express opinion essay

10 English Phrases to Express Your Opinion in an Essay

This is a guest post by  Sam Pealing.  Make sure to visit his website EnglishForStudy.com for more academic English help!

I admire international students. Seriously.  If you’re a non-native English speaker doing a degree or doctorate in English, then I take my hat off to you.

I get a lot of questions about writing essays, and I’ve taught hundreds of students how to write effective essays (which get good grades).  One of the most common mistakes that I see is a lack of opinion.

Most of the time, students describe a situation, but they don’t give their opinion or stance. This can really damage your grade because lecturers are always looking for ‘critical thinking’. If you don’t give your opinion in your essays, your lecturers can’t see your critical thinking.

To put it simply: If you don’t put your opinion or stance in an essay, then you’ll probably lose marks.

In this article, you’ll learn 10 effective phrases that you can use to give your opinion in your essay.  I’ve also created a free lesson pack which will help you to practice the phrases in this article. CLICK HERE to download it.

Introducing the Phrases

If you’re looking for a quick fix for your essay, these phrases should help you to start putting your own opinions in your essays.

But, before you rush over to your essays to start putting these phrases in, there’s something you need to know.

If you’re writing an academic essay, you will need to support your opinions with strong evidence . This is especially true if you are using some of the stronger phrases.

This evidence can be a journal article, a lecture, a textbook, or something else which is a trustworthy source of information.

In a more informal essay, like one in an IELTS or TOEFL language test, you don’t need to support your answers with strong evidence. Your experiences or opinions will be enough.

Quick note : I know! You’re ready to see the phrases.

This won’t take long and it’s really important.

1. For these phrases to be really effective, you’ll need to review your grammar. Shayna has some great videos on her Espresso English Youtube channel .

I recommend these:

• Subject/Verb agreement
• Formal and Informal English
• Correcting Grammar Mistakes

2. If you want to know the structure of a good essay paragraph, check my post here .

Informal English Phrases

These phrases are suitable for language tests such as TOEFL or IELTS. In an academic essay, these phrases will probably be too informal because they are too personal.

“In my opinion, + [your sentence]”

• In my opinion , a good education is more important than a good car.

“I believe that + [your sentence]”

• I believe that schools should encourage students to walk or cycle to school rather than drive.

“In my mind, + [your sentence]”

• “ In my mind , no-one should have to pay for medical care.”

More Formal Academic Phrases With ‘That’

These phrases are more suitable for academic essays. If you are unsure whether you should use an informal phrase or an academic phrase, use an academic one. If you think your writing might be informal, read this post to learn more.

The patterns here are quite straightforward. Just add your sentence after ‘that’.

“It would seem that + [your sentence]”

Use this when you support your opinion with evidence.

• “ It would seem that children learn best when they are feeling comfortable.”

“It could be argued that + [your sentence]”

Use this when you want to challenge an existing opinion.

• “ It could be argued that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks in this situation.”

“This suggests that + [your sentence]”

Use this when you don’t want to fully commit to an opinion. You’re giving yourself some distance.

• “ The evidence suggests that people who speak more than one language have more job opportunities.”

“This proves that + [your sentence]”

Use this when you are confident with your opinion. This phrase is quite strong*

• “ This proves that the best way to lose weight is through a controlled diet and a good exercise program.”

“This supports the idea that + [your sentence]”

Use this one when you are supporting an opinion that you have already made.

• “ This new research supports the idea that successful English learners look for opportunities to use English.”

Other Ways to Express Opinion

“although [idea you disagree with], [idea you agree with]”.

Use this when you want make your opinion seem balanced.

• “ Although reports suggest that cigarettes could help people to lose weight, there are too many serious health problems associated with smoking.”

Note: The ‘ although’ pattern is very effective because it shows two sides of the argument. In the example, I support the idea that smoking is bad for your health –BUT- I recognise that it could have some benefits.

Structure your ‘ although’ sentence like this: Although, [weaker argument you disagree with], [stronger argument you agree with].

Using Adverbs, Adjectives and Nouns

You can use adjectives to show your opinion.

• “This research was poorly conducted with a lack of control .”

The adjective and nouns in the example are negative . You can get some good ideas from this video on Extreme Adjectives . Note: try not to use any emotional adjectives .

Make Your Own Phrases!

Of course, these phrases aren’t the only ones that you can use! You can find more – or – you can create your own by combining different patterns.

Here’s an example of #7, #9 and #10 used together.

“Although it is difficult for older adults to learn a second language, an important study by Smith (2014) proved that the elderly can successfully learn new languages.”

What Should You Do Now?

So now you should have a better idea of how to include more opinions in your essays. But that’s not all; there are probably some new words here that you don’t know.

So here’s what you should do:

• Choose three of the opinion expressions and phrases that you want to try.
• Practice writing sentences using them (if you don’t have a topic, try this: should students do homework? You can see examples of this in the lesson pack )
• Get the Lesson Pack for this lesson (which contains the vocabulary and the phrases from this lesson) CLICK HERE to download it .

Learn more:

• Basic English phrases
• Intermediate English phrases
• Advanced English phrases

About Sam Pealing

Sam Pealing is an English language coach who specialises in two important areas: 1. helping you to get great grades at university, and 2. helping you to become an effective and confident English user. If you’re feeling frustrated or confused with English, Sam has created the perfect email course for you! You can join his course here –or- you can read more by him on English For Study .

Get corrections on your written English:

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Hi, I’m Shayna. I create courses helping English as a Second Language learners become more fluent in just a few minutes a day – so they can speak English naturally and confidently in work and daily life.

Expressing your opinion on a particular topic can be a powerful way to engage with your audience and showcase your critical thinking skills. Opinion essays allow you to share your perspective, argue your position, and persuade others to see things from your point of view.

However, crafting a compelling opinion essay requires careful planning, structure, and effective communication. In this ultimate guide, we will provide you with valuable tips and tricks to help you master the art of writing an opinion essay that captivates readers and makes a lasting impression.

The Importance of Opinion Essays

Opinion essays are a valuable form of writing that allows individuals to express their thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives on various topics. These essays provide a platform for individuals to share their opinions in a structured and organized manner, allowing them to make compelling arguments and persuade readers to see their point of view.

Additionally, opinion essays encourage critical thinking and analytical skills as writers must consider different viewpoints, conduct research to support their arguments, and present their ideas in a clear and concise manner. By engaging in opinion essay writing, individuals can refine their communication skills and develop their ability to articulate complex ideas effectively.

Furthermore, opinion essays play a crucial role in fostering discussions and debates on important issues, allowing individuals to engage in meaningful dialogue and exchange ideas with others. Through opinion essays, writers can contribute to the collective understanding of diverse topics and promote intellectual growth and development.

In conclusion, opinion essays are an essential form of writing that enables individuals to express their opinions, engage in critical thinking, and contribute to the broader conversation on various subjects. By honing their writing skills through opinion essays, individuals can become more effective communicators and thoughtful participants in discussions and debates.

Understanding the Purpose

Before delving into writing an opinion essay, it is crucial to understand its purpose. An opinion essay aims to express the writer’s viewpoint on a particular topic or issue. It allows the writer to share their thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives in a structured and coherent manner. The purpose of an opinion essay is not only to inform readers about the writer’s opinion but also to persuade and convince them of the validity of that opinion.

Choosing a Compelling Topic

When it comes to writing an opinion essay, one of the most crucial steps is selecting a compelling topic. The topic you choose will set the tone for your entire essay and will determine how engaging and persuasive your arguments will be. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect topic for your opinion essay:

• Consider your interests and passions: Choose a topic that you feel strongly about and that you can write about passionately. Your genuine interest in the topic will shine through in your writing.
• Research current events: Look for topics that are relevant and timely. Writing about current events or trending issues can make your essay more engaging and relatable to your readers.
• Think about your audience: Consider who will be reading your essay and choose a topic that will resonate with them. Make sure your topic is appropriate for the audience you are targeting.
• Avoid overly broad topics: Narrow down your focus to a specific aspect of a larger issue. This will allow you to delve deeper into the topic and present a more nuanced argument.
• Brainstorm ideas: Take some time to brainstorm potential topics and jot down any ideas that come to mind. Consider different angles and perspectives to find a unique and interesting topic.

By following these tips, you can choose a compelling topic that will capture your readers’ attention and make your opinion essay stand out.

Crafting a Strong Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is the backbone of your opinion essay. It summarizes the main point or claim of your essay in one or two sentences. To craft a strong thesis statement, you should make sure it is clear, specific, and arguable. Avoid vague and broad statements and instead focus on a specific argument that you can support with evidence.

Additionally, your thesis statement should be concise and to the point. It should clearly state your opinion on the topic and provide a roadmap for the reader to follow. A strong thesis statement will help guide the rest of your essay and keep you focused on your main argument throughout.

When crafting your thesis statement, take the time to brainstorm and refine your ideas. Consider the main points you want to make in your essay and how they all relate back to your overall opinion. By taking the time to craft a strong thesis statement, you will set yourself up for success in writing a persuasive and impactful opinion essay.

Structuring Your Essay Properly

When writing an opinion essay, it is crucial to structure your text properly to ensure clarity and coherence. Follow these guidelines to create a well-organized and engaging essay:

Introduction: Start with a strong thesis statement that clearly states your opinion on the topic. Provide a brief overview of your main points and grab the reader’s attention.

Body paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on a single main idea and provide supporting evidence or examples. Use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph, and make sure to include smooth transitions between paragraphs.

Counterarguments: Address potential counterarguments to your opinion and provide a reasoned response to strengthen your argument.

Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your thesis. Leave the reader with a thought-provoking final statement that reinforces your opinion.

By structuring your essay in this way, you can effectively present your opinion and persuade your audience to consider your viewpoint.

Supporting Your Opinion with Evidence

When writing an opinion essay, it is crucial to back up your opinions with solid evidence. Without supporting evidence, your argument may seem weak and unconvincing. To strengthen your opinion, consider the following tips:

• Research reputable sources to gather information that supports your stance.
• Cite statistics, studies, and expert opinions to provide credibility to your argument.
• Use specific examples, anecdotes, and real-life situations to illustrate your points.
• Avoid using vague statements without any proof or supporting details.
• Present counterarguments and refute them with counter-evidence to show a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

By incorporating strong evidence into your opinion essay, you can make a compelling case for your point of view and persuade your readers to agree with you.

Using Persuasive Language Techniques

When writing an opinion essay, it is essential to use persuasive language techniques to convince your readers of your viewpoint. Here are some effective techniques to incorporate:

1. Emotive Language: Use words that evoke strong emotions in your readers, such as anger, compassion, or excitement. This can help create a connection with your audience and make them more receptive to your argument.

2. Rhetorical Questions: Pose thought-provoking questions that prompt your readers to consider the topic from a different perspective. This can encourage critical thinking and engage your audience in the discussion.

3. Repetition: Repeat key phrases or arguments throughout your essay to emphasize their importance and reinforce your point of view. This can help drive your message home and make it more memorable.

4. Anecdotes: Share personal stories or examples to illustrate your argument and add a human element to your essay. This can make your writing more relatable and persuasive to your readers.

5. Power words: Use strong, impactful words that resonate with your readers and command attention. Words like “imperative,” “crucial,” or “transformative” can help convey the urgency of your message and persuade your audience to take action.

By employing these persuasive language techniques in your opinion essay, you can effectively communicate your viewpoint and sway your readers to agree with your argument.

Concluding Your Essay Effectively

When writing the conclusion of your opinion essay, it is important to effectively summarize your main points and restate your opinion clearly. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion, as it should primarily serve as a closure for your argument.

To conclude your essay effectively:

• Summarize your key points: Remind the reader of the main arguments you have made throughout the essay. This will help reinforce your position and make your conclusion more impactful.
• Restate your opinion: Clearly restate your opinion on the topic, making sure it aligns with the arguments you have presented. This will leave a lasting impression on the reader.
• Provide a final thought: End your conclusion with a thought-provoking statement, call to action, or suggestion for further exploration of the topic. This will leave the reader with something to think about after finishing your essay.

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Opinion Essays – Step-by-Step Instructions

Home / Blog / Write An Opinion Essay

Introduction

What makes an opinion essay truly compelling? Why do some essays resonate while others fall flat? The art of opinion writing is not just about sharing your thoughts; it is about persuading, informing, and engaging your readers. Today, we will learn all about crafting an impactful opinion essay.

So, how do you transform your opinions into powerful words that leave a lasting impression? Let us dive in and discover the keys to success in opinion writing.

What Is an Opinion Essay?

