Opinion Essay: Arguments For Arguments Against

8G Opinion essay
A Discuss the questions in pairs. Give reasons.

1 When you are buying clothing, how important are the following to you?
brand comfort fashion materials price quality where it’s made
2 Read the definition of throwaway/disposable fashion. What are some examples of stores which sell disposable
fashion? Do you ever buy this kind of clothing?
Fashionable clothing which is usually very cheap and of poor quality, designed to be worn for a
limited time and then thrown away.
3 What are some of the arguments for and against purchasing throwaway fashion garments? Make notes below.
Arguments for Arguments against
B Read the opinion essay. Which of your ideas from above are mentioned? What other arguments are put forward?
Throwaway fashion is causing great harm to the environment and should be boycotted. Do you agree?
The production and disposal of cheap clothing negatively impacts our enviroment. But is the problem so
significant that consumers should refuse buying this type of fashion? I reckon when clothes shopping, we must
consider the cost to our planet, not just our wallets, and make desisions accordingly.
Thousands of tonnes of clothes are dumbed in landfill annually. Recently, this amount has rose dramatically,
coinciding with the increasing trend for throwaway fashion. Attracted by up-to-the-minute fashions and cheap
prices, people are purchasing poorly-made clothes, that wear out quickly and are subsequently discarded. If
consumers bought superior-quality garments, this problem could be aleviated.
Much of this bargain clothing is manufactured in developping countries, when environmental regulations are
often less strict. It frequently made of synthetic fibres, which take far longer to decompose.
We must put our environment first and take the decision to avoid throwaway fashion. While this may mean
higher finantial costs for consumers, it’s a price worth to pay.
C Work in pairs. Discuss how the essay above could be improved. Use the checklist on page 89 of the Student's Book to
help you. Rewrite the essay, including the improvements.
Solutions 2nd edition Upper-Intermediate © Oxford University Press • Photocopiable

8G Opinion essay
Aims To review and practise opinion essay-writing

Time 15 minutes
Materials 1 handout for each student
• Give each student a handout. Divide the class into pairs and
tell them to complete task A. Get feedback from the class.
• Tell students to complete task B. Check answers as a class.
Answer Key
Arguments against: more clothes being dumped in landfill, clothing
wears out quickly, made in developing countries with less strict
rules about environment, made of synthetic fibres and so take
longer to decompose
• Give students time to discuss how the essay could be
improved. Elicit ideas from the class.
suggested Answers
Essay should include useful phrases from exercise 3, page 88 and
exercise 4, page 89
Should include some sequencing expressions
Needs to include an extra paragraph with a counter-argument
Spelling mistakes: environment/decisions/dumped/alleviated/
developing/financial
Grammatical mistakes: refuse to buy/this amount has risen/
clothes, which wear out/countries, where environmental/It is
frequently made/a price worth paying
• Students write an improved version of the essay. This could be
done for homework if class time is short.
model Answer
It’s fair to say that the production and disposal of cheap clothing
negatively impacts our environment. The question we need to
answer is whether the problem is so significant that consumers
should refuse to buy this type of fashion. My opinion is that
when clothes shopping, we must consider the cost to our planet,
not just our wallets, and make decisions accordingly.
Firstly, it’s important to recognise that thousands of tonnes of
clothes are dumped in landfill annually. Recently, this amount
has risen dramatically, coinciding with the increasing trend for
throwaway fashion. Attracted by up-to-the-minute fashions and
cheap prices, people are purchasing poorly-made clothes, which
wear out quickly and are subsequently discarded. If consumers
bought superior-quality garments, this problem could be alleviated.
Secondly, it’s worth acknowledging that much of this bargain
clothing is manufactured in developing countries, where
environmental regulations are often less strict. What is more,
it’s frequently made of synthetic fibres, which take far longer
to decompose.
Some people argue, however, that cheap clothing is the only
choice for some. It’s easy to see the appeal of disposable fashion
for low-income families struggling to clothe growing children.
Having said that, these parents should consider the future world
their children will inhabit and seek alternatives, such as second-
hand clothes.
In conclusion, I do believe we must put our environment first
and take the decision to avoid throwaway fashion. While this
may mean higher financial costs for consumers, it’s a price
worth paying.
Solutions 2nd edition Upper-Intermediate © Oxford University Press

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8G Opinion essay

A Discuss the questions in pairs. Give reasons.

Solutions 2nd edition Upper-Intermediate © Oxford University Press • Photocopiable

Aims To review and practise opinion essay-writing

Solutions 2nd edition Upper-Intermediate © Oxford University Press

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