Writing Discursive essay (2): taking sides

Key success factors

• c o n s tr u c ti n g a n a rg u m e n t
• s u s ta in in g y o u r c a s e w ith e x a m p le s
• s h o w in g t h a t y o u h a v e c o n s id e re d th e
o p p o s in g v ie w p o in t

A N A LY Z IN G A M O DEL T E X T
a Y ou h av e b e e n a sk ed to w r i te th e fo llo w in g essay:
Tourism always does a place more harm than good.
D is c u s s th e q u e s tio n w ith a p a r tn e r . D o y o u
th in k th a t th e e ffe c t o f to u r i s m o n a c o u n try ,
city , o r r e g io n is in g e n e ra l m o re p o s itiv e o r
m o re n e g a tiv e ? W h y ?

Topic sentences
In a w e ll-w ritte n essay , th e firs t s e n te n c e o f a
p a r a g r a p h e s ta b lis h e s w h a t t h e p a r a g r a p h is
g o in g to b e a b o u t. T h is is s o m e tim e s c a lled
th e “to p ic s e n te n c e .”
Tourism always does a place
b R e a d t h e to p ic s e n te n c e s b e lo w o n e b y o n e more harm than good
a n d , in p a ir s , im a g in e h o w t h e p a r a g r a p h w ill
c o n tin u e . D o y o u t h in k t h e e s s a y w ill b e in 1 ___ People today are traveling farther and farther, no
f a v o r o f o r a g a in s t to u r is m ? longer just in the summer but throughout the year. Although
A T h e i n f r a s t r u c t u r e o f a n a re a is a ls o o fte n
some people argue that mass tourism has a negative effect on
im p ro v e d a s a re s u lt o f to u ris m .
destinations, in my view its influences are generally positive.
B It is o f te n c la im e d t h a t p o p u la r t o u r is t 2 _______ Tourists need places to stay and things to do, and
d e s tin a tio n s a re s p o ile d a s a r e s u lt o f this creates a wide range of skilled and unskilled jobs for local
o v e r-d e v e lo p m e n t. people. Vacationers also spend a great deal of money, which
C T o u r is m r e m a in s o n e o f th e w o r ld 's g re a t
stimulates the economy of the region as well as benefiting
g r o w th in d u s tr ie s .
the country as a whole.
D B a d ly b e h a v e d to u r i s ts c a n o f te n b e a s o u rc e 3 _______ For example, when tourists start visiting an area,
o f a n n o y a n c e f o r th e lo c a l p o p u la tio n . roads and public transportation tend to improve, or an airport
E A n o th e r p o i n t in fa v o r o f to u r is m is th a t may be built, all of which benefit local people as well as tourists.
g o v e rn m e n ts a r e b e c o m in g a w a re o f th e 4 _______ Not only is this leading to better conservation of
n e e d to p r o te c t t o u r is t a r e a s i n o r d e r to historic buildings and monuments in towns and cities, but also of
a t t r a c t v is ito rs . areas of natural beauty and endangered habitats in rural areas.
F T h e m a in p o sitiv e e ffe c t o f t o u r is m is o n
5 _______ For instance, many people argue that tourist
lo c a l e c o n o m ie s a n d e m p lo y m e n t.
development just leads to a proliferation of ugly hotels and
c N o w r e a d t h e m o d e l e s s a y a n d fill i n th e apartment buildings. This may have been true in the past,
b l a n k s w i t h a t o p ic s e n te n c e . T h e r e is o n e but nowadays there are many more restrictions placed on
s e n t e n c e y o u d o n ’t n e e d .
both planners and builders to ensure that the character and
architectural harmony of the place is maintained.
To sum up, I believe that tourism has, on the whole, a positive
influence provided its development is property planned and
controlled. Tourist destinations have a lot to gain from visitors
and the business they bring. In my opinion, it is possible for
114 both tourists and local people to benefit, and for popular
tourist destinations to have a sustainable future.
d R e a d e a c h p a r a g r a p h a g a in , i n c lu d in g P LA N N IN G W H AT TO W R ITE
t h e c o r r e c t t o p ic s e n te n c e . A n s w e r th e
B ra in s to rm th e c o n te n t
q u e s ti o n s w i t h a p a r t n e r .

1 W h e r e d o e s th e w r i te r s ta te h is o p in io n
a R e a d t h e e s s a y tit le s b e lo w . F o r e a c h o n e , d e c id e w h ic h s id e
o f t h e a r g u m e n t y o u a r e g o i n g t o ta k e , a n d t h i n k o f t h r e e o r
a b o u t to u ris m ?
fo u r reaso n s.
2 H o w m a n y a r g u m e n ts a re g iv e n to s u p p o r t
h is v iew ? Drivers should be charged fo r using highways and roads linking major
3 W h a t is t h e p u r p o s e o f p a r a g r a p h 5? towns and cities.