An opinion essay is a written work where an author expresses their viewpoint on a particular topic or issue. Unlike other essays that primarily rely on factual information and objective analysis, an opinion essay is inherently subjective, emphasizing the writer's beliefs, feelings, and perspectives.

Opinion essays are prevalent in various contexts, from academic assignments and journalism to blogs and editorials. They serve as a platform for individuals to express themselves, share their unique perspectives, and contribute to meaningful discussions on various subjects.

What Kind of Student Faces an Opinion Essay?

Let us explore the characteristics and educational contexts where opinion essays are commonly encountered:

1. High School Students:

High school students are frequently introduced to opinion essays as part of their English or language arts curriculum. These essay help students develop fundamental writing skills and the ability to express their viewpoints coherently. Opinion essays at this level often revolve around personal experiences, literary analysis, or current events, fostering critical thinking and communication skills.

2. College and University Students:

College and university students encounter opinion essays across various disciplines, from humanities and social sciences to natural sciences and engineering. In college, opinion essays become more sophisticated, requiring students to delve into scholarly research, cite academic sources, and formulate well-supported arguments. These essays are instrumental in promoting research skills, academic writing proficiency, and the ability to synthesize complex information.

3. Graduates and Postgraduates:

Graduate and postgraduate students frequently engage in opinion essays as part of their coursework and research activities. At this level, opinion essays may take the form of thesis proposals, research position papers, or responses to academic debates. These essays serve as essential paraphrasing tool for contributing to the scholarly discourse within their fields.

4. Law Students:

Law students encounter opinion essays in the form of legal memoranda, case briefs, or persuasive arguments. These essays hone their legal writing and argumentative essay topics skills.

In the legal profession, constructing well-reasoned opinions is vital, as lawyers often need to advocate for their clients' positions.

5. Journalism and Communication Students:

Students pursuing journalism or communication degrees frequently write opinion pieces, such as editorials and op-eds. Opinion essays in this context train students to effectively convey their thoughts to a broader audience while adhering to ethical and journalistic standards.

6. Political Science and Philosophy Students:

Political science or philosophy students delve into opinion essays as they explore complex political ideologies, ethical dilemmas, and philosophical debates. Opinion essays in these disciplines require students to analyze and critically evaluate different perspectives, fostering a deep understanding of complex issues.

7. MBA and Business Students:

MBA and business students encounter opinion essays in business ethics, strategic management, and decision-making courses. These essays sharpen their ability to make informed, ethical business judgments and communicate their rationale effectively.

8. ESL and Non-Native English Speakers:

Students learning English as a second language (ESL) or non-native English speakers may face opinion essays to enhance their language proficiency. Opinion essays help ESL students develop language skills while expressing their thoughts on diverse essay topics .

What Are the Requirements of an Opinion Essay?

Here are the key elements that should be present in an opinion essay:

1. Clear and Concise Thesis Statement:

Every opinion essay should start with a well-defined thesis statement. This statement is the heart of your essay, succinctly summarizing your main argument or viewpoint. It should be placed in the introduction, typically towards the end of that section.

 2. Introduction:

• The introduction serves as the opening of your essay, capturing the reader's attention and providing essential context for the topic.
• Begin with a compelling hook, which can be a thought-provoking question, an interesting fact, a relevant quote, or a brief anecdote.
• Clearly present your thesis statement, outlining your opinion on the issue.
• Provide a brief overview of the points you intend to discuss in the essay's body, setting the reader's expectations.

3. Well-Structured Body Paragraphs:

• The body of your opinion essay should consist of several well-organized paragraphs, each dedicated to a specific aspect or supporting point related to your thesis.
• Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence directly connecting to your thesis statement.
• Offer substantial evidence, examples, statistics, or personal experiences to support your viewpoint. Ensure the evidence is relevant and convincing.
• Maintain a logical flow between paragraphs, using transitional words and phrases to guide the reader seamlessly through your arguments.

4. Acknowledgment of Counterarguments:

• A robust opinion essay acknowledges opposing viewpoints or counterarguments. This demonstrates your ability to consider alternative perspectives and strengthens your own argument.
• Counterarguments can be addressed within the body paragraphs or in a dedicated paragraph where you present, discuss, and ultimately refute opposing views.

5. Conclusion:

• The conclusion should serve as the closing of your essay, summarizing your thesis statement and the main points presented in the body.
• However, avoid mere repetition of the introduction. Instead, offer a broader perspective, leaving the reader with something to contemplate, such as a thought-provoking idea, a call to action, or a suggestion for further exploration.
• Conclude your essay with a sense of closure, ensuring your final words leave a lasting impression.

6. Evidence and Examples:

Support your opinion with credible evidence, such as research findings, assignment expert opinions, or real-life examples. This lends credibility to your argument and makes it more persuasive.

7. Proper Citation:

If your essay includes external sources or references, ensure proper citation following the required citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Correct citation is essential to maintain academic integrity and prevent plagiarism.

8. Editing and Proofreading:

• Before finalizing your opinion essay, perform a thorough edit and proofread. Check for grammar and spelling errors, as well as clarity and coherence.
• Consider seeking peer, instructor, or professional editor feedback to ensure your essay is polished and error-free.

Opinion Essay Topics

Here are ten broad subject areas for opinion essay topics

1. Technology:

• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Employment
• Is Social Media Beneficial or Harmful for Society?
• The Ethics of Data Privacy in the Digital Age
• Should Technology Be Used in Education More Extensively?
• Is Online Learning as Effective as Traditional Education?
• The Role of Technology in Solving Environmental Issues
• Are Smartphones a Necessity or a Distraction in Daily Life?
• The Pros and Cons of Video Games for Children
• Is Technology Making Us More or Less Connected to Each Other?
• The Future of Work in a World Dominated by Automation

2. Education:

• Standardized Testing: Does It Accurately Measure Student Abilities?
• The Impact of Homeschooling on Children's Development
• Should Schools Implement Uniform Dress Codes?
• The Role of Arts Education in Academic Curriculum
• Are College Degrees Still Worth the Investment?
• The Benefits and Drawbacks of Online Education
• Should Schools Teach Financial Literacy as a Mandatory Subject?
• The Influence of Teachers on Students' Success
• Does Homework Enhance or Impede Learning?
• The Importance of Inclusive Education for Special Needs Students

3. Environment:

• The Responsibility of Individuals in Combating Climate Change
• Should Plastic Bags and Bottles Be Banned to Reduce Pollution?
• The Impact of Deforestation on Biodiversity
• Renewable Energy Sources vs. Fossil Fuels: Which is Better?
• Should Governments Implement Carbon Tax to Reduce Emissions?
• The Ethics of Animal Testing in Scientific Research
• Is Sustainable Living Achievable for Everyone?
• The Role of Urban Planning in Creating Eco-Friendly Cities
• Are Electric Vehicles the Future of Transportation?
• The Effectiveness of Recycling Programs in Reducing Waste

4. Politics and Government:

• The Importance of Voting in a Democracy
• Is Political Correctness Beneficial or Restrictive to Free Speech?
• Should Term Limits Be Imposed on Elected Officials?
• The Role of Social Media in Shaping Political Opinions
• Universal Healthcare vs. Private Healthcare: Pros and Cons
• The Impact of Immigration Policies on Society
• Should Affirmative Action Still Be Implemented?
• Is Political Polarization a Threat to Democracy?
• The Influence of Lobbying and Special Interest Groups on Politics
• Should the Voting Age Be Lowered or Raised?

5. Health and Wellness:

• The Pros and Cons of a Vegetarian or Vegan Diet
• The Impact of Fast Food on Public Health
• Should Vaccination Be Mandatory for All Children?
• The Benefits and Risks of Legalizing Marijuana
• The Role of Mental Health Education in Schools
• Is Healthcare a Basic Human Right?
• The Ethics of Genetic Engineering and Designer Babies
• The Impact of Stress on Physical and Mental Health
• Is Alternative Medicine a Valid Alternative to Conventional Medicine?
• The Influence of Advertising on Unhealthy Eating Habits

6. Social Issues:

• The Role of Social Media in Promoting Body Image Issues
• The Impact of Income Inequality on Society
• Is Capital Punishment Ethical or Inhumane?
• The Importance of Gender Equality in the Workplace
• Should Animal Testing Be Banned for Cosmetic Products?
• The Ethics of Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
• The Influence of Celebrity Culture on Young People
• Is Online Bullying a Serious Threat to Mental Health?
• The Role of Government in Combating Homelessness

7. Economics:

• The Effects of Inflation on Consumer Purchasing Power
• Is Globalization Beneficial or Harmful to Developing Countries?
• The Impact of Minimum Wage Laws on Employment
• The Role of Cryptocurrency in Modern Finance
• Should Governments Provide Universal Basic Income?
• The Ethics of Corporate Social Responsibility
• The Pros and Cons of Trade Tariffs
• Is Economic Growth Sustainable in the Long Term?
• The Influence of Consumerism on Environmental Degradation
• The Role of Government Regulation in Preventing Financial Crises

8. Science and Technology Ethics:

• The Ethical Implications of Human Gene Editing
• Should Artificial Intelligence Have Legal Rights?
• The Use of Facial Recognition Technology: Privacy vs. Security
• The Dangers and Benefits of Biotechnology Advancements
• The Ethics of Cloning Animals for Human Consumption
• Is Privacy Invasion Justified in the Name of National Security?
• The Impact of 3D Printing on Intellectual Property Rights
• Should Autonomous Weapons Be Banned?
• The Ethical Considerations of Using CRISPR for Genetic Enhancement
• Is Space Exploration Worth the Cost and Environmental Impact?

9. Culture and Society:

• The Influence of Pop Culture on Young People's Behavior
• Should Cultural Appropriation Be Condemned or Celebrated?
• The Importance of Preserving Indigenous Languages and Cultures
• The Role of Music in Shaping Social and Political Movements
• Should Museums Return Stolen Artifacts to Their Countries of Origin?
• The Impact of Reality TV Shows on Society's Perception of Reality
• Is Online Dating a Positive or Negative Trend in Modern Relationships?
• The Ethics of Cultural Tourism and Its Impact on Local Communities
• Should Schools Teach More Diverse History and Literature?
• The Role of Literature and Art in Promoting Social Change

10. Ethics and Morality:

• The Ethics of Physician-Assisted Suicide for Terminal Patients
• Is Lying Ever Justified in Moral Dilemmas?
• The Role of Religion in Shaping Personal Morality
• The Ethics of Animal Rights: Should Animals Have Legal Personhood?
• Is Forgiveness a Virtue or a Weakness?
• The Moral Implications of Cloning Humans
• The Ethics of Nuclear Weapons and Deterrence
• Should Government Surveillance Be Permitted for National Security?
• The Role of Free Will in Determining Moral Responsibility
• Is It Ethical to Experiment on Animals for Scientific Research?

Opinion Essay Structure

Here is a breakdown of the essential elements:

1. Introduction:

• Hook: Begin with an attention-grabbing hook, such as a question, fact, quote, or anecdote, to engage the reader's interest.
• Thesis Statement:  Present your clear and concise thesis statement. This statement is the foundation of your essay and encapsulates your main argument or opinion on the topic.
• Preview:  Offer a brief overview of the main points or arguments you will discuss in the body of the essay. This sets the reader's expectations.

2. Body Paragraphs:

• Topic Sentences: Start each body paragraph with a clear topic sentence that relates directly to your thesis statement.
• Supporting Evidence: Provide evidence, examples, statistics, or expert opinions that support each argument. Ensure that the evidence is relevant and compelling.
• Transition Sentences: Use transitional words and phrases to guide the reader smoothly from one point to the next. This creates coherence and logical flow.
• Counterarguments:  Address opposing viewpoints within the body of your essay, demonstrating your ability to evaluate different perspectives critically. This adds depth and persuasiveness to your argument.

3. Conclusion:

• Restate Thesis: Restate your thesis statement and summarize your main argument.
• Summarize Main Points: Summarize the key points or arguments you've presented in the essay's body.
• Broaden Perspective: Move beyond mere repetition of the introduction. Offer a broader perspective on the topic, leaving the reader with something to contemplate, such as the significance of your opinion or a call to action.
• Closing Thoughts: End with a thought-provoking closing thought, question, or statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Opinion Essay Examples

Here is an example for you -

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

Social media has become an integral part of our lives in today's digital age. While it offers various benefits, like staying connected with friends and accessing information, its influence on mental health has been a growing concern. This essay explores the impact of social media on mental well-being, arguing that while it has some advantages, it can also have detrimental effects.

Introduction:

The introduction provides a clear thesis statement: "This essay argues that social media has both positive and negative impacts on mental health." It engages the reader's interest with a hook, such as a startling statistic about social media usage or a relevant quote.

Body Paragraphs:

The body of the essay is divided into several paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the argument:

Positive Aspects:  This paragraph discusses the positive impact of social media, such as fostering connections, providing support networks, and raising awareness of mental health issues. It includes examples and statistics to support these points.

Negative Aspects:  Here, the essay delves into the negative effects of social media, including cyberbullying, social comparison, and addiction. Real-life examples and studies are cited to illustrate these harmful consequences.

Counterarguments: To address opposing viewpoints, the essay checker acknowledges that some studies suggest a limited negative impact of social media. However, it refutes these arguments with counter-studies and expert opinions, emphasizing the overall negative trend.

Conclusion:

The conclusion restates the thesis and summarizes the main points from the body paragraphs. It provides a balanced perspective by acknowledging the positive and negative aspects of social media's impact on mental health. The essay ends with a thought-provoking statement, encouraging the reader to consider their own relationship with social media and its effects on their well-being.

Additional Considerations:

The essay's clear topic sentences, evidence, and transitions between paragraphs maintain coherence. The essay follows a formal tone, uses proper grammar and citations, and avoids jargon. It provides a comprehensive overview of the topic while presenting a well-structured argument that engages the reader and encourages critical thinking.

Crafting top-notch and perfect opinion essay writing is not just about expressing your viewpoint; it is about constructing a persuasive and well-structured argument. You can effectively communicate your opinions by adhering to the fundamental elements of a clear thesis statement, an engaging introduction, well-supported body paragraphs, and a thought-provoking conclusion.

Remember to acknowledge opposing viewpoints, use evidence judiciously, and maintain a formal tone. Opinion essays are a powerful platform for sharing your thoughts, contributing to meaningful discussions, and refining your writing and critical thinking skills. You can craft opinion essays that resonate and persuade effectively with the right structure and approach.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. what is the key to a successful opinion essay.

The key to a successful opinion essay is a clear and compelling thesis statement that presents your main argument. Support your viewpoint with relevant evidence, maintain a logical structure, and acknowledge opposing perspectives.

Q2. How can I make my introduction engaging?

Start with a captivating hook, like a thought-provoking question or a surprising fact. Clearly state your thesis statement, and briefly preview the main points you will discuss.

Q3. What role do counterarguments play in an opinion essay?

Counterarguments demonstrate your critical thinking skills and strengthen your argument by addressing opposing viewpoints. You can acknowledge counterarguments within your essay and then refute them.

Q4. How can I ensure my opinion essay is well-structured?

Organize your essay with a clear introduction, body paragraphs focusing on specific points, and a conclusion summarizing your argument. Use transitional words for coherence.

Q5. Should I include personal experiences in my opinion essay?

Yes, personal experiences can enhance your essay's authenticity. However, ensure they are relevant to your argument and used as supporting evidence, not as the sole basis of your viewpoint.

Q6. How can I find credible evidence for my opinion essay?

Utilize reputable sources like academic journals, books, and expert opinions. Ensure your sources are recent and authoritative to bolster the credibility of your argument.

Q7. What is the difference between an opinion and a persuasive essay?

While both aim to persuade, an opinion essay primarily expresses your viewpoint. A persuasive essay focuses on convincing the reader to adopt your perspective through strong argumentation.

Q8. How can I maintain a formal tone in my opinion essay?

Avoid overly casual language and slang. Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and follow the conventions of academic writing, such as citing sources correctly.

Q9. Can I use personal anecdotes in my conclusion?

Yes, personal anecdotes can be effective in the conclusion to leave a lasting impression. Relate your personal experience back to your thesis or the broader implications of your opinion.

Q10. What is the most important aspect of revising my opinion essay?

The most crucial revision aspect is ensuring your essay is clear and well-organized. Check for logical flow between paragraphs, and edit for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

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Academic Writing: How to Express Your Personal Opinion

von Öykü Coskun | Donnerstag, November 22, 2018 | Learn , Writing effectively | 2 Kommentare

In certain writing tasks that you are required to do for university, for example essays, you will be asked to give your opinion on the topic at hand. There are several different ways to do this: A distinction is made between expressions and phrases that emphasize your views explicitly and those that reflect your opinion implicitly. In this article, you can find out which expressions are best in which context and how to create variety.

While it is possible to say that, as a general rule, implicit expressions that reflect your opinion in a more subtle way are mostly preferred in academic writing, there are also cases in which it might be useful to overtly state your view by using phrases that contain the personal pronouns “I” and “my” to make clear that it is your point of view that you are focusing on right now. Thus, there is no such rule as “Never include “I” in essays.” The key is to use these kinds of expressions when they suit your purpose, so for instance when you clearly want to distance yourself from a certain view. Moreover, avoiding “I” can lead to awkwardness and vagueness, so  it can sometimes be more effective to use the first person. Personal pronouns unmistakably show when and where exactly you are building on or departing from your sources of information. Thus, they underline the originality of your ideas and views, which, in turn, improves your writing style.

While this only applies to some academic fields and text types, as far as the Humanities and essays or term papers are concerned, it is generally considered appropriate to use the first person, as your instructor will be interested in reading your original analyses and interpretations. But beware: Don’t confuse giving your personal opinion with writing about your personal experience! Your experiences and anecdotes do not have any place in academic term papers whatsoever, whereas they might be included in some contexts for example when you are asked to write a more personal and less academic text in your language classes. To make sure, always ask your instructor.

Moreover, you should be aware of the fact that some expressions more convincingly underline your assertions than others and that your arguments will always need sufficient explanations and defense. Hence, expressions such as “I think that…” or “I believe that…” , which we often find in speech but less in academic writing, are weaker and less convincing than “I assert that…”, “I am convinced that…”, “I have no doubt that…” or “I hold the impression/ view that…”.

Furthermore, we often find the phrases “In my opinion, …” and “In my view, …” in academic writing and professional reports. To a lesser extent, we have expressions such as “To my mind,…” , From my point of view” and “As far as I am concerned” ; These three phrases are also rather used in speech than in writing.

Another useful way of explicitly stating your opinion is to employ structures that contain adjectives, such as “I consider it important/ crucial/ essential/ useful/ likely/ … to …” or “I deem it necessary/ proper/ appropriate/ … to …” . If you are not quite so adamant about your opinion yourself, you can also utilize weaker expressions such as “I am under the impression that …” , “I suppose that …” , “I assume that …” , “I presume that …” or “I conjecture that …” .

Impersonal expressions, on the other hand, reflect your opinion implicitly. Again, there is the possibility to use structures that contain evaluative adjectives, as is the case with phrases like “It is convenient/ difficult/ hard/ impossible/ reasonable/ easy/ … to …” or “It is apparent/ arguable/ doubtful/ obvious/ remarkable/ desirable/ noteworthy/ conceivable/ … that …” .

In your academic texts, you can furthermore employ structures that consist of “It is worth + present participle of a verb + that”, frequently used collocations being “It is worth examining/ investigating/ remembering/ recalling/ noting/ stressing/ pointing out/ emphasizing/ … that …”. There are moreover evaluative adverbs that stress your opinion, examples for this being “Interestingly, …” , “Arguably, …” , “Obviously, …” , “Evidently, …” , and “Surprisingly, …” .

As you can see, there are plenty of possibilities to express your personal opinion in your academic writing tasks and to create variety in doing so. Including different types of phrases and varying expressions while sticking to the requirements of the writing task at hand will improve your overall writing style.

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Writing Center: „Should I Use ‚I‘?“
• Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners (2007): „E. Expressing Personal Opinions.“ London: Macmillan, IW 15-16.

2 Kommentare

Your approach and research is significant and appreciative.Applause for you..

I found this article extremely helpful. I found myself struggling writing essays when it came to professionally asserting my opinion or thought. This really outlined some great practices!! Thank you.

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Step-by-Step Guide on How to Write an Opinion Essay + Examples

A personal opinion essay is an essential part of an educational process. Wherever you study, you will surely come across this kind of work. And if you’re stuck with finding ideas, you have come to the right place. In this article, you will learn all the intricacies of writing and get some good opinion essay topics.

Let’s start!

🤔 What Is an Opinion Essay?

🖊️ how to write an opinion essay.

• 🔗 Linkers and Transition Words

💡 Opinion Essay Ideas

👨‍🎓 opinion essay examples.

An opinion essay is a type of work that involves the expression of one’s own opinion, which has become the product of processing facts and arguments. However, this does not mean there should be no argumentation in the essay. It will be a big plus if you have a couple of examples from your own life or the lives of historical figures, illustrating some facts in your stock. Writing an opinion essay requires the author to clearly state his thoughts on any occasion, without excessive water and long reasoning.

Among other things, it should be remembered that, technically, an opinion essay is a formal type of work that many graduates write at the end of their studies. And this means it has its structure and specific writing rules that must be adhered to. To fully understand the meaning of this type of work, try reading a couple of our free essay samples .

🎯 The Purpose of an Opinion Essay

An opinion essay is an excellent tool for teaching students how to express their position correctly. And also to test the depth of their knowledge and thinking. An opinion essay can help you to boost your skills:

• Ability to convey your thoughts . Regardless of the topic of the essay, the teacher wants to see that his wards, leaving the educational institution, will be independent individuals. Therefore, the student needs to show the ability to convey their thoughts on any occasion.
• Competent writing skills . Even in the modern world, writing skills do not lose their relevance. This type of work allows you to form it as efficiently as possible. So if you want to impress your boss, remember to pay attention to grammar and punctuation.
• Topic knowledge . Unfortunately, there is no error-free way to test a student’s ability. However, opinion essays allow the teacher to examine everyone and ensure that the topic has been mastered. This is especially true for subjects such as history and literature.

And, of course, you should understand that the purpose of any text is to be read. So just be creative, and you will have a fantastic essay!

🗝️ Key Features of an Opinion Essay

Like any other type of writing, an opinion essay has characteristics that make it unique. And, of course, to compose a competent text, you need to know about them.

• Focus on the author’s clear and well-reasoned subjective opinion . All proofs, as well as the conclusion, are based on it.
• Logical-based structure . Moreover, it entirely depends on the intentions of the writer.
• Examples and arguments come primarily from personal experience . However, an author may use history and social life quotes and examples of literary heroes to prove their position.
• Speech instruments used . As an author, you will benefit significantly from using a variety of speech constructs . They can help you influence other people. Connecting constructs and clear speech will keep the reader interested and get the most out of the reader.

You just need to get used to all the features to get a little practice. You will succeed!

⚖️ Argumentative, Opinion or Persuasive Essay: the Difference

Before proceeding directly to writing the text, it is worth learning one more important thing. Even towards the end of high school, many people confuse opinion and persuasive essays. These papers look similar.

To help you distinguish the argumentative, opinion, and persuasive essays, we prepare a table of comparisons where you can easily indicate the difference between these papers:

Now let’s move on to which sections the essay consists of and how it should be written. You can safely use this information as a synopsis when completing the assignment.

So, the first one!

📃 Opinion Essay Format

As mentioned earlier, a specific opinion essay structure must be followed. Therefore, before you prepare writing, make up a small outline, which will contain all the components of the text and your ideas for their content. So, how to start an opinion essay?

Opinion Essay Introduction

Of course, any text starts with a short opening. This section should summarize the essence of the problem you are writing about. The main task of the introduction is to entice the audience and familiarize them with the paper’s main topic. Therefore, by the first paragraph, a person will build an impression of your talents.

Moreover, remember that the introduction should be catchy. How to write a hook for an opinion essay? In simple words, this is a proposal that should interest the reader and draw his attention. It should be subject-related and relatively accurate. All you have to do is show the reader that the topic of the essay will be critical and even touch it.

Let’s take a look at some opinion essay introduction examples from our authors, in which you can see all the listed components:

• As Ronald Reagan said in one of his speeches, everyone who advocates abortion has been born. The topic of abortion is very controversial, and people still cannot come to a standard solution. That is why, in this abortion opinion essay, I will try to sort out my thoughts and answer whether abortion is a panacea or a hidden evil.
• Global warming is a global problem. As Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez aptly put it, we cannot sit back while our planet is on fire. But can one person influence the fate of all humanity? I think so, and in this essay, I will try to explain my position

Of course, these examples are conditional, and you can change them as you need to achieve a quality result.

Opinion Essay: Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the final sentence of an introduction . It is an integral part of the entire text. And if your essay will be evaluated, then the absence of the thesis will significantly underestimate the point. So how do you write the last sentence competently so that the reader will like it?

