Writing test tips (2)

How to Write a For & Against Essay    (or Advantages / Disadvantages)

• For / against essays. They present both sides of an issue in a balanced way. In the concluding paragraph you can say why you find one side more convincing than the other.

A.- PLAN

PARAGRAPH 1 ·      Introduce the topic (summary of the topic without giving your opinion). The opening should engage the reader’s interest and give a hint of what is to follow.

PARAGRAPH 2  ·       State the advantages (or your arguments for), justifications, examples, and/ or reasons

PARAGRAPH 3 ·        State the disadvantages (or your arguments against), justifications, examples, and/ or reasons

PARAGRAPH 4 ·        Refer back to the topic and summarize. Here you can say why you find one side more convincing than the other.

BASIC DOS IN WRITING A FOR / AGAINST ESSAY

Introduce each paragraph with a main idea and then develop this idea.

Use a variety of structures and vocabulary adequate to your level.

Write in formal style  (no contractions, colloquial words, or emotional language).

B.-  VOCABULARY ( See also How to write an opinion essay for useful expressions)

Expresiones útiles para:

• Introducir el tema: 
• Some / Many people think / believe / consider (that) …
• However, others…
• It is thought / beleived / claimed that…  
• Añadir ideas:
• Furthermore,… /Moreover, … In addition to this,… (Estos tres conectores van siempre después de punto, y delante de coma). 
•  Hablar de razones y resultados:
• One result / effect of this is that…
• Because of / As a result of this, …
• Consequently,…
• … because  
• Contrastar ideas:
• On the one hand,… .
• On the other hand,…
• One advantage of… is…
• One disadvantage of… is
• However,… / Nevertheless,…  
• Exponer ejemplos:
• For example, For instance, An example of this is…  
• Hacer recomendaciones o sugerencias:
• …should (not)…
• (Noun / V+ -ing) would perhaps be a better solution / alternative.