Getting started
The first and the last sentences of a text are the ones readers remember best. A weak start like In this text I will write about school uniforms makes the reader yawn. A weak ending like That's all I have to say wastes your last chance to convince. In this lesson you learn several ways to begin and end a comment.
Auf Deutsch: Die Einleitung führt zum Thema hin und nennt deine Position. Der Schluss fasst zusammen und rundet ab. Beide sind kurz, aber sie entscheiden über den Eindruck.
Explanation
Introduction: three jobs
- Lead in: catch the reader's interest.
- Name the question: make clear what the debate is about.
- State your thesis: say which side you take.
Ways to lead in
| technique | example |
|---|---|
| a surprising fact | According to the German JIM study 2025, young people between 12 and 19 spend almost four hours a day on their smartphones. |
| a question | Would you go to school in the same clothes as 800 other students? |
| a current event | Last month our school council voted on a new phone rule. |
| a short scene | It is 7:15, and Lisa is standing in front of her wardrobe for the third time. |
| a definition | A school uniform is a set of clothes that all students of a school must wear. |
If you use a fact or number, it must be true. In an exam without sources, a question, a scene or a current event at your school is safer than a statistic.
Auf Deutsch: Erfinde in der Klassenarbeit keine Zahlen. Eine Frage oder eine kurze Szene ist ein sicherer Einstieg.
Phrases for the thesis
- In my opinion, … should / should not …
- I am convinced that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
- Although there are good arguments on both sides, I believe that …
Conclusion: three jobs
- Signal the end: To sum up, In conclusion, All in all, Taking everything into account.
- Sum up your view: repeat your opinion in new words and mention your main reasons briefly.
- Round off: a recommendation, a look into the future or a question to the reader.
Do not bring a new argument in the conclusion. If it is important, it belongs in the main part.
Phrases for rounding off
- Schools should therefore …
- It would be a good idea to …
- In the future, …
- The question is not whether …, but how …
Examples
Example 1: Two introductions
Question: Should school start later for teenagers?
Weak: In this comment I will write about whether school should start later. There are pros and cons. I will now write my opinion.
Strong: It is 7:30 on a dark winter morning, and half of the class can hardly keep their eyes open. Many people now ask whether school should start later for teenagers. In my opinion, a start at 9 o'clock would make lessons more effective.
The strong version leads in with a short scene, names the debate and states a clear thesis in three sentences.
Example 2: A conclusion
To sum up, a later start would allow teenagers to get enough sleep and to concentrate better in lessons. The problems with bus times and after-school activities can be solved with good planning. Schools should therefore test a later start for one year and ask students and teachers about their experience.
The writer signals the end, repeats the opinion in new words, answers the counter-argument briefly and ends with a concrete recommendation.
Rule
Introduction: lead in (question, scene, fact, current event), name the question, state your thesis. Conclusion: signal the end, sum up in new words, round off with a recommendation or a look ahead. No new arguments in the conclusion.
Exercises
Grundlagen
- Match the technique to the lead-in. a) Have you ever counted how many plastic bottles you use in a week? b) Yesterday the city council decided to close the youth centre. c) Tom is sitting in the canteen, staring at a grey plate of pasta. (current event, question, scene)
- Which sentences should not appear in a conclusion? Explain. a) To sum up, I believe that … b) Another important argument is that … c) Schools should therefore …
Weiter
- Write two different introductions for the question Should fast food be banned in school canteens? Use a different lead-in technique each time.
- Rewrite this weak conclusion: So that's it. I said my opinion. Uniforms are good. Bye.
Knobeln
- Write an introduction and a conclusion for your comment on voting at 16 (outline from lesson 2). Make sure the conclusion repeats the thesis in new words.
Lösungen
- a) question b) current event c) scene
- b) should not appear, because it introduces a new argument. a) and c) are typical for a conclusion.
- For example: Question: Would you eat chips and burgers every day if they were cheaper than salad? Scene: It is lunchtime, and the queue for burgers is three times as long as the queue for vegetable soup. Each followed by: Many people now ask whether fast food should be banned in school canteens. In my view, a ban would be the wrong signal, but canteens should offer healthy food at better prices.
- For example: All in all, school uniforms reduce pressure on students and create a sense of community. The loss of individuality is small, as students can still show their style in many other ways. I would therefore recommend that our school introduces a uniform designed together with students.
- Expected: introduction with a lead-in, the question and a clear thesis. Conclusion with a signal phrase, the thesis in new words, a short reference to the main reasons and a recommendation or look ahead. No new argument.