Advantage & Disadvantage essays General information Basically, an advantage/disadvantage essay is a discussion essay that asks you to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a given issue, for example the advantages and disadvantages of using public transport. DO NOT give any opinions if you are not asked to. Divide your body into 2 separate paragraphs, each of which develops either the advantages or disadvantages of the given issue. Your advantages and disadvantages essays would be structured as follows: The introduction Sentence 1: Paraphrase the background information given in the topic Topic: It is becoming increasingly popular to have a year off between finishing school and going to university. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this? Paraphrasing: Taking a gap year before attending college has recently gained enormous
popularity amongst high school graduates.
Sentence 2: Answer the question. Your thesis statement (your main idea) should be presented. My essay below will analyze both the benefits and the drawbacks of the phenomenon.
The body Paragraph1+Sentences (advantages or disadvantages) + supporting view The first paragraph: This part especially consists formula which illustrates starting 1st body paragraph . Having a year off after high school graduation is advantageous in some certain aspects. Sentence 1: The topic sentence (advantages or disadvantages). In topic sentence you have to present your first argument for your view. First, students can utilize this period of time to travel to acquire knowledge of various fields such as foreign languages and cultures. Supporting idea: You supposed to prove your evidence in this part by stating your own opinion or another example. This would be more difficult during their years at university owing to their intense studying schedules. Sentence 2: Second, many high school graduates benefit from taking a temporary job before starting their college life. Supporting idea: Due to the inadequate provision of career orientation in high school, sparing another 12 months looking for a job or signing up for a vocational course is considered a remedy for students to figure out their future path.
Paragraph 2 + Sentences (Advantages+Disadvantages)+Supporting view The second paragraph: From an opposite angle, the disadvantages of a gap year before college are varied. Sentence 1: The topic sentence (advantages or disadvantages) Initially, compared to the students having a year off, those who go straight to university after high school are more likely to have a permanent job early. Supporting idea: They finish their academic studies one year in advance, hence
better opportunities to get a job with stable incomes. Stating another Adv/Disad: More importantly, high school seniors might lose their studying habits as well as discipline. You can also clarify statement: In other words, one year spent on travelling or working can demotivate them from following tertiary education.