At its core, in the thesis, you should summarize everything that you indicated in the introduction and, in a nutshell, make it clear what will be discussed. You are expected to state your position on the issue clearly. And then, the entire text should be directed precisely to reinforce your words.

For example, take this essay topic: “ Is globalization a positive phenomenon? ” In this case, a good thesis would be “ In my opinion, globalization has many more advantages than disadvantages. ”

See how one small phrase can dramatically improve your overall performance score. Therefore, pay due attention to it!

Opinion Essay: Body Paragraphs

Finally, you come to the main body of your essay, namely the argumentation. The body paragraphs of an opinion essay are aimed at correctly explaining the author’s position to the audience. Here you are expected to have good arguments and examples that will become your assistants in proving your case.

Body paragraphs have two parts: an argument and an example supporting what you said. For example, you might say that the lack of responsibility for actions leads to the corruption of the mind and soul. And as an explanation to these words, briefly support your statement with the story of the protagonist of the novel by Jack London, “The Picture of Dorian Gray.”

Moreover, no one limits the number of these same arguments, and often it depends on the maximum volume of the text itself. The standard case is two good arguments, supported by examples from life or literature. Then you can be sure that the reader will correctly understand your idea.

🔗 Linkers and Transitional Words for Opinion Essay

Connecting structures are an invisible companion for the reader throughout the entire essay. They are also called linkers or transitional words . At their core, these two concepts mean the exact phrases. Their task is to make the text more readable and smoothly translate the reader from one idea to another. Moreover, all these constructions are divided into subgroups depending on their purpose. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples of good transition words for an opinion essay:

• In my opinion…
• It is clear that…, etc.
• It is widely known that…
• It is a well-known fact that…
• Research has shown that…
• There are definitely…
• It is a fact that…, etc.

There are also brilliant linkers for opinion essays on these themes:

• In spite of…
• However, etc.
• To conclude…
• In conclusion…, etc.

Using these constructions, you will significantly increase the consistency of your text and help the reader to perceive it better.

Now that you have a basic understanding of writing an essay, let’s look at some good opinion essay topics. Feel free to use them for your creative work and get good points.

💡 30 Opinion Essay Prompts

So, our team has selected 30 excellent opinion essay topics for you. Look for what resonates in your soul and get to work!

• Opinion essay: success in life depends on being successful at school. Many of us were assured that it is impossible to reach heights without a good performance at school. What do you think about it?
• Mobile phone addiction is the scourge of the 21st century. Give arguments from your life and tell about personal experiences.
• Opinion essay about GMO : pros and cons. For many, this topic remains a secret. It’s time to dispel all inaccuracies and find out the whole truth.
• Should university study be free? What is your position?
• Opinion essay about technologies in our life . What impact do they have?
• Compulsory vaccination : pros and cons. If you have any personal experience with this topic, feel free to share it.
• Opinion on abortion essay: do people have the right to choose?
• US neutrality in World War II : what would have gone differently?
• Opinion essay about video games. Is it an addiction or just leisure ? What do you think?
• Does the motivation from famous people have an effect, or is it a dummy? Do you have an opinion on this matter?
• Essay opinion on junk food : how dangerous it is. Everyone was warned that junk food and junk food kill the body, but maybe it’s all about the quantity?
• Parenting is the foundation of a child’s success. Do you think that the parents are responsible for the future education and work of their child?
• Opinion essay: buy nothing day or Black Friday sales. What do you choose and why?
• The advantages of living in a metropolis and a small town . Which would you choose?
• Essay: opinion about global warming . Do you think this is a real threat, or is it just a panic among people?
• Homemade food or dining out in restaurants? What do you and your family prefer?
• Social media impact opinion essay. Billions of people spend their time on social media. What consequences can this have for humanity?
• Consequences of increasing the budget for road construction. How will this affect our cities?
• Opinion essay: television promotes violence through broadcasting abusive behavior. Do you agree with this thesis?
• Humanity is destroying the ecosystem and making the earth uninhabitable. What arguments can be for and against?
• Opinion essay about homework : is this system outdated? How do you feel about this from a student’s point of view?
• Artists and internet bloggers make vast amounts of money. Do you support this?
• Opinion essay about racism in modern life. What are the dangers of this behavior? Tell us about your personal experience or give an example from the community’s life.
• Some people dream of changing their place of residence. Do you think that moving to another country will help you in self-realization?
• The best profession to choose opinion essay. What are your thoughts? Where would you like to be after finishing your studies?
• People prefer online communication over live communication. How do you feel about this trend?
• Opinion essay about same-sex marriages. For some people, this is unacceptable. What do you think about it?
• How can movies and television affect human behavior ? Do you think certain viewing films should be limited for people with a weak mentality?
• Opinion essay about immigration . Should the state provide maximum assistance to everyone who wants to get into it?
• Should people be allowed to carry weapons with them? What restrictions can be used, in your opinion?

These themes are ideal for getting good results.

Now let’s look at some small sample essays from our authors. You can see all the listed components and highlight some interesting ideas for yourself!

Climate change opinion essay, truth or fiction? (250 words)

Climate change has been heading the news for decades. Almost everyone is puzzled by this problem in the modern world, but is there any reason to believe that this is just exaggerated media panic? I think not, and in this essay, I will try to explain my position. The first thing worth paying attention to is the changes that we can see every day. But nature is changing, and this is noticeable with the naked eye. For example, you can look at how the temperature regime has changed over the past decades. In my region, real winter began in the last days of November. Then the temperature dropped to zero, and there was already snow outside the window. However, I would be thrilled to see snowfall this year, at least at Christmas. This raises questions about the veracity of statements from the media and various organizations. You should also look at the publicly available facts. International organizations conduct ongoing research, which clearly shows that the climate is changing, and it is difficult to fix it. One of the most respected teams, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), regularly issues climate change reports. And in them, you can see what reasons for this and what it can lead to. This is excellent and detailed work that deserves everyone’s attention. In summary, we can say that climate change can be seen with the naked eye. This problem affects all people on the planet, and to ignore it is to expose yourself to great danger. Humanity is destroying our world, and can we deny it?

Opinion on death penalty essay, is it moral? (300 words)

Many international treaties have long banned the death penalty, but this does not prevent several countries from regularly using it against criminals. I think this is a terrible practice that has no place in our civilized world. The argument for this may be the simple idea that every creature has a right to life. And this right cannot be taken away under any condition because you can take a dangerous path by creating an incident. One Russian scientist Andrei Sakharov spoke very accurately about this: “The existence of the institution of the death penalty dehumanizes society. I spoke out and am opposed to the death penalty also because this punishment provides for the presence of a constantly terrible apparatus of executors, the whole institution of the death penalty ”. I fully support his words because there is no reason not to kill the second after killing once. It should also be understood that people sentenced to death are not always, in fact, guilty. There is a miscarriage of justice, and no one can be insured against it. The most resonant was the story from 1949. Timothy Evans was hanged on charges of murdering his pregnant wife and two-year-old daughter. Four years later, it wasn’t until serial killer John Christie, who had testified in court against Evans, confessed to the murder. He was hanged, and Timothy Evans was posthumously rehabilitated. The Timothy Evans case is one of the most remarkable stories in the death penalty dispute. To summarize, I can say that there are many reasons for the absolute ban on the death penalty in the world. This is not only inhuman but can lead to unnecessary deaths. Fighting crime in this way, the people who defend the law themselves break it.

Opinion essay on smoking: should the state intervene? (300 words)

Smoking is a global problem. Experts predict that in the coming decades, the number of smokers will reach one billion people worldwide. In my opinion, governments should take strict measures to limit nicotine use among the population. Firstly, smoking poses enormous hardships for addicts. All this can increase the number of cancer patients and people suffering from heart and lung diseases. At the same time, it can be tough to give up cigarettes on your own. We all understand that nicotine in quantities that a person receives from cigarettes is not characteristic of the body. Therefore, our body can react in an extraordinary way to its appearance. An example may well be my family, suffering from heart problems for several generations. All men, from my great-grandfather to my father, visit doctors all the time. And they all have one reason – excessive smoking. At the same time, they cannot quit smoking on their own due to a banal addiction. Secondly, smokers can damage the health of other people nearby. It is a well-known fact that secondhand smoke is no less harmful than the regular use of nicotine. And unfortunately, non-smokers, in most cases, have no choice. You can see it yourself in everyday life. People who are forced to breathe smoke while sitting at bus stops or in public places simply cannot do anything about it. The only way to help them is to introduce more and more restrictions from the state. So, in conclusion, we can say that smoking is not only a problem for the person addicted to cigarettes. Everyone suffers from this, from his family to strangers around him. Unfortunately, these difficulties cannot be resolved on their own. But is the state and society doing enough to help people with addiction?

❓ What Are the Characteristics of an Opinion?

The opinion is an entirely subjective position formed due to the influence of certain factors on the mind. It can be characterized as a personal judgment, point of view, and not an exact fact. However, an opinion can be valid only if it is supported by actual knowledge. Otherwise, it can be called more of a guess.

❓ How Many Paragraphs is an Opinion Essay?

The standard structure consists of four main parts: an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Nevertheless, if it is not specified in the assignment, it can deviate slightly from such a system. It is pretty standard practice to write three or more body paragraphs. Conversely, if one section fully covers the topic, then the need for other explanations may disappear.

❓ What Is the Structure of an Opinion Essay?

An essay structure is a precise sequence of your thoughts, which will help the reader to understand the topic better. The standard system consists of an introduction, two arguments, and a conclusion. In addition, there are less visible components like a hook, thesis statement, and linkers words. You can expand the structure by adding more argument parts. However, the sequence must remain the same.

❓ What Is a Supported Opinion Essay?

An essay based on a person’s personal opinion implies a clear statement of the author’s thoughts on a specific topic. However, to show understanding of the problem, one should rely on facts, research, or examples from life. A supported opinion essay is precisely when the author’s opinion is based on objective factors.

📎 References

• Basic Essay Structure. Port. Ac
• An opinion essay. British Council
• How to Write an Opinion Based Essay. UCT Language Centre
• Recognizing Transitions. MPC.Edu
• Writing Your Paper: Transitions. EWU.Edu
• Transition Sentences. The College of Saint Rose
• Writing Effective Conclusions. Richmond University
• Conclusion – How to write an essay. University of Newcastle
• Writing a thesis statement. IELTS Buddy
• CCSS Argument versus Opinion Writing
• Essay Structure. Harvard College Writing Centre
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Opinion Writing: a Guide to Writing a Successful Essay Easily

An opinion essay requires students to write their thoughts regarding a subject matter. Relevant examples and explanations back their point of view. Before starting an opinion paper, it is important to study the definition, topics, requirements, and structure. Referring to examples is also highly useful. Perhaps you need help with our admission essay writing service ? Take a look at this guide from our dissertation writing service to learn how to write an opinion essay like an expert.

What Is an Opinion Essay

A common question among students is: ‘What is an Opinion Essay?' It is an assignment that contains questions that allow students to share their point-of-view on a subject matter. Students should express their thoughts precisely while providing opinions on the issue related to the field within reasonable logic. Some opinion essays type require references to back the writer's claims.

Opinion writing involves using a student's personal point-of-view, which is segregated into a point. It is backed by examples and explanations. The paper addresses the audience directly by stating ‘Dear Readers' or the equivalent. The introduction involves a reference to a speech, book, or play. This is normally followed by a rhetorical question like ‘is the pope Catholic?' or something along those lines.

What Kind of Student Faces an Opinion Essay

Non-native English-speaking students enrolled in the International English Language Testing System by the British Council & Cambridge Assessment English are tasked with learning how to write the opinion essays. This can be high-school or college students. It is designed to enhance the level of English among students. It enables them to express their thoughts and opinions while writing good opinion essay in English.

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We will write you a plagiarism-free opinion essay, with a title page, unlimited revisions, and bunch of other cool features included!

What Are the Requirements of an Opinion Essay?

Avoid Going Off-Topic: Always write an opinion essay within relevance to answer the assigned question. This is also known as ‘beating around the bush' and should not be included in any opinion paragraph as it may lower your grade.

Indent the First Paragraph: With most academic papers, opinion writing is not different. Therefore, it contains the rule of indenting the first line of the introduction.

A Well-Thought Thesis: The full thesis statement is a brief description of the opinion essay. It determines the rest of the paper. Include all the information that you wish to include in the body paragraphs

The Use of Formal Languages: Although it is okay to write informally, keep a wide range of professional and formal words. This includes: ‘Furthermore,' ‘As Stated By,' ‘However', & ‘Thus'.

