Opinion Writing

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As children navigate the world around them, they begin to form their own opinions and beliefs. Having the ability to express these thoughts and feelings is very important for their personal development. One way of doing so is by developing opinion writing skills. Not only will this help them improve their critical thinking, but it will also increase their understanding of other writing styles, such as writing instructions or persuasive essays.

This section of our website is dedicated to teaching opinion writing, and includes lots of free resources to help you along, such as opinion writing prompts, templates, and tips from education experts! But before you dive into these fantastically fun resources and activities, here’s an introduction to opinion writing.

What is opinion writing?

Opinion writing is a type of writing in which the author expresses their thoughts, viewpoints, opinions, or feelings on a specific topic of their choosing. Opinion articles can sometimes be in response to other opinion pieces, but they can also stand alone as their own opinion pieces.

Features of opinion writing

In order to create a strong opinion piece of writing, your child must consider the features of this writing style. The common opinion writing structure is as follows:

1. Introduce the topic of the opinion essay using a strong and appropriate sentence starter, such as in my opinion, I believe that, and to me.
2. Your child should state their opinion clearly, and give supporting reasons for their opinion.
3. Use linking words to offer supporting evidence or share a related idea.
4. Include a strong conclusion.
5. Ensure your child is reading and revising their work as they write this opinion piece.

Opinion writing prompts

There are endless topics to write about when drafting an opinion article. Here are some opinion writing prompts to get your child to share their viewpoints:

1. Does pineapple belong on pizza?
2. Are dogs better than cats?
3. Should recess be longer?
4. What is the best cartoon and why?
5. Should children be allowed to drive?
6. Are aliens real?
7. Should you have to respect your elders?
8. Where is the best place on Earth?
9. Should children be required to go to school until they are 18?
10. If there could only be one season, which one would you choose and why?

Activity & resource

It’s time to practice all of your child’s new opinion writing skills! Use this free resource for guidance when your child writes their next opinion piece: