for against essay phrases

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40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument. Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine and engineering .

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Blog de Cristina

Digital tools and ideas to transform education, five steps to writing a good for and against essay.

An essay is a formal piece of writing which describes, analyses or discusses a particular issue.

The most common types are:

Opinion essays. They present the writer’s personal opinion of the topic, supported with examples and reasons.
For and against essays. They present both sides of an issue in a balanced way. In the concluding paragraph you can say why you find one side more convincing than the other.

In this post, I’ll guide you step by step to help you write a good for and against essay.

Step 1. Tips and Guidelines +sample essay (pdf)
Step 2. Presentation + sample essay (reinforcing)
Step 3. Using connectors of contrast
Step 4. Using connectors of purpose
Step 5. Write: 53 topics to write about. (pdf)

Step 1. Tips and guidelines+sample essay

Download pdf

1. The first stage in writing is producing ideas. It’s important to dedicate two or three minutes to carefully planning what you are going to say. Make a list of the points for and against. Remember that the key to writing a good balanced essay is to include as many arguments you disagree with as those you agree with. They should be noted impartially although in your conclusion you can say why you find one side more convincing than the other.

2. Producing and organising ideas is one thing. Shaping ideas and the organisation of your writing is another. But often the most difficult part is starting a first draft.

Once you have your first draft pay attention to how you have organised the information into paragraphs and grouped ideas.

Once this is done you can focus on expression. This means looking at sentence structure, tense usage and vocabulary. It’s important to write clearly and economically. This can mean either rephrasing ideas in two sentences instead of one, or rewriting two longer sentences as one shorter sentence. So, go over your first draft, looking for ways of improving sentence structure, tense usage and vocabulary.

3. Organise your essay into three parts:

Introduction- Paragraph 1- Introduce the topic. The opening should engage the reader’s interest and give a hint of what is to follow.
Main Body- Normally you have two paragraphs. In Paragraph 2, you state your arguments for and in Paragraph 3, your arguments against.
Conclusion– In paragraph 4 you refer back to the topic and summarize. Here you can say why you find one side more convincing than the other.

4. It’s important that you begin each paragraph with a main idea and then develop this idea. For a new idea, begin a new paragraph.

5. This is academic writing, so don’t use informal style ( no contractions, colloquial words, or emotional language).

6. Remember to use a variety of structures and vocabulary adequate to your level.

Step 2. Presentation + sample essay (reinforcing ).

Step 3. Using connectors of contrast.

Using connectors is important to express different relationships between ideas. Here, you’ll learn how to use connectors of contrast.

Read the flyer below to learn how to use: despite/in spite of, nevertheless, however, on the other hand, although, even though, though, yet, still, but and while/whereas.

At the end of the flyer there are some interactive exercises to test your knowledge.

Step 3. Using connectors of purpose.

Now we learn how to express purpose with the following words: to, in order to, so as to, for, so that and in case.

Test your knowledge

Step 5. Write: 53 topics to write about. Pdf here

Are you ready to write now? Here’s a compilation of 53 for and against topics to write about from different sites and course books. Take your pick, follow all the tips and guidelines and good luck!

Should schools start later in the morning?
Benefits of teaching children second languages early on.
The pros and cons of single gender classrooms.
Is sex education the job of parents or of the school?
The pros and cons of reduction of physical education hours in our current school system.
The pros and cons of security cameras in schools.
Pros and cons of a 4-day school week.
Should parents pay students for good grades?
The pros and cons of bilingual or dual language education.
The pros and cons of wearing a uniform.
The pros and cons of banning junk food in schools.
Should sexual education be taught in high schools?
The education a child receives at home from having parents who are positive role models is more important than the academic education a child receives at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

HEALTHY ISSUES

Plastic surgery- vanity or need?
Is vegetarianism a healthy diet?
One of the largest parts of government expenditure is health. Some people argue that this money would be better spent on health education on the principle that prevention is better than cure. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

MORAL ISSUES

Should parents be allowed to choose their child’s gender?
Pros and cons of having exotic animals as home pets?
Should advertising for plastic surgery be illegal?
Should priests be celibate?
What does everyone think about zoo animals? Is it a good or a bad thing?
Does legal prostitution reduce crime?
To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable? Discuss the pros and cons.
Some people argue that the amount of violence shown in films and on television has led to an increase in violent crimes in society. Do you agree with this argument? Should the government control what is shown on television and in the cinema?
Should rich countries forgive all debts for poor countries?
The pros and cons of children under the age of 10 playing video games.
The pros and cons of film, television, and music piracy.
Should kids under the age of 13 have a phone?
Advantages and disadvantages of digital spying on kids and teens.
The pros and cons of owning an electric car.
Have we become too dependent on technology? Discuss the pros and cons.
Should students be allowed to have cell phones in elementary and high schools?
Should we ban the sale of violent video games?
Some people say that the Internet is making the world smaller by bringing people together. To what extent do you agree that the Internet is making it easier for people to communicate with one another?
Should pro wrestling be considered a sport?
Should sport hunting be banned?
Many people want their country to hold the Olympics. Others believe that international sporting events bring more problems than benefits. Discuss both views and state your opinion.
In the future, we will have more and more leisure time as machines replace many of the tasks we do at home and work. Discuss the benefits this will bring and also the problem it will cause.
It is said that travel broadens the mind. What can we learn by travelling to other countries? Should we first explore our own countries? Discuss.
In many countries tourism is a major part of the economy, but it also causes environmental damage and ruins the places it exploits. It is argued that tourists should pay an additional tax to compensate for this damage. Do you agree?
Should museums and art galleries be free of charge for the general public, or should a charge, even a voluntary charge, be levied for admittance? Discuss this issue, and give your opinion.
Unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing developed nations today. What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of reducing the working week to thirty five hours?
Most high level jobs are done by men. Should the government encourage a certain percentage of these jobs to be reserved for women?
Should retirement be compulsory at 65 years of age?

GLOBALISATION:

Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
Television has had a significant influence on the culture of many societies. To what extent would you say that television has positively or negatively affected the cultural development of your society?
Some people like living in a house, while others prefer an apartment. Are there more advantages than disadvantages to living in a house rather than in an apartment?

FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS

The pros and cons of gay marriage.
Some parents choose not to have a television at home because of the influence on their children. Is this a good or a bad thing?
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. What is your opinion?
People are now living longer than ever before and many old people are unable to look after themselves. Some people believe that it is the responsibility of families to look after the elderly, while others say governments should provide retirement homes for them where they can be looked after properly. Discuss.
Are women better parents than men?
If children behave badly, should their parents accept responsibility and also be punished?

Have you visited my writing section yet ?

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23 thoughts on “ Five Steps to Writing a Good For and Against Essay ”

thanks https://www.cristinacabal.com/ y

Thank you for the information. Really is useful

Thanks for your comment! And also, for the link to the video! Very clear and helpful!

Great article! Thanks! Perhaps this information that I found will be useful as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGU5Tkh-Rvg

Thanks for sharing. This is a very interesting post.

Thank you very much for your comments and post.

Thanks for your comment!

Writing is an art that everyone has but you need to figure it out. You can write any type of essay and article first you need to choose the topic wisely then do research and then start writing. You can choose topics like Fashion, Business, and Environment. Thanks for sharing this information it is interesting.

Hey, Thanks for sharing this information.

Hi Montse Which presentation are you referring to? There are three. I’ve just checked all of them and they seem to be working fine. I suggest you use another browser, just in case!

Thanks very much for sharing your For and Against Presentation but it does not work quite well. Words overlap, some of them are not separated… it is difficult to stop the presentation..

Hi Grace Thanks for your comment!

This is all very useful. Thanks a lot..

Hi Bry Where is “although” hyphenated exactly? I can’t see it anywhere! Thanks

Your rules of hypenation seem to not be for English words and spellings. I think that your current rules are perhaps for Spanish. That makes this kind of hypenation:

Since “th” is a digraph, you have to hyphenate:

FYI, no worries!

–Bry.

This is quite interesting topic and students can have variety of words to write on. Writing an essay just needs clear instruction and valuable content. This is basic requirement of essay because without clear concept we can’t write well. Also i want to say that writing will describe your thinking as well so always try to remain positive and determined to your task.

Thanks a lot, Ann!

Hi Cristina,

Just to let you know that we’ve shortlisted this blog post for this month’s TeachingEnglish blog award and I’ll be putting up a post about it on tomorrow’s TeachingEnglish Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TeachingEnglish.BritishCouncil , if you’d like to check there for likes and comments.

You’re welcome! I am glad you find it useful!

Thanks a lot for sharing us this material. I really appreciate it.

Hi Nad Which powerpoint do you refer to? I’ve tested everything visual on the post and it seems to be working fine.