Avoid Internet Slang: In the opinion paper, avoid writing using slang words. Don'tDon't include words like ‘LOL', ‘OMG', ‘LMAO', etc.

The Use of First Person Language (Optional): For the reason of providing personal thought, it is acceptable to write your personal opinion essay in the first person.

Avoid Informal Punctuation: Although the requirements allow custom essay for the first-person language, they do not permit informal punctuation. This includes dashes, exclamation marks, and emojis.

Avoid Including Contradictions: Always make sure all spelling and grammar is correct.

We also recommend reading about types of sentences with examples .

Opinion Essay Topics

Before learning about the structure, choosing from a wide range of opinion essay topics is important. Picking an essay theme is something that can be done very simply. Choosing an excellent opinion essay topic that you are interested in or have a passion for is advisable. Otherwise, you may find the writing process boring. This also ensures that your paper will be both effective and well-written.

• Do sports differ from ordinary board games?
• Is using animals in circus performances immoral?
• Why should we be honest with our peers?
• Should all humans be entitled to a 4-day workweek?
• Should all humans become vegetarians?
• Does a CEO earn too much?
• Should teens be barred from having sleepovers?
• Should everyone vote for their leader?
• The Pros & Cons of Day-Light Saving Hours.
• What are the most energy-efficient and safest cars of X year?

Opinion Essay Structure

When it comes to opinion paragraphs, students may struggle with the opinion essay format. The standard five-paragraph-essay structure usually works well for opinion essays. Figuring out what one is supposed to include in each section may be difficult for beginners. This is why following the opinion essay structure is something all beginners should do, for their own revision before writing the entire essay.

You might also be interested in getting more information about: 5 PARAGRAPH ESSAY

Opinion essay introduction

• Address the audience directly, and state the subject matter.
• Reference a speech, poem, book, or play.
• Include the author's name and date of publication in brackets.
• 1 or 2 sentences to make up a short description.
• 1 or 2 summarizing sentences of the entire paper.
• 1 sentence that links to the first body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 1

• Supporting arguments
• Explanation
• A linking sentence to the second body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 2

• Supporting argument
• A linking sentence to the third body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 3

• A linking sentence to the conclusion.

Conclusion paragraph

• Summary of the entire paper
• A conclusive sentence (the bigger picture in conclusion)

If you need some help, leave us a message ' write my essay cheap ' and we'll help.

Opinion Essay Examples

Do you need something for reference? Reading opinion essay examples can expand your knowledge of this style of writing, as you get to see exactly how this form of an essay is written. Take a look at our samples to get an insight into this form of academic writing.

Over the past, American popular culture has been strong in creating racial stereotypes. Images displayed through television, music, and the internet have an impact on how individuals behave and what individuals believe. People find their identities and belief systems from popular culture. Evidently, I believe that American pop culture has created racial stereotypes that predominantly affect other ethnic minorities. Analyzing the history of America reveals that African Americans have always had a problem defining themselves as Americans ever since the era of slavery. AfricanAmericans have always had a hard time being integrated into American culture. The result is that African Americans have been subjected to ridicule and shame. American pop culture has compounded the problem by enhancing the negative stereotypes ofAfrican American. In theatre, film, and music, African Americans have been associated with vices such as murder, theft, and violence.

The family systems theory has a significant revelation on family relations. I firmly agree that to understand a particular family or a member, they should be around other family members. The emotional connection among different family members may create functional or dysfunctional coexistence, which is not easy to identify when an individual is further from the other members. Taking an example of the extended family, the relationship between the mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law may be tense, but once they are outside the family, they can pretend to have a good relationship. Therefore, I agree with the theory that the existing emotional attachment and developed culture in the family is distinctively understood when the family is together.

Opinion writing is a form of academic paper that asks students to include their thoughts on a particular topic. This is then backed by a logical explanation and examples. Becoming more knowledgeable is a practical way to successfully learn how to write an opinion paper. Before writing anything, it is essential to refer to important information. That includes the definition, topics, opinion writing examples, and requirements. This is what turns amateur writers into master writers.

Feeling like you need some assistance with your essay? No matter what kind of writer you need, opinion or persuasive essay writing service online , our team consists of experts in all fields. Our college essay writing service helps those students who need an extra push when it comes to their assignments.

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Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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How to Write an Opinion Essay

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An opinion essay stands as a potent tool for expressing personal viewpoints, beliefs, and perspectives on various subjects. Unlike other forms of essays , that heavily rely on facts and evidence, an opinion essay invites writers to showcase their unique thoughts and emotions on a given topic. In this comprehensive guide, you will learn how to write an opinion essay. We will offer invaluable insights and practical tips to help you navigate this expressive form of writing.

What is an Opinion Essay?

An opinion essay is a literary form that allows writers to articulate their personal stance on a particular issue. An opinion essay encourages the author to convey their beliefs and support them with reasoning and evidence. The core objective is to persuade readers to adopt the author's perspective or, at the very least, to consider it thoughtfully.

How to Write an Opinion Essay in 5 Steps

1. Develop a Clear Thesis Statement Crafting a robust thesis statement is paramount to the success of your opinion essay. This should encapsulate your main argument and provide a roadmap for your readers. Decide whether or not you agree with your given question and put together a list of two or three compelling reasons bolstering your stance.

As you contemplate your position, delve deeper into each reason. Think about data, statistics, or anecdotes that you could use not only to substantiate your viewpoint but also to lend credibility to your argument.

2. Plan Your Structure Organise your thoughts and arguments logically by structuring your essay appropriately. Start with an engaging introduction that introduces the topic and presents your thesis statement. Follow this with well-organised body paragraphs, each dedicated to a specific point supporting your thesis. Finally, conclude your essay with a succinct summary of your main arguments and a powerful restatement of your thesis.

3. Provide Strong Supporting Evidence While an opinion essay is inherently subjective, it is essential to bolster your arguments with relevant evidence. This may include real-life examples, statistics, expert opinions, or historical references. The more compelling your evidence, the more persuasive your essay becomes.

4. Address Counterarguments Anticipate and address potential counterarguments to strengthen your position. Acknowledging opposing viewpoints demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the topic and adds credibility to your essay. Refute counterarguments with well-reasoned responses, reinforcing the robustness of your perspective.

5. Craft a Compelling Conclusion End your essay with a strong conclusion that summarises your key points and reiterates your thesis. Leave a lasting impression on your readers by offering a thought-provoking insight, a call to action, or a compelling final thought that reinforces the significance of your viewpoint.

Opinion Essay Writing Tips

1. Clarity is Key Ensure your writing is clear and concise. Use straightforward language and avoid unnecessary jargon. A well-articulated opinion essay is easily understood and resonates with a broader audience.

2. Stay Focused Maintain a clear focus on your chosen topic. Avoid veering off into unrelated tangents, as this can dilute the impact of your arguments. A focused essay is more persuasive and engaging.

3. Embrace Your Voice An opinion essay is your chance to showcase your unique voice and perspective. Don't shy away from injecting personality into your writing. A strong, authentic voice resonates with readers and makes your essay memorable.

4. Revise and Edit Take the time to revise and edit your essay meticulously . Check for grammatical errors, clarity, and coherence. A polished essay demonstrates your commitment to delivering a high-quality piece of writing.

The Importance of Persuasive Writing

Mastering the art of opinion essay writing is a skill that opens doors to effective communication and persuasion. By choosing compelling topics, crafting a clear thesis, providing strong evidence, and addressing counterarguments, you can create an essay that not only expresses your opinions but also captivates and convinces your audience. Remember, the key lies in embracing your unique voice, staying focused, and refining your writing through careful revision.

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How to Write an Opinion Essay A2/B1

An opinion essay is a formal piece of writing in which you share your thoughts on a specific topic. You should express your opinion clearly and give reasons and examples to support your point of view.

Remember that when we write in formal style , we must not use contractions or informal words or expressions.

Parts of an opinion essay

An opinion essay must have 3 parts:

1. Introduction

In this paragraph you have to introduce the topic. You introduce the topic by restating the question or the title of the essay in your own words. Here you have to say if you agree or not with the question or the title of the essay. You can agree, disagree or partially agree.

In this section you have to support your opinion with reasons and examples. You must include at least three reasons. Break it into several paragraphs. Write one paragraph for each supporting reason. Don’t forget to include examples or facts.

3. Conclusion

Summarize your ideas and restate your opinion using different words.

Transition words and phrases

In your essay you have to organize all your ideas in a logical and coherent way. You can use different transition words or phrases to connect your ideas . Transition words and phrases help the reader understand your point of view easily.

In the table below there is a list of common transition words that you can use in your opinion essays.

Essay question: A1/B2 English learners should learn how to write an opinion essay. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Here you can download a simple template that you can use to organize your ideas. You can replace the red words with other transition or linking words from the chart. You can also add more transition words to connect your ideas more clearly.

PRACTICE TIME

Dogs are better pets than cats. Do you agree or disagree. Why?

Write your answer in the comments below.

How to Express your Opinion in English

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24 thoughts on “ How to Write an Opinion Essay A2/B1 ”

Dogs are better pets than cats.

Nowadays, many people prefer to adopt dogs or cats, but which of them are the better pets? Personally, I think that it is better to have cats as pets for the following reasons:

First of all, cats are more independent than dogs. For example, if you need to go on a trip, cats can live alone for 3 or 4 days. In addition, you only need to put enough water and food in a bowl and a sandbox so they can pee and poop when they need.

Secondly, cats are very clean and you don´t need to pay for someone to bathe them, unlike dogs, which must be bathed at least every week, because they smell bad. In my experience, I had a cat 7 years ago and only needed to bathe him 3 times during 5 years, because, he used to bathe himself.

Finally, cats are more calm and quiet than dogs. For instance, cats sleep during the day and at night they wake up. However, they are very quiet so you can sleep relaxed. In addition, cats only meow softly and do not bark loudly like dogs.

In conclusion, cats are more lovely and better pets than dogs because they are very independent, clean, and calm animals. They are beautiful and they do not need a lot of care.

Great job Camila!!!! Please read the final essay and compare it with your draft.

Nowadays most people say that dogs are better compared to cats. However, I consider that you couldn’t say who is better because just by existing they are incredible. Therefore, I do not agree that any one is better than the other for the following reasons.

First of all, dogs and cats are house pets adaptable to any home. However, it depends a lot on the space where they are going to be. However, in terms of size, they can be perfectly adapted to each home.

Secondly, dogs and cats, if you educate them correctly, will have good grooming habits. So both of them are going to do the right thing and we wouldn’t say that one is better than the other.

Finally, I consider that dogs and cats are the best friends of humans in the world. They both give love unconditionally in any situation. Also, on the contrary, you can know when pets are happy, sad or have a health problem.

To conclude, dogs are not better than cats because both are excellent domestic pets and they adapt to each place and lifestyle, it only depends on us humans giving them love and care.

Like Liked by 1 person

Nowadays more and more pets walk into human families and become a member of them. Some people like dogs and others like cats. In my opinion cats are better pets than dogs.

First of all, you could have a cat no matter how big your family room is. Cats are smaller than most dogs so you do not need to have a big place for cats. Cats could sleep anywhere in your house and what you need to do is just prepare some food for them. However, if you have a dog, you need to prepare a big doghouse. So it is a little difficult if you live in a small apartment.

Second cats are more friendly than dogs. Most cats will not bark at people but dogs often do that to someone who is not familiar with them. It is a terrible feeling when your dogs bark at your neighbors.

Finally, the time you spend on taking care of your pets is less for cats. For instance, you do not need to take the cat out of your house every day if you are very busy after work.

In conclusion, cats are easy to take care of, for that reason I think cats are better pets than dogs.

Great job Li Yang. Please compare the final essay with your initial draft. 🙂

Dogs are better pets than cats. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

There is a dispute between those who love dogs and those who love cats. Each side believes that their pet is the best. In my opinion, every animal has pluses and minuses. However, I will say that cats are better pets than dogs.

Firstly, cats are 100 percent pets. They can sleep for hours, play, and look out the window.

Secondly, cats do not need a walk. And this means that cats do not need to wash their paws. They keep their bodies clean.

Thirdly, if cats love their owners, they like to sleep on them. Cats say mur-mur and calm their owners when they are sad or something hurts them.

Finally, cats behave calmly to guests. They can leave the room if they do not like something or someone.

Let’s sum it up. Should people buy a cat or a dog?. It is up to us. However, I will buy a cat. A cat is an ideal pet for me because I am an introvert.

Well done Olga! Please compare your first draft with the final version ☝️

Thank you very much for your help, Julietta! It’s so important to look at yourself from the outside.

