Unit 2. Competitions — Teacher’s Copy

Teacher’s notes — Unit 2: Opinion writing (Competitions)

Text type. Opinion paragraph — the student states and defends a personal view.

Key teaching points

Students must state their opinion in the topic sentence. Do not allow “In this paragraph I will discuss…”
Each reason needs a supporting example — push for specificity (a real competition, a real subject).
However is introduced here as a way to briefly acknowledge the other side, not to reverse the whole opinion.
Part A uses a box format (6 options, 4 gaps). Remind students to use process of elimination.
Part A item 2 will also accept In my opinion on meaning alone; the keyed answer is First of all because the sequence First of all → Secondly is what the unit is teaching. Accept either, but ask students to justify the choice.

Common student error. Writing “I think competitions are good and bad” without committing to a position. Teach that opinion writing requires a maintained stance.

Understand

About this text type

What is opinion writing?

An opinion paragraph states your personal view on a topic and supports it with reasons and examples. Your aim is to persuade the reader that your opinion is reasonable and well supported.

Purpose. to state your view clearly and convince the reader by giving reasons and examples.

Key features

Begin with a clear opinion statement — use I think / I believe / In my opinion.
Give 2–3 reasons to support your view. Each reason should have an example.
You may briefly mention the other side before restating your conclusion.
End with a concluding statement that restates your opinion in different words.

Remember — your paragraph has three parts

Topic sentence. State your opinion clearly. Do not write “In this paragraph I will…” — go straight to your view.
Body sentences. Give 2–3 reasons. Use First of all, / Secondly, / For example, / However
Concluding sentence. Restate your opinion in different words. Use In conclusion, / To sum up

Study

Grammar & vocabulary

Vocabulary bank

Word / phrase	Meaning	Example sentence
competition	an event where people try to win	She entered a national writing competition.
competitive	wanting very much to win	He has a very competitive personality.
achieve	to successfully reach a goal	Hard work helps you achieve your goals.
effort	the energy you use trying to do something	Competitions reward both effort and talent.
pressure	stress caused by high expectations	Some students feel too much pressure when they compete.
fair	treating everyone equally according to the rules	The judging process must be transparent and fair.
motivate	to encourage someone to try harder	Winning a prize motivates students to continue improving.
team spirit	a feeling of shared purpose when working together	Team competitions are excellent for building team spirit.

Grammar Opinion phrases + should / shouldn’t

Structure	Example
I think / I believe (that)…	I think competitions are very beneficial for young people.
In my opinion,…	In my opinion, all students should have a chance to compete.
should + verb	Schools should organise more competitions for all age groups.
shouldn’t + verb	Competitions shouldn’t create so much pressure that students feel anxious.

Useful linking words Notice the example sentences — they show you exactly how to use each word.

Linking word	When to use it	Example sentence
I think / I believe / In my opinion,	To state your opinion	I believe that competitions are good for young people.
First of all, / Secondly	To introduce and sequence your reasons	First of all, they motivate students to work harder.
For example, / For instance,	To support a reason with a concrete example	For example, students practise more when there is a prize.
In conclusion, / To sum up,	To restate your final opinion	In conclusion, competitions are positive when well organised.

Extra practice · Part A Choose the correct word or phrase from the box. There are six options but only four gaps — two are extra. Think about the meaning of each sentence before you choose.

For exampleHoweverSecondlyFirst of allIn conclusionIn my opinion

Not used: In my opinion · Secondly

1Many students enjoy studying abroad because it helps them become more independent. , it can sometimes be expensive.

However — The second sentence gives a disadvantage after an advantage, so the two ideas pull against each other.

2, learning a foreign language improves communication skills.

First of all — Nothing comes before this sentence, so it opens the list of reasons — you cannot be second before you have been first.

3Some students join clubs after school. Sports teams, , help students develop teamwork skills.

For example — Sports teams are one kind of club, so this gap introduces a specific case. Note that it sits inside the sentence, so it is written in lower case: Sports teams, for example, help…

4, extracurricular activities are beneficial for students’ personal development.

In conclusion — This is the last sentence and it sums up everything above it.

Part B · Write your own Rewrite each pair of sentences using the linker in brackets. Keep the meaning the same.

