A FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY

Here you have a good example of a "For and against essay" with exercises to work on it. Come on, what are you waiting for?

http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/intermediate-b1-writing/against-essay

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK/ FILM REVIEW

¿Te gustaría saber cómo escribir la reseña de un libro? Visita esta página para averiguarlo:

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/writing-film-book-review.php

http://learningenglishisgreat-rosa.blogspot.com.es/2013/04/how-to-write-book-review-como-escribir.HTML


     

CREATE YOUR OWN STORY

Let's create our own story and have some fun!!!

https://thatisevil.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/fill-in-the-gaps-with-a-bit-of-fun/

Create another story and revise the past simple:

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/make-your-own/story-maker

INSPIRING WRITING

En esta página encontrarás montones de temas inspiradores para escribir, no dejes de visitarla:
http://eslchestnut.com/tag/writing/

Montones de temas interesantes sobre los que escribir:
http://eslchestnut.com/2012/09/22/writing-prompts/

AN OPINION ESSAY (EXAMPLE AND WRITING)

Lee el siguiente artículo de opinión y luego escribe el que se te propone:

A.   Read the essay, ignoring the gaps. Match each paragraph to its purpose.

Paragraph 1      a) Give some facts to support your opinion.

Paragraph 2      b) Write a conclusion, restating your opinion.

Paragraph 3      c) Introduce the point, including your opinion.

Paragraph 4      d) Give some contrasting points of view and say why you don’t agree with them.

“Children under 16 shouldn’t be allowed to have mobile phones. They are a distraction from studies and an impediment to social interaction.” Discuss.

These days it is difficult to think of a world without mobile phones. Many people have more than one and some people spend half their lives on the phone. You also see more and more younger children with mobile phones. Some might find this a worrying trend but in my opinion (1) ______________ modern society’s obsession with technology. (2) _______________ there should be an age limit for owning a mobile phone, but I would put that limit at 8 or 9 years old, not 16. (3) ________________ whoever believes that teenagers shouldn’t have access to a mobile phone is out of touch with modern society.

Mobile phones are a necessary part of a teenager’s life. By using text messages and apps such as ‘Whatsapp’, modern teenagers build up social networks which are more enriching than hanging around on street corners. (4) ________________, mobile phones are a source of information. Most teenagers access the Internet via their mobile phones, and (5) ________________ distraction from studies they are actually a study aid. (6) ________________ owning a mobile phone is a form of security. Once upon a time parents didn’t know where the kids were if they hadn’t arrived home at the expected time. These days a quick phone call can put parents’ minds at rest.

There should be an age limit for mobile phones, in my opinion. Children under the age of 8 or 9 should not have unlimited access to a mobile phone, for security reasons. They are not old enough to know the risks involved in being part of social networks. (7) ________________ that this is also true for a 10 or 12 year old but I would reply to this argument by saying that we are now living in a world where technology is essential. It is normal for children to be in contact with technology at a young age. (8) ________________ mobile phones are an impediment to social interaction – that is not true. Teenagers have contact with huge groups of friends via their mobile phones. (9) ________________, they are an aid to social interaction.

(10) ________________, I would say that I am in complete disagreement with the idea that mobile phones should only be available to over 16s. It goes against modern trends in society, and is based on the misconception that mobile phones isolate teenagers from society. In the future, communication and information technology will be connected to almost everything we do, so it is futile to try and stop teenagers coming into contact with it.

B.   Use these phrases to fill in the gaps in the essay.

1. As for the idea that
2. far from being a
3. In conclusion
4. It can be argued that
5. it is no more than a consequence of
6. Many people would argue
7. Moreover
8. Not to mention the fact that
9. On the contrary
10. Personally, I think that

 C.   Write an opinion essay.

“Children shouldn’t be allowed to sit in their rooms surfing the net; it’s antisocial.” Discuss

Plan your essay. Make some notes for each of the four paragraphs. Use the model essay and the useful expressions from exercise B.

WRITING (AN FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY)

Lee el siguiente texto y escribe después un texto argumentativo:
 

A ‘for and against’ essay

1.- Read the essay ignoring the gaps. Does the author agree or disagree with the statement?