Excellent material (for an otherwise dull topic)- Thanks a million from faraway Argentina!

Hi Maria! I’m happy to hear that this post was helpful. I know! Teaching/learning writing sometimes is quite challenging.

[…] factual information using a formal tone. As with other pieces of formal writing (for example, essays, formal emails, articles, etc.), there is a special format used to write reports in […]

Most people can say dogs are good pets for humans compared to cats. Personally, I think, it is not possible to say who is better because both are amazing pets. For this reason , I disagree that dogs are better than cats.

First of all, dogs and cats are perfect domestic pets. Nowadays, people live in different spaces and dogs and cats can live perfectly in this place only depending on the size of the pets. Additionally, both can adapt perfectly to a different lifestyle for families or single people.

Secondly, dogs and cats are amazing because they have facial expressions closer to humans and sometimes they are more expressive than humans. For example, you can know when pets are happy, sad or have any health problems.

Lastly, dogs and cats are humans’ best friends in the world. Both give love unconditionally to people and stay at all times (good and bad) with them . Furthermore, it is so difficult to say one love is better than the other .

That is clear, dogs are not better than cats because both are excellent domestic pets and they adapted to every place and lifestyle only depend only that humans give love and care.

Well done Karla!! ⭐

Nowadays, adopting dogs and cats is hands down the most popular option for people who want to get a pet . Personally, I consider, it is imposible to say which one is a better option because both are awsome. However, I think that cats are good pets for a number of reason s . To begin with, cats are loving. For instance, when you are upset or depressed, they always try to cheer you up with their company. Furthermore, they love sleeping with you. Secondly, cats do not need to go for a walk . And this means that you have more spare time for yourself or for playing with them. In addition, you can go out all day knowing that your cat is going to be fine all by itself . Last but not least, cats are friendlier than dogs. If they do not like something or somebody they will simply go out of the room. What is more, they sometimes enjoy playing alone. To sum up, cats are more affectionate than dogs, making then better pets than other animals.

Amazing job Gloria!!!

Nowadays dogs and cats have become part of the family, they are like people who cannot talk, but communicate through different acts, I particularly prefer dogs.

First of all, I prefer dogs because they are more friendly, affectionate and loyal. These pets have easily won anyone is heart. Their willingness to be part of the family, their enthusiasm when we come home and their ability to provide emotional support are irreplaceable qualities.

Secondly, walking with them not only helps with exercise, but is an opportunity to strengthen the bond between us and the dogs. Their playful nature and willingness to learn make living with a dog an exciting and joyful experience.

Finally, I think dogs are ideal for those looking for an active and affectionate companion, while cats are great for people who value independence and feline elegance.

In conclusion, although I love dogs more, the choice between a dog and a cat as a pet depends a lot on each person’s personal preferences and lifestyle.

In almost every home there is a pet, whether cats, dogs or other animals that become part of the family. However, everyone has their own preferences, in my opinion dogs are better than cats for the following reasons. First of all, if you have a more active lifestyle. Dogs are very active animals that like to walk, run and play to stay healthy and happy, while cats are more sedentary and prefer to sleep all day. Secondly, dogs are very obedient animals. If trained correctly, they can learn tricks and commands. In addition to being very affectionate animals. Lastly, dogs are very protective and loyal animals. If they see something they don’t like or something that could be a threat to their family, they will be willing to protect them. In conclusion, dogs are very good companions, they are affectionate, active, protective, and they are the best if you have a more active lifestyle, but I also think that it depends a lot on the person in charge, on their type of life.

Moderation in cell phone use is crucial in contemporary society for various reasons. Firstly, the abuse of mobile devices can have negative impacts on mental health, contributing to increased stress and anxiety due to constant exposure to social networks and notifications. Additionally, excessive use can affect interpersonal relationships by distracting people during face-to-face encounters.

Additionally, cell phone dependency can affect productivity and concentration in daily activities. The constant interruption by notifications and the compulsion to check the phone can undermine the quality of work and academic performance.

On the other hand, moderation in cell phone use is essential for road safety. Distracted driving due to phone use has been a major cause of traffic accidents. Implementing limits on cell phone use while driving is a necessary measure to prevent tragedies.

to conclusion, moderation in cell phone use is imperative to safeguard mental health, strengthen personal relationships, improve productivity and guarantee public safety. Setting conscious boundaries and encouraging responsible use of technology is essential for a healthy balance between digital life and reality.

Today, dogs and cats are the perfect companion in the home of the world. However, in my opinion, I prefer cats, this pet is wonderful and special partner of adventures and madness. Following, I say three reason for that cat is the best friend for human.

First, cat isn´t noisy, this pet is very quiet and calm, inside of house cat keep silence, because theirs legs are padding and when walking not make noise. In addition, meows of cats are soft and do not bark loudly like dogs.

Secondly, I considerer cats are clean because, this pet bathe with their tongue for this reason your cat not needed take shower always. For example, I bathe my cat « Mihos » every six months.

Finally, cats are more independent than dogs. In my experience, my pet go for a walk alone. For this reason, my cat not need to that stroll with me.

To conclude, cats are excellent domestic pets, they are pretty and mystics. And they will take care of your home and your heart. I always adore cats.

In Defense of Dogs: Man’s Best Friend The age-old debate of whether cats or dogs make better pets has long been a topic of discussion among animal lovers. While both animals have their merits, I firmly believe that dogs hold a special place in our lives as faithful companions. In this essay, I will present the reasons, in my opinion, why dogs are superior pets, offering unwavering loyalty, companionship, and numerous other qualities that make them man’s best friend.

First of all, dogs are renowned for their loyalty and unwavering devotion to their owners. They form deep emotional bonds and are always there to provide comfort and support, making them invaluable companions in both good and challenging times.

Secondly, dogs thrive on social interaction and physical activity, encouraging their owners to lead a more active and healthier lifestyle. Their enthusiasm for outdoor activities and playtime fosters a strong and positive relationship between humans and their pets, promoting a sense of well-being and happiness.

Therefore, dogs come in a wide variety of breeds, each with its unique personality and traits. Whether as service animals, working dogs, or loving family pets, they display remarkable adaptability and versatility, making them suitable for a diverse range of roles and environments.

In conclusion, the qualities that dogs possess, including unwavering loyalty, companionship, and their ability to enhance our physical and emotional well-being, make them exceptional companions. Their impact on human lives is immeasurable, as they provide love, support, and joy to countless individuals and families worldwide. Therefore, I firmly believe that dogs are, without a doubt, man’s best friend and make superior pets in numerous ways.

Chat GPT diserves full marks 100%

Why are dogs better than cats? In my opinion, dogs are better than cats for many reasons. In this essay I will address various topics, such as fidelity, company, cleanliness, protection, among others, and I will try to defend man’s best friends.

First of all, dogs are man’s best friends because they are very faithful to humans. For instance, in risky situations for their owners they act as defenders and help detect risky situations. Dogs can also work in the police department as detectors of prohibited substances, and they can also serve as a company for people with mental illnesses who need support .

Second, dogs are more affectionate with their owners. They can recognize their owners after a long time. They have a super developed and very effective sense of smell. This is why in many occasions when people disappear, dogs track them alone .

Finally , dogs have a lower loss rate compared to cats. In addtion, dogs are kept in their homes, and there are many cases in which lost dogs lead people to their “wanted” files in order to return to their homes. Dogs often defend their owners even if they get hurt or, in many cases dogs die.

To sum up , dogs are better than cats due to their loyalty, their defense tactics towards their owners, and in many cases also their intelligence, which is why they are called man’s best friends.

Good effort!

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65 Useful Phrases for Expressing Opinions in English

You have lots of wonderful opinions, but you don’t know how to say them?

That’s got to change. After all, an opinion is a personal belief based on your thoughts, feelings and experiences. It’s your individual perspective—your unique view of the world. Because of this, stating your opinion is an important skill to have in English.

In this post, I’m going to teach you exactly how to express your opinion, make your opinion stronger, explain your opinion, conclude your opinion and lastly, ask someone else about their opinion. And I’ll include a list of useful English phrases to use to accomplish these goals.

Phrases for Expressing Your Opinion

Making your statement stronger, phrases for agreeing with someone’s opinion, phrases for disagreeing with someone’s opinion, phrases for explaining your opinion, phrases for concluding your opinion, asking for someone’s opinion, tips for expressing your opinion in english, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Expressing your opinion is important, especially with friends and colleagues. To do so easily, check out this list of functional phrases:

• In my opinion…
• From my perspective…
• Personally, I believe…
• I feel that…
• It seems to me that…
• I am of the view that…
• As far as I’m concerned…
• I’m inclined to think that…
• If you ask me…
• I hold the opinion that…
• It’s my belief that…

This phrase is slightly formal and is used more in writing or debating.

• I have a strong feeling that…
• It’s clear to me that…
• In my experience…
• It’s my contention that…

This is formal and is usually reserved for professional settings.

• I am convinced that…

This phrase is good for expressing a very long held belief.

• I think that…
• My take on this is…
• In my eyes…
• I’m of the mind that…
• I think…
• I feel like…

This is a good casual phrase to use with friends and family.

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• I believe that…

This phrase can be used for larger opinions, say, your feelings on marriage or some other big issue.

• What I mean is…

This is a good phrase to use to clarify your opinion further.

You can make your opinion statement stronger by adding adverbs such as: really, truly, strongly, absolutely, completely, utterly, totally, unquestionably, certainly, fully, unarguably and decidedly.

Here are a couple of examples:

• I truly believe that the American Dream is at risk.
• I feel strongly that all men deserve universal healthcare.
• I really like this movie.

Sometimes, two or more people have the same opinion. In such cases, this is how you express your agreement with them.

• Yes, definitely!
• I feel the same way.
• I agree with you.
• That’s a very valid point.
• I think what you said is true.
• You’re right!

There may be situations when you disagree with someone on certain topics.

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That’s when you have to politely express your disagreement while avoiding an argument or fight.

You have to make the listener realize that while you heard and understood what they said, you don’t agree and have a different opinion.

• I understand.
• I see your point.
• That makes sense.
• I couldn’t agree more.
• You’ve got a good point there.
• I’m on the same page as you.
• Let’s agree to disagree, shall we?

This last funny phrase means that you feel that you and the person you’re talking to are never going to agree on this issue, so you decide to move on to another subject. You’re agreeing that you disagree on the issue. It’s a good phrase to use to avoid an argument.

In several situations, such as in meetings and group discussions, we’re asked to explain our opinions. There are many ways of doing this.

• My reasons are…
• Firstly… secondly… thirdly…

We can simply state or list our reasons (firstly, secondly, thirdly) in a certain way, like in this example:

Firstly , horror movies are scary. Secondly , I don’t believe in ghosts. Thirdly , I can’t sleep after watching scary movies!

• Moreover…
• In addition to…
• Most importantly…
• Another example is…
• Mostly because…

You can also use conjunctions (such as because) or other connecting words and phrases to explain thoughts in a logical manner.

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After you’ve stated an opinion, you may want to conclude the topic.

You can do that using these phrases:

• In conclusion…
• From this, we can conclude…
• To sum up…
• This proves that…
• What do you think?

Asking a question is a great way to wrap up your own argument.

• That is why…
• Can you suggest an alternative?

It’s important to ask others’ opinions, too.

You can use these handy phrases to easily do that:

• What do you think about…?
• How do you feel about…?
• What is your opinion on…?
• In your view, is…?
• What are your thoughts on…?
• Could you share your perspective on…?
• Do you have any views on…?
• What is your take on…?
• Would you mind telling me your opinion about…?
• What is your stance on…?
• Can you give me your impression of…?
• What do you believe about…?
• Are you of the opinion that…?
• Do you think that…?
• How would you evaluate…?

Before diving into common phrases, here are some tips that’ll help you express your opinion in English as well as improve your speaking and writing skills .

• Keep a diary to talk about your feelings/opinions . Make it a point to write in your diary every day. You can write about what you did that day, your likes and dislikes or use specific prompts to give you ideas.

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• Watch an English movie and write about it . You can talk about what you liked and disliked about the movie in your diary!
• Pick a topic and try talking about it . You can practice expressing your opinion by choosing a topic, setting a timer and speaking about it in front of the mirror. Notice your tone and body language. You can also have discussions or “debates” with your friends. A debate is two or more people agreeing or disagreeing with a topic. You can also find online language partners on apps like HelloTalk or Tandem .

Well, I hope that made the art of expressing your opinions in English much easier and clearer than before!

You can always follow the three-step guide and practice the common phrases we use when sharing our thoughts and beliefs.

