s work. Wherever possible, you want to make sure
that at least 80% of the content words have been modified to express your own voice. There
will be times where synonyms may not be possible. In that case, use quotations. For example:
The author reported that, “the future of nanotechnology is open to interpretation.”
1.2.5 Cite the source where you found the idea
After all of the previous four steps have been completed, it is now time to make sure
that all of the sources have been cited. Be aware that any idea that is not your own needs to be
cited. At Rangsit University, APA referencing style is being using as the preferred method for
citations. However, for purposes of this class, as this class is preparing students to pass an
IELTS-based writing exam, citing references will not be needed. In General Education English
courses, the topic of referencing will be explained in detail.
1.3
THESIS STATEMENTS
A thesis statement is the central idea of what an essay is built around, as there are 4
fundamental aspects to keep in mind when developing an effective thesis statement. The 4
fundamental aspects are the following (Purdue University, n.d.):
1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing
2. Your thesis statement should be specific
3. The location of your thesis statement
4. Revisions of your thesis statement
1.3.1 Determine what kind of paper you are writing
Depending on the type of paper you are writing, will depict the structure of your thesis
statement. An analytical paper “breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts,
evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience”
(Purdue University, n.d.); an expository essay will inform the reader how something operates
or functions; and an argumentative essay will try to convince the reader of a certain by
providing sound evidence. For the first few weeks of this course, we will focus on
argumentative essays, and more specifically IELTS-based opinion essays.
1.3.2 Your thesis statement should be specific
When formulating an effective thesis statement, there are two important factors to
consider: (1) make sure your thesis statement is not too narrow; and (2) make sure your thesis
statement is not too broad. Sometimes this balancing act can be rather cumbersome, but if your
thesis statement is too narrow then your essay may not relate very well to the reader, thus may
come across as a little uninteresting. However, if your thesis statement is too broad, then the
reader may be confused about what your essay is truly about. Therefore, as previously
mentioned, it is imperative to create a balance when constructing a thesis statement.
Furthermore, for opinion essays, one must make sure that their thesis statements contain
the following 2 elements: (1) topic or main idea; and (2) an opinion. If there is no clear topic
or main idea, then the reader may be unclear what they are reading, whereas if a thesis statement
lacks an opinion, there is nothing to debate.
DIRECTIONS: For self-study, from the section below, write A if the statement is arguable or
F if the statement is a statement of fact. The first one (Ex.) has been done for you.
Ex.
The amount of financial aid available to students should be proportionate to the
__A__ earning potential of the career fields for which their majors prepare them.
1
Tom Hanks should have won the Best-Actor award for his performance in Castaway.
2
The United States contains citizens of many different ethnicities.
3
Ajarn Eddie has taught English in both Thailand and Japan.
4
Driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to an arrest.
5
Penalties for drinking and driving should be more severe.
6
Television networks air a lot of reality shows nowadays.
7
The Harry Potter movies are better than the Indiana Jones movies.
8
Steroid abuse can lead to serious health problems.
9
Frank Sinatra was loved and admired by many people.
1.3.3 The location of your thesis statement
In a typical academic essay, the thesis statement should be placed as the last sentence
of the introductory essay. The reason for this is because the first sentence should be a hook
that’s main goal is to attract the reader’s attention. From there, there should be at least three
sentences containing background information. Finally, the least sentence of the introductory
paragraph should be the thesis statement. It is placed as the last sentence so the reader knows
exactly what they will be reading about for the remainder of the essay.
Everything that is stated in the previous paragraph is true for a typical academic essay,
but for purposes of this course the location of the thesis statement is different, as the focus of
this course is on making sure every student enrolled in IFE 004: English for Academic
Writing I get at least a CEFR level of B1 (5.0) or higher. Therefore, the location of the thesis
statement for all essays written for this course will be the middle of the introductory paragraph.
All of this will be covered more in-depth in Section 1.4: Introductory Paragraph Structure.