Hello, The powerpoint like document is not working properly. Some words overlap others and it makes it difficult to read sometimes.

Anyway, thanks for sharing, it’s very useful,

For and Against Discussion Essays (FADEs)

Learners working in English for Academic Purposes are not alone in needing the skills to write FADEs. They are also important in business, education, government and other fields where the ability logically and dispassionately to set out arguments for and against a proposal or situation is valued. The social sciences, in particular, value written, balanced arguments. For this reason, this guide is linked from both the EAP sections and the general skills and discourse indexes.

It is important to be clear about what FADEs are not. They are not:

Expositions which require the writer to set out one side of an argument and attempt to persuade the reader of a point of view.
Reports which require the writer to set out facts in logical stages with some discussion of each.
Problem-Solution texts which require the writer to set out the problems and suggest solutions for each which are evaluated in terms of effectiveness, advantages and drawbacks.

Confusing the text types will bewilder learners.

All texts have purposes. One definition of genre is that it contains texts which share the same cultural purposes. Discussion is no exception so we need to identify what exactly the purpose of a FADE is. We will start with this definition of purpose:

to look at more than one side of an issue: to explore various perspectives before coming to an informed decision Butt et al , 2001:9

and unpack it a little:

more than one side ... various perspectives : A common error in students' writing (and in some teaching) is to see dichotomies where none exists or even to invent them. Few important issues have only two sides and there are shades of opinion and many perspectives which need to be considered.
to explore : This requires the writer to identify, discuss and exemplify a point of view, not simply state it.
an informed decision : so not a simple statement of a point of view uninfluenced by facts and research. The coda (at the end of the essay) needs to refer to the facts that have been set out.

The result of bearing these three issues in mind is that an essay will impress the reader with the depth of thought that lies behind it and gets away from some people think X, some people think Y but I agree with Z .

This guide is ordered as follows according to the key skills that are required. They cannot be taught in a single lesson.

Organisation This involves the knowledge, some of it cultural, of the conventional staging of information in a FADE.
using appropriate verbal processes
selecting appropriate tense structures
using lexis concerning the register
syntax and punctuation
knowing who will read the text
selecting an appropriate style (tenor)
content knowledge (field)

We'll take the sections one at a time.

The staging of a discussion in English (not necessarily in the languages of other cultures) is, on the face of it, quite simple. It comes in two basic options:

Structure 1	Structure 2

The first and last stages are common to both forms and, in fact, the last, the Coda, is often optional. The other stages are not.

A classic error is to mix the structures and, for example, start with structure 1 and give a bunch of arguments for and then confuse the reader by transitioning to structure 2 and mix the points up. That disconcerts, disorientates and displeases.

We can break all this down and exemplify what is meant. As an example, we will take a topic in a field in which there are few technical terms and special registers to be considered.

Only at very low levels should this be a one-sentence section. It involves two parts and each should be properly refined and defined:

The particular topic of the essay needs, of course, to be stated clearly both in the title and the introductory paragraph but then the issue has to be set in its wider context and properly defined.
The importance of the issue has to be stated in general terms and then has to be further refined to set out what is meant by importance: to whom, in what circumstances, says who?

Here's an example of the introduction to a FADE of the pros and cons of allowing smoking in public spaces:

This essay concerns whether smoking should be allowed in public spaces and attempts to set out the arguments that have been proposed for and against permitting it. This is a social, legal and public health issue and in what follows these aspects of the subject will be taken in turn. For the purposes of this essay, public spaces are defined as any areas outside private homes which are open to the public either free of charge or on payment of an entrance fee. It includes, therefore, open spaces, shops, bars, public houses, services and utilities such as airports and train stations as well as public roads and streets. Excluded from consideration are private spaces although consideration will be given to borderline cases such as hotel rooms, hostels, prisons and private vehicles. Smoking is defined as the use of tobacco in pipes, cigarettes and cigars but excludes other, non-smoking ways of ingesting tobacco. Consideration will also be given to the recent development of e-cigarettes. The issue is important for three reasons. Firstly, there are public health concerns regarding the use of tobacco and its effects both on individuals and those around them. This includes the resources devoted to the care of those whose illnesses may have been caused or exacerbated by smoking. Secondly, it is a social issue in which the rights of individuals need to be balanced against the rights of others and society as a whole. Thirdly, it is a legal and ethical issue insofar as it concerns the extent to which the law should be used as a social engineering tool to encourage, enforce or prohibit the activities of individuals.

This is a rather sophisticated introduction written by a competent user of English and learners are unlikely to be able to produce writing of this sort without a good deal of help and teaching. However, such a text may serve as a model for learners to encourage them to say more than just what the essay is about and to define their terms from the outset. A check-list is helpful for this:

State the topic
organisational
public health
industrial etc.
What terms do you need to define?
Give two reasons why the issue is important.

Given such a list, even learners at lower levels can begin to develop an introduction that is more than a title.

These lie at the core of the essay and should be carefully constructed. If the introduction has successfully previewed the areas into which the arguments fall, organisation becomes significantly easier. The most important issue here is to avoid what has been termed spaghetti writing characterised by rambling sentences, short unconnected points or a stream-of-consciousness approach. Good advice is to confine each argument to four paragraphs:

the issue and examples
the argument
the evaluation of the strength of the argument
the evaluation of any weaknesses in the argument

The damage to health that smoking causes is no longer seriously debated by health professionals and other experts. It has been shown in numerous well-conducted studies that smoking tobacco has a range of detrimental effects including but not limited to cancer, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses, reduced fertility and damage to unborn babies. For this reason, there are many who argue that an absolute ban on smoking in public spaces is required to protect individuals from the effects of smoking. Banning smoking, it is argued, will reduce the amount people smoke, encourage abstinence and reduce the costs to the health care services as well as improving the population's overall fitness. This is a strong point because the costs to individuals and society can be readily estimated and the potential health benefits of a non-smoking society are also quantifiable in terms of health service, insurance and other costs. However, this argument relies on the assumption that it is society's right and duty to protect individuals from their own actions. Extended logically, the argument might just as well apply to banning dangerous sports, such as mountaineering or solo yachting, boxing and even horse riding, rugby, judo and other contact sports, all of which cause thousands of deaths and injuries worldwide every year and all of which people take part in voluntarily despite the risks. These activities, too, involve costs for health services and the emergency services whose members own safety may be put at risk rescuing others from the results of their own choices of recreational activities.

Again, only advanced learners are likely to be able to produce such a sophisticated text but, as before, such texts can be used as models to develop their own writing.

State the field in which the argument lies (financial, health, social, legal etc.)
State the argument clearly
State the argument's strength
State the argument's weakness

A coda may be defined as a concluding remark . The word conclude , of course, also implies arriving at an opinion by deduction (not just stating a view) so the section needs attention.

Here, the job of the writer is to draw the reader' attention to the points which need to be emphasised and convince them that a just and fair conclusion has been arrived at by weighing the facts and arguments that have been identified. It comes in four parts:

Identification of the main issue
Identification of difficulties
Reiteration of the strongest points
Statement of view

Here's an example to treat in the same way as the previous ones. It's more than can be expected of all but the strongest students but would serve as a model.

Whether smoking should be banned in all public spaces is by no means an easy issue to determine. Firstly, there is a tension between the public and private spheres regarding the extent to which the rights of smokers may be subordinated to the rights of others to breath clean air. Secondly, there is the issue of social costs and how far only one type of potentially dangerous voluntary activity should be controlled because of the costs that may be involved to society as a whole. Thirdly, there is the ethical issue of how far the law should be involved in the private decisions and choices of individuals. Arguments on both sides have merits and there are many intermediate points of view that lie between no control at all and an outright, universal ban. On balance, it seems that the costs to society and to the health of its members are more important than the respect we owe to allowing individuals to make informed choices concerning their own lives. Smoking is not an activity which only affects the smoker. Others are affected by the degradation of their surroundings, damage to their own health and costs to society as a whole to which all taxpayers contribute. A reasonable position to take, advocated here, is to limit smoking in circumstances which most affect non-smokers but to allow individuals to make choices in other settings. This will mean banning smoking in enclosed public spaces such as shops, bars, cafés, cinemas, theatres and so on but permitting it in private spaces and in the open air where the risk of damage caused to others is either voluntarily run or negligible.

In what follows, we will draw on the examples already given to see what linguistic issues underlie the ability to construct a FADE. As it is unlikely that the ability to write a discussion is something you would teach to lower-level learners, we shall assume from the outset that the learners can competently produce acceptable syntax, control most of the tense structures of English, can make passive and active voice sentences and use a range of conjunction. We shall not assume that they are familiar with complex pre- and post-modification or the large range of discoursal features that are needed in a FADE.

