- What is the topic sentence of the paragraph?
- What are the reasons that support the writer’s opinion?
- Which fact does the writer include to support his/her opinion?
- Which sentence does not express the writer’s opinion?
- What is your reaction to this paragraph? Do you agree or disagree with the writer’s opinion? Why or why not?
3
A.
Choose a topic and then brainstorm ideas for that topic. Here are some topics
to choose from.
You can also come up with your own topic.
- Do you think modern lifestyles are healthy or not?
- School children shouldn’t be allowed to eat junk food.
- Kids should be allowed to stay up late.
B.
Write an opinion paragraph. Make sure that your paragraph has:
- a topic sentence with a controlling idea
- supporting details (reasons and facts)
- both sides of the argument
- a concluding sentence
USEFUL LANGUAGE |
TO EXPRESS FACTS
It is a well-known fact that Research has shown that
It is a fact that |
TO ADD IDEAS
Firstly
First of all
Secondly
Thirdly
Finally
Moreover
In addition
What is more
|
TO CONCLUDE
To sum up
To conclude
In conclusion
|
C.
Exchange your paragraph with a partner. Read your partner's paragraph and answer the Peer Editing Questions.
- Does the paragraph have a clear topic sentence?
- Does the topic sentence have a controlling idea?
- Does the paragraph have supporting sentences?
- Do the supporting sentences relate to the topic?
- Does the paragraph have a concluding sentence that restates the main idea?
D.
Write your suggestions to help your partner improve his/her paragraph.