2018-01-29 Writing: reasons not to study English

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - Notes from all my classes
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Homework: Brainstorm a list of reasons why you SHOULDN’T study English. (Try to think of at least 5.)
- It’s expensive.
- You are going to forget how to speak in a couple of years.
- In the future, technology will be able to translate everything quickly.
	(It’s a waste of time because you can use a translator.)
- It’s unfair that we have to learn English when English-speaking countries don’t have to learn our languages.
- I’m going to live in a country that doesn’t speak English.
- If you travel to learn English you’ll miss your friends and family.
- You won’t receive money for knowing English.
- You need a lot of determination to learn English. It’s a lot of hard work.
- It’s better to learn [another language] than English.
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One way to make your opinion more convincing is to introduce counterarguments and explain why they’re wrong.
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A common format for oppinion writing has five parts:
1 Introduction:
	- introduce the topic (learning English)
	- state your opinion/thesis (“In my opinion, learning English is not necessary.”)
2 Reason 1:
	- state the reason (“First, it’s very expensive.”)
	- supporting details and examples to show that the reason is true AND supports your thesis
	(“For example, a full-time course at Stafford House costs $--- every week.”)
	(“According to _____, the average Bostonian makes only $--- every week, so this is too expensive.”)
3 Reason 2: (same)
4 Reason 3: (same)
5 Conclusion:
	- restate your opinion and reasons (“For these three reasons, I believe studying English…”)
	- recommendation or prediction based on your ideas
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Homework: write an outline for an opinion essay/paragraph about why NOT to study English.

Example:
Thesis: studying English = waste of time
A. 	expensive
	1.	price at stafford house
	2. 	average salary in Boston
B. 	(another reason)
	1. 	(first detail/example)
	2. 	(second detail/example)
(etc.)