Argumentative EssaysArgumentative Essays

How well can you organize and express your ideas in written text to convince the reader of your position?

WHAT IS AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY? In an argumentative essay, the writer expresses and

supports an argument on a particular topic or issue. The writer must give reasons and examples that help persuade the reader to agree with him or her.

In argumentative writing, a writer takes a position FOR or AGAINST an issue and writes to convince the reader to believe or do something.

FACTS or OPINIONS

A FACT is something that is true. It can be proven to be true. If you can find proof, or evidence for a sentence, then it is a FACT.

1. The earth orbits the sun.

2. Rabbits are mammals.

3. George Washington was the first president of the United States.

4. There are books in the library.

An OPINION is what someone believes -it cannot be proven true or false. It is your personal feeling or point of view.

When you talk about your opinions you can start your sentences with phrases like the following:

I think friends should always be honest. I don’t think white lies are dangerous. I believe it is better to upset your friends than to lie. In my view, it is always safer to lie than to tell the truth. In my opinion, lying is the same as cheating or stealing.

FACTS or OPINIONS

Activity 1: Look at the following and decide if the sentence is Opinion (O) or a Fact (F):1. Learning English is easier for girls than for boys.

2. There are more girls than boys in our English department.

3. Good teachers don’t give too much homework.

4. Our teacher gave us homework last week.

5. Cell phones are convenient.

6. Many people carry cell phones these days.

7. I don’t think that wearing the latest fashion is important.

8. My favourite clothes are all blue.

9. There is no better city to live than Gaza.

10. Winter in Gaza is quite mild.

Activity 2: For each topic below, write one fact and one opinion:

1. Green Tea

2. Violent video games

3. Money

4. Sports

5. University degree

6. White lies

Supporting arguments with Opinions and Examples:

In your introduction and body paragraphs, you can support your argument by giving examples which can be facts or experiences you have had.

White LiesWhite lies are not always bad. If

you tell your friend that she her new shoes are great when they look horrible, she will know that you are lying. I think it is better to tell the truth in this case. However, if your friend has a new dress and she really likes it, you should always say it is lovely. If you say you don’t like it, you will probably make her feel unhappy and maybe angry with you. You can lie if the truth will hurt and is not important.

Activity 3: Decide if the following are Opinions (O) or Examples (E):

1. Smoking should be banned in all places.

2. Smoking is banned in restaurants in our city.

3. The air is cleaner and healthier in non-smoking restaurants.

4. I believe that customers prefer non-smoking restaurants.

5. My clothes smelled horrible when I had lunch with a friend who was smoking.

6. In my country, smoking is banned in cars, buses and all public buildings.

What should you do when writing persuasively? have a clear position and stay focused on that position. have more than one argument to support a position. Elaborate by using reasons, well-chosen and specific

details, examples, anecdotes, facts, and/or statistics as evidence to support arguments.

Organize your writing to make the best case for a position. anticipate and refute the opposing position. begin with an opening, including a statement of position,

and end with an effective persuasive conclusion, such as a call for action.

use transitions to connect position, arguments, and evidence.

show commitment to position by writing in a voice appropriate for audience and purpose.

use words and phrases that compel or encourage the reader to support your position.

The government should provide more financial assistance to parents who use childcare. First, childcare centers may assist children in their early development. For example, they give children an opportunity to mix with other children and to develop social skills at an early age. Second, parents and children need to spend some time apart. This is because children become less dependent on their parents, and parents are less stressed and more effective care-givers when there are periods of separation. Furthermore, parents who cannot go to work because they don't have access to childcare facilities cannot contribute to the national economy. In other words, they are not able to use their productive skills and do not pay income tax. To conclude, government support for childcare services helps families and is important for the economic well-being of the whole country.

The government should provide more financial assistance to parents who use childcare. First, childcare centers may assist children in their early development. For example, they give children an opportunity to mix with other children and to develop social skills at an early age. Second, parents and children need to spend some time apart. This is because children become less dependent on their parents, and parents are less stressed and more effective care-givers when there are periods of separation. Furthermore, parents who cannot go to work because they don't have access to childcare facilities cannot contribute to the national economy. In other words, they are not able to use their productive skills and do not pay income tax. To conclude, government support for childcare services helps families and is important for the economic well-being of the whole country.

Paragraph Organization: Another way to flow smoothly through your paragraph is to use “connectives”

accordingly again for example although beyond

conversely first as a result secondly finally

simultaneously also for instance hence then

additionally next nevertheless on the contrary

otherwise

consequently thus in addition second at the same time

Essay Organization

Main Idea - Thesis

Supporting Idea 1 Supporting Idea 2 Supporting Idea 3

Reasons, Details, ExamplesReasons, Details, ExamplesReasons, Details, Examples

Body Paragraphs OrganizationStart with the strongest argument/reason

and work to the weaker one

ORStart with the weaker argument/reason

and work to the stronger one

Supporting Your Ideas:The major ways to support an argument

StatisticsFactsEvidencePrediction

ObservationComparisonExperience Analysis

Writing the Essay Once the essay is planned, the prewriting done, the

majority of the thinking is finished. Opening paragraph

Interesting sentences – rhetorical question or example or an appropriate quote

Thesis sentence Each of the main reasons noted in your prewriting Think of this paragraph as an outline of key points

Writing the Essay (Con’t.)

Body Paragraphs Clear topic sentences that link to the thesis

statement Should include benefits or disadvantages that

relate to the topic sentence Give at least one developed example of a

benefit or disadvantage Include facts, if you know them

ConclusionLast, but not leastWording and logic is importantNo new ideas – this is not the time to

come up with an argument that has not already been discussed

Restate the original thesis

Writing the Essay (Con’t.)

