OPINION ESSAY

1. Opinion (do you agree/ disagree, to what extend do you agree/ disagree)
a. State your opinion
b. Two reasons to support your opinion
c. One argument for contrast (optional – you need to have a balance, you have
present general facts that you know about others who believe in something
different than you to keep your balance in your essay)
d. Short conclusion – restate your opinion
2. Discussion (discuss both views and give your opinion)
a. Explain the two views
b. Discuss first view with examples
c. Discuss second view with examples
d. Short conclusion – clearly state your opinion and which view you support

Coherence and Cohesion

- Do you know how to construct the building blocks of an essay? (specific ways to
follow)
o Introduction
o Main body paragraphs
o Conclusion
- Is your position clear throughout the whole essay? (if the question is do you agree/
disagree – is it clear what your position is?)
- Have you structured and organised your essay so that it is clear and easy to
understand?

Lexical Resource
- Do you have a wide enough range of vocabulary to express what you are trying to
say about the topic?
- Is your use of vocabulary accurate? (Meaning, spelling, collocation – which
words/phrases go together, grammar)

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

- Do you have enough grammatical range to express meaning? (e.g. if they ask you to
speculate about the future – do you know how to use will, going to, etc. to talk about
the future?)
- Is your use of grammar accurate? (are you making many mistakes or just a few?)

1
Strategy and Structure

- Step 1 – Understand the question. (take time to read and understand the question)
- Step 2 – Generate 2 ideas the answer the question and are easily developed. (explain
the 2 ideas, use examples to help to support them)
- Step 3 – Plan your answer. (if you do this, it saves you time; plan before you start
writing)
- Step 4 – Paraphrase question in first sentence. (first sentence should always just be
paraphrasing a question)
- Step 5 – Answer question briefly in 1-2 sentences. (still the introduction)
- Step 6 – Write main idea in Main Body Paragraph (MBP) 1.
- Step 7 – Explain main idea with explanations and example.
- Step 8 – Repeat above 2 steps for next main idea in MBP 2.
- Step 9 – Summarise main ideas and clearly answer the question in conclusion.

Strategy and Structure

- Introduction – paraphrase question and briefly answer question

- MBP 1 – take first main idea and develop fully
- MBP 2 – take second main idea and develop fully
- Conclusion – summarise the above and make sure you clearly answer the question

People should read more. Agree or disagree? (simplified version of IELTS question – for
demonstration purposes only)

- Introduction: Paraphrase + People should read more because it makes them smarter
and it helps them relax. (2 main ideas in colour – very, very simplified for to make
sure you understand the structure)
- MBP 1 – It makes them smarter. Explain + Example
- MBP 2 – Helps them relax. Explain + Example
- Conclusion: People should spend more time reading because it educates them and it
is also a good way to unwind.