Two-sided Argumentative Essays

One-sided Argumentative Essays

Name:

Class:

Class No.:
What are two-sided argumentative essays?
Two-sided argumentative essays are formal / informal pieces of writing.
Two-sided argumentative essays require the writer to present b_____________ sides of an issue and
conclude that one side is the best conclusion.

Part 1: Getting to know the structure

Read the two-sided argumentative essay and answer the questions.

Does our food need regulation?

1 Hong Kong has experienced a series of food scares in recent years. Do we need to do more to monitor
the quality of the food we eat? Implementing tighter controls on food safety has a number of possible
advantages and disadvantages.

One advantage of monitoring the quality of food more closely is that it would put people’s minds at rest.
2 For example, as a result of several recent instances of supermarkets mislabeling food, many people now
worry that supermarkets cannot be trusted to provide safe food. Monitoring the quality of food more
closely would help people to feel more confident about food safety.

Another advantage of tightening food safety controls is that it would lead to healthier food. Some
common food addictives such as Sudan Red are known to be carcinogenic, yet these substances still turn
3 up in food. Moreover, excessive amounts of pesticides are still found on fruit and vegetables. Tighter
control by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department could stop these problems from happening.

Although there are undoubtedly advantages to stepping up the vigilance with which we check our food,
there are also several disadvantages. One of the main disadvantages is that it would make our food less
4 fresh. For instance, in light of bird flu and other animal diseases, it has been suggested that there should
be central slaughterhouses for all poultry and livestock. If this idea was implemented, the delivery of
meat to the table could be delayed by several days. Although some people argue that freshness cannot
be more important than safety, many Hong Kong people favour fresh food. In addition to being tastier,
fresh food has also been shown to be better for you. Implementing new legislation may therefore prove
to be extremely unpopular.

Another disadvantage of implementing tighter controls is the effect it may have on the cost of food in
Hong Kong. New laws and regulations may lead to food becoming more expensive. This is a serious
consideration as many families in Hong Kong are already known to be living below the poverty line.
5
It can be seen that there are both advantages and disadvantages to controlling the quality of our food
more tightly. On balance, however, I believe that it is more important to ensure that the food we eat is
free from contaminants and disease. I therefore favour tighter controls and look forward to the day when
I need not worry about the safety of the food I eat.
6
A) Topic Sentences and Supporting Sentences
i) We should introduce the main idea of each paragraph with a topic sentence.

Exercise 1
● Look at the model essay. Highlight the topic sentences.

Exercise 2
● Write the writer’s arguments (topic sentences) under the correct headings below.
Arguments for
a. ________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________
Arguments against
a. ________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________

ii) The topic sentence is supported by supporting sentences. They give more information of the topic
sentence by using facts, explanations, reasons or examples.

Exercise 3
● Look at this paragraph from the model essay. Highlight the supporting sentences. Explain the roles
of supporting sentences.
5 Another disadvantage of implementing tighter controls is the effect it may have on the cost of
food in Hong Kong. New laws and regulations may lead to food becoming more expensive.
This is a serious consideration as many families in Hong Kong are already known to be living
below the poverty line.

B) Body
What does each paragraph do? Write the correct letters in the spaces provided.
Paragraph 1 ___________ a. Presents the second argument for
Paragraph 2 ___________ b. Presents the first argument against
Paragraph 3 ___________ c. Introduces the issue
Paragraph 4 ___________ d. Presents the first argument for
Paragraph 5 ___________ e. Concludes and states the writer’s opinion
Paragraph 6 ___________ f. Presents the second argument against

C) Conclusion
What should we include in the concluding paragraph?
(1)_________________________________________________________
(2)_________________________________________________________
Part 2: Getting to know the language
1. We use f________ language in two-sided argumentative essays.
2. When we discuss arguments for and against an issue in an argumentative essay, we can use the
following language items:
i) g______________ for talking about actions
ii) the p___________ v_________ for talking about situations and effects
iii) a______________ for making comparisons
iv) a______________ and a__________ p__________ for linking sentences

Exercise 4
● Find some other examples of each of the language items in the essay. Underline them in different
colours.