1Students should read books regularly. It improves their vocabulary. Also

Model. Students should read books regularly. Also, this improves their vocabulary significantly.

2Some students feel anxious during competitions. They still benefit from the experience. However

Model. Some students feel anxious during competitions. However, they still benefit greatly from the experience.

Analyse

Sample paragraph

Read the paragraph, then use the panel beside it to see how it is built. Click any row to light up that sentence.

Competitions and Young People

I believe that competitions are very beneficial for young people because they help develop important life skills. First of all, competitions motivate students to work hard and improve themselves. When they know there is a goal to reach, they put in more effort and become more disciplined in their daily habits. Secondly, competitions teach young people how to deal with both success and failure, which is one of the most valuable lessons in life. For example, a student who loses a sports competition learns not to give up — instead, they try to understand what went wrong and train harder next time. However, I think competitions should always be fair and well organised so that all participants feel valued, not just the winners. In conclusion, competitions are a positive experience for young people as long as the focus remains on effort and personal growth, not only on winning.

Topic sentenceBody sentencesConcluding sentence

Discussion Talk to your partner.

What is the writer’s opinion? How do you know? Which words tell you?
How many reasons does the writer give? Are they supported with examples?
Do you agree with the writer’s opinion? Give your own reason.

Opinion. That competitions are beneficial. The signal is I believe that… in the very first sentence, followed by because they help develop important life skills — opinion plus reason.
Reasons. Two: motivation and effort (Reason 1), and coping with success and failure (Reason 2). Only Reason 2 has a real example — the student who loses a sports competition. Reason 1 has explanation but no example, which is a useful gap to point out before students write their own.
Agreeing or disagreeing. Either position is acceptable as long as the student gives a reason. Push for a reason plus an example, and for However used to concede a point rather than to switch sides.

Practise

Controlled exercises

Exercise 1 Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence.

1? competitions are a great way to challenge yourself and grow.

I think — This is the opening sentence, and it states a positive view. Nothing has been said yet for it to contrast with.

2First of all, competitions help students to ?their skills.

improve — The sentence is listing a benefit of competitions, so the verb must be a positive one.

3Schools ?organise fair competitions for all students.

should — The writer is recommending fair competitions, not warning against them.

4?, some students feel too nervous when they compete.

However — This sentence admits a disadvantage in the middle of a positive paragraph — it is not the ending.

5?, competitions are very valuable when they are fair and well organised.

To sum up — This sentence closes the paragraph and restates the overall view.

Exercise 2 The body of this paragraph is written for you. Add a topic sentence and a concluding sentence.

Competitions help young people learn discipline. For example, students practise regularly before a competition. Competitions can also build confidence. When students do well, they feel happy and want to improve more.

1Write the topic sentence that belongs above this body. your opinion

Model. I believe that competitions are an excellent way for young people to develop discipline, resilience, and confidence.

2Write the concluding sentence that belongs below this body. restate, don’t repeat

Model. In conclusion, competitions are a very positive experience for young people because they teach effort, growth, and self-belief — not just winning.

Write

Your own paragraph

Are competitions good for young people? Write a paragraph of at least 130 words.

One paragraph · three parts · minimum 130 words.

My plan Notes first — then write.

Topic sentence idea (your opinion)Reason 1 + exampleReason 2 + exampleConcluding sentence

Self-check Tick each box when you are sure.

Topic sentence. I introduced my main idea in my own words — I did not copy the question.
Linking words. I used at least three different linking words to connect my sentences.
Example. I included at least one example using For example, / For instance, / such as.
Concluding sentence. I ended with a sentence that summarises my main idea. I used In conclusion, / To sum up, / Overall,
Proofreading. I read my paragraph again and checked my spelling and punctuation.

0 of 5 checked.

My paragraph

0 / 130 words

Nothing is saved automatically. Copy or save your paragraph before you close this tab — only your own writing is saved, not the exercises.

Sample answer For modelling and for calibrating your marking.

