Advanced Writing with English in Use

Argument • Module4A

4A Argument

1.0 Arguments for and against

Here welookat thetypeofwritingwherethewriterargues a case,orexpresses

an opinion,bylookingat a problemfromtwosides. In this type of w riting, the

way ideas areconnectedis veryimportant ; this is achievedby the use of

connec tingwords,by t he way the i de asaregrouped together intoparagraphs ,

andby the waythe paragraph sth emselves are ordered. The followingmini-

c omposit io n is an examp leof thebasicstructure.

T ellin g thetruthmay be avirtue,hutisitnot more importantto knowhowtotelllies?

Ohvi o uslv,mode rncivi lize dsocietycouldn'texistife ve rvb od vlie d all the time .But at

the same time, woulditnothe eq uallyd isastrousifeverybodyalways told the truth'?So

itse em sto me thatlyin gis anessentialskill , and thatschoolsarequiteright to teach

c hildre nhowto doit.

This expresses the wholeargumentin foursentence s. A longe r piece of writing

w o uld developtheideas in each of thesesentences into fou r (or mor e) paragraphs,

butthesame basic structurewouldbe retained.

Use yourimagination and creativityto completethe sentencesin the mini-

composit ions below. NotethatA-Elook atbothsidesof the argu men t,whereas

F andGareone-sidedandsimplylist reasons.

A Student softenwonderwheth erit's worth going to Britain tostudy English.

I wouldsayitdepe ndson _

So mestudents _

Others,however, _

Allillall, _

BThis is onlvth ethirdtimeI've andl stilldon'tknowif I

really enjoyit.

Insomeways, _

Also , _

Butat thesame time , _

Bya m l largc, I think _

C I'moftentoldI 'mllleky to he a man/ woman, hiltin fact it's a mixedble ssing.

Whileitis true tosavthat _

__________~,I neverthe le ss _

On balance ,I suppos e _

Typesof writing • 69