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Of course, you’ll make mistakes and that’s an important part of learning. So get some practice, be sincere and try your best. Before you know it, you’ll be a confident and fluent English speaker!

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An opinion essay.

Look at the essay and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then do the other exercises.

Preparation

Are video games a good way to keep fit.

Nowadays, many teenagers have got video consoles at home and they often like playing active video games. These are good for you for a number of reasons.

First of all, I think that active video games are a good way to keep fit. There are lots of different types of exercise you can do such as basketball, water-skiing and dance and, what's more, you can play them in the comfort of your own home. In my opinion, these games are fun and interactive because you can play them with friends and, if you play online, you don't need to be in the same place as your friend to play.

In addition, you can play them whenever you want. Some people think that it's better to do exercise outside in the fresh air. Although this is true, it's actually difficult to play outside when it's raining or very hot so video games are a good alternative.

To sum up, I believe that video games are a fun and social way to keep fit. I think they are a good option when you can't play outside and they might encourage people to do more exercise.

Top Tips for writing

• Write your essay in clear paragraphs. Use phrases like First of all , In addition and To sum up to start each paragraph.
• Express your own opinion using I think , In my opinion or I believe . Mention other viewpoints with phrases like Some people think and say whether you agree or disagree with them.

Check your understanding: multiple selection

Check your writing: matching - useful words and phrases, worksheets and downloads.

Are video games really a good way to keep fit? What do you think?

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Opinion Essay

A Step-by-Step Guide to Write an Effective Opinion Essay

16 min read

Published on: Feb 28, 2023

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

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Are you looking to express your opinion in a clear and convincing way? Crafting an effective opinion essay is the key to making your thoughts heard.

With this simple guide, you can easily do just that.

Here, we'll take you step-by-step through the process of writing a compelling opinion essay. So you can be confident when putting your thoughts into words.

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What Exactly is an Opinion Essay?

An opinion essay is a piece of writing that presents and defends an opinion or viewpoint on a particular topic. To make your argument convincing, you must back it up with facts, evidence, and logical reasoning.

What Makes an Opinion Essay Different from Other Types of Essays?

Opinion essays differ from other types of essays, such as argumentative or persuasive essays. It requires the writer to express their own opinion on a given topic.

Here's a table that compares the three types of essays:

How to Structure an Opinion Essay?

When crafting an opinion essay, it's important to follow a specific essay structure. The basic opinion essay structure is as follows:

• Introduction: An opinion essay introduction should introduce the topic and provide a clear statement of the author's opinion. It should also include any background information necessary to understand the argument.
• Body Paragraphs: Each body paragraph should present a point or argument in favor of the writer's opinion. It would be followed by evidence or examples to support it. Counter-arguments against the opinion can also be presented and discussed in this section. Although, they should not detract from the main points being made.
• Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the main points and arguments made throughout the essay. Also, restate the author's opinion in a clear, concise way. It may also point out any potential implications of accepting or rejecting their viewpoint.

Struggling to write an opinion essay? Check out this video for some helpful pointers!

Opinion Essay Outline

An opinion essay is a formal piece of writing that presents an argument or point of view on a particular topic. An outline will help organize your thoughts and provide structure for your essay.

Here is an example of what an outline for a great essay might look like:

Here is another example for opinion essay ielts - structure:

By following this basic outline, you can ensure that your opinion essay will be well-structured and organized.

What to Include in an Opinion Essay

To craft a compelling opinion essay, it is important to include the following elements:

Logical Reasoning: Use logical reasoning to connect your evidence to your opinion. Clearly explain how the evidence supports your viewpoint and address any potential counterarguments. Ensure that your reasoning is clear, coherent, and easy for the reader to follow.

Personal Reflection: Share your personal experiences or observations that have influenced your opinion. This adds depth and authenticity to your essay and helps the reader understand the perspective from which you're approaching the topic.

Counter Arguments: Anticipate and address counterarguments to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the issue. Present counterarguments objectively and refute them with well-reasoned responses. This shows that you have considered alternative viewpoints and strengthens your position.

Clear Structure: Organize your essay with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph should focus on a single point or supporting argument. Use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph and provide smooth transitions between ideas.

Use of Persuasive Techniques: Employ persuasive techniques such as rhetorical questions, analogies, or emotional appeals to engage and persuade your readers. However, be cautious not to rely solely on emotional appeals without logical reasoning.

Proper Citations: If you use external sources or references, ensure proper citations and adhere to the appropriate citation style (e.g., MLA, APA). This demonstrates integrity and strengthens the credibility of your essay.

What not To Include

While writing an opinion essay, it is important to be mindful of certain elements that should be avoided. Here are some things you should not include in an opinion essay:

Personal Bias: Avoid basing your arguments solely on personal beliefs or biases. Instead, support your opinion with objective evidence and logical reasoning.

Emotional Appeals without Reasoning: While it is acceptable to evoke emotions in your readers, do not rely solely on emotional appeals without providing solid reasoning and evidence. Emotions should supplement your arguments, not substitute for them.

Sweeping Generalizations: Avoid making broad generalizations without sufficient evidence or support. Ensure that your claims are backed by credible sources and specific examples.

Lack of Counterarguments: Failing to acknowledge or address opposing viewpoints weakens your essay. Engage with counterarguments and provide counter-evidence to demonstrate your ability to consider different perspectives.

Informal Language: Maintain a formal tone throughout your essay. Avoid slang, colloquialisms, or overly casual language. Use appropriate academic language and vocabulary.

How to Write an Opinion Essay?

Writing an opinion essay requires careful organization and evidence in order to make your point convincingly.

Here are the necessary steps to write an opinion essay:

Choose a Topic

The first step is to decide on a topic that appeals to you and that you can research easily. Make sure you are familiar with the subject matter. It would help you to write about it from an informed perspective.

Organize Your Thoughts

Before beginning to write, take some time to organize your thoughts and opinions on the topic. Jot down notes or draw diagrams to visualize how each of your points relates to the main argument.

Find Evidence to Support Your Point of View

After you have taken the time to organize your thoughts, it is important to find evidence that supports your opinion. Research reputable sources and collect quotes, facts, or other information relevant to each point you are making.

Write Essay Conclusion

End with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and reiterates your main argument. Give a final thought about your chosen topic. Keep in mind how it has impacted you and how it could be used to make a difference.

Be sure to reference the evidence that you have gathered throughout your essay as well.

Finally, proofread and edit your work for clarity and accuracy. Reviewing what you have written can help ensure that everything flows logically. Check grammar, punctuation, and spelling while you're at it!

Do's and Don't of Writing an Opinion Essay 

When it comes to writing an opinion essay, there are certain guidelines that should be followed.

Here are some essential do's and don'ts of writing an opinion essay:

• Evidence: In order to make a convincing argument, your essay should include evidence that supports your point of view.
• Relevant facts and statistics: Use facts and statistics from reliable sources to back up your arguments.
• Logical flow: Make sure the points you are making logically follow one another in a clear and cohesive manner.
• Counter-arguments: Address any counter-arguments against your opinion by providing evidence that disproves them.
• Clear conclusion: The conclusion should restate your opinion clearly. It summarizes the main points made throughout the essay.
• Unsupportive evidence: Make sure to avoid any irrelevant evidence in your essay that isn't valid. Do not make claims that you cannot back up with facts or examples.
• Unrelated information: Stick to the topic at hand and avoid introducing any irrelevant ideas or tangents into your essay.
• Too much opinion: Although an opinion essay is based on personal beliefs, it should still be supported by evidence-based arguments.
• Weak conclusion: Avoid summarizing the main points without restating your opinion or taking a stand on the issue you are discussing.
• Poor grammar and punctuation: Make sure to review your work for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes before submitting it.

Examples of Opinion Essays

An opinion essay can be written on any topic that has two or more sides to it.

Here are these opinion essay examples:

Learn how to write with these potential opinion essay examples:

Opinion Essay PDF Example

Opinion 3 Paragraph Essay Example

Short Opinion Essay Examples PDF

Opinion Essay IELTS Example

Opinion Essay IELTS Band 9 Example

Opinion Essay About Internet Example

Opinion Essay Topics 5th Grade

5-paragraph Opinion Essay Examples

Abortion Opinion Essay Example

Climate Change Opinion Essay Example

Opinion Essay Topics

Looking for opinion essay topics? Opinion essays are a great way to express your beliefs and thoughts on various subjects.

Here are some topics to consider when writing an opinion essay:

• Social media sites create more harm than good, Agree or Disagree?
• Should the legal drinking age be lowered?
• Is animal testing necessary?
• Should the voting age be lowered?
• Are video games beneficial or harmful to children's development?
• Should the death penalty be abolished?
• Are beauty pageants beneficial to society?
• Is it important to consume organic foods?
• Should nuclear energy be used in place of fossil fuels?
• What are the positive and negative effects of technology on our lives?

Here are some more opinion essays topics - IELTS:

• Should governments ban smoking in public places?
• Should the government fund space exploration?
• Should students be required to wear school uniforms?
• Is social media a positive or negative influence on society?
• Should the voting age be lowered to 16?

If you're looking for advice on expressing your beliefs in an opinion essay without sounding too "preachy". Read this blog for more useful tips!

Opinion Essay Template

Check out the opinion essay template below to help you get started:

Transition Words for an Opinion Essay

Transition words are an essential part of any opinion essay. These words help to link your ideas and provide a logical flow for your paper.

Here are some examples of opinion essay phrases :

• In my opinion
• On the whole
• I strongly believe
• Besides that
• To conclude
• For this reason
• Most importantly
• Nevertheless
• Accordingly
• As a result
• In conclusion
• Without doubt
• Likewise/similarly
• On the contrary

Using transition words effectively can help make your opinion essay easier to read and understand.

Tips for Writing an Effective Opinion Essay

Writing an effective opinion essay requires good research skills and an understanding of how to present your argument clearly.

Here are some tips to help you get started.

• Research: Before writing an opinion essay it is important to do research. Familiarize yourself with different arguments surrounding the topic.
• Organizing Your Thoughts: Take some time to think about your main points and organize them into a logical order.
• Gathering Evidence: Find evidence or examples to support each of your points. 
• Structuring Your Work: Organize the evidence into a clear and logical structure. Make sure each body paragraph is focused on one main point and develops this idea in detail. 
• Writing the Introduction: Provide a brief overview of the topic and state your opinion clearly. 
• Writing the Conclusion: Summarize the main points made throughout the essay and restate your opinion. 

Need help with structuring your essay conclusion? Check out this Read and learn how to write an impactful conclusion for any essay!

Follow these tips to make sure your opinion paper is well-written, organized, and persuasive!

To wrap it all up,

Writing an opinion essay is a great way to express your thoughts and opinions on any given topic. With some research, organization, and structure, you can easily convey your point of view. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you can write an effective opinion essay and make a strong argument.

Do you need help with essay writing? We provide essay writing help online for your academic writing needs. Our team of professionals ensures that every essay is written to perfection and meets the highest academic standards.

You can also trust our essay writer  to deliver quality papers to you!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 3 parts of the opinion paragraph.

The 3 parts of the opinion paragraph includes:

• Introduction: It should provide the reader with an overview.
• Body Paragraphs: The paragraphs should present information to support your arguments.
• Conclusion: It should summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement.

What are some examples of opinion writing?

Examples of opinion writing include opinion articles, persuasive essays, editorial pieces, and reviews.

Caleb S. (Literature, Marketing)

Caleb S. has extensive experience in writing and holds a Masters from Oxford University. He takes great satisfaction in helping students exceed their academic goals. Caleb always puts the needs of his clients first and is dedicated to providing quality service.

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The Crisis of Disclosure on Our Campuses

As students reveal upsetting personal information to us, we must help them transform it in ways that become meaningful, writes Deborah J. Cohan.

By  Deborah J. Cohan

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When I started teaching in the mid-90s, student disclosure of terrifying and heartbreaking memories felt sacred. It was even before I heard the phrase “hold space,” but I realized that I was indeed being tasked with holding something carefully and gently. Simultaneously, I was attending to other students’ reactions so that the classroom could be an open and comfortable space for discussion of highly charged and complicated issues.

I even recall in 2002 having a student who shared that the reason she had enrolled in my family violence class was because she was insistent on breaking the cycle of it in her own family. Her grandfather killed her grandmother, her great grandfather killed her great grandmother, and her stepfather threatened her mother constantly. And my student, too, was abused by her stepfather, sexually, when her mother was working the night shift as a nurse. Not only did she share the horror of that, but she also shared another secret that felt equally brave: she had once considered folding rat poison into a casserole, hoping to kill him.

