"For and against" essays are one type of discursive writing in which you discuss the advantages and

disadvantages of a specific topic. A "For and against" essay should consist of:

I. Introduction: you present the topic, making a general remark about it without giving your opinion.
paragraph)

(1

Useful tips! Get your readers attention You can use a surprising question or an engaging quotation to get your reader
interested in your topic. Write a clear main idea statement Let your readers know what your topic is, and tell them that you plan to explore its advantages and disadvantages.

II. Main Body (2-3 paragraphs): you present the points for and the points against, in separate paragraphs,
supporting your arguments with justifications/examples;
First paragraph: Advantage/ Arguments in favor + Justifications/ Examples Second paragraph: Disadvantage/ Arguments against + Justifications/ Examples Third paragraph: A further advantage/ disadvantage + Justifications/ Examples

Useful tips! Clearly state each advantage or disadvantage Write a paragraph explaining each
advantage or disadvantage. You will want to group all the advantages together and all the disadvantages together. Support each advantage or disadvantage Use facts, expert opinions, and anecdotes to back up each point you cover.

III. Conclusion (1 paragraph) includes your opinion or a balanced summary of the topic
TECHNIQUES T0 BEGIN OR END YOUR ESSAY To attract the reader's interest and make the beginning or ending of your essay more effective, you can use some of the following writing techniques: a) address the reader directly e.g. " If you take the time to train your dog, it will learn to obey you. b) include a quotation (i.e. a sentence or phrase taken from a book, play, etc.) When we use a quotation, it is necessary to mention the name of the person who said/wrote it. e.g. As George Orwell wrote, -All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.c) include a rhetorical question e.g. Is it true that a dog is man's best friend?

Useful language to use in your essay:

a. To introduce advantages: The main advantage of .. The most important advantage of . One advantage of.. An additional advantage of

 b. To c. To

One major advantage of. It is often suggested that It is often believed that..., Another point in favor of A further advantage of .

introduce disadvantages: The main disadvantage of The most important drawback of..., One disadvantage of..., One major disadvantage of.. Another disadvantage of..., An additional disadvantage of... Another point against. introduce conclusion: To sum up, All in all, All things considered, In conclusion, On the whole, Taking everything into account, As was previously stated, Finally, Last, but not least

d. Expressions for giving opinions: I believe/think/feel (that)... My opinion is that... I strongly believe... As far as I am concerned,... In my opinion/view,... I (completely) agree that/with... The way I see it,... I (strongly) disagree that/with... It seems/appears to me (that)... I am totally against... To my mind,... I couldn't agree more that/with... I (do not) agree that/with ... e. To make contrasting points: On the one hand On the other hand However In spite of While Nevertheless Despite Even though Although, In spite of (the fact that), Despite the fact that

f. To

add more points to the same topic: Moreover, Furthermore, Also, In addition to this/that Besides, Apart from this/that

g. To give examples: for example, to illustrate for instance

ADVANTAGES and DISADVANTAGES of LIVING in a FOREIGN COUNTRY As we know, today there are about six billion people in the world. All of them live in different countries and have special cultures. Some countries have become very sophisticated, while others havent yet been developed well. For this reason, some people want to go to well-developed foreign countries, especially to the U.S.A. People want to go to well-developed countries to live more comfortably. They also strongly believe that if they go there, they will earn more money. Living in a foreign country has many advantages, but it also has some disadvantages. Therefore, before people come to a decision about going to a foreign country, they should consider the advantages and disadvantages of living in a foreign country. One of the main advantages of living in a foreign country is that people have better economic conditions. For example, they may get a good job and a high salary so they can buy what they want and they may live how they desire. In addition, they may benefit from well-developed education and health systems. Moreover, one is given the chance to learn and become fluent in another language through everyday use. Furthermore, one can participate in lots of social activities. Thus, people can improve their abilities. Finally, they become more independent by having to deal with difficult situations on their own. On the other hand, it may be difficult for people to adapt to their new surroundings. If they live alone, they miss their families and countries. Sometimes they may feel isolated, frustrated, and lonely. In addition, if someone cant speak the language yet, he or she may face communication problems. What is more, there is racial discrimination in some countries. Foreigners arent easily accepted in these places. It is possible that racist people may hurt them. To sum up, even though living in a strange place may be hard at first, in time one can adjust to it. In my opinion, if a person has an opportunity to go to a well-developed foreign country, he or she should benefit from this opportunity for his or her future.