INGLÉS INSTRUMENTAL
WRITING. OPINION ESSAYS
An opinion essay is a formal piece of writing. It requires your opinion on a topic, which must be
stated clearly, giving various viewpoints on the topic supported by reasons and examples. You
should also include the opposing viewpoint in another paragraph. A successful opinion essay
should have:
a) an introductory paragraph in which you state the topic and your opinion.
b) a main body which consists of several paragraphs, each presenting a separate viewpoint
supported by reasons. You also include a paragraph presenting the opposing viewpoint and
reason why you think it is an unconvincing viewpoint.
c) a conclusion in which you restate your opinion using different words.
As the “for and against” essay, it is a kind of argumentative essay, so it needs to provide
reasons and justifications to support our opinion; but, unlike the advantages-anddisadvantages essay, these texts present the writer’s personal opinion concerning the topic, so
it is directly connected with our viewpoints, thoughts and ideas. Therefore, we should:
- Write in a formal style and state the topic clearly.
- Avoid colloquial expressions, contractions, over-generalizations and emotive vocabulary.
- Use assertive phrases: In my opinion, I (strongly) believe, In my view, From my point of
view…
- Introduce quotations to support our ideas: As Burton said, “A dwarf standing on the
shoulders of a giant may see farther than a giant himself”, I…
Structure
An opinion essay has three parts:
1. Introduction (Paragraph 1)
It states the topic and gives the writer’s opinion about it. It is not the appropriate place to use
too many personal opinion words.
2. Main Body (Paragraph 2 or Paragraphs 2 & 3)
It presents one or more supported viewpoints on the topic and the reasons and examples to
support them. Opposing viewpoints may also be supported, but followed by arguments that
show their inconsistency.
3. Conclusion (Final paragraph)
It summarizes and restates the writer’s initial opinion in other words and tries to answer the
problem statement at hand.
Useful expressions:
To list points:
Firstly
To begin/start with
First of all
Secondly
In the first place
Thirdly
Finally
To add more points to the same topic:
in addition (to this)
furthermore
moreover
what is more
To introduce examples:
for example
for instance
such as
To introduce facts:
In fact…
As a matter of fact…
Actually…
To express personal opinions:
I (personally) think…
I (strongly) believe…
I feel / I don’t feel that…
It seems to me that…
I agree / I disagree with the idea…
In my opinion / view
As I see it…
As far as I’m concerned…
It is clear to me that…
Tips to write an opinion essay:
- Make a list of the viewpoints you want to use to defend your opinion before you start
writing.
- Write well-developed paragraphs in which the points you present are supported with
justification. Make sure each paragraph has more than one sentence.
- Writing in first person can make your essay more personal while writing in third person can
make your essay seem more objective and professional. Decide the tone of your writing before
you start.
- Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence which summarizes what the paragraph is about.
Opinion Essay – Samples
Immigration – Positive or negative effects?
Immigration is the movement of people who go from country to another. This
move is not accepted by many people, but I think it leads to some different, positive
things.
Firstly, from my point of view, immigration is positive because it introduces interesting
changes in society. For example, the cohesion of the culture in a country can improve.
In this same line we can see immigration introduces multiculturalism in a country,
and this is the best thing that can happen. Some countries have included in their
traditions music or songs that did not belong to the traditional culture in the country, but that
are brought by immigrants. Also, some other contributions made by immigrants can
improve society. Secondly, people who come to our countries are the people that we
can later meet and learn things from. Probably, it is a little bit imaginative, but many
people have an immigrant wife or a husband, and I think that these couples can be
more interesting.
In conclusion, we see that immigration has contributed to improving societies because, if
all countries, or the world in general, would always have the same people, it would
be worse. Finally, I consider that immigrants can help the world to be better.
Mobile phones at school
Nowadays more and more students bring their mobile phones to school. While I believe that
students should carry mobile phones in case of an emergency, I am strongly opposed to
phones being used at school, particularly in the classroom.
Firstly, many students travel to and from school without their parents.
Therefore, it is important for them to have a mobile phone in case they need help or
have an accident on the way to school or home. Furthermore, parents who work
may need to contact their children. For example, if a parent has to work late, the
student has to be told if arrangements have been made for a relative or neighbour to
look after them.
On the other hand, nothing is more disruptive during a lesson than the sound
of a mobile phone ringing or playing an annoying tune. Moreover, students who
send and receive text messages in class are not paying attention to the lesson.
In conclusion, I feel that students should be allowed to take mobile phones to school
for use in an emergency. However, all phones should certainly be turned off during lessons.