OPINION ARTICLE

What is an opinion article?

• A piece of writing that appears in
• magazines, newspapers and journals
• with a specific audience in mind
 How to approach it?
• Be enthusiastic
• Be convincing
• Be interesting
• Personalise (emphasise any points you have in common with your
readers. Replace I with WE, MY with OUR whenever possible. →making
the reader involved
 Format of an article
• Title
• Introduction
• Body
• Ending
 Title
• Give the article a title and underline it
• Try to think of a catchy title
• Keep it short effective and interesting
Examples
A How to prepare for exams
Exam nerves cure √
B TV: A Teenage View √
The advantages and disadvantages of TV
 Introduction

An effective introduction often

• Starts with a rhetorical question → attracts the reader’s attention
e.g. Are you one of the many students with exam nerves?
• Paraphrases the title/ talks about the current situation
• Gives the writer’s opinion clearly
• Uses a transition sentence → prepares the reader for what the article is about
e.g. Look, no stress! Don’t we all wish we could say this everyday of our lives and
mean it? Nowadays stress seems to be the one word that’s on everybody’s mind as it
causes negative effects on our mental and physical health.
 BODY
Paragraph 2: Viewpoint one , supporting details and examples (if applicable)
• Views and arguments phrases: To start with, one of the main arguments in
favour of
• Joining points: furthermore, Moreover, what is more, besides
• Support phrases: which, which means that, this means that, as a result,
consequently
 BODY
Paragraph 3: Viewpoint two, supporting details and examples (if applicable)
e.g. Another point to consider is the importance of meat in our life . It is a
valuable source of protein which is used by our body to build and repair
tissues. In addition, we often use meat in many of our traditional dishes as
the main ingredient. How could we live without it?
(we should give up meat)
 BODY
Paragraph 4: Give opposing viewpoint and supporting details (optional ) and make it
sound invalid
• Joining points –contrast : On the other hand, However, Nevertheless
• Views and arguments phrases: One of the main arguments against, ....is that, It is
argued that, some people believe...
e.g. It is argued that exams is the most efficient way of comparing the abilities of a
group of people and that an exam can encourage us to compete to get better grades.
Making grades and exam results the main point of learning though , gives the wrong
idea of what education is all about.
(exams should be abolished)
 ENDING
Paragraph five:
• Summarise the article
• Express your own opinion again in different words
• Leave the reader with something to think about
Ending phrases: On the whole, all in all
 LET’S PRACTISE
“School Uniform should be abolished.” Discuss

It is uncomfortable and It gives you the feeling of

inconvenient especially belongingness and promotes
during winter time. conformity.