Enjoying the trip

ENJOYING THE TRIP

Now, we talked about writing opinion essays, someone explained to us the parts of those, and we saw some examples. It's time for you to practice. You are in a moment of your life where you are deciding what to study, where, your professional life, your future , you may feel stressed. Iet's write an opinion essay about the best major to study.

Objective: Develop the structure of an opinion essay, and allow you to work with other people.

INTRODUCTION

Instruction

Introductory paragraph. Following the models, let's create a draft of the introductory paragraph. Upload it into the google docs. Choose another group , and make a comment about their paragraph, you can say what you think about the topic, the aspects you like about it, also, give some recommendations about it.

BEFORE TO START

It is necessary that you consider some phrases and words in order to have a wide amount of specific essays vocabulary to be included in the sections of your opinion essay.

Instruction

Analyze the following words and phrases. They will be useful to write your coming essays. Then, classify them into the columns according to the section/s in which you would include them. Do not forget to include your name before typing your answer.

15 Useful Words and Phrases for Essays

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument.

Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point.

Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

4. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making.

Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

5. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information.

Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

6. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”.

Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

7. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”.

Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

8. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other.

Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

9. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said.

Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

10. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion.

Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

11. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence.

Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

12. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence.

Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

13. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”.

Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

14. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent.

Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

15. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview.

Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

16. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”.

Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

HANDS ON WORK

In this second activity you will recognize some models to become familiar with real essays, we will follow a process step by step where we will learn together how to structure your opinion essay from the introduction to the conclusion.

Instruction.

Read the following opinion essay and fill in the blanks with the expressions from the list. Then, write an introduction paragraph for an opinion essay which topic is : Why go to University ?