U s in g s y n o n y m s a n d r ic h e r v o c a b u la ry
Marrying someone fr o m a different country will always be more
problematic than marrying someone from your own country.
W h e n y o u a re w r i ti n g a n essay , r e m e m b e r
t o v a ry a n d e n r ic h y o u r v o c a b u la ry b y u s in g b C o m p a r e w i t h a p a r t n e r . D e c id e w h ic h y o u t h in k a r e t h e t h r e e
s y n o n y m s w h e r e a p p r o p r ia te . m o s t i m p o r t a n t r e a s o n s . D e c id e i f t h e r e a re a n y ty p ic a l o p p o s in g
a r g u m e n t s w h ic h y o u c o u ld r e f u te .
e F in d s y n o n y m s in t h e e s s a y f o r th e
f o llo w in g w o r d s a n d e x p r e s s io n s : c C h o o s e w h ic h o f t h e e s s a y s y o u a r e g o in g t o w r ite . W r i t e to p ic

1 t o u r is ts __________ __________ s e n te n c e s f o r t h e m a i n p a r a g r a p h s . S h o w y o u r t o p ic s e n te n c e s
t o a p a r t n e r a n d s e e i f y o u c a n im p r o v e e a c h o t h e r ’s s e n te n c e s .
2 e ffe c ts __________
3 f o r e x a m p le __________ TIPS f o r w r i ti n g a d is c u rs iv e e ssa y w h e r e y o u ta k e o n e s id e o f
a n a rg u m e n t
4 t o p r o fit f r o m __________
• O r g a n iz e y o u r e ssa y in to p a r a g r a p h s , w ith a c le a r in tr o d u c tio n
a n d c o n c lu s io n (see p a g e 1 1 0 ).
U S E F U L LA N G U A G E
• B e g in e a c h p a ra g r a p h w ith a c le a r to p ic s e n te n c e a n d th e n
f C o m p l e t e t h e m is s in g w o r d s in th e
d e v e lo p th e id ea.
e x p r e s s io n s . S o m e ( b u t n o t all) a r e i n t h e
m o d e l e ssa y . • U s e sy n o n y m s t o a v o id r e p e a tin g y o u rse lf.
• U s e a v a rie ty o f p h r a s e s f o r g iv in g y o u r o p in io n , o r in tr o d u c in g
G iving p e rso n a l op inions
a n o p p o s in g a r g u m e n t a n d r e f u tin g it.
1 I f __________ t h a t . ..

2 l b __________ t h a t . . . W RITIN G
3 In m y v__________ th e in flu e n c e s o f Y o u a r e g o i n g t o w r i t e o n e o f t h e e s s a y s a b o v e . I t s h o u ld b e
t o u r is m a re g e n e ra lly p o sitiv e . a p p r o x i m a t e ly 2 5 0 w o r d s .

DRAFT y o u r e ssa y in fo u r p a ra g r a p h s :
4 In m y o ____________
• a n i n tr o d u c to r y p a r a g r a p h w h e r e y o u in tr o d u c e th e to p ic a n d
5 P __________ , 1 th in k t h a t . .. s ta te y o u r o p in io n .
• t h r e e o r fo u r p a r a g r a p h s g iv in g y o u r r e a s o n s .
E x p re s s in g o p p o site arg u m en ts
• i f re le v a n t, a p a ra g r a p h s ta tin g o n e o r m o re c o m m o n c o u n te r ­
6 S o m e p e o p le a r ____________ a r g u m e n ts , a n d r e f u tin g e a c h o n e .
• a c o n c lu s io n , s ta t in g w h a t y o u r a rg u m e n ts h a v e s h o w n .
7 It is o f te n c l__________ th a t p o p u la r
d e s tin a tio n s a re s p o ile d b y to u r is m . EDIT th e essay , m a k in g s u re y o u r a r g u m e n ts lin k t o g e th e r a n d
m a k in g s u re i t is th e r ig h t le n g th .
8 T h e r e a re th __________ w h o s a y ...
CH ECK th e e ssa y f o r m is ta k e s in g r a m m a r , s p e llin g , p u n c tu a tio n ,
R e fu tin g th em a n d re g iste r.
<p.81
9 T h i s m __________ h___________b e e n
t r u e i n th e p a s t, b u t n o w a d a y s ...

10 T h e r e a re a n u m b e r o f fl___________in
th is a rg u m e n t.

11 T h a t is s im p ly n o t t h e c ___________ W riting 115