Opinion essays are discursive essays in which you present your personal opinion on a particular topic.

Your opinion must be stated clearly and supported by justifications. You should also present opposing viewpoint in a separate paragraph.

Introduction should explain or illustrate the topic Do you know that….? (the subject) It is often said/argued that…… It is the fact that…… These days/Nowadays…… In the past, people…but now….. …..we are becoming aware of the fact that… I strongly believe…….(state your opinion clearly)

Words to explain your opinion I strongly believe……. In my opinion,…/ In my view,… To my mind It is my firm believe that….. I am inclined to believe that….. I feel very strongly that…. It strikes me that…. It seems to me that…..

Main Body In the first place ……..(first viewpoint) In my opinion ….. To start with……….. For example …………….(reasons, examples)

Furthermore ………..(second viewpoint ) For instance ………….(reason, example)

On the other hand ……..(opposing viewpoint) For instance …………..(reason, example)

Conclusion All things considered………… In conclusion……. …………. To sum up……………………. (restate you opinion, using different words)

A teen magazine has asked readers to write on the following topic: Some people believe that money should be one of the most important reasons for choosing a job or career. What is your opinion? Write a passage for the newspaper, stating and explaining your opinion.

Is money important Introduction: I disagree. Time and happiness Main body: Long hours. Cost to family life. Job satisfaction In conclusion. I disagree. Time and happiness

Intoduction In my opinion money should not be one of the most important reasons for choosing a job or career. What we should consider is that we will spend most of our waking hours at work. So being happy in the career we choose should be the most important factor when deciding what we want to do with our lives. A career is something that we have to think about very seriously, as it is a decision that will effect most of our life.

1 st Paragraph Firstly, in choosing the right career we should plan for the future and think about the demands that a family will put on our schedules. Taking care of a family is very time consuming. For example, children need to attend different school activities, which we need to take them to. So if we spend too much time at work, who will transport our children for us.

2 nd Paragraph Secondly, I can’t imagine spending so many hours at work and being unhappy, it must be the worst thing in the world. An important fact is, we need to be happy. If we are happy, we will be productive at work. For instance, having to work overtime to complete an urgent job will not annoy us, if we enjoy our work. Job satisfaction is also very important as to how we see ourselves.

Conclusion In conclusion, the belief that money should be one of the most important reasons for choosing a job or career is not an option for me. I strongly disagree that money should be a deciding factor in choosing a career. What should be important is how much time I need to spend at work each day and job satisfaction.

Grammar Structures Use the advanced grammar structures: Present / Past Perfect have/has + V3 had + V3 Conditionals If ………., subject would …….. Passive voice. The ball was kicked by the boy.