WRITING 208
OPPOSING VIEWS
ANALYZING THE TASK
Exercise: Work in pairs. Underline the two opinions you have to deal with in this task. Does the
question ask you to think about more than one opinion?
Write about the following topic.
Some people argue that fashion items cost too much money. Others say that this is
acceptable because fashion is an important part of life.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.
STRUCTURE
Exercise 1: Read the sample answer below and answer the following questions:
1. How many paragraphs are there?
2. What does the writer write in the introduction?
3. What are the functions of the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs?
4. What is the purpose of the 4th paragraph?
5. Read the conclusion and which items, a-g, you can find in this concluding paragraph.
a. a statement expressing your personal opinion
b. a repetition of the argument in paragraph 2
c. a reference to the views of people not mentioned previously in the essay
d. a summary of the views discussed in the essay
e. a quote
f. a new argument about the subject
g. a logical link to the previous paragraph
Sample answer
Throughout history, people have always been interested in fashion. When you read magazines these
days, you see many advertisements for the latest fashions, and some of these are very expensive. So,
is this a good thing?
Some people say that prices should be lower in shops, and l can understand their point of view. Before
youngsters start work, they depend on their parents for money. Although many parents are not
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wealthy, they are often pressurised into buying things like designer jeans for their children. After they
have started earning money, young adults can still find it hard to afford fashionable clothes because
they are saving up for other items.
However, there are other people who say they are happy to pay for designer clothes. Teenagers look
forward to doing this when they have their own income. Celebrities have plenty of money, so they
might say that they do not worry about how much clothes cost. They know they need to look after
their image while they are famous. Surely fashion designers would also argue that the cost is fine.
According to people in the fashion business, you cannot criticise until you have seen how hard it is to
be original and set new trends.
Personally, l think the question depends on how important fashion is to you. If you are not interested
in fashion, you needn't spend a lot of money because these days there are many clothes shops around.
On the other hand, if you like to look good, you have to buy fewer clothes and pay more money for
them.
Although clothes have become quite expensive, I think there is enough choice these days for everyone.
Parents just have to be strict with children about what they can afford, and people have to buy within
their budget.
Exercise 2: Use the answers in Exercise 1 to write a plan for the above sample.
Introduction: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2nd paragraph: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3rd paragraph: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4th paragraph: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Conclusion: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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STATING YOUR OPINIONS & DISCUSSING OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS
Exercise 1: Read the sample answer below and find two sentences that introduce the opinions
expressed in the task. Then underline the sentences that express the writer's own opinion.
Sample answer
Throughout history, people have always been interested in fashion. When you read magazines these
days, you see many advertisements for the latest fashions, and some of these are very expensive. So,
is this a good thing?
Some people say that prices should be lower in shops, and l can understand their point of view. Before
youngsters start work, they depend on their parents for money. Although many parents are not
wealthy, they are often pressurised into buying things like designer jeans for their children. After they
have started earning money, young adults can still find it hard to afford fashionable clothes because
they are saving up for other items.
However, there are other people who say they are happy to pay for designer clothes. Teenagers look
forward to doing this when they have their own income. Celebrities have plenty of money, so they
might say that they do not worry about how much clothes cost. They know they need to look after
their image while they are famous. Surely fashion designers would also argue that the cost is fine.
According to people in the fashion business, you cannot criticise until you have seen how hard it is to
be original and set new trends.
Personally, l think the question depends on how important fashion is to you. If you are not interested
in fashion, you needn't spend a lot of money because these days there are many clothes shops around.
On the other hand, if you like to look good, you have to buy fewer clothes and pay more money for
them.
Although clothes have become quite expensive, I think there is enough choice these days for everyone.
Parents just have to be strict with children about what they can afford, and people have to buy within
their budget.
Exercise 2: Put these phrases introducing opinions in the correct column of the table below.
Other people disagree. X may argue that …
According to X, . . . In X's opinion, …..
Personally, I agree. It is argued by some people that
Yet others believe that Many people think that
Some people feel that Although there is some truth to these ideas, it is also true to say ...
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A. Suggesting what might be B. Giving a clear C. Introducing an D. Giving someone
someone else’s view opinion of your own opposing argument else’s view
Exercise 3: Find six other phrases in the sample answer in Exercise 1 which introduce opinions and
write them in the correct column in the table in Exercise 2.