Getting started
Your school is discussing a new rule: from next year, mobile phones will not be allowed anywhere on the school grounds, not even at break. The student newspaper asks for opinions. You have a clear view, but how do you write it so that other people take it seriously?
The text type you need is a comment. In a comment you give your opinion on a question and support it with arguments. You find comments in newspapers, on news websites, in blogs and in English exams from Year 9 onwards.
Auf Deutsch: Ein comment ist ein argumentativer Text, ähnlich einer Stellungnahme oder linearen Erörterung im Deutschunterricht. Du beziehst klar Position und begründest sie.
Explanation
What makes a comment
- It answers a question that people disagree about (Should …? Is it right that …?).
- It states a clear opinion (your thesis).
- It gives arguments with reasons and examples.
- It often mentions a counter-argument and answers it.
- It ends with a conclusion that sums up your view.
Structure
| part | content | length |
|---|---|---|
| introduction | lead into the topic, state the question and your opinion | 2 to 4 sentences |
| main part | two or three arguments, each in its own paragraph; one counter-argument with your answer | 3 to 4 paragraphs |
| conclusion | sum up, repeat your opinion in new words, perhaps a recommendation | 2 to 3 sentences |
Style
- Formal or neutral language: no short forms like don't or can't in exam texts, no slang.
- Personal opinion is allowed: In my opinion, I am convinced that, I strongly believe. But use these phrases only a few times. Arguments convince better than repeating I think.
- Linking words connect the ideas: firstly, moreover, however, therefore, in conclusion.
Auf Deutsch: Im comment darfst du „ich“ schreiben. Wichtig ist, dass jede Meinung begründet wird. Eine bloße Aufzählung von Meinungen ist kein Argument.
comment, opinion essay, argumentative essay
You will meet several names for similar tasks. A comment or opinion essay takes one side from the beginning. An argumentative essay (or for and against essay) first weighs both sides and gives an opinion at the end. This course focuses on the comment. The same skills help with all of them.
Examples
Example: A model comment
Read this comment, written for this course. The parts are marked in brackets.
Should mobile phones be banned at school?
(Introduction) Almost every student at our school owns a smartphone, and most of us check it many times a day. Our head teacher now wants to ban phones completely from the school grounds. In my opinion, a complete ban goes too far, but clear rules are necessary.
(Argument 1) Firstly, phones can be useful tools in lessons. Students can look up words, take photos of the board or use learning apps. If phones were banned, schools would lose this possibility, and not every school has enough tablets for everyone.
(Argument 2) Moreover, many parents want to reach their children on the way to and from school. A ban on the school grounds would make this more difficult, especially for younger students who travel by bus.
(Counter-argument) Supporters of the ban argue that phones distract students and that some students use them for cyberbullying. This is a serious problem. However, a ban would not stop cyberbullying, because most of it happens after school. Schools should rather teach students how to use social media responsibly.
(Conclusion) To sum up, I am against a complete ban. Phones should be switched off in lessons unless the teacher allows them, but students should be allowed to use them at break. This rule would protect lessons without ignoring the advantages of phones.
What makes this comment work
- The introduction leads into the topic with a fact, names the question and states a clear opinion.
- Each argument has its own paragraph and starts with a topic sentence (Firstly, phones can be useful tools in lessons.), followed by explanation and example.
- The counter-argument is taken seriously and then answered with However.
- The conclusion sums up and makes a concrete suggestion.
Rule
A comment answers a debatable question with a clear opinion. Structure: introduction with thesis, main part with arguments in separate paragraphs and a counter-argument, conclusion. Formal or neutral style, linking words, reasons and examples.
Exercises
Grundlagen
- Find these elements in the model comment and copy them: a) the thesis, b) two linking words, c) the counter-argument, d) the recommendation.
- Which of these questions are good topics for a comment? Explain why or why not. a) Should school start at 9 o'clock? b) How many people live in London? c) Should young people be allowed to vote at 16?
Weiter
- Rewrite these sentences in a more formal style. a) Phones are super annoying in class, I mean, everyone's always on them. b) Banning them is a really dumb idea.
- Write an introduction (3 sentences) for the question Should homework be abolished? Lead into the topic and state your opinion.
Knobeln
- Write a counter-argument paragraph for the model comment from the other side: Start with Some people say that phones are useful in lessons. Then explain why a ban is still a good idea.
Lösungen
- a) In my opinion, a complete ban goes too far, but clear rules are necessary. b) for example Firstly, Moreover, However, To sum up c) Supporters of the ban argue that phones distract students and that some students use them for cyberbullying. d) Phones should be switched off in lessons unless the teacher allows them, but students should be allowed to use them at break.
- a) Good: people disagree, and there are arguments on both sides. b) Not suitable: it is a question of fact with one correct answer. c) Good: a political question with arguments for and against.
- For example: a) Phones can be very distracting in lessons because many students use them all the time. b) Banning them would not be a sensible solution.
- For example: For many students, homework takes up a large part of the afternoon. Some people therefore want to abolish it completely. In my opinion, homework should not be abolished, but it should be shorter and more useful.
- For example: Some people say that phones are useful in lessons. It is true that students can look up words quickly. However, this advantage is small compared with the problems. Many students cannot resist checking messages, and their concentration suffers. Schools can lend tablets for lessons, which would give the same advantages without the distraction.