“A holiday should be a culturally enriching experience, not two weeks lying on the beach.” Discuss.

A holiday should be a culturally enriching experience, not two weeks lying on the beach. It should be an opportunity to have different cultural experiences, to travel to different places around the globe and learn about their history, art and traditions.

(1) __________ people believe that beach holidays are the best option when they have a few weeks off from work or study. (2) __________, the economy of many countries (including Spain) depends heavily on beach tourism. Lying on a beach for days on end is considered by many to be the best way to forget about the pressures of work. Beach holidays can be relatively cheap, too. You don’t have to pay admission into museums or theatres.

(3) __________ it is true that we need to relax when we are on holiday; it is also true that visiting museums, going to art galleries and travelling to see the wonders of the world are an equally good way to de-stress. (4) __________ is more, holidays with a more cultural focus enrich our lives and teach us how to be more tolerant to people from other cultures. Furthermore, while this kind of holiday is usually perceived as being more expensive, some beach holidays to exotic resorts can cost a fortune.

I believe that a cultural holiday is a far better option than a beach holiday. I have learnt far more from visiting museums and monuments around the world than from lying in the sun. I can relax at home and sunbathe in my garden so when I have a few weeks off I would prefer to broaden my mind and have new experiences.

(5) __________ the one hand beach holidays are a good way to relax and can usually be quite cheap. They are also an important part of our economy. Cultural holidays, on the other hand, sometimes cost more but the experiences you have are worth the extra money you spend. I think that this kind of holiday is a much better option.

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK REVIEW (CÓMO ESCRIBIR LA RESEÑA DE UN LIBRO)

A BOOK REVIEW

PARAGRAPH 1: Introduce the book.

• What type of book is it?
• Who wrote it? When?
• Where is it set?
• What is the book about?

PARAGRAPH 2: Describe the main characters and events.

• Who are the main characters?
• What happened?

PARAGRAPH 3: Give your opinion.

• What did you think of the book?

USEFUL PHRASES AND VOCABULARY

• This book is about…
• My favourite character is……. because…….
• I liked the part when…
• I would recommend this book because….

• The action takes place in ... (setting)
  The story takes place in...

• The main characters are ...
  The story is about ....
  The novel tells the story of ...
  In the course of the novel the action develops dramatically.
  The novel / film begins with...
  The novel has an unexpected ending.
  
  

• I am impressed by
  I think ....
  The book is terribly / beautifully written
  What surprised me is ...
  What I liked is...
  What I didn't like is...
  I liked/didn't like the novel because ..

   
  

WRITING AN INFORMAL LETTER OR AN EMAIL

En esta página encontrarás la estructura de los emails y las cartas informales. También podrás aprender vocabulario básico de ambos tipos de textos:

http://www.carmenlu.com/first/writing/emails_letters1.pdf

HOW TO WRITE AN OPINION ESSAY (CÓMO ESCRIBIR UN ARTÍCULO DE OPINIÓN)

AN OPINION ESSAY

A.- PLAN

PARAGRAPH 1 ·         Introduce the topic and give your opinion. Say whether you agree or disagree with the statement.

PARAGRAPH 2 ·         Give a reason to support your opinion.

PARAGRAPH 3 ·         Give a second reason to support your opinion.

PARAGRAPH 4 ·         Summarize your ideas and repeat your opinion using different words.

 

BASIC DOS IN WRITING AN OPINION ESSAY

Introduce each paragraph with a topic sentence, outlining the main ideas.

Do not write about advantages or disadvantages or points for or against.

Write in formal style.

BASIC DON’TS IN WRITING AN OPINION ESSAY

Don’t use colloquial expressions.

Don’t use short forms.

Don’t use emotive vocabulary.

Don’t give personal examples.

