Checkpoint 8 · Paper 1 writing (non-fiction)

Opinion Writing — Writing Pack

How to give a clear, well-supported opinion in Paper 1: opinion vs persuasive vs argument, formats, REAP paragraphs, phrases, vocabulary and a strong 350+ word sample article.

British & IGCSE › Checkpoint 8 English (Cambridge Lower Secondary 0861)

Opinion writing tells the reader what you think about an issue and gives clear reasons and evidence for it. Its aim is to make the reader understand — and ideally agree with — your point of view. It is one of the most common kinds of Paper 1 task, because a question such as 'Should…?', 'What is your view on…?' or 'Do you agree that…?' can be set on almost any topic: homework, uniforms, technology, sport, cooking, the environment.

1. What is opinion writing?

Question	Answer
Purpose	To share and explain your viewpoint with reasons, evidence and examples so that the reader understands and agrees.
Audience	Named in the task: readers of a school magazine, a head teacher, a newspaper, classmates, parents.
Tone	Formal or semi-formal, matched to the audience. Confident and reasonable, never rude.
Voice	First person is allowed and expected (I believe, in my view). You can also use 'we' to include the reader.
Where it appears	Paper 1 Non-fiction, Section B Writing. The task names a format: essay, article, letter, email or speech.

Exam fact	What it means for you
Paper	Paper 1 Non-fiction (Stage 8 Progression Test and Checkpoint 0861 have the same format).
Paper length	1 hour 10 minutes for the whole paper: Section A Reading (25 marks) + Section B Writing (25 marks).
Writing time	About 35 minutes is suggested for Section B (some 2023 papers said 30 minutes).
Number of tasks	One extended writing task. There is a planning space. Planning is not marked, but it saves marks.
This genre	Opinion, persuasive and argument tasks (in letter, speech or article form) are framework text types that are likely to appear. Article is one of the formats confirmed in recent papers, so be ready to give your opinion as an article.

Opinion, persuasive or argumentative?

These three genres look similar, but each one has a different goal. The wording of the task tells you which one is wanted.

	Opinion	Persuasive	Argumentative (discursive)
Goal	Make the reader understand and agree with what you think	Make the reader feel what you feel and ACT	Prove that your view is the most reasonable, after weighing both sides
Task words	What is your opinion? Do you agree? Should…? Give your views	Persuade, convince, encourage, urge readers to…	Argue, discuss both sides, to what extent do you agree
Other side	Mentioned briefly and answered	Mentioned and knocked down (rebuttal)	Given fair space, then answered
Tone	Reasonable, personal, confident	Emotional, urgent, energetic	Calm, balanced, formal
Ending	Restate your view + a thought or prediction	A strong call to action	A reasoned final judgement

Formats: the task decides how you open

Format	How it changes your writing
Essay	A title, then a clear thesis statement in the introduction. Continuous paragraphs without subheadings.
Article	A catchy title (and optional subheadings). Introduce the topic indirectly (a story, a question, a surprising fact) before revealing your claim.
Letter	Dear… / Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully. State why you are writing in the first paragraph.
Email	Subject line, greeting, clear paragraphs, polite sign-off.
Speech	Greet the audience, use direct address ('you', 'we'), end with 'Thank you for listening.'

How your opinion piece is marked (25 marks)

Category	Marks	Bands	What the top band needs in THIS genre
Creation of texts (content & purpose)	5	[1] [2] [3] [4–5]	A clear, consistent viewpoint from start to finish. Every point in the task covered with developed reasons and evidence. The tone suits the audience and keeps the reader interested.
Vocabulary and language	3	[1] [2] [3]	Precise vocabulary for opinions and evaluation (beneficial, detrimental, essential, I am convinced that), chosen for effect.
Structure of texts (text structure)	7	[1] [2–3] [4–5] [6–7]	Introduction (hook, background, claim) → REAP body paragraphs in a logical order → conclusion. Paragraphs linked with discourse markers. The format's features (title, greeting, sign-off) correct.
Grammar and punctuation (sentence structure, punctuation & grammar)	7	[1] [2–3] [4–5] [6–7]	Varied sentences — complex sentences for reasoning, short ones for emphasis, rhetorical questions. Accurate tenses and modal verbs. Commas, colons, dashes and question marks used correctly.
Word structure (spelling)	3	[1] [2] [3]	Ambitious words spelt correctly (necessary, independent, argument, environment, definitely).