Part 3: Useful phrases and expressions

1. We can use the following expressions to introduce the t______.
● I would like to share with you my views on the pros and cons of implementing tighter controls on
food safety.
● I shall consider the advantages and disadvantages of implementing tighter controls on food safety
● I would like to share with you my views on the pros and cons of …
● I would like to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of …
● In this essay, I will discuss / try to look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of …
● In this essay, I will discuss the arguments for and against …
● In this essay, I will review some of the advantages and disadvantages of …

2. We can use the following expressions to introduce a__________.

● ……one major advantage of monitoring the quality of food is that …….
● Another argument in favour of monitoring the quality of food is that ……
● …a serious disadvantage of implementing tighter controls is that ……..
● Another problem with implementing tighter controls is that …………..
● My first argument is …
● One advantage of … is …
● A clear advantage of … is …

3. We can use the following expression to s__________ arguments

● To summarize, …
● To sum up, …/ In short, …

4. For b_________
● From these points, we can see there are some clear advantages to … However, there are also some
serious disadvantages.
● It is clear that there are a number of advantages … On the other hand, there are also a number of
disadvantages.
 ● While there are many advantages to … , there are also a lot of disadvantages.

5. We can use the following expression to c_________ our essay.

● My view is that …
● Although there are many advantages / disadvantages …, I believe / think that …
● Clearly there are advantages and disadvantages to …
● In conclusion, …
● On balance, the advantages / disadvantages of … seem to outweigh the disadvantages /advantages.
● The above points show that …
Part 4: Sample essays
Sample 1

From:        Janet  <editor@qbss-­‐courier.com.hk>

To:            Chris  <chris_chow@hotmail.com>
Subject:    Two-­‐sided  argumentative  essay  for  the  next  issue.  
_____________________________________________________________________
Hi  Chris
The   school’s   board   of   directors   has   submitted   a   proposal   to   sell   advertising   space   to   private  
companies  so  that  they  can  hang  posters  in  the  school  hall,  cafeteria  and  corridors.  In  the  next  
issue   of   the   school   newspaper,   we’re   going   to   run   a   short   two-­‐sided   argumentative   essay  
examining  the  pros  and  cons  of  doing  this,  and  I’d  like  you  to  write  it.

Thanks!
Janet

You are Chris. Write a two-sided argumentative essay for the school newspaper.

Fill in the box with the correct word(s) / phrase(s) from the box.
I am opposed to it is clear that the main benefit
the main drawback we must consider

Should we have advertising at school?

The school’s board of directors has submitted a proposal to sell advertising space in the school
hall, cafeteria and corridors. Is it a good idea to have advertising at school? To answer this question, (1.)
__________________________ both the advantages and disadvantages of the proposal.

(2.) __________________________ of the proposal is that it would raise money for the school.
This is a big plus because it would allow the school to buy new computers for the multimedia learning
centre, which would be better for everyone. It would also allow the school to provide subsidies for buying
books to students whose parents cannot afford them.

Although there are advantages to the proposal, there are also disadvantages. (3.)
__________________________ is that the wrong message would be sent to students. For example, having
advertising at school would make them think they need to buy things. The proposal also suggests that
education is a business, where making money is more important than learning.

(4.) __________________________ there are both pros and cons to selling advertising space in
school. Personally, however, (5.) __________________________ the proposal because I believe that
young people can be easily influenced by advertising.

Sample 2
 From:        Kyle  <editor@iss-­‐courier.com.hk>
To:            Pat  <pat_fung@gmail.com>
Subject:    Two-­‐sided  argumentative  essay  for  the  next  issue.  
________________________________________________________________
Hi  Pat
As  you  know,  celebrities  often  complain  about  the  paparazzi,  the  people  who  follow  them  around  so  
that  they  can  take  photos  of  them.  However,  without  the  paparazzi,  people  like  us  wouldn’t  be  able  to  
look  at  photos  of  our  favourite  stars  in  gossip  magazines.  Since  it’s  become  a  hot  topic  lately,  we’ve  
decided  to  publish  a  two-­‐sided  argumentative  essay  examining  the  pros  and  cons  of  the  paparazzi  in  
next  month’s  issue  of  the  school  magazine.  Could  you  write  the  essay  please?

Thanks!
Kyle

You are Pat. Write a two-sided argumentative essay for the school magazine about the issue of the
paparazzi.

Fill in the box with the correct word(s) / phrase(s) from the box.
behind the wheel bothersome of no exception
stimulate … economy the right move turning … into

Should the paparazzi be banned?

Nowadays, the paparazzi have become very (1.) __________________________ for celebrities.
They follow stars wherever they go and they usually break the law so that they can get shocking pictures,
so should their actions be prevented? To answer this question, we must look at the benefits and drawbacks
of having entertainment photographers.

