Writing Striking a Balance Opinion Essays IT IS MUCH EASIER TO JUST CHOOSE ONE SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT AND THEN WRITE TWO ARGUMENTS FOR IT. However. . . . . . You can write a balanced essay as long as. . . . . . .You have a clear opinion in the essay. Clear opinions 1. You agree or disagree, but only in some situations [specify]. 2. You agree or disagree, but not completely 3. Both ideas need to happen at the same time. Note: None of these involve just discussing two ideas, each is a clear opinion which you need to state very clearly. Agree in Some Situations Nowadays university education is very expensive, so some people say that they should reduce their fees. Do you agree or disagree? Agree in Some Situations Nowadays university education is very expensive, so some people say that they should reduce their fees. Do you agree or disagree? Opinion - Agree, but only for underprivileged students who would otherwise not be able to go. Higher education is becoming increasingly unaffordable. Consequently, the argument is being made is that tuition fees should be lowered. Although this would be greatly beneficial to people from low income backgrounds, it seems unnecessary for those who have the ability to pay. Therefore, from my perspective, tuition fees should only be lowered for those who would otherwise be unable to go. Structure 1. Paraphrase 2. One reason you generally agree with the statement + specific situation/exception (while/although) 3. Clearly state your opinion. Disagree, But Not Completely In the future the Earth will have an even higher population than it does now. Therefore, some people think more money should be spent on researching another planet to live, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Disagree, But Not Completely In the future the Earth will have an even higher population than it does now. Therefore, some people think more money should be spent on researching another planet to live, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Opinion: Disagree, only a small number of people could live on another planet, but there are benefits to researching this. There are those who make the argument that due to overpopulation, there should be an increased focus on having human settlements on other planets. Although researching this would lead to many scientific discoveries, only a very small number of people have a realistic chance of surviving on another planet. For these reasons, research into colonising planets should happen, but should not be a main priority of scientists and governments. Striking a Balance [This is the easiest one to get wrong, but if you do it well, it can be very good.] People should follow the customs and traditions when they start to live in a new country. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Should: Shouldn’t: Striking a Balance People should follow the customs and traditions when they start to live in a new country. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Should: Easier to integrate and not offend locals. Shouldn’t: Important for people not to forget or lose their own culture and traditions Striking a Balance For this one, you are not just discussing two options, but are saying that both are important. Both need to be achieved at the same time. This is the opinion. Striking a Balance 1. Paraphrase 2. While A, B 3. Therefore it is important to : ● ● Strike a balance between ● Find a middle ground between Give equal weight to both A & B noun [Therefore both a and b should be given equal weight] Striking a Balance This structure can also be used for: 1. Discuss both views and give your opinion. 2. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? It is commonly said that, when moving to a new country, a foreigner should adopt the local way of life. Although this would certainly improve integration, it is important for a person not to lose their own sense of cultural identity. For these reasons, it is imperative that any expatriate find a middle ground between these two points. There are those who make the argument that, only by dealing with social problems can the government cut back on crime, with punishments alone being insufficient. Although this would help reduce some crime, it would not make a big difference as there are many other causes of crime such as mental health and people’s dispositions. Therefore, while this would be a part of dealing with high crime rates, both police on the streets and prison sentences are still necessary.
