Writing Contrasting Essays in English

WORKSHOP

PART II
PARTS AND CONCEPTS OF AN ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
ESSAY.

Aim: Write advantages, concluding, and introduction paragraphs with accurate Topic
Sentences,
FANBOYS, and punctuation.
Instructions: Complete exercises 8 to 15.

Paragraph of Disadvantages
COVID-19 had a high impact on the labor market. The short and long-term
disadvantages it caused to workers, the great economic crisis that affected work in
different ways. 1. Increase in unemployment, the reduction in economic activity and
restrictions on the movement of people affect both the industrial and service sectors. 2.
Workers in poverty, the supply of labor is declining as a result of quarantine measures
and reduced economic activity. 3. It affected young people, who face high
unemployment and underemployment, and are more vulnerable to a decline in demand
for labor, as seen in the wake of the last global financial crisis.
Exercise 8: Identify the different part of the Paragraph of Disadvantages.
Follow the indications in Exercise 1. Copy and paste your choice on the right side
column. Use the subtitles as a reference.
Disadvantages Paragraph Topic Sentence: COVID-19 had a high
COVID-19 had a high impact on the labor impact on the labor market. The short and
market. The short and long-term long-term disadvantages it caused to
disadvantages it caused to workers, the workers, the great economic crisis that
great economic crisis that affected work in affected work in different ways.
different ways. 1. Increase in Argument 1 or detail 1: Increase in
unemployment, the reduction in economic unemployment, the reduction in economic
activity and restrictions on the movement activity and restrictions on the movement
of people affect both the industrial and of people affect both the industrial and
service sectors. 2. Workers in poverty, the service sectors.
supply of labor is declining as a result of Argument 2 or detail 2: Workers in
quarantine measures and reduced economic poverty, the supply of labor is declining as
activity. 3. It affected young people, who a result of quarantine measures and
face high unemployment and reduced economic activity.
underemployment, and are more vulnerable Argument 3 or detail 3: It affected young
to a decline in demand for labor, as seen in people, who face high unemployment and
the wake of the last global financial crisis. underemployment, and are more vulnerable
to a decline in demand for labor, as seen in
the wake of the last global financial crisis.
Concluding Remark: the pandemic has
 reflected different disadvantages to society,
regardless of the type of person.
Exercise 9: Write a Paragraph of Disadvantages of your Essay. Use the subtitles as a
reference.
Topic Sentence: COVID-19 and the pandemic generate many consequences in society
during the last two years, due to the great disadvantages in different social and labor
aspects.
Argument 1 or detail 1: the interaction of people in their work environment that became
telework or absence thereof.
Argument 2 or detail 2: the closure of micro-businesses due to the deaths of people due
to the covid and due to the difficulty in opening up the economy.
Argument 3 or detail 3: lack of job opportunities for young people and job reintegration
for older people who were laid off.
Concluding Remark: The pandemic affected the world economy, and is currently an
issue that is still in the process of adaptation and integration into normality, along with
biosecurity measures.

COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
Exercise 10: Watch the video FANBOYS (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
catJZm_2TI ) and complete the Chart. Write your response on the right side column. Use
the subtitles as a reference.
CHART: FANBOYS
What FANBOYS stand for: Are connectors, are connecting two words or phrases
you don´t have to use.
Provide FIVE different examples Example 1: she doesn't dance in the traditional and
of FANBOYS connecting two normal way.
words or phrases. Example 2: She is imaginative and talented.
Example 3: Juan eats bread and fruit.
Example 4; On Friday we will do the exam but we
will not have the class.
Example 5: the excursion will be exciting and long.
Provide THREE different Example 1: We can order the orange ice cream or
examples of FANBOYS try the chocolate ice cream. Whatever you prefer.
connecting the sequence of two Example 2: You can sell the smart watch and buy
VERB PHRASES within the books.
sentences. Example 3: My cat eats in the playground and plays
in the park.
Provide THREE different Example 1: I don´t like cook pasta, rice, and salad.
examples of FANBOYS items in Example 2: in the park I picked roses, sunflowers
a series within sentences. and daisies.
Example 3: the most tender animals are rabbits, cats
and turtles.
Provide THREE different Example 1: I am not a good dancer, but my friends
examples of FANBOYS asked me to teach him.
connecting two sentences. Example 2: he will clean the house and she will
cook lunch.
 Example 3: Lina will order pizza and Camila will
order soup.
Exercise 11: Go back to Exercise 7 to make sure that every Topic Sentence has at least
ONE FANBOY. Or a Transitional word-conjunction- to become either a Compound
Sentence or a Complex sentence. Check your Thesis statement on your Introductory
Paragraph and make sure you have a Compound ( FANBOYS Coordinating ) Sentence
or a Complex Sentence(Transitional words-Subordinating)
Also, check punctuation (Comma (,) – Semicolon (;) – Period (.).

