Writing skills and writing

1 Look at the examples. Then answer the questions below.

1. Does the writer (or speaker) expect an answer to these questions?
2. Is the purpose of questions like this

A to get information? B to make a point?

3. Is the unwritten (or unspoken) answer to questions like this usually

A negative? B positive?

2 Match each question in the box with the sentence that goes before it.

But will it work in practice? Did I ever say success would be easy?

Do they expect us to give it up now? Did he achieve that by accident?

Is that such a difficult idea to understand? Are we going to let them all down?

1. We’ve worked hard for this for a long time.
2. He’s one of the most successful leaders ever.
3. You just have to keep trying until you succeed.
4. His plan sounds attractive on paper.
5. Our supporters believe we can win.
6. I admit we’ve had some problems.

3 Write one or two sentences that lead to these questions. Start in the way shown, then add more sentences using the ideas in the boxes.

1. Too often, the behaviour of top sports stars during matches sets a bad example.

They Is this what we want young people to learn from watching sport?

2. Some people have suggested that the way to solve the problem of ___ is to

However, Is this really the best solution to the problem?

Examples

… when it is loved by so many people, how can it be bad?

… do they think much about the meaning, or try to apply it to real life?

Would that be exciting?

Ideas: Think of a problem (e.g. the workplace, school, politics, the environment) and a solution that could have negative results.

Ideas: bad behaviour of some professional sports people, e.g. cheating, deceiving the referee, pretending to be injured, etc.

1 Match the sentence beginnings 1–⁦6 with⁩ the endings a–f.

1. Obviously we can’t return to the past, but a it does raise an important question.
2. They may not be the worst team in the competition, but b I think there is a fault in the basic argument.
3. While I agree with most of the writer’s points, c it’s very unlikely that they’ll win it.
4. Of course, it’s easy to make fun of the idea, but still d we hardly ever see each other nowadays.
5. It’s certainly true that most people want success, but e we can still learn from it.
6. We may have been friends when we were young, but f it’s not the only reason for taking part.

2 Complete these sentences in any way that makes sense.

1. Obviously I was disappointed with the result, but .
2. It may not be the only answer, but .
3. While they play well enough in defence, .
4. Of course, we need to be careful, but .
5. It’s certainly a very popular book, but .
6. Winning may be important, but .

3 Write a short essay giving your opinion about this statement.

Try to include some of the persuasion techniques you have practised in Periods ⁦6 and⁩ 7 (but don’t use them too much).

Paragraph 1: Winning is not the only reason for playing sport.

Examples of other reasons.

Sometimes these may be as important as winning.

Paragraph 2: The effects money has on sport.

‘Win at all costs’ attitude can lead to cheating (examples).

Rich teams are able to ‘buy success’ (explain).

Paragraph 3: Own opinion.

Possible ways to change the situation (e.g. limit spending).

There is too much money in sport nowadays: winning at any cost has become the main aim in many sports, and has had a negative effect on players and supporters. How far do you agree?

In this Unit you have learnt about:

• attitudes to winning and losing
• comparing texts and opinions
• reading and discussing a poem
• ‘rhetorical’ questions and other persuasion techniques
• writing an essay