1.3.4 Revisions of your thesis statement
Before sitting down to write any sort of essay, one of the first things that must be
constructed is an effective thesis statement. Writing an essay can be a rather fluid and organic
process. As one finishes up writing the introductory paragraph, they may think the thesis
statement they have just written is permanent and set in stone. However, as one goes through
completing the body paragraphs, and gets to the concluding paragraph, they may realize that
their thesis statement needs to be modified. Therefore, make sure to be flexible and openminded in terms of your thesis statement when writing your essays, as you may need to revise
it after you write your concluding paragraph.
1.4
INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
As previously stated in Section 1.3, the structure of a typical academic essay and that
of an IELTS-based opinion essay vary, thus for IFE 004: English for Academic Writing I
will focus on the structure of the latter. An IELTS-based opinion essay should have four
paragraphs, and the first paragraph is the introductory paragraph. This paragraph should have
the following three sentences:
1. Paraphrase question
2. Thesis statement
3. Outline statement
Whereas a typical academic essay’s introductory paragraph is made up of a minimum
of five sentences (i.e. a hook, three supporting sentences and a thesis statement), the same
cannot be said for an IELTS-based opinion essay.
1.4.1 PARAPHRASE QUESTION
As previously stated in Section 1.2, paraphrasing is recognizing where an idea or
concept came from, but restating it in a way by using your own words. This is all that is needed
for the first sentence of the introductory paragraph for an IELTS-based opinion essay. Simply
decide whether you agree or disagree with the statement given and summarize the main idea
by utilizing synonyms.
For a typical IELTS-based essay one may be given a statement similar to the following:
Disruptive school students have a negative influence on others.
Students who are noisy and disobedient should be grouped together and taught
separately.
Do you agree or disagree?
The initial step is to decide whether you agree or disagree with this statement, so an
example of a paraphrased question could be the following:
There is no doubt that some students in schools behave badly and their behavior causes
difficulty for others either because it has a negative effect on the group or because
ordinary students find it difficult to study with them.
This would be the first sentence of the introductory paragraph.
1.4.2 THESIS STATEMENT
As mentioned in Section 1.3, an effective thesis statement for an IELTS-based opinion
essay should contain the following two elements: (1) topic or main idea; and (2) an opinion.
One needs to make sure their thesis statement is not too narrow and not too broad as it needs
to final an equal balance between the two. If one is to continue with the previous theme, an
effective example of a thesis statement would be the following:
This essay disagrees with the idea that students who are noisy and disobedient should
be grouped together and taught separately.
This would be the second paragraph of the introductory paragraph.
1.4.3 OUTLINE STATEMENT
This sentence is will outline what will be written about in the main body paragraphs,
by stating the topic sentence of each (body) paragraph. Using the same previous theme, an
example of an effective outline statement would be the following:
First, all students should have the same academic opportunities as their peers and
second, when paired up with overachieving students this may motivate underachieving
students.
This would be the third and final sentence of the introductory paragraph. As a whole, the threesentence introductory paragraph would look like the following:
There is no doubt that some students in schools behave badly and their behavior causes
difficulty for others either because it has a negative effect on the group or because ordinary
students find it difficult to study with them. This essay disagrees with the idea that students who
are noisy and disobedient should be grouped together and taught separately. First, all students
should have the same academic opportunities as their peers and second, when paired up with
overachieving students this may motivate underachieving students.
In Class 02 of IFE 004: English for Academic Writing I, we will discuss the
following: (1) elements of a paragraph; (2) paragraph organization; (3) topics & topic
sentences; and (4) the structure of body paragraph 01 for an IELTS-based opinion essay.
References
Gahan, C. (2021). How to Paraphrase in 5 Easy Steps | Tips and Examples. Scribbr.
https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/how-to-paraphrase/
Purdue University. (n.d.). Creating a Thesis Statement, Thesis Statement Tips. Purdue Online
Writing Lab. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/
thesis_statement_tips.html
Vivyan, C. (2010). Fact or Opinion. Getselfhelp.co.uk. https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/
FACTorOPINION.pdf