Writing Opinions

An opinion piece is a piece of writing that tells people what you think, and why. Your opinion is something that is true for you, but may not be true for other people. Opinions are different from facts, which are always true for everyone. Opinion pieces are only about things that can be argued for or against. For example, you wouldn’t write an opinion piece that says that George Washington was the first president. That is a fact, a true statement about the world. But you could write an opinion piece that says that George Washington was the best president. This is an opinion. It is not a true statement about the world.

Which of these is a fact?

• Baby tigers are the cutest animals.

• Apples are more delicious than oranges.

• The oldest person ever recorded lived to be 122.

• Fall is the best season because the changing leaves are so beautiful.

The introduction of an opinion piece is the first part that people will read. The introduction should clearly state your opinion. This is the topic of your piece. It should also give the reader an idea of how you will support it. You can use an interesting fact or story to get your reader’s attention. Then state your opinion and list your reasons for it.

You can show the reader that the statement is an opinion by using phrases like “I think,” “for me” or “my favorite.” Adjectives can also show that a statement is an opinion. Words like “best,” “worst,” “most beautiful” and “tastiest” all suggest that a statement is an opinion because what is the best for one person may not be the best for another person. Be careful about adjectives though. They don’t all show opinions. “Oldest,” “longest” and “fastest” are all things that can be measured and might point out facts!

Read the following introduction to an opinion piece.

It is a hot summer day. The air is sticky and the sun beats down on the sidewalk. You walk down the street to get a treat: an ice cream cone. I think ice cream is the best summer treat. It is the best because it is cool and sweet and because it comes in many different flavors.

Which sentence from the passage clearly states the author’s opinion?

• “It is a hot summer day.”

• “I think ice cream is the best summer treat.”

• “The air is sticky and the sun beats down on the sidewalk.”

• “You walk down the street to get a treat: an ice cream cone.”

You need to support the opinion in your piece. You can use reasons, facts and examples to do that. This will help convince your readers of your opinion. It’s not enough to say that you think Amelia Earhart was the most inspiring woman of the 1900s. You need to support that opinion. Try using a fact: “Amelia Earhart was the first female pilot to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean.” You can also support your opinion by explaining your personal reasons: “I want to be a pilot, so I admire and respect Amelia Earhart.”

An opinion piece needs at least two reasons or examples to support it. You can link these ideas by using words like “first,” “next,” and “last” to guide the reader through your piece.

Read the following passage:

The bell rings. It is 2:45. My heart beats fast, and my feet skip down the hall. It is time for show choir! To me, show choir is the greatest afterschool activity. There are three reasons I think this. First, singing and dancing are the best pastimes, so everything we do in show choir is extremely fun. Next, in show choir we learn to sing in harmony and dance complicated routines, so it teaches us skills. Lastly, at our final show every year everybody is extremely impressed, and making my parents proud is something I always try to do.

Which of these is a fact the author uses to support their opinion?

• “Singing and dancing are the best pastimes.”

• “Show choir is the greatest afterschool activity.”

• “Making my parents proud is something I always try to do.”

• “In show choir we learn to sing in harmony and dance complicated routines.”

When you’re ready to end your opinion piece, make sure to restate your opinion and reasons. You can say something like “In conclusion, I believe that because of her fearlessness, Amelia Earhart is the most inspiring woman of the 20th century.”

You can find opinion writing all around you. It is on blogs and in newspapers and magazines. You can improve your opinion writing by reading some of these pieces and seeing how these writers support their opinions.

What should you do at the end of an opinion piece?

• State a new opinion and new reasons.

• Restate your opinion and your reasons.

• Restate all your reasons but not your opinion.

• Don’t restate any of your reasons or your opinion.