Task. Are competitions good for young people? Write a paragraph of at least 130 words.
136 words · band: strong pass

I believe that competitions are generally good for young people because they build important skills that stay with them throughout life. Topic sentence: clear opinion + reason First of all, competing in any event — whether academic or sporting — teaches young people how to set goals and work hard to achieve them. For example, when I participated in an English speaking competition at school, I prepared for weeks and, even though I did not win, my speaking skills improved enormously. Reason 1 + personal example Secondly, competitions help young people learn how to handle both success and disappointment with maturity, which are equally important life lessons. However, I think competitions should always be well organised and fair so that all students feel encouraged, regardless of the result. Reason 2 + contrast In conclusion, competitions are a valuable experience when the emphasis is on personal growth and effort rather than simply on winning. Conclusion restates the opinion in different words

Marking focusClear opinion in the topic sentenceTwo reasons, each with an example or detailHowever used to acknowledge the other sideConclusion restates — does not copy the topic sentence

Optional activity

Class debate

20–25 minutes · Speaking → opinion phrases in context

Motion: “Competitions do more harm than good for young people.” Divide the class into FOR and AGAINST. Students have five minutes to prepare 2–3 reasons using the language from Section B (I believe / First of all / For example / However).
Each team presents. Allow one rebuttal round.
Each student then writes their own opinion paragraph individually, regardless of which team they were on.

Extension. Students vote before and after the debate. Compare the results — did anyone change their mind?

Vocabulary review — Units 1 & 2

Covers both units

Part A · Matching Match each word (1–5) to its correct definition (A–E).

Word	Answer	Definition
1. pressure		A. the energy and hard work you put into doing something
2. effort		B. a feeling of stress caused by high demands or expectations
3. motivate		C. something you do regularly, often without thinking about it
4. fair		D. to encourage someone to work harder and do their best
5. habit		E. treating everyone equally and according to the rules

1→B · 2→A · 3→D · 4→E · 5→C

Part B · Gap fill Complete the sentences using the words below. Use each word once.

habitmotivatepressureeffortfair

1Teachers should be and treat all students equally.

fair — After should be you need an adjective. The clue is treat all students equally.

2Doing homework every evening can become a good .

habit — After a good you need a noun. It means something you do regularly, almost automatically.

3Parents often try to their children to study harder.

motivate — After try to you need a base verb. It means to encourage someone to try harder.

4Students sometimes feel a lot of before an important exam.

pressure — After a lot of you need an uncountable noun. It is the stress that comes from high expectations.

5Learning a language requires time and .

effort — It pairs with time: the energy you put into doing something.

Part C · Word formation Choose the correct form of the word to complete each sentence.

1The final match was incredibly ?.

competitive — After incredibly (an adverb) you need an adjective, not a verb or a noun.

2Winning the gold medal was her greatest ?.

achievement — After her greatest you need a noun — but a thing she achieved, not a person.

3I felt very ?after swimming in the sea.

relaxed — I felt very… needs an adjective describing how you feel, not what causes the feeling.

4Daily practice leads to great ?in your performance.

improvement — After leads to great you need a noun.

5The coach’s words ?the whole team to work harder.

motivated — This is the main verb of the sentence, and the match is already over — so it must be past tense.

✓

Answer key at a glance

Prints with the page

B · Part A (6 options, 4 gaps)
1 independent / expensive	However
2 learning a foreign language	First of all
3 Sports teams, …, help students	For example (lower case, mid-sentence)
4 extracurricular activities	In conclusion
Not used	In my opinion · Secondly
B · Part B (rewrite with the linker)
Also	Students should read books regularly. Also, this improves their vocabulary significantly.
However	Some students feel anxious during competitions. However, they still benefit greatly from the experience.
D · Exercise 1
1	I think
2	improve
3	should
4	However
5	To sum up
D · Exercise 2 (model sentences)
Topic sentence	I believe that competitions are an excellent way for young people to develop discipline, resilience, and confidence.
Concluding sentence	In conclusion, competitions are a very positive experience for young people because they teach effort, growth, and self-belief — not just winning.
R · Review, Part A — matching
1 pressure	B
2 effort	A
3 motivate	D
4 fair	E
5 habit	C
R · Review, Part B — gap fill
1	fair
2	habit
3	motivate
4	pressure
5	effort
R · Review, Part C — word formation
1	competitive
2	achievement
3	relaxed
4	improvement
5	motivated