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How to write good essays for ICSE Class 10 (Samples, Books, Topics)

April 14, 2018 by studymumbai Leave a Comment

As part of ICSE Class 10 board exams, students are required to write a composition (essay) of around 300 to 350 words from a choice of subjects. The idea is to see how well students can describe, explain, present ideas coherently, arrive at conclusions and suggest solutions. Here are more tips and suggestions to help ICSE students master the art of answering/writing essay questions.

How to Write a Good Essay for ICSE Class X

Lot of students look for sample essays that can come in the for class 10 ICSE exam. However, instead of trying to guess, which topics come, a better approach is to learn how to structure an essay, and so some general reading on current topics.

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Here’s how to write a good essay for ICSE. Here are some hints on how to prepare for important essay topics:

• Read newspaper headlines. Usually, the Essays seem to be based on current hot topics/burning issues
• Have some information about current incidents, in politics, sports etc
• Learn how to structure an essay.

Read: How to write essay in Competitive Exams

• You would be given multiple options of essay topics. Take some time reading those topics and pick the one you’re most comfortable with.
• You can also buy ‘last 10 years question paper’ book and go through all the essays and letters to understand the style of writing, the way introduction and conclusion should be written.

With this approach, you will surely be able to write on any topic.

Essay Topics for Class X Exam

The ICSE Class X English language exam normally provides five essay topics. Pick the topic you are most comfortable with and you think you know more about.

If you take a look at the past question papers, you will see that the Essay topics are not usually repeated. It means you don’t have to by-heart any particular essay.

What they are looking for is a decent structure, they are not keen to know whether you have a mastery of the topic.

Having said that, be aware of current incidents and controversies in India, which could be one of the essay topics.

Possible topics for ICSE Class X (just have some basic idea about these and maybe practice writing on a few of these):

In the past ‘Science and Technology in Modern Society’ or ‘Comparison of various education systems’ have been hot topics. Other likely topics include demonetization in India, world peace, democracy, advent of selfies, human rights, etc.

Here are some more topics:

Artificial intelligence -job creator or job destroyer

Feminization of agriculture

Women empowerment-men have to walk extra mile

Globalisation and climate change cause or effective

Water scarcity where the buck stops.

Appo deepo bhavo

Rule of law or human rights -which comes first

Science and ethics -antagonism or synergy.

Judicial activism overeach or under performance of other two wings

Media and rule of law -two means to an end.

Fight against poverty, pollution, terrorism

Tiger, an endangered species

Child labour

Memorable day in school

Importance of sports in school life

My favourite pet

Global warming

Importance of reading

Your ambition in life

Swachchh bharat/Plastic bags/ Hygiene

Views on Fashion or show-off

Corporal punishment in school

Views on animal cruelty in circuses

Role of mother in life

TV/Computer/Mobile-boon or bane?

Nuisance by animals in public places

Interviewing a famous person

One day experience as your favourite fictional character

Trip to a hill station

A day visit to an orphanage/old age home

Story on ‘every cloud has a silver lining’

Detective story on a stolen antique

Women empowerment(with reference to Beti Bachao Beti Padhao)

Story titled ‘The gift’.

Good Books on Writing Essays

Here are a few good books on essay writing that can give your more ideas on how to write good essays, and help you to practice better.

• CBD’s ICSE Model English Essays (by Dr A.K.Mukherjee)
• Essay writing for high school -Essay writing for high school
• Cracking the English Essays For ICSE Class 10 Board Exams (by Madhuri Shukla)

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• ICSE Class 10 English Language Question Paper 2020

Class 10 English Language Paper 2020 - Free PDF

We, at Vedantu, provide ICSE Class 10 English Language Question Paper 2020 pdf to assist you in preparing for your upcoming 10th Board exam. By studying the 2020 question paper helps you understand the exam pattern set by ICSE during this year. This, in turn, will help you to be more confident during exams. Class 10 Board exam is one of the most crucial exams of a student’s lifetime. It is the most competitive school level exam. It is important to score well in ICSE Class 10 English Language Board exam, not only to have a great academic record but to have a rewarding future.

