This document provides guidance on writing opinion paragraphs. It discusses introducing and supporting an opinion, using facts and opinions, outlining an opinion paragraph with reasons and details, and using transition signals and modal verbs to express opinions. The document includes sample topic sentences, outlines, and practice questions to help the reader learn how to effectively structure and write an opinion paragraph.

1. Module 4
Opinion Paragraphs
In everyday life, people have opinions about issues and talk
about them.
People also write their opinions. In college classes you often
have to express and support your opinions.
Information taken from:
Hogue, A. (2008). First Steps in Academic Writing. Longman.

2. There are four keys to writing a successful opinion
paragraph.
1. State your opinion clearly in the topic sentence.
2. Explain each reason in logical order.
3. Use facts to support each reason.
4. End with a powerful concluding sentence that your
reader will remember.

3. Facts and Opinions
Opinions are statements of someone’s belief. When you say, “I
believe…” or “I think that…” you are expressing your opinion.
Opinions are different from facts. People can disagree with opinions.
Facts are true statements that none can disagree with.
Facts Opinions
The sun rises in the east. The sunrise was beautiful this
morning.
Women could not vote in the
United States until 1920.
Everyone should vote.
The temperature of the lake is 55°F. The lake is too cold for swimming.
Mrs. Kingsley said, “I am a good
Mrs. Kingsley is a good mother.
mother.”

4. Model ~ Opinion Paragraph
Video Games and Violence
In my opinion, violent games are harmful to young people. First of all, playing
these games can cause changes in the behavior of Young people. According to
studies by psychologist, frequen players have poorer grades in school. They are also
more hostile and act more agressively toward their teaches and classmates. A
second reason is that they make young people less sensitive to violence in the real
world. The games make it fun to shoot and kill, and the line between play violence
and real violence becomes very thin or disapears entirely. Thirteen-year-old Noah
Wilson was stabbed to death by a friend who often played the violent game “Mortal
Combat”. Noah’s mother said, “The boy who stabbed him was acting out the part of
Cyrex,” who is a character in the game. A third reason is that violent video games
teach players to use violence to solve problems. If classmates tease you, don’t try to
work it out – bring a gun and shoot them. An extreme Example of this kind of thinking
resulted in the Columbine High School massacre. Two students shot and killed twelve
classmates, a teacher, and themselves at Columbine High School in Colorado. The
two Young killers were fans of the games “Doom” and “Wolfenstein 3D”. For these
three reasons, I feel that violent video games are harmful to young people and
should be controled – or, even better, banned.

5. Questions on the Model
Answer the questions based on the model paragraph.
1. What is the writer’s opinion about violent video games? What phrase
does she use to introduce her opinion?
2. How many reasons does she give for her opinion?
3. How does she support her opinions?

6. Answers
Answer the questions based on the model paragraph.
1. What is the writer’s opinion about violent video games? What phrase
does she use to introduce her opinion?
Video games are harmful to young people. The phrase she uses is: In
my opinion, …
2. How many reasons does she give for her opinion?
She gives three reasons.
3. How does she support her opinions?
She supports her opinions giving specific facts.

7. Model
Detailed Outline for Opinion Paragraph
Look at part of the outline for the previous opinion paragraph.
Remember to support your opinion with examples: facts or
experiences.
TITLE Violent Games and Violence
Topic
Sentence
In my opinión, violent video games are harmful to Young people. Opinion
1st Reason A. Playing these games can cause changes in the behavior of young
people.
Opinion
Detail 1. According to psycologist, frequent players have poorer grades
in school.
Fact
Detail 2. They are also more hostile and act more agressively toward
their teachers and classmates.
Fact
2nd
Reason
B. Violent games make young people less sensitive to violence in the real
world.
Opinion
Detail 1. The games make it fun to shoot and kill, and the line between
play violence and reality becomes thin or disappears.
Opinion
Detail 2. Noah Wilson was stabbed to death by a friend who often
played the violent game “Mortal Combat”.
Fact
Detail 3. Noah’s mother said, “The boy who stabbed him was acting out
the part of Cyrex”.
Fact

8. Transition Signals for an
Opinion Paragraph
When you state an opinion, you should indicate that it is an opinion
by using an opinion signal, such as these:
Transition signal Example
In my opinion, … (with a comma) In my opinion, everyone should be
allowed to own a gun.
In my view, … (with a comma) In my view, no one should be
allowed to own a gun.
In believe (that)… (without a
comma)
I believe that smoking should not
be allowed in public paces.
I think (that)… (without a comma) I think smokers have rights too.

9. Transition Signals for an
Opinion Paragraph
To give information from an outside source (a book, a newspaper,
another person), use according to with a comma.
Transition signal Example
According to X, …
(with a comma)
According to Gregory, his mother never wrote to
him or sent him birthday cards.
According to a story in Science Today Magazine,
the Earth is becoming warmer.
According to a government report, few Russians
have more than one child.

10. Writer’s Tip!
When you write, you can use on the sentences
starters above (In my opinion, in my view…).
However, be careful not to use too many, or to use
them too often. That can make your writing sound
weak.
The reader knows that the paragraph is your opinion,
because you wrote it!.

11. Modal Auxiliaries for Expressing Opinions
When you speak, you introduce opinions with phrases
like I think, In my opinion, and I believe.
In general, these introductory phrases are not needed
in writing. They can even make you sound less sure of
your ideas. Instead, writers use grammatical methods
such as modal auxiliary verbs to express their opinions.

12. Affirmative
The city could
should
ought to
has to
must
add more bike paths.
Modal auxiliary verbs show the
strength of a writer’s opinion or
argument.
weakest
strongest

13. Negative
The city doesn’t have to
shouldn’t
can’t
must not
allow more cars.
Modal auxiliary verbs show the
strength of a writer’s opinion or
argument.
weakest
strongest