WRITING IN ENGLISH: Discussing advantages and disadvantages

Planificación

1. Introduce brevemente el tema sobre el que vas a escribir: utilizando conectores: "in the first
place", "to begin", "firstly".
2. Piensa en el mismo número de aspectos positivos que negativos para que la redacción quede
equilibrada.
3. Relaciona ideas con las expresiones adecuadas:

• para ordenarlas: in the first place, secondly, next, finally...

• para asociarlas: on one hand, on the other hand, it could be argued that...
• Desarrollo del tema expresando los argumentos a favor o en contra: but, on the other
hand, however, nevertheless, in my opinion, on the other hand.

4. Se pueden añadir expresiones como:

VENTAJAS:
The main advantage is...
There are other disadvantages in connection with...
I would say there are more advantages that drawbacks...
DESVENTAJAS:
The main disadvantage is...
There are other problems in connection with...
I would say there are more drawbacks than advantages.
En este apartado tienes que tratar de utilizar expresiones y vocabulario variado.

5. Extrae las conclusiones de los argumentos expresados anteriormente: to sum up, to

conclude, in conclusion. all in all, on the whole...
6. Puedes acabar con una conclusión expresando tu opinión personal: I think, I strongly
believe, In my opinion...

EXAMPLES:
A. Discuss the negative and the positive aspects of television.
It is hard to imagine our lives without television because it has become so popular that it is now
an essential part of our daily routine.
In the first place, the television has become so important because it is the main medium for
both entertainment and information exchange. We can watch crucial world events on television
at the same moment that they are taking place.
On the other hand, people seem to depend too much on television nowadays for their own
entertainment, leaving aside other pastimes like sport, meeting friends or eating out. As a result,
people, and especially children, are leading a more sedentary lifestyle and a less fulfilling one.
To conclude, television can have many advantages if we learn how to use it intelligently and
moderately but can be damaging to children if we do not control its use.
B. Discuss the advantages of being vegetarian.
Many people have become vegetarians after the rise of problems with certain kinds of
meat such as, mad cow disease, bird flu and problems of pollution in the sea affecting
the fish. There are now many vegetarian restaurants.
The main advantage of this type of diet is that fruit and vegetables provide our body
with vitamins and minerals; most of them are eaten fresh, many raw.
Nevertheless, this type of diet does not provide us with all the necessary nutrients
such as proteins. Another disadvantage would be when you are invited to eat with
friends, in which case, you will be very limited as to what you can eat.
In conclusion, in our present society there are probably more drawbacks in being a
vegetarian. Perhaps, the healthiest option is somewhere in between.

C. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages you find in homeworking.

When considering the option of working from home I can find both advantages and
disadvantages. Not having to commute to your workplace each morning is a definite advantage
because you can save money on transport and avoid the stress of the rush hour. The other
advantage is being able to eat at home, which is both cheaper and healthier.
However, I would say there are more drawbacks than advantages because having to organize
your own time means that you need to have two essential qualities that not everybody has: self-
discipline and good organization.

On the other hand if you work at home, there is the possibility of having more contact with the
family, even though this could also mean more distractions and taking more breaks than
necessary. Working from home also involves working alone. So I think that I would prefer to
suffer the stress of the rush hour but have the support and companionship of colleagues.

D. Are you for or against "the big bottle"? Why?

The big bottle is a phenomenon which has quickly spread throughout Spanish cities. It has
caused many problems in the areas where it takes place and therefore I am absolutely against it.

In the first place, neighbours living in the city centres complain because they cannot sleep
due to the noise created and because they find their area full of rubbish the morning after.

The second problem I see is that under aged teenagers have access to alcohol because
there is not anyone in the streets controlling what they drink.

Another big problem is that the streets are packed with drunk teenagers and this can bring
about fights and acts of vandalism, which can, again, affect neighbours.

So on the whole, I think that the big bottle is a social problem and we should all contribute to
eradicate it.