In order to study at university students are required to

pay expensive tuition fees. Not all students can afford

them so some people think that university education
should be free for everyone.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 Opinion Essay Structure

Introduction
• Background Statement→ Paraphrasing
• Thesis → Opinion

BP1:
• Opening Statement
• Idea 1
• Example
• Closing Statement

BP2:
• Opening Statement
• Idea 1
• Idea 2
• Closing Statement

Conclusion
• Restate my opinion from thesis / body paragraphs
• Final thought (prediction (will/be going to do)/suggestion
(should)/call to action(People should)
 What to do within the first 10 minutes:
1.- Identify the issue

In order to study at university students are required to

pay expensive tuition fees. Not all students can afford
them so some people think that university education
should be free for everyone.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Question:
Do you agree that university education should be
free for everyone?
 What to do within the first 10 minutes:
2.- Decide your opinion

Do you agree that university education should be free

for everyone? → Agree

What to do within the first 10 minutes:

3.- Brainstorming ideas for Main Points

Reasons why I agree:

1. Equality for rich and poor

2. Benefit society → more educated people

3. No need to work + study

 What to do within the first 10 minutes:
4.- Brainstorming ideas for supporting points

Equality for rich an Benefit society → No need to work and

poor more educated people study
• Present situation = • More knowledgeable • Example 75% of
poor students unable and skilled people students must work to
to enter university • Country which is cover costs
• Port of society leading in various • Free education →
excluded = fields focus on studying
discrimination • Economic advantages • Better results
• Modern society
should avoid
discrimination
What to do within the first 10 minutes:
5.- Check order of paragraphs

1 • Equality for rich and

poor students

3 • Benefit society →
more educated people

2 • No need to work and

study
Planning Tips within first 10 minutes

1. Identify the issue in the statement

2. Decide your opinion

3. Brainstorm main points

4. Make brief notes on supporting points

5. Check order of paragraphs

INTRODUCTION
• Background statement
• Thesis
 INTRODUCTION
• Background statement
• Thesis

Background statement (given by IELTS)

In order to study at university students are required to pay expensive
tuition fees. Not all students can afford them so some people think
that university education should be free for everyone.

Paraphrased Background statement

Fees for higher education are expensive and not affordable for
everyone so according to some, university should be free for all
people regardless of their background.
 INTRODUCTION
• Background statement
• Thesis

What is your answer / opinion?

-There are advantages to free university education.

-I agree with the statement.

-In my opinion, I agree that university education ought to be free.

-In my opinion, I agree that university education ought to be free

as it will greatly benefit both individuals and society.
 INTRODUCTION

Fees for higher education are expensive and not

affordable for everyone so according to some university
should be free for all people regardless of their
background. In my opinion, I agree that university
education ought to be free as it will greatly benefit both
individuals and society.
 BODY-PARAGRAPH MAKING

The first sentence of your body paragraph is called a Topic sentence. This has to be
well written and very clear so that you do not confuse the examiner. It must contain
your main point.

Do you think university education should be free?

Tentative topic sentence 1:

Rich and poor students should have equal rights.
Good or bad? →

Tentative topic sentence 2:

A good reason to abolish university fees is that gives people whether they are rich or
poor equal rights.
Good or bad? →
Body paragraph 1
A good reason to abolish university fees is that gives people
whether they are rich or poor equal rights. At present, students
from a poor background are prevented from entering
university because they are unable to pay the fees. This
excludes a large proportion of society and is discriminatory
which can be avoided by getting rid of tuition fees.
Body paragraph 2
Another point to consider is that having no fees at university
means that students will no longer have to work at the same time
as studying to cover their costs. For example, around three
quarters of all students in the UK have to work either full-time or
part-time while studying to pay their fees. Free higher education
should, therefore, produce better results as students will be able
to afford to apply themselves to their studies exclusively.
Body paragraph 3
Finally, free university education will benefit society in the long
run, for the simple reason that it will open up higher education to
a wider section of the population. This will result in increasing the
number of educated people. In other words, having a greater
resource of skilled and knowleadgeable professionals will bring
greater rewards to society as a whole. Moreover, it can bring
more economic advantages to a country that shows itself to be
prosperous and leading in various fields.
CONCLUSION
• Summary
• Final thought

The conclusion must restate / summarize your opinion. It is

similar to your thesis statement but shorter.

In conclusion, free university education is a must for any

country that values equal rights and one that wishes to
advance. The cost of free education will be recouped many
times over by the benefit it brings.
1 • Concise
introduction

2 • A clear opinion in
the thesis statement

3
• The opinion is clear and
is maintained
throughout the essay

• TS = Agree
• BP1
• BP2

3
• BP3
• Each paragraph explains
your opinion / explains why
you agree
• Conclusion = Summarises
opinion
4 • Supporting Points

• BP1 = Topic Sentence =

4
Equal Rights
• present situation
• discrimination
• no fees avoids this problem

5
• Structure of Paragraphs
• Each body paragraph has a central
topic
 Linking for Opinion Essays

Intro • Whereas In my opinion,…

BP1 • At present…
• This…

BP2 • For example

• …, therefore,…

• This…
BP3 • In other words,…
• Moreover,…

Conclusion • In conclusion,…