The structure of an opinion article
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how to create engaging openings and impactful endings in an opinion piece.
Key learning points
- You can create an engaging opening by using humour, or creating a shared experience with your reader.
- In an opinion piece, your message is your opinion.
- In an opinion piece, it is important to get the reader onside, so that they are more likely to internalise your message.
- The ending of your opinion piece should bring together the threads of your argument and reinforce your viewpoint.
- You can create an impactful ending by using mirroring and/or leaving your reader with a moral conundrum to consider.
Keywords
Impactful - memorable and significant.
To imply - to indicate the truth about something without explicitly saying it.
Viewpoint - a person’s opinion or perspective on something.
To reinforce - to strengthen or further support something - in this context - an idea.
Conundrum - a confusing and difficult-to-answer problem or question.
Common misconception
Students often rush the ending of their work - particularly if they are writing in timed conditions.
The ending is arguably the most important part of the piece of writing. Students need to leave their reader with a clear message that is memorable. The ending ties together the threads of the argument and reinforces the writer's viewpoint.
Teacher tip
For Task B in learning cycle 2, ask some students to read their endings out and get students to provide WWW and EBIs on whiteboards. This will get them thinking about how to improve their own work.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the 'form' of a piece of writing?
Q2.In an opinion article, what kind of tone would you expect to find?
Q3.What do we mean by the word 'structure' when we talk about the structure of a text?
Q4.What is being described here: 'The attitude your words imply - the way in which you say something.'?
Q5.Which of the following is not an example of a persuasive device?
Q6.What method is being used in the following sentence: “You never forget your first horror film.”?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the purpose of an opinion piece?
Q2.Why are engaging openings so important when writing an opinion article?
Q3.What is being implied in the following sentence about watching horror films: “Terrifying, utterly terrifying, but, of course thrilling, so very thrilling.”?
Q4.Match the key terms to their definitions.
memorable and significant
to indicate the truth about something
a person’s opinion or perspective
to strengthen or further support something
a confusing and difficult-to-answer problem
Q5.What is being described here: 'Revisiting an idea at the end of your writing that was included at the start.'?
Q6.How can you create an impactful ending to your opinion piece?
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: The structure of an opinion article, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: The structure of an opinion article, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 English lessons from the A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.