U n t

15 Crime
WARM-UP ~
Look at the pictures. In pairs. ask and answer the following questions.
• What is the connection between the pictures?
• Would you like to be a judge? Why/Why not?
• What do you kno w about th e prison system in yo ur co unt ry?

DEVELOP YOUR WRITING SKILLS

What's the purpose?

/
• Here are some sente nces from a discursive compos ition about capital pun ishment.
What is the purpose of each sentence? Write a letter fro m the box next to each sentence .
A introd ucing the top ic E presenti ng a d isadvantage
B giving opi nion F presenting two opposing points of view
C givi ng an example G presenting a conclusion
o presen ting an ad vantage

1 Fo r instance. the majority of people executed for murder in the

United States are black.
2 To sum up. there is little evidence that capital punishment acts as a
deterrent.
3 I would argue that there is no place for capital punishment in a
humane, civilized society.
4 Capital punishment is an ext remely co nt roversial issue.
S Secondly, when a murderer is executed, t he family of th e
vict im often fee l that justice has been don e.
6 Finally, th ere have been many occasions throughout history
when innocent people have been executed.
7 Firstly, it is said th at capital punishment sends a message to
society that murder will not be tolerated. but it also clearly sends
the message that killing is acceptable in certa in circumstances.

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 Which paragraph?
Your discursive compositions will usually have four pa ragraphs.
Which paragraphs would the sentences in A probably go in?
Write the number of each sentence next to its appropriate paragraph.

Paragraph 1 introduction
Paragraph 2 advantages of capital punishment
Paragraph 3 disadvantages of capital punishment
Paragraph 4 conclusion

Discuss
Do you agree on what the sentences are doing?
Do you agree which paragraph they wou ld probably be found in?

Put in the correct order

Here's the third paragraph from the composition about cap ital punishment .
The sentences are in the wrong order. Rewrite the paragraph in your not ebook.
putti ng the sentences into t he correct order.
T his is a dangero us message. Finally. there have been many occas ions thro ugh out h i..rory
wh en inn oc en t people have been executed. However. there arc ma nv a rgllllle l1 t~ against
capital punishm ent. Secondly; the evidence suggests that most peopl e pun ished by deat h
arc the weakest member.. of socie ty, Firstly, it is said that capital punishment sends a
message (0 society that mu rder will not be tolerated . bu t it also clearly sends the me s..age
that killing is acceptable in certain circumstances. For instance. till' maj ority of people
execut ed fix murder ill the Un ited States are black.

Complete the table

You are expected to use some discursive words and phrases when you write a
discursive comp osit ion. These make your argument clearer.
Look at the words and phrases in the table over t he page, and write a letter from
t he list of purposes below in each purpose box.
Aexpressing contrast
8introducing a further point in a list of points
Cexpressing results
Dpresent ing two opposing points of view
Eintrod ucing a final point in a list of points
Fexpressing someone else's op inion
Gintroduci ng t he first point in a list of point s
Hintroducing a conclusion
Iexpressing your opin ion
J giving examples
K presenting two (dis)advantages together

Wr i t ng Skills I Unit IS 89
U n t
15
DEVELOP YOUR WRITING SKILLS

Purpose Discursive words and phrases

First, Firstl y, First 01 all,
To sta rt with. To begin w it h,
Second(ly), Third(ly), M ore over,
Furt hermo re. In add ition. What is mor e,
Apart from t hat. also
Finally, Lastly,
not only ... but also
on the one hand ,_. on t he other hand
Fo r t his reason , Because of th is, As a result,
Therefore. Thus.
however but alt ho ugh
t ho ugh even th ough in spite of
desp ite nevertheless
for e xample for instance such as
like
in my opi nion as I see it to my m ind
I believe (t hat)
Some people believe (that) According to
It is said (th at)
To conclude. In conclusion, To su m up.
In summary.

Study the model

Lo o k at model co mpos it ion 15 on page 108.
Underline all the discursive words and phrases.

Rewrite the sentences

These se nte nces have all been ta ken from discursive co mpositi ons. They are too informal.
Rewrite them in a more appr opriate style. Use some of the discursive words and phrases
from t he table abo ve.

1 To end, th en, I t hink t hat fining cr iminals is oft e n better th an send ing
them to prison.

2 And another t hing - being a cop is really toug h t hese days.

3 People like rapists and murde re rs should be locked up for ever.

4 No one's proved , t hough, that kill ing murderers doe s any good.

5 And we've got to ask why some peop le pinch thi ngs fro m shops.

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 COMPOSITION DEVELOPMENT ~
Read t his composition questio n and do t he exe rcises that follow.

You have been doing a class project on crime. Your teacher has asked you to write a
co mposition about the follow ing st atement :
Anyone found guilty of committing a crime should be sent to prison.
You should state whether you agree or disagree w ith this statement , explaining your
reasons cl early.
Write your composition.

Brainstorming
Answer t he following questions giving your own opinions.
1 Which of these co mpo sitions will be easiest to argue and write?
a a com pos ition arguing that all crimes should be punished by imprisonment
b a compo sit ion arguing t hat only ce rtain crimes should be punished by imprisonment
c a com pos itio n arguing th at no crimes should be punished by imprisonment
2 What do you th ink wo uld happen if all 6 Why is imprison ment an effe ct ive punishment
criminals were sent to prison? fo r th ese crimes? Give two reaso ns.

