READING – WRITING 6 Student’s name & class:………….

………

I. TASK APPROACH

1. Analyzing the task

Which task is an argumentative question? Which is a discursive question?
1. Some people think that the only purpose of working hard is to earn money. To what extent
do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
2. Some people believe that punishment is the only purpose of prisons, while others believe
that prisons exist for various reasons. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Write (A) if the statement refers to Argumentative essay, (B) if the statement refers to
Discursive essay.
a. Readers are persuaded to agree with the writer.
b. Different points of view of different people are considered.
c. The writer’s own view may or may not be included.
d. The writer’s own view is the focus.
e. Two different views are always presented.
f. The writer can have a strong or a balanced view.
 Typical task words:
 “Discuss both views.”
 “Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
 “Discuss”

Fill in the blank with the correct words

In an argumentative essay, the writer gives his/her OWN opinion and tries to (1)
_________ the readers to agree with his/her opinion. The writer’s view should be given in the (2)
__________ and supported in the rest of the essay.
In a discursive essay, the writer consider different (3) ______________. Most discussion
essays also ask for the (4) __________ opinion; sometimes, however, the question doesn’t. It
might just ask you to (5) __________ two different views.
Remember: if the question doesn’t ask for your opinion, don’t give it.
2. Brainstorming
a. Looking from different perspectives
To generate ideas for your essay, you can view the issue from different aspects and think
of both the positives and negatives. The following perspectives may help you in terms of
brainstorming for ideas: Social/Society, Education & Work, Economics/Finance, Nature &
Environment, Culture, Time, Health, Crime, and Personal perspective.
Let’s have a look at an example.

Some people believe that working from home is a positive trend; others claim it may
have bad effects on employees and the company. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

For this question, the upsides and downsides of working from home should be considered.
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READING – WRITING 6 Student’s name & class:………….………

Perspectives Positives Negatives

Social Fewer interruptions from the Little contact with colleagues, less
surroundings. face to face interactions.
Possible feeling of isolation
Delayed communication with co-
workers (not having answers
immediately)
Education/Work More efficient/increased Without any supervision, you may
efficiency/productivity lack immediate support/feedback from
(However this requires) your
supervisors/employers/colleagues.

Interfere with accuracy and efficiency

(this is like the downside of working
remotely).
Economics/Finance Travelling expenses saved for Increase in utility bills.
employees, power costs saved Companies lose their customers ->
for employers lack of staff (service industry suffers
this the most).
Profit loss, revenue loss.
Nature/Environment Less travelling meaning less
fuel burned -> less carbon
dioxide and other hazardous
chemicals and gases ->
mitigates greenhouse effects,
the amount of bui sieu vi from
fumes and exhaust.
Culture Not affected by the working Corporate culture will not be
culture in the company established/instilled. Very difficult to
form a bond among the members of
the corporate.

Time Flexible schedule: free to set Time management: Cannot stick to

deadlines and when to take the routine/schedule as well. May
breaks miss the deadline.
Health Stress reduced: no travelling Sedentary lifestyle
during rush hours and dealing Mental health
with traffic congestion.
Less time for commuting, less
exhausted
Crime Cybercrimes (susceptible, malware,
viruses, data breaches, information
leakage).
Personal Feeling of comfort, casual Sometimes becoming too relaxed
lifestyle. Easier to be distracted by non-work
issues.
Harder to maintain work-life balance
or to keep home and work life

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READING – WRITING 6 Student’s name & class:………….………
separate.

b. “Reporter Technique”
This approach uses six powerful questions to help you collect ideas for your essay. Ask
yourself and answer these questions: What? Why? Who? How? When? Where?, then write down
the words/phrases that may help you to develop the arguments.

Let’s look at an example:

Some people believe in the traditional idea that the woman’s place is in the home, while
others say that idea is outdated and that women should play an increasingly important role in
the workplace of the future. Discuss both views.

