Argumentative writing

 One of the main arguments in favour of ……is that…..

 Some people would argue that…..
 Many people think / feel / believe that….
 It can be argued that…..
 Personally, I would argue that……
 I am very much / strongly in favour of / against …..
 It seems to me that….
 I think / believe / think that….

Examples to show:

- The main argument against tourism is that large numbers of visitors tend to spoil the
natural beauty of a place.
- I am strongly opposed to the use of illegal drugs.
- It seems to me that more people are becoming environmentally friendly.
Plan
1st Paragraph: Introduction.
2nd Paragraph: Put forward one side of the issue (the argument in favour; FOR)
 Argument phrases:
- One of the main arguments in favour of….is that……
- Some people would argue that….
- It is a fact that ……..
 Addition Phrases: furthermore ,…/moreover,……./what is more,…./besides,…/in
addition,…./to add up,….

Third paragraph: the other side of the issue (against)

 Concession phrases (for contrast): on the other hand / however / nevertheless


 Fourth paragraph: Conclusion and put your opinion forward.
 To sum up / In conclusion…………………In my opinion ……..it would be a good idea
if…….because / since…..

Argumentative writing :

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To write well developed paragraphs:

 Avoid strong feelings (don’t say: nobody does this, or it is impossible to disagree with me)
 Do not use generalization (e.g. everybody believes that…..)
 Do not use strong personal expressions (e.g. I think)
 Use linking words (e.g. therefore, although, however etc.)
 Use sequencing (e.g. firstly, secondly, lastly)
 Make reference to other sources (e.g. the government claims that…)
 Give examples – not personal thoughts (e.g. products such as sprayer can destroy the

environment.

Modelling for the argumentative essay:

Necessity of Technological and Scientific Advancement

Moving towards the 21st century, technological advancement has become a focus of

today’s society. Technology has entered the lives of even the poorest members of society,

and it is very rare to find anyone who does not have some form of modern technology such

as a TV or a food processor, in their home.

There are many things to be said in favour of technological advancement, the most

obvious being that it undoubtedly makes people’s lives easier. Without the benefits that

technology brings, the world would be a much harder place to live in. For example, how

would any business operate without faxes, photocopiers or telephones?

On the other hand, technology also has the potential to destroy everything at the

touch of a button – a point made by Quentin Reynolds when he said, “The scientists split

the atom; now the atom is splitting us.” The danger of technological advancement is that

machines will completely replace humans, leaving fewer jobs and reducing human contact in

everyday life, which cannot be a good thing for society.

In conclusion, although technology has the potential to provide a better quality of

life for everyone, it is also capable of destroying everything within a very short space of

time. As such it should be developed with caution and should never be allowed to take the

place of human contact, because this is what ultimately holds a society together.

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 TRANSITION SIGNALS / USEFUL LANGUAGE

A. INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH
This question/matter/subject can be looked at from several points of view.
This problem should be considered in relation to ……

State a strong, firm opinion e.g.: There is no doubt that women are more intelligent
than men …
I believe that by the year 2000, every home will have a
computer …
Address the reader directly e.g.: Have you ever considered …?
Has it ever occurred to you that computers will one day
organize your life?
Start with the problem that needs a solution e.g.:
More and more species are becoming extinct …
As time passes, our lives will be controlled by computers.

B. Body – paragraphs 1,2,3

To list points To add more points to make contrasting

the same topic: point:

-one major advantage of -what is more -on the other hand

-one major disadvantage of -furthermore however
-a further advantage -also in spite of
-one point of view in favour of -in addition to while
-in the first place -besides nevertheless
-first of all -apart from this/that despite
-to start with even though
-secondly
-thirdly
-finally
-last but not least

C: Concluding Paragraph:

To sum up, ….. To conclude …

On balance, …… In conclusion
It seems that ….. In my view …
All in all,…. I believe …
All things considered, On the whole,
Taking everything into account, Above all,

"Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being your own boss."

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 Have you ever considered becoming your own boss? In recent years the number of people
choosing to start their own business has risen significantly. Many claim that this is because
more and more people are no longer content to work for someone else.

One of the main advantages of being self-employed is the fact that you are completely self-
reliant and can make decisions on your own. This can give you a great sense of freedom and
allows you to do exactly what you want without interference from anyone else. What is more,
your working day can be planned for your convenience, allowing you to work when you want
rather than when you have to. Finally, if your business is successful, people will know that you
alone should be given the credit.

However, there are disadvantages to being your own boss. Many self –employed people have said
that to build a successful business, you have to be prepared to work long hours and sacrifice
your personal life. As B.C. Forbes once said, "If you don't drive your business, you will be driven
out of business." Moreover, a 1996 government study found that over a quarter of the business
run by newly self-employed people failed within the first two years.

All things considered, it seems to me that self – employment can be a very gratifying
experience, although not one without difficulties. But when success is achieved, the greatest
reward of all is the knowledge that you have done it on your own.

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Revision Grammar:
Exercise 1:
Correct the verbs:

I ..................... (not do) housework on Sundays normally. But tomorrow I ................................. (tidy)
my room, because my boyfriend Jim ...................... (come). The bus ......................... (arrive) at 10. I
think Jim ...................... (come) on time as usual, because he .................... (like) to be punctual. I
...................................... (look) forward to him. We .................... (have) a date every Sunday and I
..................... (always look) forward to him. Tomorrow we .......................... (have) a special date. We
........................... (go) to see his parents. We ........................... (have)

Exercise 2:
Choose the correct tenses.
1-............................................. Frank in Toronto?
a)Did you meet b) Have you met c) Were you meeting
2-He had a break after he ..................................... for two hours.
a) was walking b) had been walking c) has walked
3- I ......................................... her for a long time.
a) know b) have known c) have been knowing
4- We ............................ the windows and the car on Saturday morning.
a) were cleaning b) cleaned c) have been cleaning
5- I............................ in York for a week in 1998.
a) worked b) have been working c) have worked
6-I ......................... you in your office with a girl! Really? We ...................................................... .
a) saw - 've just talked b) 've seen - just talked c) saw - were just talking 7-
How many cupboards .............................. since yesterday?
a) did they move b) have they moved c) have they been moving
8-As he ................... a bike, a dog ................ him.
a) was riding – bit b) rode - bit c) was riding - has bitten
9-When the dog ................ him, he ...................... his bike.
a) was biting - fell off b) bit - was falling off c) bit - fell off
10-I didn't notice that you .................................... .
a) had come b) came c) have been coming
11-I can't stand it anymore. I .................................. the furniture since breakfast.

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 12-................................................... the dishes yet?
a) Has he washed b) Has he been washing c) Did he wash
13-They .......................... a hotel in York, but then they ............................................................... it.
a) have bought – sold b) bought - have sold c) bought - sold
14-She couldn't play yesterday because she ........... ................................... her ankle the day
before.
a) have sprained b) sprained c) had sprained
15-I can't find Todd. Where is he? - He ................. ..................................................... in the garage.
a)’s been working b) worked c) was working
16-She .................................. books on the shelves all day. That's why she is so exhausted.
a) was putting b) has put c) has been putting
17-The sun ........................ and we ........................ on the white sand.
a) shone - were lying b) was shining - were lying c) shined - lay
18-You ............................. at last! Where .............. ...................................................... so long?
a) arrived - have you been b) have arrived - have you been c) arrived - were you
19-I was so relaxed because I ................................. anything all day.
a) have not been doing b) didn't do c) had not been doing
20-What's your teaching experience? ..................... .................................................... anyone?
a) Have you ever taught b) Did you ever teach c) Have you ever been teaching
21-She's hurt her arm. - When ........................... it?
a) has she hurt b) has she hurt c) did she hurt