Mastering Opinion Essays: Structure, Vocabulary, and Grammar

Opinion Essay Essentials

Useful Vocabulary and Phrases

Enhance your writing with these key expressions:

• Expressing Opinion: In my opinion (En mi opinión), Personally (Personalmente), I think/believe (Yo creo firmemente), I agree/disagree (Estoy de acuerdo/no), It seems to me that (Me parece que), As I see it (Como yo lo veo), From my point of view (Desde mi punto de vista), I am sure (Estoy seguro).
• Connecting Ideas: My main reason is (Mi razón principal), Nowadays (Hoy en día), Also/Furthermore (Además), Because/Since/Due to (Porque/Ya que/Debido a), It is clear (Es claro), It is true that (Es cierto que), For example (Por ejemplo), However (Sin embargo), Whether (Ya sea), Luckily (Por suerte), Firstly/Secondly/Thirdly (En primer lugar...), Although (A pesar de que), Whereas (Mientras), On the one hand/on the other hand (Por un lado/por otro lado), So/In order to (Entonces/Para), To sum up/In conclusion (Para resumir/En conclusión).

Essay Structure

• Introduction: Provide a brief summary of the conflict.
• Paragraph 1: Present arguments opposing your viewpoint.
• Paragraph 2: Present arguments supporting your stance.
• Conclusion: Summarize the main points discussed.

Verb Tense Reference

• Present Simple: Goes (Va)
• Present Continuous: Am/is/are + verb (Está...)
• Past Simple: Worked (Trabajaba)
• Past Continuous: Was/were working (Estaba/Estábamos trabajando)
• Present Perfect Simple: Have run (He corrido)
• Present Perfect Continuous: Have been running (He estado corriendo)
• Past Perfect Simple: Had run (Había corrido)
• Past Perfect Continuous: Had been running (Había estado corriendo)

Sample Essay: The Impact of COVID-19 on Education

The COVID-19 pandemic brought us many conflicts. As a serious disease, it necessitated the closure of schools, shops, and bars. This significantly affected 2nd-year Bachillerato students, as the closure of facilities forced a transition to online learning, eliminating face-to-face interaction.

This learning system is challenging, as many students lack access to the internet or computers required to complete their assignments. This affects both children and parents who are concerned about educational progress. Although the internet system can be effective and provides necessary resources, in my opinion, it disproportionately affects 2nd-year Bachillerato students. They require face-to-face instruction to acquire the knowledge necessary to access university with the required grades. Despite efforts to facilitate remote learning, completing exams and tasks remains difficult for both students and teachers. Ultimately, face-to-face classes are essential for effective learning.