Marking rules you must know

The examiner uses 'best fit': each category is judged on its own, starting from the lowest band.
20 words or fewer scores 0. Between 21 and 60 words can score no more than 7 marks in total — so always finish a full piece.
Writing the wrong text type is expensive: in recent mark schemes Creation is capped at 1 and Structure is capped (at 3, or 2 if the content is also wrong).
Your plan is not marked, but students who plan for 4–5 minutes almost always score higher in Structure.

2. Features of opinion writing

Feature	What it does	Example
Clear point of view	The reader always knows what you think	I firmly believe that every student should learn to cook.
Hook	Grabs attention in the first lines	My seventeen-year-old brother cannot fry an egg.
Thesis statement / claim	States your opinion clearly in the introduction	Having considered the evidence, I am convinced that…
Reasons	Explain why you hold the view	The most important reason is that…
Evidence	Facts, examples, statistics, anecdotes or expert views	In a class survey, only six out of twenty-eight students could cook a meal.
Analysis	Shows how the evidence proves your point	This shows that…
Persuasive tools	Rhetorical questions, emotive words, repetition, rule of three	Can we really call that an education?
Counter-argument	Shows you are fair and confident	Some people argue that… However…
Opinion language	Signals viewpoint and certainty	In my view, clearly, undoubtedly, surely, it seems to me
Modal verbs	Show how strongly you feel	Schools should / must / could…
Linking words	Connect ideas logically	Furthermore, as a result, nevertheless, above all
Formal or semi-formal register	Matches the audience	No slang, no text language

3. How to structure opinion writing

Every opinion piece has three parts: an introduction, body paragraphs built with REAP, and a conclusion.

Paragraph	What to write	Example sentence
Title	Short and clear. A question or a strong statement works well	Why Every Student Should Learn to Cook
Introduction	Hook → background (why this topic matters now) → thesis statement or claim	…In my view, this is a mistake. I firmly believe that…
Body 1 (REAP)	Your strongest reason	The most important reason is that…
Body 2 (REAP)	Your second reason	Another reason is that…
Body 3 (REAP)	Your third reason (or a different angle: money, health, the future)	Finally, …
Counter-argument	The other side in one sentence, then why you still disagree	Of course, some people argue that… However, …
Conclusion	Restate your view in new words → sum up the reasons → end with a call to action, a prediction or a thought-provoking line	In conclusion, … Next time you…

REAP: the body-paragraph formula

R — Reason: a topic sentence that gives one reason for your opinion.
E — Evidence: a fact, example, statistic, anecdote or expert view that supports it.
A — Analysis: explain HOW the evidence proves your reason (This shows that… / As a result…).
P — Persuasive tool: finish with a rhetorical question, an emotive image, a rule of three or a strong statement.

Essay or article? In an essay you state your stance directly in the introduction and write continuous paragraphs. In an article you can open indirectly — with a short story, a question or a surprising fact — and you may give each REAP paragraph a subheading.

How to start: five hooks

Anecdote: Last Friday, my older brother tried to make himself an omelette. Twenty minutes later, the kitchen was full of smoke.
Rhetorical question: How many of us could survive a week without a phone? Very few, I suspect — and that should worry us.
Imagine: Imagine a school day that started at nine o'clock instead of half past seven.
Surprising fact: Many teenagers now spend more hours each week looking at a screen than sitting in lessons.
Strong statement: Homework at the weekend is doing more harm than good.