Here's one short paragraph from the example used above:

The first sentence in this section is, structurally, about as simple as we get in English and akin to, for example: The book is published because it consists of a subject, a copular verb and an attribute. The fact that the attribute is a participle so the sentence is also analysable as a passive is actually not very important. It breaks down like this:

Subject noun phrase	Copular verb / auxiliary verb phrase	Adjective / verb phrase

and we can do exactly the same to the longer, apparently more complex sentence, like this:

Subject noun phrase	Copular verb / auxiliary verb phrase + modification	Adjective / verb phrase

A feature of many academic texts and of FADEs in particular is that noun, verb and adjective phrases often contain a good deal of pre- and post-modification to make the expression of the data more concise and accessible. We can of course, avoid most of this with shorter, less informative sentences and could produce a paragraph such as:

Smoking causes damage to health. The damage used to be debated. The damage is not debated now. Health professionals do not debate this. Other experts do not debate this.

but the outcome is clumsy and inefficient.

A primary teaching aim is to focus, therefore, on how pre- and post-modification of items is achieved in English. There are guides to modification elsewhere on this site so the point will not be discussed at length here. See the links to related guides at the end.

However, to teach this kind of structure is not as hard as it may seem. We can start with something easy, like this and proceed as suggested:

Homework is useful Add a relative clause to say what sort of homework:
Homework which is set by the teacher is useful Add an adverb and another verb to make a phrase:
Homework which is usually set and marked by the teacher is useful Add an adjective phrase for the subject:
Subject-related homework which is usually set and marked by the teacher is useful Add a prepositional phrase to say who benefits:
Subject-related homework which is usually set and marked by the teacher is useful for school children
Now add a conjunction and another clause to say why this is true: Subject-related homework which is usually set and marked by the teacher is useful for school children because it helps them to learn

Once learners get the hang of doing this to simple and undemanding sentences, they can revisit their own writing to see how to compress more data into each clause and make the writing more sophisticated and interesting as well as densely informative.

Once complexity is built into clauses, we can move on to how clauses are connected to make complex and compound sentences. Here is another example taken from the texts we have already used:

Firstly, there is a tension between the public and private spheres regarding the extent to which the rights of smokers may be subordinated to the rights of others to breath clean air. Secondly, there is the issue of social costs and how far only one type of potentially dangerous voluntary activity should be controlled because of the costs that may be involved to society as a whole.

There are three systems at work here: prepositional links, conjunctions and conjuncts and they need to be handled separately.

Join the parts on the left using the prepositions on the right
		concerning regarding thanks to following pertaining to in place of other than

Join the parts on the left using the conjunctions on the right
		as long as unless hence so whereas yet

Conjuncts Confusing conjuncts with conjunctions is a major source of error for learners trying to write formally. They are superficially attractive because their use is often a sign of sophisticated writing but they need to be handled with some care. Errors such as: *The problem is severe moreover it is difficult to solve *The problem is severe. Although it is not difficult to solve. are common outcomes of confusing conjunct with conjunction. Examples of conjunct use from above are: Secondly, there is the issue of social costs On balance, it seems that For this reason, there are many However, this argument relies on Conjuncts expressing the following concepts are frequently needed in FADEs:

Use one of the conjuncts on the right to introduce the second sentence
		Accordingly Nevertheless Nonetheless Primarily In view of that On the other hand

It should be emphasised that teaching this kind of idea linking should precede the demand for learners to produce fully finished essays.

Here we are on simpler ground.

The following sorts of verbal processes are common to many differently focused FADEs.

Existential: These are almost always introduced by it or there followed by a simple copular verb. They are easy enough to deploy but learners often need help in noticing the need for them. For example, from the texts above: there are many who argue that an absolute ban on smoking in public spaces is required it seems that the costs to society and to the health of its members are more important It has been shown in numerous well-conducted studies that
Relational: As the name suggests, these verbal processes link two items. Examples from above include: areas outside private homes which are open to the public points of view that lie between no control at all and an outright, universal ban costs to society and to the health of its members are more important than Arguments on both sides have merits Setting up relationships between ideas is central to the role of writing a good FADE.
Material and behavioural processes: These refer either to how people or things act. Example from above include: The damage to health that smoking causes the law should be used as a social engineering tool illnesses may have been caused or exacerbated by smoking banning smoking in enclosed public spaces Which verbs learners will need will depend greatly on the topic under discussion, of course. That they will need to deploy verbs relating to material and behavioural processes is not in doubt.
Projecting: These refer to what people believe or say and are central. Examples from above include: no longer seriously debated there are many who argue that Smoking is defined as

Tense use is also predictably simple.

Almost all the verbs in the examples given above are in the present simple because the discussion involves a current situation. Occasionally, the present perfect may be used to refer to a previous event that has significant present consequences, as in, for example: It has been shown in numerous well-conducted studies that Otherwise, the simple present is conventionally used throughout.

Passive-voice clauses serve to distance the writer from the topic by implying that it is the action that is important, not who did it and that is conventionally how the tone of FADEs is achieved. For example, from above: public spaces are defined as not: I am defining ... voluntary activity should be controlled not: The state should control etc. There are many more examples and if you use a model text as a teaching tool, it is worth taking the time to notice the frequency and effect of the structures.

Modal auxiliary verbs are used sparingly and generally confined to their function as hedging tactics or to express degrees of certainty. For example: Banning smoking, it is argued, will reduce a predictive use. whose illnesses may have been caused a hedging use. Occasionally, usually hedged, modal auxiliary verbs of obligation are used but almost never ones which express absolute obligation (deontic modality, in the trade). For example in

all the uses are putative rather than expressing obligation per se . Modality in FADE writing is usually focused on the likelihood of a proposition being true. That is epistemic modality and there is a link below which will take you to a guide.

Circumstances refer to concepts such as location in time or space, contingency, cause, matter, means and angle. Many of these, including contingency, matter, angle and cause have been considered above under conjunction and prepositional links. However, the discussion would not be complete without some consideration of how adverbials and prepositional phrases in particular are used in a FADE. Here are some key examples:

There is a guide, linked below, to how theme-rheme structures are achieved in writing. Here it will be enough to consider two aspects only and we'll take this paragraph as the example:

On balance, it seems that the costs to society and to the health of its members are more important than the respect we owe to allowing individuals to make informed choices concerning their own lives. Smoking is not an activity which only affects the smoker. Others are affected by the degradation of their surroundings, damage to their own health and costs to society as a whole to which all taxpayers contribute.:

The topic sentence It is not invariably the case that every paragraph in a well-written FADE will begin with a topic sentence to alert the reader to its contents but that is the way most texts work and, for novice writers in particular, a safe way to proceed. In our example, the first two word of the first sentence, the conjunct, to give it its proper name, tell the reader what this paragraph will do: sum up and conclude.
The theme and the rheme The theme of the first sentence is the subject of the verb (excluding the hedging in it seems ). That subject is: the costs to society and to the health of its members and its rheme, which follows is are more important than the respect we owe to allowing individuals to make informed choices concerning their own lives The reference to individuals is taken up as the theme of the next sentence with Smoking is not an activity which only affects the smoker and that rheme, only affects the smoker , becomes the theme of the next sentence with: Others are affected and so the coherence of the whole paragraph is maintained.

Simple approaches to teaching in this area involve:

Recognition, noticing and analysis using cut-up paragraphs for re-sorting, jumbled sentences for re-ordering and so on. The aim is to get learners to notice how topic sentences are used in the first instance.
Giving learners paragraphs without topic sentences and getting them to compose something suitable.
Analysing theme-rheme structures by tracing connections, underlining links and so on.
Getting learners to write short paragraphs of their own and analysing them to see how (and whether) the theme-rheme links are working.

Short-term, the goal of learners' writing is probably for some kind of assessment purpose, either of their language skills or their subject knowledge and ability to construct rational arguments. The target audience is often, therefore, a single teacher or tutor rather than the audience one imagines for most essays in non-educational settings which may be somewhat wider. However, a long-term objective is to apply the skills learned in real-world settings for true communicative purposes. Possible audiences include, therefore:

a teacher or tutor
higher management
policy makers
readers of newspaper or magazine articles
readers of technical or trade journals
readers of academic journals
website visitors to serious sites
website visitors to blog sites (although few of these contain argued discussion, normally being just unsupported bluster)

The nature of the audience will determine a number of issues and can affect the choice of lexis as well as the choice of grammatical structures. For example:

Writing well in this genre is not achievable overnight or in a lesson or two. Teaching demands consistency in planning and delivery over a series of lessons with sensible and achievable tasks to be accomplished along the way. You may decide, based on your reading, the nature of the learners and your own propensities, to adopt a product, process or genre approach to teaching writing skills but whichever approach you take, you will almost certainly have to find or compose model texts which can be drawn on for examples of the language that needs to be used. There are examples which you are welcome to use above. An outline syllabus might appear something like:

Lesson series	Language foci

This is by no means a simple syllabus to design because, although the general structure of FADE writing can be explained and exemplified quickly and will lead naturally to some level of coherence, achieving cohesion involves weaving together the seven issues identified on the right into a series of lesson focusing on the elements on the left.