3 What do you think would happen if no

criminals were sent to prison?
4 Are some crimes more seriou s th an others?
Give examples.
very se rious crime:
less se rious crime:
S Give t hree examples of crimes which should
be punished by imprisonme nt.
7 Can you t hink of t hree punishment s which are
alternatives to imprisonment?
8 Which crimes, if any, cou ld t hese punishments
_ be effective for? Why?
_
9 Can you sum up your opin ion in one sentence?

Think about your first sentence

Which of these sentences might be a goo d first sentence for your int roductory paragraph?
Tick (.I) the appropriat e ones and cross (1) the inappropriate ones.
1 We would all like to live in a crime-free and safe society.
2 I have never co mmitted a crime.
3 Last week, ou r class visited a prison.
4 If people com mit crimes t hen th ey have to be punished in some way.
S Soc iety cannot allow criminals to get away wit h their crimes
6 Too many criminals get away wit h their crimes these days.
7 Every civilized society need s a legal system.
S We have just done a project on crime at our school.
Now write your own int roductory sentence , based on the appropriate sentences above.

W r i t i n g Sk i l ls I U n i t 1 5 91
U n t
15 Wordperfect
Plan your paragraphs Read t hese sentences and then use th e words in
Complete the follo wing paragraph plan bold to complete th e sentences below.
for your composit ion, making notes on
what yo u are going to include in each • Capital punishment is punishment by death.
paragraph . Techniques include th e electr ic chair, the gas
chamber, hanging and lethal injection.
• Some people believe t hat capital punishment
1)is c~ysive acts as a deterrent. This means they think it
stop s peop le committ ing murder.
cC\A\pcsiHc" pl""" • The serial kille r was sente nced to life
P"'-Y",",jYo\P\-' I imprisonme nt .
• The police thi nk I committed the burglary! I'm
going to have to get a lawyer/solicitor.
• She was arrested on suspicion of fraud, and late r
was officially charged with th e crime.
P""'Y0\3y ....pl,.o, 2 • The court case lasted for three months before
the jury found him guilty.
• Judge: How do you plead?
The accused: Guilty, your Honour.
• The jury found him not guilty , but nobody
PO\v0\3V"O\P ~ '3
really th inks he's innocent.
• There's lots of evidence t hat he did it - his
fingerpr ints were all over t he gun, for example.
• Having served fifteen years in prison, Maso n is
to be released next week.
PO\v"",vO\fh 4.
1 My lawyer's advised me to _
guilty, but I'm not going to . I'm innoce nt!
2 People imprisoned for life are usually
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ after about twenty years.
3 My has inst ructed me not
to discuss this case with reporters.
4 The suspect was released with out being charged

• Hom e w o rk
Now write your composition.
Read thi s checklist. When yo u have
due to lack of
5 No European count ry suppo rts
_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . Most Europea ns thin k th at

wr itten your co mposit io n. tick the boxes.
• I have written a formal
composition.
• I have writte n four paragraphs.
• My argument is clear.
• I have given some examples.
• I have expressed my opinion.
• I have used so me di scu rsive words
and phra ses .
• I have cheeked my composition
carefully for mistakes.
it's barbaric.
6 Losing your dr iving licence would be a good
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ against drinking and driving.
LJ 7 I'm buying a new suit. My at
~ the County Court starts on Monday.
C 8 I can't believe t he police have
_______ _ Jane with embezzlement .
They must have made a mistake.
=:J 9 Can you imagine being sentenced to
________ and knowing you have to
0 spend th e rest of your life behind bars?
10 The fore man of the jury read out t he ve rdict.
~ _ _ _ _ __ : he said.

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 EXAM PRACTICE - D ISCURSIVE COMPOSITION

Exam know-how
• You are expected to use discursive wo rds and • Remember that a composition is usually mo re
phrases in a composition. forma l than an article. The emphasis is more
on presenting an argument, giving opinio ns
and supporting them clearl y, than on
interesting the reader.

Each of these compositions should be written in 120-180 words in an appropriate style.

1 The fo llow ing comment was printed rece ntly in a local newspaper:
The crime rate in our area is far too high and extreme measures need to be taken to
reduce it.
Now your teach er has asked you to w rite a compos itio n on this subject, stating
whether you ag ree or disagree w ith the comment and exp ressing yo ur own op inions.

Write your c omposition.

2 Your class has been doing a project on crime . Your teacher has asked you to write a
composition giving your opinions in answer to the follo wing question:
Why do some p eople break the law?

Write your composition.

Grammar focus
The burglar ran fast but he was caught by the police.
Although / Even though / Though the burglarran fast. he was caught by the police.
In spite of the fact that / Despite the foct that the burglar ran fast, he was caught by the police.
In spite of / Despite running fast, the burglar was caught by the police.
The burglarran fast. However, he was caught by the police.
Rewrite these sentences using the word given.
1 She had a ve ry good lawyer but she was still found guilty. DESPITE

2 There isnt any evidence. However, there is a st rong motive. ALTHOUGH

3 In spite of his having a criminal record. he was only given a warning. BUT

4 Although people feel less safe, the crime rate is act ually dropping. FACT

5 Despite be ing a suspect. Mason was never ar rested . HOWEVER

Wr it ng s» lis / Uni t 15 93