ICSE Class 10 English Language Question Paper 2020 PDF Will Be Uploaded Soon

Schools affiliated with ICSE follow the higher level of  English and is the most important paper in the school curriculum. English holds a special place as a subject considered to be a scoring paper in the Board Exams held annually every year after completing Std 10 and Std 12 (ISC). The difficulty level of the English Language is at an advanced level hence most of the students studying under ICSE stand a fair chance of cracking tough English-Language based competitive exams like TOEIC and TOEFL. Since more focus is on the detailed study of English Language and English Literature, most of the students after completing their schooling find it easier to converse in English which is the preferred mode of communication in various institutes and companies. As a result, their chances of hiring increase as compared to their contemporaries.

As a result, the English Language paper is a tough nut to crack! Based on the ICSE syllabus which includes Essay Writing/Compositions, Comprehensions, Letter-Writing, Grammar, etc, the paper tests both the creativity and the strength of knowledge on the grammar with the eye to details needed for accuracy if a student wants to score well in this paper. This is the reason why teachers ask the students to inculcate reading habits or writing journals to harness one’s skills for better communication in English. Stress on the English Grammar starts from Std 5, where students are taught to focus more on the differences of the English Language. 

The ICSE Question Paper Class 10 English Language of 2020 included sections like Essay Writing, Comprehensions, Notice and Email, Letter Writing, and Grammar. An in-depth study of each of these sections has been given below:

Essay- The paper has five varied topics comprising a short story, a debate/argumentative essay, a descriptive composition, a brief account of one’s actions in a particular situation, and a picture composition. Anyone topic is to be selected in 300-350 words. Students usually find it difficult to compose on such topics due to limited time and the anxiety of answering the paper. Hence we suggest that mock papers by Vedantu be solved on a regular basis, especially for those students for whom essay writing can be a nightmare! 

Notice and Email- ICSE has introduced Notice and Email writing in which students need to write in the format and structure as suggested by the ICSE Board. The format has to be short, crisp, and formal in nature.

Letter-Writing- This section includes two types of letters- a Formal Letter and an Informal Letter. Most of the students go forward with the Informal Letter since the language used is more descriptive as compared to the Formal Letter which demands a more stipulated format to be followed written to dignitaries, authorities, seniors, etc.

Comprehension- This section includes a passage that is to be read carefully and is followed up by questions on the passage like the meaning of words, summary writing, etc.  

Grammar- The Grammar section is the most scoring section since one has to have clarity of the basics like prepositions, adjectives, verbs, nouns, etc.

FAQs on ICSE Class 10 English Language Question Paper 2020

1. What is the format of ICSE Class 10 English Language?

The ICSE English Language paper Class 10  is divided into five sections:

1. Composition- The candidate needs to write an essay of 300-350 words related to the topics given in the paper. No more than 30 minutes should be spent on this question.

2. Comprehension- An unseen passage is given. The Vocabulary and Short answer type questions are asked along with summary writing of 60 words.

3. Letter writing- A topic between a Formal and Informal Letter needs to be chosen by the candidate.

4. Notice and Email- The candidate needs to write on topics given under each situation in the given format by the Board.

5. Grammar- All items in this question are compulsory. Functional grammar and the knowledge of the use of language are tested here. 

2. How do we prepare for the ICSE English Language std 10 paper?

Since the English Language paper is a difficult paper to answer, experts from Vedantu suggest solving sample papers for a better grip over the English Language. Essay Writing is the most complex section to answer since the creativity of the student is tested hence the practice of Essay writing is a must for students to check their areas of improvement. For Grammar, starting from the basics and following resources like Wren and Martin is more than enough. If a student takes time to read the Comprehension, it will be difficult to complete the questions mentioned after the passage hence building a habit of reading books to speed up the reading pace.

3. What is the benefit of the ICSE English Language paper?

Since English is a global language and the most preferred mode of communication, the ICSE English Language includes a higher level of and is extensive enough for students to score well in important English Language tests like TOEIC and TOEFL for studies abroad. Students can easily pursue fields of humanities as a result of good English speaking and writing skills. Since the English Language is deeply connected with English Literature, it will be much easier for students to critically analyze texts like plays, short stories, and poems. 

4. How much time should be spent on writing each section of the ICSE English Language Std 10 exam?

Students have only two hours to complete the entire English language paper and for those who find the paper difficult, it is an uphill task! Solving sample papers and Previous Years’ Question papers by Vedantu helps a lot since time management is an important factor for completing the paper. A maximum of 30 minutes should be spent on the Essay and 20 minutes on Comprehension and Letter Writing. The Grammar section is the least time-consuming section and can be completed first so that there is enough time to spend on Essay writing and Comprehension.