The Conclusion Paragraph

Although the final summing up paragraph comes at the end of the essay, it should not be
seen as a postscript. It represents the writer´s last chance to make the case, to state his/her
opinion. Many experts deal with this part as a second introduction because it contains
many of the same features: four well-crafted sentences should be enough. It is
recommended to start with a concluding connector word, and to articulate the idea of
the controlling sentences presented in the first item. Check the concluding sentences of
the two body paragraphs by making an inference, stated in no more than two sentences.
Finally, state a final sentence about your general opinion, indicating that the discussion
has come to an end.
Exercise 12: Identify the different parts of the Conclusion Paragraph.
Copy and paste your choice on the right side column. Use the subtitles as a reference.
Concluding Connector Word: As a result
The Conclusion Paragraph Sentence articulating the two Topic
Sentences (Advantages and Disadvantages
As a result of the pandemic, different paragraphs:
factors were unleashed that affected the the danger of contracting the virus when
world economy, leaving thousands of the alternation began in companies, even
people without work, in the process with the advantage of having biosecurity
affecting each of those homes. measures
the difficulty of working from home by Inference Sentence(s) contrasting the
virtual means as it is something new and Concluding remarks on the Advantages and
different from what they normally get used Disadvantages paragraphs.
to. the difficulty of working from home by
the danger of contracting the virus when virtual means as it is something new and
the alternation began in companies, even different from what they normally get used
with the advantage of having biosecurity to, few advantages are found, such as the
measures convenience of working from home and
the bankruptcy of many micro-enterprises. not moving around, not walking through
few advantages are found, such as the the streets with traffic jams.
convenience of working from home and Final Sentence:
not moving around, not walking through We continue to face the consequences of
the streets with traffic jams. the pandemic with the vaccine, biosafety
In conclusion we continue to face the measures and working to improve the
consequences of the pandemic with the normality that we have been living.
vaccine, biosafety measures and working
to improve the normality that we have been
living.
Exercise 13: Write a Concluding Paragraph about Pandemic. Write your choice on
the right side column. Use the subtitles as a reference.
Concluding Connector Word: In conclusion
Sentence articulating the two Topic Sentences (Advantages and Disadvantages
paragraphs: The pandemic has a great variety of disadvantages and few advantages
compared to world trade.
Inference Sentence(s) contrasting the Concluding remarks on the Advantages and
Disadvantages paragraphs: One of the advantages in the face of the pandemic is working
from home in a more comfortable way, and at the same time a disadvantage due to the
lack of communication with work personnel.
Final Sentence: the pandemic was a very difficult time for workers and business owners,
especially local businesses.

4 PARAGRAPHS – final version- of my ESSAY Writing

Exercise 14: You have been working on the 4 different Paragraphs of a Contrasting
Essay. Please, organize the different parts in the following template:
The pandemic was the best option to prevent the spread of covid-
Introduction 19, it does not mean that it did not have disadvantages, such as the
Paragraph ruin of many local companies in different parts of the world, the
death of many workers due to exposure to the virus, the decrease in
marketing
and production of their products, and the different alternatives to
continue working such as teleworking and alternation.
Advantages There are very few advantages during that time of the pandemic,
Paragraph. but in terms of employment a great benefit was virtual work and
the help of different applications and the internet to facilitate work
Disadvantages The great disadvantages were the number of families affected by
Paragraph the loss of jobs, which is why many were left not only without
work, but also without food, homelessness and study. the
bankruptcy of many businesses that no longer had the way to pay
their employees, or how to sustain the company. how foreign trade
was seriously affected by not being able to carry out negotiations
and exchanges with the rest of the world
Concluding In conclusion, the pandemic was an event that will not be
Paragraph forgotten, especially because of how it affected everyone in
society, many were unable to recover their companies or their jobs
and we are currently noticing the effects of this event.

END OF PART II