How to end: five closing lines

Call to action: It is time for our school to put cooking back on the timetable.
Prediction: If nothing changes, the next generation will know how to order food but not how to make it.
Thought-provoking question: After all, what is the point of an education that does not prepare us for life?
Echo the hook: And as for my brother, he has finally learned to make that omelette — though only after a great deal of smoke.
Balanced but firm: There is no perfect solution, but this one is clearly the fairest.

4. Useful phrases and vocabulary

Hook and background

Few debates generate as much discussion as the question of [topic].
Imagine a world in which [situation]. How different would our daily lives be?
In recent years, [topic] has become impossible to ignore.
From [one side] to [another], the effects of [topic] are clear to see.

Thesis statement / claim

Having weighed the evidence, I firmly believe that…
I am convinced that [solution] is the most sensible way forward.
In my view, it is clear that [topic] can no longer be ignored.
It seems to me that…

Reason and evidence

One compelling reason for this view is that…
A significant factor that cannot be overlooked is…
For instance, consider the case of…
According to a recent survey, …

Analysis

This shows that… / This suggests that…
The implication is that…
Such evidence highlights not only [A] but also [B].
As a result, …

Counter-argument

Some people argue that… This is a fair point. However, …
Admittedly, … Nevertheless, …
While it is true that…, it does not follow that…

Conclusion

In conclusion, the evidence clearly supports the view that…
To sum up, there is little doubt that…
Ultimately, [solution] is not merely a good option but the most logical one.
The choice is ours: …

Word / phrase	Meaning / use
indispensable (adj.)	so important that you cannot manage without it
crucial (adj.)	extremely important
beneficial (adj.)	having a good effect
detrimental (adj.)	causing harm — Too much screen time is detrimental to sleep.
misguided (adj.)	based on poor judgement — The rule is well meant but misguided.
justified (adj.)	having a good reason behind it
excessive (adj.)	far more than is needed
outdated (adj.)	no longer suitable for today
questionable (adj.)	doubtful, open to challenge
erode (v.)	to weaken gradually — Constant testing erodes real learning.
neglect (v.)	to fail to give proper attention to
dismiss (v.)	to refuse to take something seriously
wellbeing (n.)	being healthy and happy
drawback (n.)	a disadvantage
undoubtedly (adv.)	without any doubt

5. Strong sample answer

Opinion article for the school magazine505 words · Strong answer — Creation 5/5 · Vocabulary 3/3 · Structure 7/7 · Grammar & punctuation 7/7 · Spelling 3/3

Task: Your school magazine has a page called 'Have Your Say'. This month's question is: 'Should cooking be taught to every student at school?' Write an article for the magazine giving your opinion. You should include: • whether you think cooking should be taught and why • how it could help students now and in the future • what you would say to people who disagree.

Why Every Student Should Learn to Cook

Last Friday, my older brother tried to make himself an omelette. Twenty minutes later, the kitchen smelt of smoke, the pan was ruined and he was eating a packet of crisps for dinner. He is seventeen. Sadly, his story is not unusual: plenty of teenagers can solve complicated equations, yet they cannot boil an egg. In many schools, cooking lessons have quietly disappeared from the timetable, replaced by extra revision and more tests. In my view, this is a serious mistake, and I firmly believe that every student should learn to cook at school.

A Skill for Life

The most important reason is that cooking is a skill every one of us will need. Sooner or later, we will all leave home — for university, for work or to start families of our own. When I carried out a quick survey in my class, only six out of twenty-eight students said they could cook a complete meal without help. This shows that most of us are leaving the job entirely to our parents, and that we will struggle when we have to look after ourselves. Can a school really claim to prepare us for life if it does not teach us how to feed ourselves?