Questions Women staying at home Women playing important role

in workplace
What Taking care of family (child rearing, household Doing business
(roles)? chores, etc)
Who? Housewives – home makers Businesswomen, leaders,
managers
Why? - Careful, thoughtful and caring nature - Now just as well-qualified
- Husbands can focus on working to and competent as men.
accommodate family - Two genders share family
responsibilities
When? - Around the clock - Allocate time for family
and work
Where? - At home - At home and workplace
How? - Running errands around the house, -
taking care of finance -> dependent on
their partner.
Note: After ideas are generated, it is best to choose some ideas which you can support with
reasons/examples and structure them to develop 2 body paragraphs. DO NOT try to include all of
the ideas that you have. Only well-supported points are good points.
Exercise 1:
Brainstorm the ideas for the following questions using either of the techniques mentioned in
section 2.
1. Some authorities believe that students should have a wide range of knowledge while others
believe that students should study smaller amount of courses and go into details more. Discuss
both sides and give your opinion.

2. Some people think that secondary school should add international news as a subject; others
think that it is a waste of valuable time. Discuss both views.

3. Essay structuring
The structure of a discursive essay should look like this:
Introduction
Paragraph 1 state the topic and present the 2 sides
Main Body

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READING – WRITING 6 Student’s name & class:………….………

Paragraph 2 side 1 & reasons/ examples

Paragraph 3 side 2 & reasons/ examples
Conclusion
Paragraph 4 summarize/ restate both sides.

Exercise 2: Structuring an essay

Some people believe that it is wrong to keep animals in zoos, while others think that zoos are
both entertaining and ecologically important.
Discuss both views.

Arrange the points below in order to develop 2 body paragraphs. Write the 2 topic sentences.
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%20endangered%20species%20by,loss%2C%20starvation%2C%20and%20predators.&text=A
%20good%20zoo%20provides%20an,and%20have%20plenty%20of%20space
a. (Economic perspective) Zoos employ large numbers of people. They provide job
opportunities and income for the local area. The money raised can be used for conservation
projects. Zoos can be a destination to attract tourists and residents. Disadvantage: takes a lot of
money to take care of animals and conservation.

b. (Environmental perspective) Zoos are artificial environments. Animals lose their instinct to
hunt for food. It would be better to save endangered species by protecting their natural habitats.
c. (Environmental perspective) Zoos play an important role in wildlife conservation. They help
to protect endangered species. They allow scientists to study animal behavior. However, this is
really contradictory in essence, zoos should only be temporary solution to hedge the dangers of
poaching of endangered species in wildlife. The real question is how to preserve and conserve the
wild habitats of those held captive in zoos.
d. (Personal perspective) Zoos are interesting, educational and fun. They make a great day out
for families. Children learn to appreciate wildlife and nature. However, to exchange the
 e. (Moral perspective) Keeping animals in cages is unethical. We have no right to use
animals for entertainment. Zoos exhibit animals with the aim of making a profit. From
an animal rights standpoint, humans do not have a right to breed,
capture, and confine other animals—even if those species
are endangered. Being a member of an endangered species doesn't mean
the individual animals should be afforded fewer rights.
 Animals in captivity suffer from boredom, stress, and confinement.4 No
pen—no matter how humane—or drive-through safari can compare to
the freedom of the wild.

Body paragraph 1:
Topic sentence: ........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................

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READING – WRITING 6 Student’s name & class:………….………
Main points:
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
Body paragraph 2:
Topic sentence: ........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
Main points:
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................

Exercise 3: Understanding the outline

Some people believe that studying at university or college is the best route to a successful
career, while others believe that it is better to get a job straight after school.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Read the model below and complete the paragraph plan at the end, identifying the topic and main
points of each paragraph.

When they finish school, teenagers face the dilemma of whether to get a job or continue their
education. While there are some benefits to getting a job straight after school, I would argue that
it is better to go to college or university.

The option to start work straight after school is attractive for several reasons. Many young
people want to start earning money as soon as possible. In this way, they can become
independent, and they will be able to afford their own house or start a family. In terms of their
career, young people who decide to find work, rather than continue their studies, may progress
more quickly. They will have the chance to gain real experience and learn practical skills related
to their chosen profession. This may lead to promotions and a successful career.

