Name……………………… Date 24/3/2011 For and Against Essay Techniques to begin or end an essay To attract the reader’s interest and make the beginning or ending of your essay more effective, you can use some of the following writing techniques: a) address the reader directly e.g if you take the time to train your dog, it will learn to obey you b) Include a quotation (i.e a sentence or phrase taken from a book, play, etc.) when we use a quotation, it is necessary to mention the name of the person who said/wrote it e.g As George Orwell wrote,” All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” c) Include a rhetorical question e.g Is it true that a dog is man’s best friend? Main body paragraphs You should start each body paragraph with a topic sentence which introduces or summarises the main topic of the paragraph The topic sentence should be followed by supporting sentences which justify the argument presented in the topic sentence, by giving examples or reasons You should use linking words/phrases to present your justification, such as: first of all, what is more, for example, because, since, in particular, etc e.g Travelling by train has a lot of advantages First of all, it is comfortable as trains are spacious so there is plenty of rooms to walk about What is more, trains are convenient For example, you not have to take any food or beverages with you, because most trains have a restaurant Finally, when you travel by train you reach your destination fairly quickly Ex1 Read the paragraphs below, and replace the words in old with synonyms from the list: For instance, in addition, since, first of all, on the other hand, furthermore To begin with, it can’t be denied that extreme sports are great fun for some people Believe it or not, they actually get a thrill out of putting their lives at risk y jumping out of a plane without a parachute For example, or by snowboarding down a mountain What is more, extreme sports can actually reduce stress levels by allowing you to escape from the pressures of everyday life However, most extreme sports can e very dangerous, because there is no excitement without the risk On top of that, they can be very expensive, often requiring special equipment and training Ex2 a) Read the opinions about motorcycles and match them to their justification Which are points for motorcycle and which are against? Arguments Justifications 1) They are very convenient a) They use less fuel and need fewer repairs 2)You can not travel with your friends b) You not need to rely on public transport, and you can park them 3)They are not as safe as cars easily c) You can not sit back and relax on 4) They are cheaper to run than cars them and you are exposed in bad weather 5)They can be quite uncomfortable d) They travel as fast as cars and you never get stuck in traffic 6) You can get to your destination jams quickly and easily e) You are not well protected and you can get badly hurt if you fall off f) There is only room for one passenger b) Now make sentences using for example, for instance, because, as or since, as in the example e.g Motorbikes are very convenient For instant, if you have a motorbike you not have to rely on public transport, and you can park them easily _ _