Healthier Choices

Cooking lessons would also help students to eat more healthily. Fast food is cheap, quick and everywhere; it is advertised on almost every screen we look at. Students who cook, however, understand exactly what goes into their food: how much oil, how much sugar and how much salt. Once you have measured the oil needed for a single portion of fried chicken, a takeaway suddenly looks far less tempting. Knowledge changes habits. Imagine a generation that chooses a home-made lentil soup over a burger, not because an adult forces them to, but because they know it is better and they know how to make it.

More Than Just Food

Finally, cooking teaches skills that other subjects only talk about. Following a recipe involves reading instructions carefully, measuring accurately and managing time, while preparing a dish in a group requires patience and teamwork. In other words, a cooking lesson is a Maths, Science and English lesson in disguise, and it is one that students actually enjoy.

Of course, some people argue that schools do not have the time or the money for kitchens. This is a fair point. However, even one practical lesson a fortnight, using simple equipment in an ordinary classroom, would be a start, and many dishes, from a fresh salad to a bowl of rice, need nothing more than a single hotplate.

In conclusion, cooking is not a hobby for a few; it is a basic life skill that protects our health, our money and our independence. Schools teach us how to pass exams. Surely they should also teach us how to look after ourselves. So next time you see a teenager eating crisps for dinner, ask yourself whether it is really their fault, or ours for never teaching them.

Why this gets the marks

Creation 5/5 — the viewpoint is clear in the claim at the end of paragraph 1 and never changes. All three task bullets are developed (why: every section. Now and in the future: 'A Skill for Life' and 'Healthier Choices'. People who disagree: the counter-argument paragraph). The anecdote about the brother creates a warm writer–reader relationship that suits a school magazine, and the ending returns to it.
Vocabulary 3/3 — precise, purposeful word choice: complicated equations, quietly disappeared, tempting, independence, in disguise. Opinion language (In my view, I firmly believe, Surely).
Structure 7/7 — article format: title and subheadings. The introduction moves from hook (anecdote) to background (lessons replaced by tests) to claim. Three body paragraphs follow REAP (e.g. 'A Skill for Life': Reason 'cooking is a skill every one of us will need' → Evidence 'class survey… six out of twenty-eight' → Analysis 'This shows that…' → Persuasive tool, a rhetorical question).
Structure — a short counter-argument with a reply, and a conclusion that restates the view in new words, sums up (health, money, independence) and echoes the opening for a satisfying circular ending. Discourse markers (The most important reason, also, Finally, Of course, However, In conclusion) give cohesion.
Grammar & punctuation 7/7 — a very short sentence for impact ('He is seventeen.' 'Knowledge changes habits.'). Complex sentences with subordinate clauses (When I carried out…, Once you have measured…). A colon for explanation (paragraph 1) and a colon for a list (how much oil, how much sugar and how much salt). A single dash for emphasis before the reasons for leaving home (— for university, for work…). Semicolons joining two related independent clauses (Healthier Choices section and conclusion). Rhetorical question marks. Modal verbs (should, would, can).
Spelling 3/3 — ambitious words spelt correctly: complicated, revision, independence, accurately, disguise, fortnight, advertised.

Timing plan for Section B (about 35 minutes)

Minutes	What to do
0–4	Underline the format (article? letter? speech?), audience, purpose and every bullet. Decide your opinion — pick the side you can give the best reasons for, even if it is not your real view.
4–7	Plan: hook idea · claim · three reasons each with one piece of evidence · one counter-argument · ending idea.
7–30	Write about 350–450 words: introduction, three REAP paragraphs, counter-argument, conclusion.
30–35	Check: is my opinion clear in the first paragraph and the last? Are the format features there? Spelling and punctuation.

