BEGINNERS COURSE

WRITING LESSON 6

 Writing body
Lesson focus
 Agree/disagree

I. HOW TO WRITE BODY PARAGRAPHS

1. Structure

Topic sentence
(……………)

Idea 1 Supporting ideas (1-2 sentences)

(1 sentence)

Idea 2 Supporting ideas (……………...)

(…………….)

Example:

In some countries, many more people are choosing to live alone nowadays than in the past.
Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Body 1: Benefits of living alone

*Topic sentence
The rise in one-person households can be seen as positive for both personal and broader
economic reasons.
*Idea 1:
On an individual level, people who choose to live alone may become more independent and self-
reliant than those who live with family members.
*Supporting ideas:

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A young adult who lives alone, for example, will need to learn to cook, clean, pay bills and
manage his or her budget, all of which are valuable life skill. Thus, an increase in the number of
such individuals can certainly be seen as a positive development.
*Idea 2:
From an economic perspective, the trend towards living alone will result in greater demand for
housing.
*Supporting ideas:
This is likely to benefit the construction industry, estate agents and a whole host of other
companies that rely on homeowners to buy their products or services.
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Body 2: Drawbacks of living alone
*Topic sentence
However, the personal and economic argument given above can be considered from the opposite
angle.

*Idea 1:

Firstly, rather than the positive feeling of increased independence, people who live alone may
experience feelings of loneliness, isolation and worry.

*Supporting ideas:

They miss out on the emotional support and daily conversation that family or flatmates can
provide, and they must bear the weight of all household bills and responsibilities; in this sense,
perhaps the trend towards living alone is a negative one.

*Idea 2:

Secondly, from the financial point of view, a rise in demand for housing is likely to push up
property prices and rents.

*Supporting ideas:

While this may benefit some businesses, the general population, including those who live alone,
will be faced with rising living costs.

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2. Useful linking words and cohesive language for the body

*Transitions between two paragraphs:

Body 1: On the one hand, First, Firstly, To begin with, First of all, First and
foremost,…
Body 2: On the other hand, However, From another angle,…

*Transitions between ideas in a paragraph

- First / Firstly,…
- Second / Secondly / Also / In addition / Similarly/ On the other hand,…
- Finally / More importantly / Last but not least,…

How to write a topic sentence?

S + many/a lot of benefits/advantages/positives in some

has/brings/creates few/several drawbacks/disadvantages/negatives certain
/offers/ comes aspects/
with to a
certain
S + is/are extremely/really beneficial/ advantageous/ positive
extent
problematic/disadvantageous/negative

There is/are some/ plenty of merits/challenges/ issues with/of +

S

How to support ideas in a paragraph?

Type Linking words/Structure

 Because/ since/ as + clause

 Because of/Due to + Noun phrase
Cause – result  Lead to/result in sth (v)
 Therefore/ as a result/ thus/ as a
consequence/consequently,…

 In general: in comparison, compared to

Comparison
 Similarly,…

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  In contrast/ nevertheless/ however/ on the other
hand

 Such as/namely + N
Example
 For example /for instance,…

 Although/Though/Even though + Clause

Concession
 Despite/in spite of + Noun phrase

Purpose  In order to do sth,…

 0: if + clause (simple present), main clause

(simple present)
Hypothesis
 1: if + clause (simple present), main clause
(will)

3. Practice

Supporting those sentences below by using learned techniques.

a. To begin with, the availability of entertainment on handheld devices is advantageous to

individuals.
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b. On the one hand, the change towards using alternative types of energy would probably
put a heavy financial burden on the government and companies.

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c. First, the regional economy can enormously benefit from the burgeoning tourism industry as
more occupations will be created to accommodate the needs of tourists.

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II. AGREE/DISAGREE TASK

Model question: To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Two approaches:
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Example:

Some people think the qualities a person needs to become successful in today’s
world cannot be learned at a university or similar academic institution.To what extent
do you agree or disagree?

Introduction

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Body 1:

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Body 2:

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Sample essay:
Many people believe that universities and other academic institutions cannot equip
students with qualities necessary for their success in life. Nevertheless, I think that these qualities
can be admittedly learned at school as long as the student is conscious of self-improvement.
Students can acquire qualities that are necessary for their life success such as time-
management and leadership skills through doing assignments at school. First, they can learn how
to successfully manage their time budget by attempting to finish all the homework assigned
before the deadline. Second, they can also better their ability to lead a team thanks to group
projects in which they are provided a chance to practice being a leader. After many years,
students are enabled to become better-organized with improved leadership abilities so that they
can better deal with deadlines and get used to working as a team leader, which increases their
chances of promotion at work and success in life.
However, only proactive students who have a thirst for improvement can make good use
of their school life to equip themselves with necessary qualities for their success. When
understanding that it is necessary for them to enhance their abilities of managing their time as
well as leading their team, they will have more motivation to make progress. However, if
students are unaware of how important being adept at organizing their time is, they tend to
procrastinate and fail to meet the deadline, so they can hardly excel at time management. Also,

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some of them who avoid taking the role of a leader due to their passiveness and laziness can ruin
their own chance of honing their leadership skills.
In conclusion, academic institutions including universities are good places for students to
gain qualities essential for their successful life. However, only those who are active enough can
seize such opportunities and stand a better chance of future success.
PRACTICE

Although more and more people read the news on the Internet, newspapers
will remain the most important source of news for the majority of people.
Do you agree or disagree?

Introduction

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Body 2
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The most essential component of a person’s life is his or her time at the workplace,
and life turns meaningless once no job satisfaction is obtained. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?

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