Task 7: Express and support an opinion

Do not search for the perfect opinion. Choose the side for which you can produce reasons and examples more easily.

During preparation:

• Summarize your position in one sentence.
• Note two different ideas.
• Add an effect or example for each idea.
• Decide how to close without repeating word for word.

Two developed ideas often provide a manageable structure, but they are not a compulsory rule.

To develop an argument, connect:

Claim, explanation, consequence, and example.

"Phones can distract students during lessons. Notifications interrupt their attention, so they may miss important instructions. For example, a student who checks a message while the teacher explains an assignment may complete it incorrectly."

The example should illustrate the reason. Do not switch arguments simply to add length.

1. Present your position directly.
2. Develop the first argument.
3. Add a second angle.
4. Acknowledge a limitation if it adds value.
5. Close with your conclusion.

Avoid redundancy such as "In my opinion, I strongly believe". You can say "In my opinion..." or "I strongly believe...".

Possible connectors include to begin with, another reason, for example, as a result, however, and overall. Simple connectors also work when the relationship between ideas is clear.

Prompt: Do you think students should be prohibited from using mobile phones during school hours?

I believe students should have limited access to their phones during lessons, although schools do not need to prohibit them for the entire day.

To begin with, phones can easily distract students. A notification may seem harmless, but checking one message can lead to several minutes on social media. As a result, the student may miss instructions or have trouble following the rest of the lesson. Keeping phones away during class would make it easier for everyone to concentrate.

Another reason is fairness. Teachers should not have to stop repeatedly to decide whether a student is using a phone for schoolwork or entertainment. A clear classroom rule would be easier to apply consistently.

However, students may need their phones before or after class to contact their families, and there may be emergencies. For that reason, I would require phones to remain silent and stored during lessons while allowing their use during designated breaks. Overall, that approach protects learning without creating an unnecessarily strict ban.

What to notice: The position is qualified but remains clear. Each reason includes a consequence, and the ending answers the question directly.

You have said: "Phones can distract students during lessons." Which continuation develops the same idea?

Which opening presents the position clearly?

Prompt: Should public transportation be free in large cities?

Record two responses of up to 90 seconds: one in favour and one against. Prepare each for 30 seconds.

Check:

• Was the position easy to identify?
• Did each argument address a different aspect?
• Were the examples concrete and plausible?
• Did the ending maintain the same position?

Go further: Briefly acknowledge the strongest objection and explain why your position remains preferable.