Unit 14, Composition 339Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
Composition
Lesson 118
Business Letters: Letters of OpinionA letter of opinionis a letter that voices your thoughts and ideas on a particular
issue. You might write a letter of opinion to the school newspaper about a new
policy or program. You might write to a public official to comment on a
community or national issue. Or you might write to a magazine to react to a
recent article.
Here are some guidelines for writing a good letter of opinion.- Try to put your main idea into a single sentence.
- Provide details to support your opinion.
- If possible, suggest a solution to the problem.
- Use a courteous tone: avoid name-calling or broad generalizations.
Exercise 1 Read the following letter of opinion. Then answer the questions that follow.
Dear Mayor Farmer:
The downtown recreation center is a great idea, but the plan for it could be
improved. According to the current plan, there will be room for four basketball
courts, which can also serve as volleyball courts. It’s true that the youth
basketball leagues need more space for their games. However, our city does
not have a single indoor tennis court. More than two hundred young people
take part in summer tennis tournaments in Mount Airy, but they have no place
to practice during the winter. Many adults fill the five outdoor courts in
summer. They, too, would benefit from an indoor facility. The new recreation
center should appeal to many different groups in our community. I strongly
urge you to include at least one tennis court in the plan for the new facility.
Sincerely,
Demar Johnson
1.What sentence states the specific problem the writer is addressing? Our city does not
have a single indoor tennis court.2.What details does the writer include to support his point of view? Many young people
and adults who play tennis have nowhere to practice in winter. The recreation center should appeal
to many different groups in the community.