The main advantage of the paparazzi is that they help to promote show business. This is important
not only for film and music companies, whose profitability depends on (2.) ______________ actions and
singers ______________ household names, but also for society as a whole, because having a successful
entertainment industry helps to (3.) ______________ the broader ______________.

Of course, there are two sides to every issue, and this one is (4.) ____________________________.
Critics of the paparazzi complain that they often create dangerous situations for the rich and famous. For
example, if a well-known actor is being harassed while he or she is driving, he or she might make some
reckless decisions (5.) ____________________________ that result in a terrible accident.

It is clear that there are both pros and cons to employing the paparazzi. However, in my view, the
drawbacks outweigh the benefits, and I therefore believe that banning them would be (5.)
____________________________.
Sample 3 - Learning English through Workplace Communication
You saw this advertisement on the Vocational Training Council website.
With more and more people in Hong Kong choosing to work from home, the title of this month’s essay
writing competition is …

“The pros and cons of having a home office.”

Enter today! Great prizes to be won!

Write a two-sided argumentative essay for the competition.

Fill in the box with the correct word(s) / phrase(s) from the box.
ample commute cramped
daily work routine distractions utilized

Is it better to work from home or not?

In Hong Kong, it has become increasingly common for people to stop going to traditional offices as
part of their (1.) ____________________________. Instead, more and more people are working from
home now. However, it is better to work in a home office or a traditional one? To answer this question,
we must consider the advantages and disadvantages of working in a home office.

The main benefit of working in a home office is that it can save a lot of time. For example, people who
work in home offices do not have to (2.) ______________ to work. Over a period of time, the time saved
from not having to travel to work can add up to many hours, which can be (3.) ______________ in a more
productive way.

Another benefit of working in a home office is that it allows people to do their work much more
efficiently. In a traditional office, there are usually a number of (4.) ______________. For instance, office
workers often waste a lot of valuable time at work chatting with one another. Working in a home office,
on the other hand, allows people to focus on their work behind a closed door so that they can finish it
much more quickly.

Although there are undoubtedly advantages to working in a home office, there are several
disadvantages. One drawback of working in a home office is that the environment of a home office can be
fairly (5.) ______________. Many homes in Hong Kong are already quite small. Therefore, the space that
is available for creating a home office is often very limited. When considering that many traditional
offices in the city have (6.) ______________ space, working in cramped conditions in a home office is
not ideal.

Another drawback of working in a home office is that is can make feel isolated. In a traditional office,
people have the chance to get to know and become friends with their colleagues. However, people who
work in home offices are in a lonely environment as they do not have any colleagues.

It can be clearly seen that there are both advantages and disadvantages to working in a home office. On
balance, however, I would prefer to work in traditional office as I believe it is more sensible to work in an
environment that is not cramped and does not make people feel isolated.
Sample 4 - Learning English through Social Issues
You saw this poster on the school noticeboard this morning.

To raise students’ awareness of social issues, the school is running an essay competition.

Please submit essays discussing the pros and cons of the proposition:
‘Sex education should be a compulsory part of the secondary curriculum.’

Email your essay to: writingcomptition@secondarycollege.com.hk

You decided to enter the competition. Write a two-sided argumentative essay expressing your views on the
subject.

Fill in the box with the correct word(s) / phrase(s) from the box.
arouse … curiosity exposing … to haphazard have reservations
imposing … values incorporation … into informed decision more mature attitude

Should sex education be a compulsory part of the secondary curriculum?

It has long been proposed that sex education should be a compulsory part of the secondary curriculum
yet little progress in this area has been made so far. In this essay, both the pros and cons of teaching sex
education in school will be looked at.

One advantage of making sex education compulsory in secondary schools is that it would help to
reduce teenage pregnancy. Comprehensive sex education not only covers biological topics such as how the
male and female reproductive systems work, but also social and moral issues such as when is the right time
to start a sexual relationship, how to say no and, if you say yes, what kind of birth control to use. Through
an open and honest discussion of these topics, students could be guided to develop a (1.)
____________________________ towards sex, which is very important in preventing teenage pregnancy.

Another advantage of making sex education a compulsory part of the secondary curriculum is that it
would enable schools to access better resources to teach the subject. At the moment, sex education is taught
in a rather (2.) ______________ way in schools, often by teachers who have little or no training in the
subject. However, if sex education becomes a compulsory subject, more resources would be allocated to it
and proper training would be available for teachers. This would help the subject to be taught in a more
effective way.
There are therefore some strong arguments in favour of sex education in secondary schools. However,
there are also some disadvantages.