I read so many papers detailing family dynamics similar to this. And I remember trying to catch my breath as I was reading, letting my heart and my head catch up with each other.

The terror of it all gripped me, but perhaps what was the most compelling—and which had the strongest hold on me and still does—is the resistance that such students conveyed. It was also because of that resistance that I was able to help students make meaning of their experiences, most often by sharing with them sociological concepts and theories that would give language and voice to what they had endured.

Resistance can take many forms, and in my students, I’ve witnessed it in terms of writing and other art they’ve created and shared with me that wasn’t done for class but for the purpose of their own healing. I’ve also watched with profound admiration as students have organized events, rallies and concerts on the campus to assert their voices. Over the years, I’ve also invited some students back to speak at my classes about their experiences of survivorship, resistance and healing, and in so doing, newer students have seen them as real mentors.

A Different Context

Fast-forward to the present moment, and I’m struck by something else. I realize that I’ve come to think about student disclosure in a different way: It doesn’t look quite as brave anymore. Not because of anything that the students really did wrong, but because the social context for their sharing differs so significantly.

When I started to teach, students weren’t posting every hiccup of their private lives on social media, performing for the crowd. Nor were images of others doing that swirling around them. And they were talking about their struggles years before this country announced that young people were having a mental health crisis.

Nowadays, when students share, there’s a flattening to it that’s in keeping with their more overall flat emotional affect. Whereas students used to display great angst when disclosing things, they now share such information in a routinized, mundane way. I still hear about brutal transgressions that students have witnessed and endured in their lives, experiences that are every bit as horrific as years back. Yet, today they share it in a tone and cadence similar to how they tell me or their classmates what they ate for lunch. That steely cold reporting reveals the way that students are actively relying on and using what they know to be true in the culture. They are drawing on the messages that they know are concerning to adults.

While I don’t mean the word manipulating in a malicious way, students are indeed manipulating the language and the telling. For example, when students express themselves, they are not simply sad, they are depressed. They are not nervous, they are anxious. They are not having performance anxiety about an upcoming presentation or test, they are having full-blown panic attacks. Words like trauma even lack meaning now when people use it to describe anything and everything distressing, and we begin to lose sight of what those words truly mean.

Students announce in classes that they’ve attempted suicide. So hungry for a diagnosis, they’ll refer to themselves as having depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder, even if they’ve never sought counseling. In large classes, they very publicly report their diagnoses—self-proclaimed or offered by professionals—unlike students from years past, who spoke of such things in hushed tones in my office upon realizing they could trust me after a long conversation.

The Allure of the Reveal

These current students have quickly bought into a paradigm of disease—fully medicalizing any sort of feeling ill at ease. And in all our talk about the mental health of college students, nowhere are we really seeing an important discussion about what all this disclosure means and will mean going forward.

Judith Herman , whose groundbreaking work on incest changed the field of family violence and gave it new direction, refers to what she calls a crisis of disclosure. It describes what happens both when a survivor of sexual abuse goes through the process of disclosing a series of traumatic events and the fallout of that for not only the person but the constellation of the family in light of the secrets and silence. As a sociologist, I want to extend the idea of a crisis of disclosure beyond the family unit to see that we are now in the midst of a public crisis of disclosure on our college and university campuses.

But the concern isn’t just in the telling; it’s also in the way that meaning is lost. Catharsis is not enough. My former students from years back know this well. Disclosure was contextualized, and classroom concepts became a container for holding the sharing. Together with their peers, I’d push them to see the connections to what we were learning, as well as encourage them to take positive action in the form of volunteering, advocacy and social change.

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When I think about catharsis, I think back to when I was writing a book about caregiving for my adoring and abusive father, and people often asked if it felt cathartic to me. I found myself perpetually confused by the question as it seemed to reduce the writing of such a book into a series of tawdry diary entries or the like. So much more was at stake, and so much more was involved.

Of course, I trusted that the question was well-intended and that people asked because they wanted to know that I was OK—they wanted the reassurance of healing. And in some cases, they wanted to know if they themselves set out to write whether they, too, might be able to expect catharsis.

But the problem is that disclosure on its own may not be enough. Neither disclosure nor catharsis are enough. And that’s because the heart of the telling and the heart and art of the healing are firmly rooted in the meaning of the disclosure—or you might say the meaning-making of the catharsis.

As a culture, we are caught up in the allure of the reveal. We see this in happy events like a pregnancy announcement complete with a dramatic gender reveal. We also see it in the titillation that some people have revealing family secrets. But if the real purpose of revealing secrets is to break the silence and initiate a healing process, then what is most transformative goes far beyond the telling. It goes to the kind of acts of resistance and meaning-making that I’ve previously described.

And that’s where we as educators are responsible for not just holding space, but holding students accountable for what and how they share so that it is not gratuitous, but instead meaningful. By doing this, we help students move beyond the paralysis of despair and empower them to change the course of their lives; we walk our students to the farthest edge of courage, all the while helping to ensure that they don’t fall.

Deborah J. Cohan is professor of sociology at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and the author of Welcome to Wherever We Are: A Memoir of Family, Caregiving, and Redemption (Rutgers, 2020).

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Americans see many federal agencies favorably, but Republicans grow more critical of Justice Department

Americans continue to express positive views of several departments and agencies of the federal government. But there are partisan differences in many of these attitudes.  

Most of these partisan gaps are similar to those seen last year, but Republicans and Democrats have grown further apart in their opinions of the Department of Justice. Republicans’ evaluations of the department have turned more negative.

Today, a majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (56%) say they have an unfavorable opinion of the Justice Department, up from 50% last year. A third have a favorable opinion of the DOJ, while 11% say they are not sure.

By contrast, 55% of Democrats and Democratic leaners have a favorable impression of the DOJ. About a third of Democrats (32%) say they have an unfavorable opinion and 12% are not sure. Views among Democrats are similar to those measured a year ago.

Republicans’ evaluations of the Department of Homeland Security have also turned more negative over the last year: 41% now have a favorable view, down from 47% in 2023.

Pew Research Center regularly conducts surveys to gauge the public’s attitudes about the federal government, including government agencies and departments. For this analysis, we surveyed 9,424 adults from July 1 to 7, 2024.

Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), a group of people recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses who have agreed to take surveys regularly. This kind of recruitment gives nearly all U.S. adults a chance of selection. Surveys were conducted either online or by telephone with a live interviewer. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other factors. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for this analysis , the topline and the survey methodology .

Many federal agencies are viewed positively overall

On balance, Americans view 13 of 16 federal agencies we asked about more favorably than unfavorably, according to our survey of 9,424 adults conducted July 1-7. Of those 13 agencies, 10 have net favorable ratings of 15 percentage points or more.

Topping the list are the National Park Service (76% favorable), the U.S. Postal Service (72%) and NASA (67%).

Smaller majorities have favorable impressions of other agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (55% favorable), the Department of Transportation (53%) and the Social Security Administration (53%).

Americans have mixed views of the Department of Education (44% favorable, 45% unfavorable, 11% unsure) and the Department of Justice (43% favorable, 44% unfavorable, 13% unsure).

The least popular federal agency of the 16 asked about is the Internal Revenue Service. Half of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of the IRS, while 38% have a favorable view.

The agencies that are viewed favorably in our recent online surveys were also among the most favorably viewed in past Pew Research Center surveys conducted by telephone. However, because of differences in question wording and survey mode, the specific percentages in recent web surveys and past telephone surveys are not directly comparable. (Refer to the drop-down box below for more.)

This survey is the second time Pew Research Center has measured the public’s attitudes about federal government agencies on our online American Trends Panel . We previously did so in 2023 . Earlier surveys measuring views of federal agencies, including polls fielded in 2020 and in 2019 , were conducted by telephone.

The findings in our 2024 and 2023 web surveys are not directly comparable with those past telephone surveys for two reasons:

• The web surveys use different question wording than past telephone surveys. Online survey respondents receive an explicit “not sure” response option. Telephone respondents, by contrast, had to volunteer that they did not have an opinion about an agency. This change generally results in a larger share of respondents declining to offer an opinion.
• Surveys conducted online and by telephone often produce different results because respondents sometimes answer similar questions differently across modes. This is called a “ mode effect .”

These two factors mean that point estimates (for instance, the share of respondents who express a favorable opinion about a single agency in our new survey and in a prior phone survey) should not be directly compared to measure change over time. Doing so would conflate question wording and mode differences with change over time.

Despite this limitation, some broad comparisons can be made. For example, if a wide partisan gap is evident for one agency that was not apparent in past surveys – whereas the partisan gap has remained relatively stable for other agencies – that change is likely not only a result of the transition to online polling from phone polling.

Republicans have mostly negative views of CDC, Department of Education

There are wide partisan gaps in Americans’ views of several federal agencies.

Democrats and Democratic leaners hold consistently favorable views of all 16 agencies asked about.

Republicans and GOP leaners express more unfavorable than favorable views for 11 of the 16 agencies.

The partisan divisions in favorability are deepest for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (78% favorable among Democrats vs. 33% among Republicans) and the Environmental Protection Agency (73% vs. 32%).

There are also wide partisan gaps over the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the FBI, the Department of Transportation, the IRS and other agencies.

In contrast, clear majorities of both Democrats and Republicans give positive ratings to the National Park Service (80% vs. 75%, respectively), the U.S. Postal Service (76% vs. 68%) and NASA (74% vs. 62%).

Among Democrats, the CDC and EPA receive some of the highest net favorability ratings

A large majority of Democrats (78%) rate the CDC favorably, while just 12% see the agency unfavorably. That amounts to a 66-point net advantage for the CDC.

For the EPA, 73% of Democrats see the agency favorably – 61 points more than the share who see it unfavorably.

Democrats view the IRS least favorably of the 16 federal agencies. They are only 13 points more likely to view it favorably than unfavorably (50% vs. 37%).

Republicans are much less favorable than Democrats toward most agencies

The agencies that Republicans feel most favorably toward are the National Park Service (67-point net favorability), NASA (45 points) and the Postal Service (41 points).

While it is not possible to make direct percentage point comparisons to past surveys due to a shift in survey mode, Republicans are more likely today than in the past to have substantially more negative than positive views of several agencies.

Republicans’ negative opinions of the CDC, in particular, appear to reflect a shift related to the coronavirus pandemic . Past Center surveys showed that Republicans were especially critical of the CDC’s handling of the outbreak.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published March 30, 2023. Here are the questions used for this analysis , the topline and the survey methodology .

• Federal Government
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Andy Cerda is a research analyst focusing on politics at Pew Research Center .

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Opinion Guest Essay

This New Olympic Sport Is One of America’s Greatest Cultural Exports

Dancers at a Paris workshop demonstrated a style of dance called “debout.” Credit...

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By Jeff Chang

Photographs by Giulia Frigieri

Mr. Chang is the author of “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation.”

• Aug. 9, 2024

On Friday, breaking makes its Olympics debut at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. This form of dance, created by Black youths in the Bronx in the early 1970s, has traveled far from its birthplace. It is now studied, practiced and performed enthusiastically in countries all over the world — and has inspired Olympic-bound B-boys and B-girls, as the dancers are called, from a diverse group of countries including Canada, Ukraine, Japan, South Korea and France.

Over a half-century from its origins, breaking has become another American-grown art form that, much like jazz, other nations are now cultivating more imaginatively than we are.

Support for hip-hop education in the States typically comes from nonprofit organizations, after-school programs and for-profit dance schools. Despite breaking’s American roots, it has never been institutionally supported in public schools as part of a coordinated national policy. In France, however, an enlightened arts education effort is helping to identify and train the dancers who could represent the form’s future.

Consider what’s happening in Paris’s chic Third Arrondissement, about three miles northeast of the Olympic dance floor. The Lycée Turgot, a public high school housed in a majestic 19th-century building, has for the past seven years been home to France’s premier national hip-hop dance program .

Each year, about 50 dancers compete for admission to some 15 slots at Lycée Turgot’s “section of hip-hop dances excellence.” One-third of the dancers are breakers, while the rest dance in a style that the French call “debout” or “standing” dance, which includes popping, locking, house and “hip-hop newstyle.” The dancers admitted to the program receive three years of some of the best arts education any aspiring breaker could imagine.

In addition to taking courses in traditional academic study, Turgot’s hip-hop cohort focuses on developing the elements of breaking — mind, body and soul — by following an expansive hip-hop pedagogy. For up to 12 hours a week students train, learn technique and analyze hip-hop history and battle strategy, all while being instructed in respect, openness and self-knowledge.

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