Related guides
	which contains links to associated areas such as reporting verbs, modality and hedging in academic writing
	use this guide if terms such as product vs. process vs. genre approaches to teaching writing are important to you. It is the essentials-only guide to the area.
	for a similar guide to another popular genre concerning relating experiences
	for more about cohesion is maintained using connections of ideas
	this guide briefly considers the main types of modification and has links to other, more detailed areas
	for a functional way of seeing adverbials and prepositional phrases
	for more consideration of how these connected concepts are developed in writing
	for a guide to the six main clause structures in English
	a guide to this type of modality which is particular important in FADE writing
	the in-service skills index for links to more areas

References: Butt, D, Fahey, R, Feez, S, Spinks, S and Yallop, C, 2001, Using Functional Grammar: an explorer's guide. Sydney: NCELTR Burns, A, 2001, Genre-based Approaches to Writing , in Candlin, C and Mercer, N (Eds.), English Language Teaching in its Social Context . Abingdon, UK: Routledge Halliday, M, 1994, An introduction to functional grammar: 2nd edition. London: Edward Arnold Tribble C, 1997, Writing . Oxford: Oxford University Press

Creative Resources for ESL/EFL Teachers

25 For and Against Essay Topics and Ideas that Double as Conversation Topics

25 for and against essay topics that can be also used for class debates.

For and against essay topics: layout.

• The first paragraph should be the introduction. Include a thesis statement, which summarises the main issue.

In the past, most people lived with their parents until they got married. But in the modern world, it is more common to leave home and share accommodation with friends. This choice has both positive and negative aspects.

• The second paragraph should focus on the advantages. Include at least two arguments, if possible. Give examples where appropriate, introduced by phrases like For example or For instanc e.

There are several advantages to sharing with friends. Firstly, it gives you the opportunity to spend time with your friends and to build strong relationships with them. Secondly, it allows you to develop some of the practical skills that you will need as an independent adult. For instance, you will learn how to manage household bills, how to shop and cook, and so on. And thirdly, it makes living in your own home more affordable, and the more people who share, the more cost-effective it is. For instance , a shared house for six people is far cheaper than two houses for three people.

• The third paragraph should focus on the disadvantages. Include at least two arguments, if possible. Begin the third paragraph with a phrase like On the other hand or Howeve r,.. to express contrast with statements in the previous paragraph.

On the other hand , sharing a home has its disadvantages. Sharing a house can often cause disagreements. For instance, housemates often argue about household chores. What is more, it can be difficult to have time alone when you need it. And finally, the houses which young people share are sometimes in poor condition and landlords are not always good at repairing appliances when they break down.

• The fourth paragraph should be the conclusion. State your own opinion and decide whether the arguments for outweigh the arguments against the thesis statement or the other way around.

Although sharing a house with other young people is not always easy, the advantages definitely outweigh the problems. It is certainly something I would like to do in a few years’ time.

Source: Solutions Upper-Intermediate

For and against essay topics

Having a role model can affect someone negatively.
Should dyed hairstyles be allowed in school?
Can a bad upbringing be an excuse for a felony?
Social media – a blessing or a curse?
It’s possible to learn to love somebody.
You don’t need a college degree to be successful.
Your past does not define you.
Does watching fantasy films affect our perception of reality?
Should there be a mandatory number of trees per square kilometer?
Should people older than 65 be able to be politicians?
Should healthcare be state-owned or privatized?
Is immortality a blessing or a curse?
Is the sous-vide method of preparing meals worth trying?
Should self-driving cars be illegal?
Should sharing hoaxes and false information on the Internet be severely punished?
Should students do a part-time job while they are still studying?
Sessions with a therapist should be mandatory for kids and teens
Every country in the world should ban cigarettes.
Every country in the world should stop producing and selling plastic bags and bottles.
Field trips to prisons should be mandatory to help lower the crime rate.
Scientists should pair people up for marriage based on DNA.
A new universal language should be taught in every school.
Should universities be apolitical?
Do orphans have the same opportunities to be successful as children from complete families?
Should the state have more control over our privacy?

Download the worksheet.

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Comments (4)

I like the idea of essay topics that focus on the student’s own experiences. This can be a great way to show that the student has been thinking about the material and is not just reading about it.

Thank you 🙂

Thank you for this!! (emil du suger rövhål)

Excellent topics Helped me giving topics to students ……..

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English Writing Exercises for B1 – A for and against essay

English Writing Exercises for B1

Preparation

More university students should stay in education after their first degree in order to get another qualification. Do you agree?

1. Read the task and the model essay. Does the writer agree or disagree with the statement in the task?

Agrees ◻ Disagrees ◻

Nowadays, the number of students who do a second degree is increasing. In order to decide if this is a good thing, we must examine the advantages and disadvantages of taking a postgraduate course.

It is certainly true that there is fierce competition for employment, and candidates need something extra in order to get a good job. We should also remember that people with a second qualification can expect to earn more when they start work. Moreover, postgraduate courses offer the chance to focus on a topic which you find particularly interesting. What could be better than spending an extra two or three years studying something you find fascinating?

However, there are disadvantages too. Firstly, it is an expensive option. You often need to pay for your place at university and also support yourself financially during the course. What is more, many young people are understandably impatient to leave education by the time they finish their first degree.

On balance, I believe it is a good idea to continue your studies beyond a first degree, if possible. Although it may be expensive, an extra qualification allows you to find a better job and earn more money.

2. Study the model essay and answer the questions.

In which paragraph (1-4) does the writer …

1 describe the arguments for?

How many does she / he describe?

2 describe the arguments against?

3 give his / her opinion?

1 2, 3 2 3, 2 3 4

Writing Strategy

Rhetorical questions can make an opinion essay more persuasive, provided you only include one or two. You do not have to answer the questions, but always make sure that the expected answer is clear, e.g.

Some people work long hours for very low pay. How can this is be right? (Expected answer: It can’t be right. )

3. Read the Writing Strategy. Find and underline a rhetorical question in the model essay. Choose the expected answer.

a everything ◻

b most things ◻

c nothing ◻

What could be better than spending an extra two or three years studying something you find fascinating?, c

Writing Guide

More students should do their degree at a university abroad rather than in their own country. Do you agree?

4. Read the task above. Then plan your essay following the paragraph plan below. Use the questions to help you.

Paragraph 1: Rephrase the statement in the task.

………………………………………………………………………….

Paragraph 2: What are the arguments for doing a degree abroad? Think of two or three.

Paragraph 3: What are the arguments against doing a degree abroad? Think of two or three.

Paragraph 4: Give your opinion

your own answers

5. Write your essay using your plan from exercise 4. Extra exercises

Use signposting phrases ( Firstly, …, Furthermore, …, etc.) to introduce opinions for the statement and against it, and to introduce your opinion in the conclusion ( On balance, … ).

1. Read the Strategy. Then complete the text with the words below.

addition also another furthermore other overall

One issue with social media is that it can distract people from work or study. In 1 …………………….., it can create unhappiness and anxiety when people compare their lives to other people’s. 2 …………………….. problem is that some people use it to spread unkind ideas about others.

On the 3 …………………….. hand, thanks to social media, people can build friendships quickly and easily by sharing photos, links, ideas and opinions. Social media 4 …………………….. allows people to ask for help and advice. 5 …………………….., it can educate people about things like health.

6 …………………….., I think social media has more positive than negative effects on everyday life.

1 addition 2 Another 3 other 4 also

5 Furthermore 5 overall

2. Read the task below and write a for and against essay.

Teenage students should spend more time at school studying I.C.T. (Information and Communication Technology). Discuss.

English Writing Exercises for B1 – A formal letter
English Writing Exercises for B1 – A narrative
English Writing Exercises for B1 – Article: a film review
English Writing Exercises for B1 – An internet forum post
English Writing Exercises for B1 – An email
English Writing Exercises for B1 – An opinion essay

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Custom Essays: ‘For and Against’

Next in our custom essays blog series is a type of essay question that crops up again and again in exams at all academic levels: ‘for and against’. This type of essay question typically asks the writer to provide arguments, reasons and evidence both for and against a certain opinion or statement , and sometimes also to conclude which is the stronger side of the argument. This is exactly the kind of essay that can cause students to panic under exam pressure, as a clear, structured essay format is required to tackle it correctly. Luckily, armed with our custom essay format for this particular type of question, you will be well on your way to top marks!

For and Against

In a ‘for and against’ essay, the most common trap students fall into is breaking the essay into two large chunks , with the first dealing with all the reasons ‘for’ in one big chunk, before launching into all the ‘against’ reasons in a second long paragraph. The key to gaining top marks in this type of exam question is to create a sharply structured, clear essay format that separates your points into different ideas rather than allowing them to converge into two enormous arguments.

What your custom essay should include

Introduction. Set out the key points for and against the argument, making it clear that there are several different ideas on each side: avoid the trap of making it sound like a simple argument with only one point on either side.
Paragraph 1. Using a signpost sentence to make it clear which point you are starting with, set out your strongest argument for , backing it up with evidence, quotes and reasons.
Paragraphs 2 and 3 . Further different arguments for , clearly signposted and supported, making it clear that they are new ideas and have different reasons behind them so the examiner can see that you have thought widely about the issue from different points of view.
Linking Sentence. Referring back to the title of the essay to show that you are sticking to the question, this sentence acknowledges that although you have so far concentrated on reasons for , there are actually also several strong reasons against , which you will now explore.
Paragraphs 5 and 6. In separate paragraphs, set out the reasons against the argument, using a similar format as before with signpost sentences and evidence. Again, make it clear that there are several separate points. These paragraphs may refer specifically to points made in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, if they directly contradict them.
Conclusion. Sum up the main points for and against the argument and, using your evidence to explain why, make a final decision on which side is the strongest.

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(kicsit magadon is) - önálló tanuláshoz *** Don't be a couch potato, be your coach!

2018. február 24., szombat

For and against essays - useful expressions and linking words/phrases.

***************

For and against essays, points to consider, 2. main body, 3. conclusion.

A for and against essay can end in a balanced consideration in which you restate that there are points for and against the topic using appropriate expressions given above.
Alternatevely, it can end by expressing an opinion , in which case you state, directly or indirectly, that you are either in favour of or against the topic, using appropriate expressions given above.

************

- read the conclusions below and say whether they express a balanced consideration, or the writer's opinion directly/indirectly., - read the main body of the for and against essay below on the topic: "discuss the view that advertising promotes excessive consumerism.", nincsenek megjegyzések:, megjegyzés küldése.

Megjegyzés: Megjegyzéseket csak a blog tagjai írhatnak a blogba.

More From Forbes

How not to write your college essay.

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If you are looking for the “secret formula” for writing a “winning” college essay, you have come to the wrong place. The reality is there is no silver bullet or strategy to write your way to an acceptance. There is not one topic or approach that will guarantee a favorable outcome.

At the end of the day, every admission office just wants to know more about you, what you value, and what excites you. They want to hear about your experiences through your own words and in your own voice. As you set out to write your essay, you will no doubt get input (both sought-after and unsolicited) on what to write. But how about what NOT Notcoin to write? There are avoidable blunders that applicants frequently make in drafting their essays. I asked college admission leaders, who have read thousands of submissions, to share their thoughts.

Don’t Go In There

There is wide consensus on this first one, so before you call on your Jedi mind tricks or predictive analytics, listen to the voices of a diverse range of admission deans. Peter Hagan, executive director of admissions at Syracuse University, sums it up best, saying, “I would recommend that students try not to get inside of our heads. He adds, “Too often the focus is on what they think we want.”

Andy Strickler, dean of admission and financial aid at Connecticut College agrees, warning, “Do NOT get caught in the trap of trying to figure out what is going to impress the admission committee. You have NO idea who is going to read your essay and what is going to connect with them. So, don't try to guess that.” Victoria Romero, vice president for enrollment, at Scripps College adds, “Do not write about something you don’t care about.” She says, “I think students try to figure out what an admission officer wants to read, and the reality is the reader begins every next essay with no expectations about the content THEY want to read.” Chrystal Russell, dean of admission at Hampden-Sydney College, agrees, saying, “If you're not interested in writing it, we will not be interested when reading it.” Jay Jacobs, vice provost for enrollment management at the University of Vermont elaborates, advising. “Don’t try to make yourself sound any different than you are.” He says, “The number one goal for admission officers is to better understand the applicant, what they like to do, what they want to do, where they spend the majority of their time, and what makes them tick. If a student stays genuine to that, it will shine through and make an engaging and successful essay.”

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Don’t Be Artificial

The headlines about college admission are dominated by stories about artificial intelligence and the college essay. Let’s set some ground rules–to allow ChatGPT or some other tool to do your work is not only unethical, it is also unintelligent. The only worse mistake you could make is to let another human write your essay for you. Instead of preoccupying yourself with whether or not colleges are using AI detection software (most are not), spend your time focused on how best to express yourself authentically. Rick Clark is the executive director of strategic student success at Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the first institutions to clearly outline their AI policy for applicants. He says, “Much of a college application is devoted to lines, boxes, and numbers. Essays and supplements are the one place to establish connection, personality, and distinction. AI, in its current state, is terrible at all three.” He adds, “My hope is that students will use ChatGPT or other tools for brainstorming and to get started, but then move quickly into crafting an essay that will provide insight and value.”

Don’t Overdo It

Michael Stefanowicz, vice president for enrollment management at Landmark College says, “You can only cover so much detail about yourself in an admission essay, and a lot of students feel pressure to tell their life story or choose their most defining experience to date as an essay topic. Admission professionals know that you’re sharing just one part of your lived experience in the essay.” He adds, “Some of the favorite essays I’ve read have been episodic, reflecting on the way you’ve found meaning in a seemingly ordinary experience, advice you’ve lived out, a mistake you’ve learned from, or a special tradition in your life.” Gary Ross, vice president for admission and financial aid at Colgate University adds, “More than a few applicants each year craft essays that talk about the frustration and struggles they have experienced in identifying a topic for their college application essay. Presenting your college application essay as a smorgasbord of topics that ultimately landed on the cutting room floor does not give us much insight into an applicant.”

Don’t Believe In Magic

Jason Nevinger, senior director of admission at the University of Rochester warns, “Be skeptical of anyone or any company telling you, ‘This is the essay that got me into _____.’ There is no magic topic, approach, sentence structure, or prose that got any student into any institution ever.” Social media is littered with advertisements promising strategic essay help. Don’t waste your time, energy, or money trying to emulate a certain style, topic, or tone. Liz Cheron is chief executive officer for the Coalition for College and former assistant vice president of enrollment & dean of admissions at Northeastern University. She agrees with Nevinger, saying “Don't put pressure on yourself to find the perfect, slam dunk topic. The vast majority of college essays do exactly what they're supposed to do–they are well-written and tell the admission officer more about the student in that student's voice–and that can take many different forms.”

Don’t Over Recycle

Beatrice Atkinson-Myers, associate director of global recruitment at the University of California at Santa Cruz tells students, “Do not use the same response for each university; research and craft your essay to match the program at the university you are interested in studying. Don't waste time telling me things I can read elsewhere in your application. Use your essay to give the admissions officer insights into your motivations, interests, and thinking. Don't make your essay the kitchen sink, focus on one or two examples which demonstrate your depth and creativity.” Her UC colleague, Jim Rawlins, associate vice chancellor of enrollment management at the University of California at San Diego agrees, saying “Answer the question. Not doing so is the surest way we can tell you are simply giving us a snippet of something you actually wrote for a different purpose.”

Don’t Overedit

Emily Roper-Doten, vice president for undergraduate admissions and financial assistance at Clark University warns against “Too many editors!” She says, “Pick a couple of trusted folks to be your sounding board when considering topics and as readers once you have drafts. You don’t want too many voices in your essay to drown you out!” Scripps’ Romero agrees, suggesting, “Ask a good friend, someone you trust and knows you well, to read your essays.” She adds, “The goal is for the admission committee to get to know a little about you and who better to help you create that framework, than a good friend. This may not work for all students because of content but helps them understand it’s important to be themselves.” Whitney Soule, vice provost and dean of admissions at The University of Pennsylvania adds, “Avoid well-meaning editorial interference that might seem to polish your writing but actually takes your own personal ‘shine’ right out of the message.” She says, “As readers, we connect to applicants through their genuine tone and style. Considering editorial advice for flow and message is OK but hold on to the 'you' for what you want to say and how you want to say it.”

Don’t Get Showy

Palmer Muntz, senior regional admissions counselor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks cautions applicants, “Don’t be fancier than you are. You don’t need to put on airs.” He adds, “Yes, proofread your work for grammar and spelling, but be natural. Craft something you’d want to read yourself, which probably means keeping your paragraphs short, using familiar words, and writing in an active voice.” Connecticut College’s Strickler agrees, warning, “Don't try to be someone you are not. If you are not funny, don't try to write a funny essay. If you are not an intellectual, trying to write an intellectual essay is a bad idea.”

Anthony Jones, the vice president of enrollment management at Loyola University New Orleans offers a unique metaphor for thinking about the essay. He says, “In the new world of the hyper-fast college admission process, it's become easy to overlook the essential meaning of the college application. It's meant to reveal Y...O...U, the real you, not some phony digital avatar. Think of the essay as the essence of that voice but in analog. Like the completeness and authenticity captured in a vinyl record, the few lines you're given to explain your view should be a slow walk through unrestrained expression chock full of unapologetic nuances, crevices of emotion, and exactness about how you feel in the moment. Then, and only then, can you give the admissions officer an experience that makes them want to tune in and listen for more.”

Don’t Be A Downer

James Nondorf, vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid at The University of Chicago says, “Don’t be negative about other people, be appreciative of those who have supported you, and be excited about who you are and what you will bring to our campus!” He adds, “While admissions offices want smart students for our classrooms, we also want kind-hearted, caring, and joyous students who will add to our campus communities too.”

Don’t Pattern Match

Alan Ramirez is the dean of admission and financial aid at Sewanee, The University of the South. He explains, “A big concern I have is when students find themselves comparing their writing to other students or past applicants and transform their writing to be more like those individuals as a way to better their chances of offering a more-compelling essay.” He emphasizes that the result is that the “essay is no longer authentic nor the best representation of themselves and the whole point of the essay is lost. Their distinctive voice and viewpoint contribute to the range of voices in the incoming class, enhancing the diversity of perspectives we aim to achieve.” Ramirez simple tells students, “Be yourself, that’s what we want to see, plus there's no one else who can do it better than you!”

Don’t Feel Tied To A Topic

Jessica Ricker is the vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid at Skidmore College. She says, “Sometimes students feel they must tell a story of grief or hardship, and then end up reliving that during the essay-writing process in ways that are emotionally detrimental. I encourage students to choose a topic they can reflect upon positively but recommend that if they choose a more challenging experience to write about, they avoid belaboring the details and instead focus on the outcome of that journey.” She adds, "They simply need to name it, frame its impact, and then help us as the reader understand how it has shaped their lens on life and their approach moving forward.”

Landmark College’s Stefanowicz adds, “A lot of students worry about how personal to get in sharing a part of their identity like your race or heritage (recalling last year’s Supreme Court case about race-conscious admissions), a learning difference or other disability, your religious values, LGBTQ identity…the list goes on.” He emphasizes, “This is always your choice, and your essay doesn’t have to be about a defining identity. But I encourage you to be fully yourself as you present yourself to colleges—because the college admission process is about finding a school where your whole self is welcome and you find a setting to flourish!”

Don’t Be Redundant

Hillen Grason Jr., dean of admission at Franklin & Marshall College, advises, “Don't repeat academic or co-curricular information that is easily identifiable within other parts of your application unless the topic is a core tenant of you as an individual.” He adds, “Use your essay, and other parts of your application, wisely. Your essay is the best way to convey who your authentic self is to the schools you apply. If you navigated a situation that led to a dip in your grades or co-curricular involvement, leverage the ‘additional information’ section of the application.

Thomas Marr is a regional manager of admissions for the Americas at The University of St Andrews in Scotland and points out that “Not all international schools use the main college essay as part of their assessment when reviewing student applications.” He says, “At the University of St Andrews, we focus on the supplemental essay and students should avoid the mistake of making the supplemental a repeat of their other essay. The supplemental (called the Personal Statement if using the UCAS application process) is to show the extent of their passion and enthusiasm for the subject/s to which they are applying and we expect about 75% of the content to cover this. They can use the remaining space to mention their interests outside of the classroom. Some students confuse passion for the school with passion for their subject; do not fall into that trap.”

A Few Final Don’ts

Don’t delay. Every college applicant I have ever worked with has wished they had started earlier. You can best avoid the pitfalls above if you give yourself the time and space to write a thoughtful essay and welcome feedback openly but cautiously. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect . Do your best, share your voice, and stay true to who you are.

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British Academics Despair as ChatGPT-Written Essays Swamp Grading Season

‘It’s not a machine for cheating; it’s a machine for producing crap,’ says one professor infuriated by the rise of bland essays.

By Jack Grove for Times Higher Education

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The increased prevalence of students using ChatGPT to write essays should prompt a rethink about whether current policies encouraging “ethical” use of artificial intelligence (AI) are working, scholars have argued.

With marking season in full flow, lecturers have taken to social media in large numbers to complain about AI-generated content found in submitted work.

Telltale signs of ChatGPT use, according to academics, include little-used words such as “delve” and “multifaceted,” summarizing key themes using bullet points and a jarring conversational style using terms such as, “Let’s explore this theme.”

In a more obvious giveaway, one professor said an advertisement for an AI essay company was buried in a paper’s introduction ; another academic noted how a student had forgotten to remove a chatbot statement that the content was AI-generated.

“I had no idea how many would resort to it,” admitted one U.K. law professor .

Des Fitzgerald, professor of medical humanities and social sciences at University College Cork , told Times Higher Education that student use of AI had “gone totally mainstream” this year.

“Across a batch of essays, you do start to notice the tics of ChatGPT essays, which is partly about repetition of certain words or phrases, but is also just a kind of aura of machinic blandness that’s hard to describe to someone who hasn’t encountered it—an essay with no edges, that does nothing technically wrong or bad, but not much right or good, either,” said Professor Fitzgerald.

Since ChatGPT’s emergence in late 2022 , some universities have adopted policies to allow the use of AI as long as it is acknowledged, while others have begun using AI content detectors, although opinion is divided on their effectiveness .

According to the latest Student Academic Experience Survey , for which Advance HE and the Higher Education Policy Institute polled around 10,000 U.K. undergraduates, 61 percent use AI at least a little each month, “in a way allowed by their institution,” while 31 percent do so every week.

Professor Fitzgerald said that although some colleagues “think we just need to live with this, even that we have a duty to teach students to use it well,” he was “totally against” the use of AI tools for essays.

“ChatGPT is completely antithetical to everything I think I’m doing as a teacher—working with students to engage with texts, thinking through ideas, learning to clarify and express complex thoughts, taking some risks with those thoughts, locating some kind of distinctive inner voice. ChatGPT is total poison for all of this, and we need to simply ban it,” he said.

Steve Fuller, professor of sociology at the University of Warwick , agreed that AI use had “become more noticeable” this year despite his students signing contracts saying they would not use it to write essays.

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He said he was not opposed to students using it “as long as what they produce sounds smart and on point, and the marker can’t recognize it as simply having been lifted from another source wholesale.”

Those who leaned heavily on the technology should expect a relatively low mark, even though they might pass, said Professor Fuller.

“Students routinely commit errors of fact, reasoning and grammar [without ChatGPT], yet if their text touches enough bases with the assignment, they’re likely to get somewhere in the low- to mid-60s. ChatGPT does a credible job at simulating such mediocrity, and that’s good enough for many of its student users,” he said.

Having to mark such mediocre essays partly generated by AI is, however, a growing complaint among academics. Posting on X, Lancaster University economist Renaud Foucart said marking AI-generated essays “takes much more time to assess [because] I need to concentrate much more to cut through the amount of seemingly logical statements that are actually full of emptiness.”

“My biggest issue [with AI] is less the moral issue about cheating but more what ChatGPT offers students,” Professor Fitzgerald added. “All it is capable of is [writing] bad essays made up of non-ideas and empty sentences. It’s not a machine for cheating; it’s a machine for producing crap.”

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The Man Softening the Ground for an Extremist Germany

Björn Höcke has done more than take the far right into the mainstream. He is tilting the mainstream toward the far right.

A man in a suit, his arms raised, stands on a stage in front of a German flag.

By Erika Solomon

Erika Solomon reported from Halle, Germany, and the state of Thuringia in eastern Germany.

From the small stage of a pub in a wooded town of eastern Germany, the right-wing ideologue Björn Höcke regaled a crowd of followers late last year with the tale of his imminent trial. He faced charges for saying “Everything for Germany” at a political rally — breaking German laws against uttering Nazi slogans.

Despite that approaching court date, he looked down at the crowd, and gestured to them with an impish grin. “Everything for?” he asked.

“Germany!” they shouted.

After a decade of testing the boundaries of political speech in Germany, Mr. Höcke, a leader of the Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, no longer needed to push the limits himself. The crowd did it for him.

That moment crystallizes why, to his critics, Mr. Höcke is not simply a challenge to the political order, but a threat to German democracy itself.

For years, Mr. Höcke has methodically chipped away at the prohibitions Germany has imposed on itself to prevent being taken over by extremists again. It takes a tougher stance on free speech than many Western democracies, a consequence of the bitter lessons of the 1930s, when the Nazis used democratic elections to seize the levers of power.

“Everything for Germany” was the slogan once engraved on the knives of Nazi storm troopers. By reviving such phrases, Mr. Höcke’s opponents say, he has sought to make fascist ideas more acceptable in a society where such expressions are not only taboo, but illegal.