One disadvantage is that it may serve to (3.) ______________ students’ ______________ in sex. (4.)
______________ teenagers ______________ such topics as sexual relationships and contraception could
lead to sex experimentation. This worry is one of the main reasons why some educators (5.)
____________________________ about introducing the subject into school curriculum.

Another disadvantage of making sex education compulsory is that teachers might end up (6.)
______________ their own ______________ and attitudes on students. For example, some teachers might
choose not to cover such topics as contraception and abortion due to their religious beliefs. Such behavior
could reduce the effectiveness of the programme.

It is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages to making sex education compulsory in the
secondary curriculum. However, as a teenager, I believe that it is important to provide young people with
the knowledge they need to make (7.) ____________________________ about sex. I therefore favour the
(8.) ______________ of sex education ______________ the secondary curriculum and look forward to the
day when it is taught in our school.

Sample 5 - Learning English through Popular Culture

You have been surfing a website looking at new smartphones. On the website, there is a competition that
asks entrants to submit an essay discussing the pros and cons of having a smartphone. Write the essay.

Fill in the box with the correct word(s) / phrase(s) from the box.
a wide selection of active inquirers at the expense of breaking news
excessive amount of immediacy norm settle the issue

Smartphones: Does It Do More Harm Than Good?

Smartphones have become the (1.) ______________ for most people – teenagers and parents alike –
but the debate about the advantages and disadvantages of having a smartphone has yet to be resolved. In
this essay, I will attempt to (2.) ____________________________ by looking at the pros and cons of
having a smartphone.

One clear benefit of having a smartphone is that having Internet connectivity and (3.)
____________________________ apps at your fingertips means that it is easy to access information. How
many times – either at school or on your own time – have you been able to check a fact immediately
because you have had your smartphones at hand? This convenience makes learning easier, as it saves us
time and effort, and the (4.) ______________ of the answer encourages us to be (5.)
____________________________ – an important part of becoming lifelong learners.

Besides helping us learn, smartphones also allow us to keep in touch with people twenty-four seven.
Accessing social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter through our smartphones allows us to share
information with our friends and contacts, keeping us up to date with (6.)
____________________________. It also has applications beyond the personal. For example, business use
this interconnectivity to share information about new products and promotions. Customers can benefit as a
result.

Although there are obvious advantages to having a smartphone, there are also several disadvantages.
One drawback is that smartphones can become very distracting. You only have to look around a restaurant
these days to see that instead of sitting together and enjoying each other’s company, many people are now
looking down at their screen playing with their phones. Smartphones can also become addictive. As a
result, people spend an (7.) ____________________________ time checking their email accounts, reading
status updates and so on – (8.) ____________________________ doing other (perhaps more important)
things like talking to people.

Smartphones may also be encouraging us to become ‘lazy learners’. By this I mean, instead of taking
the time to sit down and properly research an area, we look for a quick answer and then move on without
fully understanding what we have learnt. This may not be a problem when we are looking for the opening
time of a shop but is less satisfactory when attempting to understand deeper concepts.

In conclusion, although it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages to having a
smartphone, on the whole, I personally cannot imagine living without the convenience of one.

Sample 6 - Learning English through Social Issues

More and more young people are making friends on the Internet. Meanwhile, many parents and teachers
have expressed concern about this trend. Write an article for the school newspaper to explain both the
advantages and disadvantages of internet friendships. Give the article a title.

Part 1
Fill in the box with the correct word(s) / phrase(s) from the box.
a double-edged sword broadens … horizons confined to enriches … knowledge
expressed grave concern forging geographical barrier social circles

Online Friendship: (1.) ____________________________

Nowadays, meeting new friends is not (2.) ______________ schools, workplaces and churches. It
takes place on the Internet as well. Teenagers are especially enthusiastic about making friends online,
probably due to their passion for socializing, desire for excitement, and familiarity with information
technology. With the increasing popularity of social networking websites such as Facebook and Myspace, it
can be foreseen that there will be more and more chances for young people to meet random strangers
online. But while a lot of students consider Internet friendship as form of leisure activity, many parents and
teachers have (3.) ____________________________ over this phenomenon. To explore the issue, this
article will first discuss the benefits and then the drawbacks of cyber friendship.

To start with, there are hundreds of millions of Internet users around the world. Many nice, smart
people are out there for us to meet. Young people can make use of the Internet to discuss various issues and
share their opinions with one another. This (4.) ______________ their ______________ and improves their
thinking skills.

