Writing — An Opinion Essay

The B1 for-and-against essay hid your opinion until the last paragraph. The B2 opinion essay reverses the game: your view goes first, in the introduction, and the whole essay exists to defend it. This is the essay of IELTS Task 2, of university short-answer exams, and — stretched longer — of every argued assignment you will submit.

What you can do after this lesson

You can plan and write a 180–250 word opinion essay with a thesis statement, two supporting paragraphs, one concession-and-rebuttal paragraph, and a conclusion that restates without repeating.

The lesson

The shape:

1. Introduction — rephrase the topic in your own words, then state your position plainly. That position sentence is the thesis: This essay argues that… or simply In my view, X outweighs Y.
2. Support paragraph 1 — your strongest reason. Topic sentence → explanation → concrete example.
3. Support paragraph 2 — second reason, same anatomy. Different kind of reason if possible (one economic, one social, say).
4. Concession and rebuttal — the paragraph that separates B2 from B1. Name the best opposing point fairly (Admittedly… / It is true that…), then answer it (However, this overlooks…). An unanswered concession is surrender; a strawman concession fools no marker.
5. Conclusion — restate the thesis in fresh words and close with the so what: a recommendation or wider implication.

The thesis test: could a reasonable person disagree with your thesis sentence? "Education is important" fails — nobody disagrees. "Universities should make work placements compulsory" passes.

One paragraph, one job. The topic sentence promises; the rest of the paragraph pays. Anything that doesn't pay that exact promise belongs in another paragraph or in the bin.

Examples

Topic: Should plastic bags be banned? — a skeleton:

• Intro/thesis: Single-use plastic bans are justified despite the inconvenience.
• Support 1: environmental cost — waterways and reefs; visible local example.
• Support 2: bans work — behaviour shifted within months where introduced.
• Concession: Admittedly, small vendors bear a real cost → however, cheap alternatives (woven bilum-style bags) already exist locally.
• Conclusion: the inconvenience is temporary; the damage is not — extend the ban.

Notice the concession chooses the strongest objection (cost to small vendors), not the easiest one.

Common mistakes

• A hidden thesis. If the reader finishes the introduction unsure of your position, the essay has failed at sentence one — B1 habits die hard.
• Two support paragraphs making the same point in different clothes. Two reasons means two different kinds of reason.
• Concession without rebuttal: "Some people think bans hurt businesses." — paragraph ends. You just argued against yourself. Every admittedly needs its however.
• A conclusion that photocopies the introduction. Restate the idea, change every content word.
• First person panic. In my view / I would argue is correct in an opinion essay — the exam asked for your opinion; hiding behind it is thought that is evasion, not style.

Self-check — what can I do now?

1. Write a thesis for "Working from home should become the norm" — then apply the test: could a reasonable person disagree? If not, sharpen it.
2. Plan the full five-paragraph skeleton (one line each) in under eight minutes, choosing the strongest counter-argument for paragraph 4.
3. Write it in full (180–250 words). Then check: does every topic sentence connect to the thesis? Does admittedly have its however? Is the conclusion in fresh words?