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Netanyahu says Israel may shift focus to Hezbollah in Lebanon after Gaza war ends

Nick Schifrin Nick Schifrin

Teresa Cebrián Aranda Teresa Cebrián Aranda

Mekhi Hill Mekhi Hill

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Israel indicated it's close to ending what it called the “intense” phase of its operations in Gaza, and would soon transition to a new stage of the war. That word came as Israel’s defense minister met with senior U.S. officials in Washington and as the U.S. and Israel continued a public spat over weapons deliveries. Nick Schifrin reports.

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Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Geoff Bennett:

Israel today indicated it's close to ending what it called the intense phase of its operations in Gaza and would soon transition to a new stage of the war. That word came as Israel's defense minister met with senior U.S. officials here in Washington today and as the U.S. and Israel continued a public spat over weapons deliveries.

Nick Schifrin joins us now.

Nick, it's good to see you.

So what did Israel say about the future of the war?

Nick Schifrin:

Geoff, for months, Israel has described its operation in Rafah as targeting the final four Hamas battalions.

And, today, Israel's chief of the general staff said that Israeli soldiers in Rafah were — quote — "approaching the point" where Hamas' Rafah brigade was — quote — "defeated."

And, as you said, Geoff, just now, Netanyahu described that as a transition from the intense phase of combat, allowing Israel to shift its focus to the north, to Lebanon. There has been an extraordinary amount of U.S. concern in the last few weeks about cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon becoming a full-scale war.

And, this weekend, C.Q. Brown, the chairman and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that Iran could come to Hezbollah's aid if there were a war between Israel and Hezbollah and that the U.S. could not defend Israel like it did against Iran's attack in April if Hezbollah actually opened fire against Israel, a warning sign, another warning sign, by U.S. officials, who are really concerned about escalation, but U.S. officials insist that they will help Israel defend against all enemies.

On the point of escalation, the U.S. has said that the best way to prevent an expansion of the war is to get a cease-fire in Gaza. So where do things stand on that front?

Regional officials tell me that they are still trying to bridge the gaps between Israel and Hamas, but there's been no public progress.

There's also been public doubts, as you and I have talked about, Geoff, about whether Israel, whether Prime Minister Netanyahu would actually endorse the deal that President Biden laid out that he said was actually created by Israel.

And in the last 24 hours, Netanyahu has made no fewer than three contradictory statements about the hostage negotiation, including on Israeli TV last night.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (through interpreter):

I am not willing to stop the war and leave Hamas intact. I am prepared to make a partial deal, this is no secret, that will return to us some of the people, but we are committed to continuing the war after a pause in order to complete the goal of eliminating Hamas.

That is the first time Netanyahu used the phrases partial deal or some hostages, suggesting he was walking back his own plan, which calls for the release of all 120 hostages currently held in Gaza and the negotiation toward a permanent cease-fire.

Now, last night, after his interview on TV, he walked that statement back, saying — quote — "It is Hamas which opposes a deal, not Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu has made it clear he will not leave Gaza until we return all 120 of our hostages, living and deceased."

That was last night. And, today, he further walked his Sunday comments back. We

Benjamin Netanyahu (through interpreter):

We are committed to the Israeli proposal that President Biden welcomed. Our position has not changed.

So, three statements, all in all, in 24 hours. That left a rather bemused State Department spokesman, Matt Miller, to respond this way today.

Matthew Miller, State Department Spokesman:

I think all of us that speak publicly at times make mistakes and misspeak. And when we do so, we have an obligation to come clarify, and we're glad he did.

So, at the end of the day, Geoff, I guess we are where we were, which is that a hostage deal endorsed by Israel, made public by President Biden, negotiators continue to try and figure out the gaps since Hamas proposed changes.

Hamas itself said that Netanyahu's Sunday comments means he doesn't want this deal. And the hostage families, I should add, said that those Sunday comments indicated Netanyahu was — quote — "abandoning the hostages."

Well, meantime, he has accused the U.S. on multiple occasions of withholding weapon deliveries. Is that the case?

Well, look, U.S. officials insist they have frozen only one weapon delivery, 3,500 bombs that are unguided, and that was back in May.

But a U.S. official does describe this process, that, after October the 7th, Israel and the United States worked together, and they went back and found many Israeli weapons purchases, some of them many years old, that hadn't yet actually been delivered. And what they did is, they worked to actually deliver all of those previous purchases, and that did increase the pace of weapons deliveries to Israel to an unprecedented level for, frankly, an unprecedented level of munitions that Israel was asking for in order to prosecute their war in Gaza.

But once those orders were fulfilled, they had to create new orders through the U.S. government or through the defense contractors, and that takes time between the administration, between those defense contractors, and the notifications to Congress.

And so the pace of delivery, according to this U.S. official who works on this, is slower than it was after October the 7th. But the U.S. strongly denies it is withholding weapons, and it believes that Netanyahu knows that. And so most analysts I talk to say that Netanyahu is playing domestic politics here with this accusation, including with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who happens to be in Washington now.

And you see them — you see him meeting Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Today, he later met with CIA Director Bill Burns. Now, Gallant is a political rival to Netanyahu, and the two could fight over taking credit for any weapons deliveries that do come out of the U.S. in the coming weeks.

And Netanyahu, as we have talked about before, has a right-wing coalition. He needs to stay in power, and doing so, or at least the political decision-making that he's been making with this right-wing coalition since October the 7th, is, he works with the right-wing, and he criticizes President Biden publicly.

And that has been a winning formula, he believes, that could keep in power — keep him in power, especially as he continues to face years-old corruption cases, Geoff, including one today. A panel accused him of undermining Israeli national security in a case involving submarines. That is a charge that he denied yet again today.

Nick Schifrin, got to say, thank you for walking us through all of this. We deeply appreciate it.

Thanks very much.

Listen to this Segment

Smoke rises from an explosion following an Israeli air strike in Gaza, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict

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Nick Schifrin is PBS NewsHour’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Correspondent. He leads NewsHour’s daily foreign coverage, including multiple trips to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion, and has created weeklong series for the NewsHour from nearly a dozen countries. The PBS NewsHour series “Inside Putin’s Russia” won a 2017 Peabody Award and the National Press Club’s Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence. In 2020 Schifrin received the American Academy of Diplomacy’s Arthur Ross Media Award for Distinguished Reporting and Analysis of Foreign Affairs. He was a member of the NewsHour teams awarded a 2021 Peabody for coverage of COVID-19, and a 2023 duPont Columbia Award for coverage of Afghanistan and Ukraine. Prior to PBS NewsHour, Schifrin was Al Jazeera America's Middle East correspondent. He led the channel’s coverage of the 2014 war in Gaza; reported on the Syrian war from Syria's Turkish, Lebanese and Jordanian borders; and covered the annexation of Crimea. He won an Overseas Press Club award for his Gaza coverage and a National Headliners Award for his Ukraine coverage. From 2008-2012, Schifrin served as the ABC News correspondent in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In 2011 he was one of the first journalists to arrive in Abbottabad, Pakistan, after Osama bin Laden’s death and delivered one of the year’s biggest exclusives: the first video from inside bin Laden’s compound. His reporting helped ABC News win an Edward R. Murrow award for its bin Laden coverage. Schifrin is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a board member of the Overseas Press Club Foundation. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a Master of International Public Policy degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Teresa is a Producer on the Foreign Affairs & Defense Unit at PBS NewsHour. She writes and produces daily segments for the millions of viewers in the U.S. and beyond who depend on PBS NewsHour for timely, relevant information on the world’s biggest issues. She’s reported on authoritarianism in Latin America, rising violence in Haiti, Egypt’s crackdown on human rights, Israel’s judicial reforms and China’s zero-covid policy, among other topics. Teresa also contributed to the PBS NewsHour’s coverage of the war in Ukraine, which was named recipient of a duPont-Columbia Award in 2023, and was part of a team awarded with a Peabody Award for the NewsHour’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.

Mekhi Hill is a production assistant at the PBS NewsHour.

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In New York, the Democratic establishment strikes back

But the defeat of one progressive congressman only shows how deep the party’s divisions run.

Y OU MIGHT expect a party’s leaders to inspire its activists about an upcoming election by invoking the vision of their standard-bearer. But on a recent sweltering Saturday afternoon, in a park in the Democratic stronghold of the South Bronx, in New York, Democrat after Democrat, including three congressmen and a senator, spent 75 minutes addressing a crowd of more than a thousand without mentioning President Joe Biden .

For all the enthusiasm, there was, in retrospect, a touching quality to the scene, and not only because the congressman who was the focus of the rally, Jamaal Bowman (pictured), would go on to lose his primary three days later, on June 25th. It captured the predicament Mr Biden has presented to his party’s leftists, and that they are presenting him in return. Can they praise Mr Biden, and he them, without alienating key supporters? Can they criticise one another to court such supporters without helping Donald Trump ?

The war in Gaza has so sharpened such questions about where Democrats stand that it is splitting the anti-war left itself. Mr Bowman’s criticism of Israel prompted the American Israel Public Affairs Committee ( AIPAC ), a pro-Israel group, to spend a record amount of money to defeat him. Yet during the rally, scores of protesters, blocked off by steel barricades and watched by police, chanted for a “free Palestine” and against Mr Bowman and the other Democrats on stage, who included such stars of the left as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders. “ AOC , Bowman, Sanders: Shills for ‘Genocide Joe’ Biden!” read one sign. Even from inside the barricades, Mr Sanders drew some boos when he said Israel “had the right to defend itself against a terrorist attack” before adding, “It does not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people.”

Mr Biden beat Donald Trump in New York in 2020 by 23 points, but a Siena College poll this month found Mr Biden leading by just eight. He and Democrats generally have lost favour with independent voters and others who do not affiliate with either major party, the state’s second-biggest bloc after Democrats. With six congressional seats in New York believed to be up for grabs—including five picked up by Republicans in 2022—Democrats are trying to reclaim the political centre. Mondaire Jones, a former congressman running in a district adjoining Mr Bowman’s, once advocated defunding the police, but recently told the Washington Post that was “one of the dumbest phrases ever to exist in American politics”. Mr Jones alienated former allies on the left by endorsing Mr Bowman’s opponent, George Latimer.

Though Democrats’ lurch towards the centre in New York is unmistakable, Mr Bowman’s race is better understood as an indicator of the tensions building within the party than of how they will be resolved. Mr Bowman, a 48-year-old former school principal given to joyfully rapping in social-media posts, is the first member of the “Squad” of progressive legislators to lose a primary. He is black, and his defeat by a 70-year-old white moderate endorsed by the likes of Hillary Clinton might be read as a sign that the establishment is back in control. But Mr Latimer was a formidable candidate with a long record of service as a local elected official, and Mr Bowman, who first won his congressional seat in 2020, was particularly vulnerable.

Mr Bowman went well beyond criticising Israel’s war in Gaza—a mainstream Democratic position—to dismissing reports of rape by Hamas as “propaganda”. He apologised for that, but as recently as the final debate of the primary he accused Israel of “75 years of military occupation”, a view questioning the legitimacy of the state itself. He had troubles apart from the politics of Israel. It emerged in the campaign that in years past he indulged in conspiracy theories about the attacks of September 11th and other subjects. He was caught on video last year pulling a fire alarm in a House office building, prompting an evacuation before a vote on a funding bill, and he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour. He could be tone deaf to the politics of his district, mostly composed of suburbs of New York City. “We’re gonna show fuckin’ AIPAC the power of the motherfuckin’ South Bronx!” he roared on Saturday—a vow that might have jarred his constituents not merely for its profanity but also because the South Bronx is not in their district.

The role of AIPAC in the race also complicates its lessons. The group’s political arm spent more than $14.5m helping Mr Latimer, the most ever spent by an interest group on a House race, but not by emphasising Mr Bowman’s views on Israel. Instead, its ads portrayed him as undermining Mr Biden by, for example, voting against his infrastructure bill.

Donald Trump, unifier

Because AIPAC ’s donors include Republican billionaires, Mr Bowman charged that “Republican racist MAGA Trump money” was trying to buy the district for Mr Latimer. Indeed, to some on the left, how Mr Bowman lost is a sign they are winning the larger struggle. As Usamah Andrabi, the communications director for Justice Democrats, a political action committee, argues, “It shows how weak the establishment and AIPAC are that they have to resort to breaking records alongside Republican billionaires to advance their interests.” For its part AIPAC is already boosting the primary opponent of another vulnerable member of the Squad, Congresswoman Cori Bush of Missouri, whose contest is in August.

Far more than admiration for Mr Biden, antipathy to Donald Trump is holding the Democratic Party together. That may prove enough to turn out progressives to vote again for the president this autumn. But whoever wins, any polite silence within the party will end after November, and a great, noisy struggle will begin over whether the likes of Mr Bowman, or of Mr Latimer, should represent its future. ■

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For and Against essay writing skills…: English ESL worksheets pdf & doc
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A for and against essay
Worksheets and downloads. A for and against essay - exercises 945.25 KB. A for and against essay - answers 293.66 KB. A for and against essay - essay 786.07 KB. A for and against essay - writing practice 497.45 KB.
PDF Useful Argumentative Essay Words and Phrases
Below are examples of signposts that are used in argumentative essays. Signposts enable the reader to follow our arguments easily. When pointing out opposing arguments (Cons): Opponents of this idea claim/maintain that… Those who disagree/ are against these ideas may say/ assert that… Some people may disagree with this idea,
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An essay is an academic formal piece of writing which describes, analyses or discusses a particular issue The most common types are: Opinion essays: presents the writer's personal opinion of the topic, supporting this opinion with examples and reasons. For and against essays: it presents both sides of an issue in a balanced way. In the
A for and against essay
This is a 'for and against' essay where you will discuss two contrasting views about a topic. You should only give your opinion if you are explicitly instructed to do so. Learn how to write a good for and against essay. With step by step instructions, two sample argumentative compositions and a few exercises to work on expressions and ...
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4. That is to say. Usage: "That is" and "that is to say" can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: "Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.". 5. To that end. Usage: Use "to that end" or "to this end" in a similar way to "in order to" or "so".
For and Against Essays
For and against essays. A "for and against" essay is a formal piece of writing in which a topic is considered from opposing points of view. You should present both sides in a fair way by discussing them objectively and in equal detail. ... Useful expressions and linking words/phrases • To list points: Firstly, First of all, In the first place ...
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When you write an essay, you need to ensure that it has a clear structure. Paragraph 1: introduction (stating the issue) Paragraph 2: arguments for the statement. Paragraph 3: arguments against the statement. Paragraph 4: summary, your own opinion. 1. Read the Writing Strategy and the task below.
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In the concluding paragraph you can say why you find one side more convincing than the other. In this post, I'll guide you step by step to help you write a good for and against essay. Step 1. Tips and Guidelines +sample essay (pdf) Step 2. Presentation + sample essay (reinforcing) Step 3. Using connectors of contrast. Step 4.
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For and Against Discussion Essays (FADEs) ... However, the discussion would not be complete without some consideration of how adverbials and prepositional phrases in particular are used in a FADE. Here are some key examples: Location refers to both time and place. In a FADE, the topic will normally determine which are most relevant.
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Complete the tips for writing a for and against essay with a word from the box. disagree formal plan reasons opinions 1. You should give your _____ on the topic. 2. Always give _____ for your opinions. ... Check your writing: gap fill - useful phrases Fill the gaps in the essay with the correct word or phrase from the box.
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Read the main body of the for and against essay below on the topic: "Discuss the view that advertising promotes excessive consumerism." Then read the beginnings and endings and say which of the techniques has been used in each one. Finally, replace the bold type words or phrases in the main body with ones similar in meaning. BEGINNINGS… 1.
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an introductory paragraph in which you clearly state the topic to be discussed, without giving your opinion. a main body in which the points for and against along with your justifications, examples or reasons are presented in separate paragraphs. a closing paragraph in which you give a balanced consideration of the topic and state your opinion.
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Look at the essay and do the exercises to practise and improve your writing skills. Preparation Are these arguments for or against reality TV shows? Write them in the correct group. There are lots of different types of reality shows. Some competitions are very difficult or dangerous. People on reality shows have fun experiences and meet new people.
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What your custom essay should include. Introduction. Set out the key points for and against the argument, making it clear that there are several different ideas on each side: avoid the trap of making it sound like a simple argument with only one point on either side. Paragraph 1. Using a signpost sentence to make it clear which point you are ...
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For and Against Essays useful phrases - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. This document provides a list of useful expressions and linking words for writing for and against essays. It includes phrases for listing points, advantages, and disadvantages, as well as introducing arguments and examples.
PDF without giving your opinion.
Opinion essays are formal in style. They require your opinion on a topic which must be clearly stated and supported by reasons. It is necessary to include the opposing viewpoint in another paragraph. successful opinion essay should have: INTRODUCTION. Paragraph 1: You state the topic and your opinion clearly.
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In this video, you'll learn all the details about "For and Against Essay Writing". Whether you're a student preparing for an exam or someone simply intereste...
For & Against Essay
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For and Against Essays
A "for and against" essay is a formal piece of writing in which a topic is considered from opposing points of view. You should present both sides in a fair way by discussing them objectively and in equal detail. ... Useful expressions and linking words/phrases: Conclusion expressing balanced considerations/opinion indirectly In conclusion, On ...
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