Apart from this, young people can meet friends with similar interests and hobbies online, (5.)
______________ new friendships and widening their (6.) ____________________________.
Furthermore, without any (7.) ____________________________, cyberspace allows teens to meet people
of different nationalities on the Internet. This (8.) ______________ their ______________ and helps them
learn more about other culture and countries.

Part 2
Fill in the box with the correct word(s) / phrase(s) from the box.
bottom line brainwash … with impressionable ill-intentioned
intimacy it cannot be denied that lead … astray resort to
shaky foundations vulnerable

However, (9.) ____________________________ cyber friendship also has its drawbacks. First, it is
difficult to develop deep, solid friendships on the Internet. Due to the lack of face-to-face interaction, cyber
friendships often have (10.) ____________________________. They usually lack the warmth and (11.)
______________ of traditional friendships, because chatting online with people you have never met may
sometimes feel just like making friends with a robot or a machine.

Worse, students are likely to encounter bad influences while making friends online. As young people
are often immature, they may lack the judgement to distinguish right from wrong. Since youngsters are
(12.) ______________, online friendship may (13.) ______________ them with corrupt ideas and (14.)
______________ them ______________.

Worst at all, some (15.) ______________ people, such as perverts, gangsters and criminals, may (16.)
______________ the Internet as a means to approach young people. Perverts can ask youngsters to come
out and meet in person and then harass or assault them physically. Gangsters can entice teens to join
criminal groups and persuade them to sell narcotics or pirated goods. Criminal may make use of the
personal information they extract from young people to commit fraud or identity crime. As adolescents do
not have much experience in the real word, they are especially (17.) ______________ to these traps.

It can be predicted that the issue of cyber friendship will continue to be discussed and debated in the
coming years. As shown above, while Internet friendship is useful and beneficial in some ways, adolescents
can easily become its victims. Thus, youngsters must be careful and alert whenever they want to meet new
people online. The (18.) ______________ is that they should never ever disclose personal information to
any stranger. Otherwise, it will be too late to regret when tragedies occur.

Sample 7 - Learning English through Debating

The school’s Debating Team recently organized a series of workshops on essay writing. You took part in
one of the workshops teaching students how to write argumentative essays. In the workshop, you were asked
to write a two-sided argumentative essay on the topic ‘The pros and cons of learning English through the
Internet.’ Write the essay.

Fill in the box with the correct word(s) / phrase(s) from the box.
a vast variety of acquire adversely affected
potentially problematic minimal

The Pros and Cons of Learning English through the Internet

With the majority of households in Hong Kong now having Internet access, more and more people
are turning to it to help them learn, among other things, English. While some people think that the Internet
is a good way to help one improve one’s standard of English, others think that this way of learning
English is (1.) ____________________________. In this essay, both the advantages and disadvantages of
learning English through the Internet will be discussed.

One obvious advantage of learning English through the Internet is the flexibility it provides. Instead
of having to follow what is in textbooks, students can choose to look at topics and issues that they are
interested in. This provides great motivation for students to learn the target language. Using the Internet to
learn English also allows students the freedom to do so at a time and in a place of their own choice. For
example, they can easily go online when they get home in the evening or during the weekend, when they
have more free time.

Another advantage of learning English through the Internet is that students are able to access (2.)
____________________________ up-to-date authentic materials from around the world. As we all know,
no matter how recently some teaching materials have been published, they still often suffer from the
problem of appearing outdated because of the time needed for production. However, this problem can be
avoided if students use the Internet to learn English since texts can be continuously updated.

There are therefore strong arguments in favour of learning English through the Internet. However,
there are also some disadvantages.

One disadvantage is that students might be exposed to information and language that are considered
unsuitable for them. In the process of searching for information, students could easily come across
websites or texts of a sexual or violent nature. Without proper supervision and guidance, students might
be (3.) ____________________________ by this information without even realizing it.

Another disadvantage of learning English through the Internet is that it is not fully interactive, which
is not an ideal way to learn a language. To (4.) ______________ a language, consistent interaction with a
teacher and with other leaners is needed. However, if a student is learning English through the Internet,
such interaction may be (5.) ______________ or even absent. This is particularly a disadvantage when it
comes to acquiring the productive skills, that is, speaking and writing.

In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to learning English through the Internet.
On balance, though, I believe the advantages of convenience and the wealth of up-to-date authentic
materials on the Internet far outweigh the disadvantages.