On the other hand, I believe that it is more beneficial for students to continue their studies.
Firstly, academic qualifications are required in many professions. For example, it is impossible
to become a doctor, teacher or lawyer without having the relevant degree. As a result, university
graduates have access to more and better job opportunities, and they tend to earn higher salaries
than those with fewer qualifications. Secondly, the job market is becoming increasingly
competitive, and sometimes there are hundreds of applicants for one position in a company.
Young people who do not have qualifications from a university or college will not be able to

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READING – WRITING 6 Student’s name & class:………….………

compete.

For the reasons mentioned above, it seems to me that students are more likely to be successful
in their careers if they continue their studies beyond school level.

(271 words)

A. Introduction
B. Main body
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
C. Conclusion
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4. Writing the essay

a. Useful Language:
Describing other people’s opinions:
 It is often said/ claimed that …  X argues/ asserts/ believes/ claims/
 It seems apparent that … concludes/ confirms/ insists/ maintains/
 It is generally accepted that … states/ points out/ that + sb + V
 It is widely agreed that …
 It is probable that …
Describing your own opinion:
Giving an opinion
 To my mind/ To my way of thinking, …
 It is my (firm) belief/ opinion/ view/ conviction (that)…
 In my opinion/ view…
 I (firmly) believe that…
 I (do not) agree that/ with…
 I would agree/ argue that…
 It seems to me that…
 I feel strongly that…

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READING – WRITING 6 Student’s name & class:………….………

b. “Discuss both views” vs. “Discuss both views AND give your opinion”

Exercise 4: Compare the following essays. How are they different? Why are they
different?
Essay 1:
Some people believe that studying at university or college is the best route to a successful
career, while others believe that it is better to get a job straight after school. Discuss both views
and give your opinion.

When they finish school, teenagers face the dilemma of whether to get a job or continue
their education. While there are benefits to getting a job straight after school, I would argue that
it is better to go to college or university.
The option to start work straight after school is attractive for several reasons. Many young
people want to start earning money as soon as possible. In this way, they can become
independent, and they will be able to afford their own house or start a family. In terms of their
career, young people who decide to find work, rather than continue their studies, may progress
more quickly. They will have the chance to gain real experience and learn practical skills related
to their chosen profession. This may lead to promotions and a successful career.
On the other hand, I believe that it is more beneficial for students to continue their
studies. Firstly, academic qualifications are required in many professions. For example, it is
impossible to become a doctor, teacher or lawyer without having the relevant degree. As a result,
university graduates have access to more and better job opportunities, and they tend to earn
higher salaries than those with fewer qualifications. Secondly, the job market is becoming
increasingly competitive, and sometimes there are hundreds of applicants for one position in a
company. Young people who do not have qualifications from a university or college will not be
able to compete.
For the reasons mentioned above, it seems to me that students are more likely to be
successful in their careers if they continue their studies beyond school level.

Essay 2
Some people believe that studying at university or college is the best route to a successful
career, while others believe that it is better to get a job straight after school.
Discuss both views.

When they finish school, teenagers face the dilemma of whether to get a job or continue
their education. While there are benefits to getting a job straight after school, there are also good
reasons why it might be beneficial to go to college or university.
The option to start work straight after school is attractive for several reasons. Many young
people want to start earning money as soon as possible. In this way, they can become
independent, and they will be able to afford their own house or start a family. In terms of their
career, young people who decide to find work, rather than continue their studies, may progress
more quickly. They will have the chance to gain real experience and learn practical skills related
to their chosen profession. This may lead to promotions and a successful career.
On the other hand, it is also understandable that many students choose to continue their
studies. Firstly, academic qualifications are required in many professions. For example, it is
impossible to become a doctor, teacher or lawyer without having the relevant degree. As a result,
university graduates have access to more and better job opportunities, and they tend to earn
higher salaries than those with fewer qualifications. Secondly, the job market is becoming

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READING – WRITING 6 Student’s name & class:………….………
increasingly competitive, and sometimes there are hundreds of applicants for one position in a
company. Young people who do not have qualifications from a university or college may not be
able to compete.
In conclusion, there are convincing arguments for starting work straight after school,
but higher education can also lead to a successful career.

II. PRACTICE
Develop an outline and write the first draft for one essay question (decided by the teacher)

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