Prime Time 7, Coursebook plus Semester Self-checks

W WG 2: An essay   Page 76 In persuasive or argumentative writing, we try to convince others to share our values, accept our arguments and conclusions and adopt our way of thinking. Content •• In an argumentative essay the writers put forward their opinion on a sometimes controversial topic. •• As a writer you not only want to present your views but also aim to convince the audience of your opinion. •• The line of argument should be underpinned by logical reasoning, convincing reasons and well-chosen examples. Style and presentation •• An essay should be clearly structured and logical, using discourse markers and linking words to guide the reader through the text. •• The style is formal and always serves the purpose of convincing the reader. Writing a logical and convincing essay takes good preparation. Therefore you should never start writing imme­ diately. The exercises in this section are supposed to help you to collect and organise ideas. They also show you how to rate their importance, arrange them in a logical order, make a plan (outline), formulate paragraphs for the main body as well as an introduction and a conclusion and link up the different parts in order to produce a well-written essay. Sample prompt Read this sample prompt for an essay and answer the questions below. • Who is the target group of the essay? • What is the intention of the text? What do you want to achieve? You have decided to express your opinion on the statement below and to take part in the competition. Just4Teens Magazine Essay-writing competition for teens: “Life without friends is not worth living” The best essay will win a point ’n’ shoot video camera. In your essay you should: • describe teenage social life • analyse the importance of peer groups • discuss mutual support and influence Give your essay a title . Write around 400 words . Collecting and organising ideas a) Make a list of key words for each of the aspects mentioned in the prompt. b) Draw a mind map and organise the key words in groups. c) Put the groups into a logical order. Writing an outline a) Make up your mind about the main point of your text and write it down in one concise sentence. This is the thesis that you will need to support your line of argument. This thesis statement should finally appear in your introduction. b) Draw up an outline of the rest of your text and divide it into paragraphs. Keep in mind that making a strong point at the beginning helps to grab the reader’s attention, and that your last argument usually has a considerable impact on the reader. 1  2  3  Tip Many prompts already include a basic thesis, for example “Smoking should be banned in restaurants completely” (arguing against smoking in restaurants). T 172 Writing guide Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv