ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES ESSAY WRITING

The first thing to do when considering your response is to underline the keywords in the sentence. What areas should you focus on?

EXAMPLE: Many young people today leave their own countries to work abroad. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of working abroad and give your own opinion.

Incorporate your own experience. Think about WHAT you really think on the topic: do you want to go abroad (to leave your own country) to work or study? What are the advantages for you in going abroad, and are there any disadvantages? What might happen while you are in a foreign country? 

Make some notes under the headings Advantages and Disadvantages. These will help when you come to write your essay.

A formal writing style is essential.

The essay will have at least four paragraphs and you need to understand how to move smoothly from one paragraph to the next. Basically, each time you begin a new topic you start a new paragraph. If you are writing about different times, you begin a new paragraph when the time you are writing about changes.

The outline or plan for this essay could look like this:

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Paragraph 2: Advantages for young people working abroad

Paragraph 3: Disadvantages for young people working abroad

Paragraph 4: Conclusion in which you sum up and give your own opinion

ESSAY WRITING

Essays on Advantages and Disadvantages

I. Topic Sentences

Task 1

Read the following essay about living abroad and fill in the topic sentences given below

a) One of the main advantages of living in a foreign country is that people can enjoy better financial opportunities.

b) To sum up, even though living in a strange place may be hard at first, in time one can adjust to it.

c) On the other hand, it may be difficult for people to adapt to their new surroundings.

d) As we know, today there are about six billion people in the world.

Advantages and disadvantages of living abroad

1 ________________________All of them live in different countries and have diverse cultures. Some countries have become well developed, while others haven’t as yet. For this reason, some people want to go to well-developed foreign countries to live more comfortably and earn more money. Living in a foreign country has many advantages, but it also has some disadvantages.

2 ________________________For example, they may get a good job and a high salary so they can buy what they want and have a better lifestyle. For example, they may benefit from well-developed education and health systems. Moreover, one is given the chance to learn and become fluent in another language through everyday use. For instance, people can participate in lots of social activities thus improving their communicative skills. Finally, they become more independent by having to deal with difficult situations on their own. 

3. ________________________If they live alone, they miss their families and countries. Sometimes they may feel isolated, frustrated, and lonely. In addition, if someone can’t speak the language yet, he or she may face communication problems. What is more, there is discrimination in some countries. Foreigners aren’t easily accepted in these places.

4. ________________________In my opinion, if a person has an opportunity to go to a well-developed foreign country, he or she should benefit from this opportunity for his or her future.

Task 2

Look at the outline of the essay you have just read. The arguments in the two paragraphs have been messed up. Put them in the right order.

Introduction – people choose where to live; living abroad has advantages and disadvantages

Body

Paragraph I – Advantages

Argument 1 - better financial opportunities; example – jobs, education and health care

Argument 2 - foreign language problems; example – difficult to communicate

Argument 3 – discrimination; example - foreigners not easily accepted

Paragraph II – Disadvantages

Argument 1 – getting used to the new country; example – living alone

Argument 2 – learning a foreign language; example – social life; communication

Argument 3 - becoming independent; example – coping with difficult situations

Conclusion – Summing up and expressing a personal opinion

Task 3

Write down the linking words and phrases used in the sample essay.

Task 4

Fill in the blanks with one of the following words and phrases. Do not use the same expression twice.

First of all/Firstly/Second/Secondly/Third/Thirdly/Finally

In addition/Moreover/Furthermore/What is more

So/As a result/Therefore

However/On the other hand/In contrast

In conclusion/To sum up/On the whole

Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in the Country

Living in the country is often the secret dream of certain city-dwellers. ………..(1), in reality it has its advantages and disadvantages.

There are many advantages to living in the country. …………..(2), one is much closer to nature and can enjoy more peace and quiet. ……………(3), life in the country is much slower and people tend to be more open and friendly. A further advantage is that there is much less traffic, and as a result it is a much safer place to bring up children.

……………..(4), there are certain drawbacks to life outside the city. ……………….(5), because there are fewer people, one has a smaller number of friends. …………..(6), entertainment, particularly in the evening, is difficult to find. Furthermore, the fact that there are fewer shops and services often means that there are fewer employment opportunities. ………….(7), one may have to travel long distances to work elsewhere, and this can be extremely expensive.

…………(8), it can be seen that the country is more suitable for some than others. ………(9), it is often the best place for those who are retired or who have young children. ………….(10), young, single people who are following a career and who want some excitement are better provided for by life in the city.

Task 5

Comment on the essay, answering the questions below. Compare your answers with the answers of your colleagues.

1. Does the essay include all the points asked for in the question?

2. Does each paragraph have one clear topic?

3. Does each paragraph have a clear topic sentence (TS)?

4. Does the writer use linking words and phrases to make the meaning clear?

5. Does the introduction give the reader an overall idea of the essay?

6. Does the conclusion summarise the whole essay and make a personal comment?

Task 6

Write a brief summary of each paragraph in the spaces below:

Introduction:

Paragraph I: Topic Sentence:

1.

2.

3.

Paragraph II: Topic Sentence:

1.

2.

3.

Conclusion:

Task 7

Using the ideas below write an outline of an essay titled

Advantages and Disadvantages of Mass Tourism

Ideas:

(+) creates jobs for local people; country benefits from the tourists i.e. money, popularity; broadens the mind; brings peace and understanding;

(-) can ruin areas of natural beauty, exploits local natural resources, has negative effect on environment i.e. air and water pollution

Advantages

1. Example:

2. Example:

3. Example:

Disadvantages

1. Example:

2. Example:

3. Example:

Task 8

Write your essay on advantages and disadvantages of mass tourism.

Make sure that it has an introduction, a paragraph on advantages, a paragraph on disadvantages and a conclusion.

Having written your essay, please use the following checklist:

Yes No

1. The essay consists of 4 paragraphs
2. The introduction states clearly what the essay will be about
3. There is a Topic Sentence introducing Paragraph 1 of the Body
4. There are three advantages in the paragraph on advantages
5. There is an example for each advantage
6. There is a Topic Sentence introducing Paragraph 2 of the Body
7. There are three disadvantages in the paragraph on the disadvantages
8. There is an example for each disadvantage
9. The conclusion summarises the main points and makes a personal comment
10. There are linking words/phrases
11. Each sentence has the following word order: Subject Verb Object