B.-  VOCABULARY

EXPRESSING OPINIONS
In my opinion, ….	En mi opinión…
Personally, I think/ I believe (that)…	Personalmente, creo que…
I strongly believe that….	Creo firmemente que…
It is clear (to me) that…	Me parece evidente que…
I feel very strongly that…	Siento firmemente que…
I (completely) agree/disagree with …	Estoy (totalmente) de acuerdo/ en desacuerdo con….
It seems to me that…	Me parece que..
As I see it, …	Como yo lo veo…
To my mind….	En mi opinión,…
In my view,…	Desde mi punto de vista,…
From my point of view, ….	Desde mi punto de vista,…
As far I am concerned, …	En cuanto a lo que a mí respecta,…
I am sure/ convinced that …	Estoy seguro / convencido de que…
I (dis)agree with the statement, because …	Estoy de acuerdo/ en desacuerdo con la afirmación porque…

GIVING REASONS
My main reason is….	Mi razón principal es..
Another reason is…	Otra razón es…
One reason for… is ….	Una razón para…. es….
Many people say/ believe that…	Mucha gente dice/ piensa que..
Because…	Porque…
Since…	Puesto que/ ya que…
Because of/ due to…	Debido a…

EXPRESSING FACTS
It is widely known that…	Es ampliamente conocido que..
It is a well-known fact that …	Es un hecho bien conocido que…
Research has shown that…	La investigación ha demostrado que…
There are definitely…	Definitivamente hay…
It is a fact that…	Es un hecho que…
It is clear/ true that…	Está claro que/ es verdad que…
For example/ for instance,...	Por ejemplo,…
ADDING IDEAS
What is more,…	Y lo que es más,..
Moreover/ furthermore/ in addition (to)	Además,…
Apart from (that)…	Aparte de…
Firstly,…	En primer lugar,…
First of all,…	En primer lugar,…
Secondly,..	En segundo lugar,..
Thirdly,…	En tercer lugar,..
Lastly,…	Por último,..
Finally,…	Finalmente,…

 

EXPRESSING CONTRAST (LINKERS OF CONTRAST)
ALTHOUGH (aunque)	Although I was feeling depressed, I went to the party.
DESPITE (a pesar de)	Despite the rain, I went to the party. Despite feeling depressed, I went to the party.
IN SPITE OF ( a pesar de)	In spite of the rain, I went to the party. In spite of feeling depressed, I went to the party.
EVEN IF (incluso si)	I will go to the party, even if I feel depressed.
WHEREAS (mientras que)	Adults can make their own decisions, whereas teenagers have to do what other people tell them.
HOWEVER (sin embargo)	Mike is a very good singer. However, he can’t play any instruments.
IN CONTRAST
BUT (pero)	Their music is very good. But, their lyrics are not very interesting.
ON THE ONE HAND….. ON THE OTHER HAND (por una parte…. por la otra)	On the one hand, they are extremely rich. But on the other hand, they have lots of debts.

 

EXPRESSING PURPOSE (LINKERS OF PURPOSE)
We use linkers of purpose to introduce reasons:
SO (THAT) (para)	I have brought a microphone so that the audience will be able to hear us.
IN ORDER TO ( para)	We need to register with the council in order to vote.
TO (para)	I am phoning to ask information about the event.
SO AS TO(para)	We all need to vote so as to express our opinions.

 

CONCLUDING THE ESSAY
TO SUM UP,…	Para resumir…
TO CONCLUDE,…	Para concluir…
IN CONCLUSION,…	En conclusion…
IT IS CLEAR THAT…	Está claro que
IN SHORT	En resumen…
ON THE WHOLE	En general…
ALL IN ALL,…	En conjunto, en terminus generals,…

 C.- EXAMPLES

“The teenage years are the best years of your life”. Do you agree?

People often say that the teenage years are the best years of your life. However, I do not agree with the statement.

Firstly, most teenagers have little independence. They have to do what they are told by their parents and teachers. In addition, they usually do not have much money.

Secondly, teenagers may not have the responsibilities adults have, but they have other worries. Teenagers have a lot of pressure form exams, which can determine the rest of their life.

All in all, teenagers have a lot of fun, but I believe that the best years of your life come when you are a bit older, with a job, money and the freedom to do what your like.