6. Common mistakes

Mistake	Why it costs marks	Fix
Changing your opinion halfway through	Viewpoint not sustained (Creation)	Decide before you write and keep to it
Reasons with no evidence ('Phones are bad because they are bad')	Ideas not developed	Add an example, a fact or an anecdote, then explain it
Listing reasons in one long paragraph	Weak structure	One reason per paragraph, using REAP
Ignoring the format named in the task	Wrong text type can cap Creation and Structure	Article = title. Letter = Dear… / Yours…. Speech = greeting + Thank you
Too informal: 'Cooking is, like, super important guys'	Register does not suit the audience	Semi-formal: 'Cooking is an essential skill'
Repeating 'I think' in every sentence	Limited vocabulary	Vary: In my view, I am convinced, Clearly, It seems to me
Forgetting the other side	The piece seems one-dimensional	One short counter-argument + your answer
Conclusion that only says 'That's my opinion'	Weak ending	Restate, sum up, end with a call to action or prediction

Checklist before you finish

The format's features are correct (title / greeting / sign-off / subject line).
The introduction has a hook, background and a clear thesis statement or claim.
My opinion stays the same from the first paragraph to the last.
Each body paragraph follows REAP — Reason, Evidence, Analysis, Persuasive tool.
One counter-argument is mentioned and answered.
Linking words connect the paragraphs and the ideas inside them.
At least one rhetorical question, one short sentence for emphasis and one complex sentence.
The conclusion restates my view in new words and ends with a call to action, prediction or memorable thought.

إزاي تكتب مقال رأي ياخد الدرجة النهائية؟

حدد رأيك من الأول واكتبه بوضوح في آخر المقدمة (thesis/claim)، وما تغيّرهوش لحد آخر سطر.
كل فقرة = سبب واحد بطريقة REAP: السبب، الدليل (مثال أو رقم أو موقف)، الشرح (This shows that)، وبعدين سؤال بلاغي أو جملة قوية.
اذكر رأي الطرف التاني في جملة وردّ عليه بأدب، ده بيبيّن إنك واثق ومنطقي.
شوف الشكل المطلوب في السؤال (مقال، جواب، خطبة، إيميل) والتزم بشكله، لأن الشكل الغلط بيقلّل الدرجة جامد.

Practice tasks

Task 1: Your head teacher is thinking of making the school day start one hour later. Write an article for the school newsletter giving your opinion. Write a claim and a plan.
Show answer
Claim: Starting the school day an hour later would make students healthier, happier and better learners. Plan: Hook — 'At 6 a.m., while the city sleeps, thousands of Year 8 students are already searching for their shoes.' P1 Reason: sleep (Evidence: teenagers need around 8–10 hours, most get far less. Analysis: tired students cannot concentrate. Tool: rhetorical question). P2 Reason: less traffic stress and safer journeys. P3 Reason: better results and mood in morning lessons. Counter: 'Parents have to get to work' → breakfast clubs could open at the usual time. Conclusion: restate + call to action to the head teacher.
Task 2: Turn this weak paragraph into a REAP paragraph: 'Sport is good. Everyone should do it. It is good for you.'
Show answer
(R) One of the strongest reasons to make sport compulsory is its effect on our health. (E) Doctors recommend that young people are active for about an hour every day, yet many students spend most of their free time sitting in front of screens. (A) This shows that school may be the only place where some students move at all, so removing sport would put their health at risk. (P) Can we really afford to raise a generation that has never run for the bus?
Task 3: Is each task asking for opinion, persuasive or argumentative writing? (a) 'Write a speech urging students to join the recycling club.' (b) 'Write an article giving your views on online learning.' (c) 'Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of school trips abroad.'
Show answer
(a) Persuasive — 'urging' means you want the audience to act. (b) Opinion — 'giving your views'. (c) Argumentative/discursive — 'discuss the advantages and disadvantages' means both sides with a reasoned judgement.
Task 4: Write two different thesis statements for the question 'Should students wear school uniform?' — one for and one against.
Show answer
For: Having considered the evidence, I am convinced that school uniform creates equality, saves families money and helps students focus on learning. Against: In my view, school uniform is an outdated rule that limits self-expression and adds unnecessary cost for families.

All pages in this course

Start here: the exam

Reading: grammar & punctuation

Reading: understanding texts

Paper 1 writing: non-fiction

Paper 2 writing: fiction