Revise and EditLook for obvious errors in grammar Sentence fragments Run-on sentences/ comma splices Spelling Punctuation Capitalization Transitions Sentence variety If you followed the plan, organization and

structure is done!

Why Women Should Not Have an Abortion

Many women in the entire world have abortions. Women believe there are many reasons to abort such as fear of having or raising a child, rape, or not having enough money. But whatever the situation, there is never an acceptable reason to get an abortion. Some important reasons why women should not abort have to do with human values, religious values, and values of conscience.

The first reason why women should not have an abortion is related to basic human values. Women need to think about their unborn babies who are not responsible for this situation. These unborn babies should have the privilege to live and grow into a normal person. Women need to be more humanitarian and less selfish with these babies. On the other hand, the baby doesn’t know how or why he is here. It is not necessary to kill a life; there are many other solutions to resolve this problem but not abortion.

The second reason why women should not abort has to do with religious values. In almost all religions, a woman is not permitted to have an abortion. If they do, their religions will punish them. In some religions, for example, a woman cannot take communion after having an abortion. In whatever religion, abortion is punished and for this reason, women should not abort.

Finally, the third and most important reason why women should not abort is the related to her conscience. When a woman has an abortion, she will always think about the baby she might have had. She will always believe about the future that could have happened with her baby which will always remind her that she killed it. Because she has had an abortion, she will never have a good life, and her conscience will remind her of what she had done. Because a woman who has an abortion can’t forget about what she has done, these thoughts will always be with her, and the results can be very bad.

In conclusion, there are many reasons why women should not have an abortion. The truth is that women need to think about the consequences that can occur before having sexual relations. I think that the effects of an abortion can be very sad for everyone involved, both for the woman who has the abortion and for the family who lives with her.

Opinion Writing Topic

Writing SituationMany public school systems across the country require students to wear uniforms. Some educators believe that wearing uniforms will help students concentrate more on their school work. On the other hand, some students argue that having to wear uniforms prevents them from expressing their individuality. Your principal is considering whether students at your school should wear uniforms.

Directions for WritingWrite a paragraph expressing your view on school uniforms. Provide convincing reasons and specific examples to support your position.

Adjective Clause The adjective clause is used to modify a noun

or a pronoun. They do what regular adjectives do – they describe nouns.

An adjective clause is a dependent clause that modifies or describes a noun.

It will begin with a relative pronoun (who, whose, whom, which, and that) or a subordinate conjunction (when, where, and since).

Those are the only words that can be used to introduce an adjective clause.

Examples:

1. The book which I like is on the table.

2. The man who wants the book is here.

3. The student whose hand was up gave the wrong answer.

4. The car that Ahmed is driving is not here.

Find the adjective clause in the following sentences and tell which word it modifies.

1. I play a kind of music that nobody likes.

2. The man whom you saw was not the famous actor.

3. I remember the day when I took my first airplane trip.

4. I have a neighbor whose parents live in Australia.

5. The book which I like is on the table.

6. The man whom you see on stage is my friend.

7. The teacher who gives the English classes lives next door.

8. The man whose leg was broken was taken to the hospital.

9. This is the place where the Donner Party perished.

Who and Whom are used only for people. Who is the subject of the clause. After Who

you should see a verb. Whom is the object of the clause. After

Whom you should see a subject noun or pronoun.

Which is used for things. That is used for things (and people in

informal English). That can be both subject and object of the clause.

Use an adjective clause to combine the following sentences using who, whose, whom, which, that.

1. They followed the strange man. He had just come from the dark alley.

2. I bought Jim a book. The book is about magic.

3. The doctor examined the patient. The patient had fallen from a cliff.

4. The mechanic repaired my sister's car. The car had a broken window.

5. The restaurant had closed permanently. The customers were shot there.

6. The parents had great respect for the teacher. The teacher had taught their children.

Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses

Adjective Clauses come in two types: restrictiverestrictive and nonrestrictivenonrestrictive

Restrictive adjective clausesRestrictive adjective clauses: They identify the noun or pronoun modified. They give necessary information needed in order to know who or what the pronoun refers to.

The doctor who lives in California who lives in California is my sister. The car that has broken headlightsthat has broken headlights belongs to my

brother.

Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses

Nonrestrictive adjective clauses Nonrestrictive adjective clauses give extra information about the noun or the pronoun but is

not needed to identify it. Always put commasAlways put commas around a nonrestrictive clause.

The key, which was lost, belongs to my father. All individuals, who bought tickets, , who bought tickets, will be

admitted. The Eiffel Tower has an elevator, which I rode to which I rode to

the top.the top.

Fragments 1 Fragments look like sentences but are missing a

subject or a verb, or don’t express a complete thought.

Fragment Error

1. told everyone to get out of the way.

No subject

2. However, they in the apartment.

No verb

3. Before he answered the phone A dependent clause by itself

4. John working extra hard on his hook shot lately.

No subject-verb relationship

Fragments 2 There is another kind of fragments when there is only a

noun and an adjective clause.

1. The children who had been lost

2. The place which was covered with grass.

3. The minute when Ahmed announced his travel plans.

4. The artist who was going to paint the portrait.

5. the photos which we showed to our friends

Correct the fragments in the adjective clauses:

1. The ride which I rode at the amusement park.

2. The place where the plane wrecked.

3. The student who answered the question

4. The dress that the Queen is wearing

5. Our pizza that is in the freezer

6. The person who owns the car

7. The time when I broke my leg

8. the man whom you admire greatly

9. The man on your left who will be the next speaker