1. How to Write an Opinion Essay.
By Joan Gallardo

2. e.g., What’s your opinion on bullfighting?
(130-150 words)

3. Prepare your ideas:
I’m against bullfighting
- Bulls suffer.
-Primitive tradition
- Controversial
- Subsidized
Example: female circumcision
Example: picador, banderillas,
not stabbed properly

5. Opening paragraph:
- Introduce the topic
( Use a saying or question)
- State your opinion
It is a well-known fact that bullfighting is a Spanish
tradition. However, should it continue existing in the XXIst
century? In my opinion, it should not.

6. New paragraphs for your reasons:
- Give examples
- Enumerate &/or use expressions of addition
-Introduce your reasons with expressions
of opinion or facts
First of all, it is a fact that bullfighting has become
a controversial issue even among Spaniards nowadays.
In addition, as I see it, this is just a primitive and
savage tradition like, for example, female circumcision.
What is more, it seems to me that the spectators just
ignore the suffering of the animals. For instance , when
the “picador” uses his lance or the bullfighter the
“banderillas”.

7. It should have about 100 words now.
You may have to use your “spare” argument
or add more examples.
Time to count the words !

8. Final paragraph, conclusion:
- You can finish with a saying or quote
- Offer a solution, warning or advice (ought to, must…)
- Restate your opinion
In conclusion, as far as I am concerned, there
is not any reason to support bullfighting at present.
Furthermore, governments ought to ban it. Finally,
as Mahatma Gandhi said, 'The greatness of a
nation and its moral progress can be judged by the
way its animals are treated.'

9. And last but not least, choose a title!
Ideas from Richard Leahy's “Twenty Titles for the Writer”
- You can copy a sentence from your essay…
- A Primitive and Savage Tradition
- …use a concrete image from your essay: Blood on the Arena
- … a saying, proverb or question Can you Call this Art?
-…use a colon: Bullfighting: Art or Crime?
… or even to join two titles!
Blood on the Arena: Can you Call this Art?
- You can use a gerund (-ing): Bullfighting

10. Blood on the Arena: Can you Call this Art?
It is a well-known fact that bullfighting is
a Spanish tradition. However, should it continue existing in
the XXIst century? In my opinion, it should not.
First of all, it is a fact that bullfighting
has become a controversial issue even among Spaniards
nowadays. In addition, as I see it, this is just a
primitive and savage tradition like, for example, female
circumcision. What is more, it seems to me that the
spectators just ignore the suffering of the animals. For
instance , when the “picador” uses his lance or the
bullfighter the “banderillas.
In conclusion, as far as I am concerned,
there is not any reason to support bullfighting at
present. Furthermore, governments ought to ban it.