A For and Against Essay is an argumentative piece of writing in which you state advantages and disadvantages (PROs and CONs) on a given topic. An important rule that you should remember when you write such an essay is that you may include your opinion only in the FINAL paragraph.
Your For and Against Essay should consist of:
- An INTRODUCTION paragraph in which you state the topic. Remember to refrain from stating your opinion the topic!
- A MAIN BODY which should contain 3 paragraphs, structured as follows:
ARGUMENTS FOR in Paragraphs 2 & 3 in which you should state the points FOR along with justifications and examples. Again, don’t give your opinion!
You can use expressions such as: One major advantage of.., A further advantage…, One point of view in favor of…..
ARGUMENTS AGAINST in Paragraph 4 in which you state the points AGAINST along with justifications and examples. Don’t give your opinion!
Helpful expressions: One major disadvantage of, On the other hand, However, In spite of, While, Nevertheless, Despite, Even though, Although, It can be argued that
3. A CONCLUSION in which you can give a balanced consideration of the topic, and, finally, your opinion.
Here are some more useful expressions to include in the conclusion: To sum up, All in all, All things considered, In conclusion, On the whole, Taking everything into account, As was previously stated
Useful Vocabulary: How do I…
- List points? In the first place, First of all, To start with, Secondly, Thirdly, Finally, Last but not least.
- Add more points? What is more, Furthermore, Also, In addition to this/that, Besides, Apart from this/that, Not to mention the fact that.
- Introduce examples? For example, For instance, Like, Especially, Such as, In particular.
Do you agree that schools, subjects, curriculum and time tables should be updated to suit the changing needs of kids and teens? Do you think that school should teach you how to become a happy, healthy adult rather than force you to cram? Tell us what you think in a For and Against essay, participate in our Essay Competition and you could spend 2 weeks in the UK as the lucky winner of a 2-week sumer camp!