5. What are the tips to be followed while writing the Essay section of the ICSE English Language paper? 

The students should give themselves 5 minutes to read the topic. Once the brainstorming is done, points should be jotted down and then the organization of thoughts should begin immediately. Structuring the plot is very important while maintaining creativity since one scores extra marks if the plot is good. Try thinking out of the box like using quotes, phrases, etc. If asked to discuss a topic like in a debate, the arguments should be precise and to the point in paragraphs. A proper introduction and conclusion also help the student score extra points.

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ICSE English Composition: 5 Tips to Write Effective Essays

by Yash Soni on Sep 26, 2022

ICSE English composition or essay writing is among the most challenging aspects of the exam. English compositions broadly are of 5 types . Here are few things you need to keep in mind when writing a composition in your English 9 or 10 language exam.

Start with a Strong Introduction

A good introduction will set the tone of your essay and pique the interest of your examiner. It is good to cultivate curiosity in readers.

Write About Something You Know Well

If you're writing about something you know well, you can use examples from your own life to illustrate your points. However, if you're writing about something new, you might find yourself struggling with ideas. Try brainstorming different ways to approach the subject. You can develop your ideas by reading good books from publishers such as Almond Books .

Develop a Point of View

After deciding what you want to say, you need to decide where you stand on the issue. This is called developing a point of view. If you are writing an essay on an argumentative topic, you should begin by identifying the opposing side's position. Then, you should identify your own position. Finally, you should explain why you believe your position is correct.

Craft a Clear Structure

A good composition structure includes three parts: introduction, body, and conclusion (not paragraphs; you can divide your essay body into a few small paragraphs). Each part has its own purpose. The introduction provides context for the rest of the composition. It introduces the main idea and gives background information. The body explains the argument and supports the central idea. And the conclusion summarizes the key points of the composition.

Include Details That Support Your Claims

You should also use examples to illustrate your points. These examples should be relevant to your composition topic. They should not just be random facts; rather, they should relate to your point of view.

You will be able to write effective essays in ICSE if you follow these simple but vital tips. Prepare well for your Language exam by practicing the latest ICSE essay topics (taken from Almond Books ICSE Compositions Textbook ).

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Essay Writing Class 10 ICSE Notes PDF (Quick Revision Notes)

The ICSE Class 10 English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing may sometimes create confusion among students, but those who often take help of Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes and revise the topic more often can benefit a lot. It is so, because the revision notes of Essay Writing help students refresh the learning time and again which help deepen the understanding in Class 10 English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing.

In order to help students in studying the topics of Essay Writing properly here, we provide the Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes PDF for free of cost. The revision notes of Class 10 ICSE Essay Writing have been prepared by subject matter experts of Selfstudys and so, it will aid students in maintaining the accuracy level too.

Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes PDF

In order to help students access the digital format of Essay Writing notes, our team has bundled the Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes in PDF. The Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes PDF can be downloaded and used throughout the ongoing academic session to improve the grip on the topic as well as to improve the performance in the exam.

Having access to ICSE Class 10 English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing PDF enables the students to study conveniently without thinking much of place and time, because the PDF notes are easily accessible in Smartphone and one can carry with them all the time.

ICSE English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing Class 10 Notes Features

The Salient features of ICSE English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing Class 10 Notes are mentioned below:

• Notes are Decorated with Bullet Points and Underlines: When students prepare their handwritten notes they try to make them well formatted so that they go through them quickly. Following the same method, our expert has decorated the Revision Notes of ICSE Class 10 English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing using bullet points, underlines and bold font.
• Appealing Design: The Design team of Selfstudys has kept in mind to make Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 notes appealing to read therefore, they have used various colours, minimal design, and a clean clear formatting. Due to the appealing design of Essay Writing notes, the students find it more interesting to read and easy to grasp the written information.
• Prepared by Subject-Matter Expert: The Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 notes are prepared by highly skilled teachers who have years of experience in teaching English (Comprehension and Composition). Therefore, ICSE Class 10 English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing revision notes have higher accuracy and accurate formatting.
• Proper Definitions and Examples are Given: Similar to the English (Comprehension and Composition) textbook, the Class 10 Essay Writing notes contain proper definitions and examples to help students brush up their earlier learning of Essay Writing.
• Practice Questions are Included: Along with the topic and subtopics brief, the Practice Questions are Included in Essay Writing Class 10 notes. Those practice questions are given to help students solve the relevant questions right after revising the topic. Solving questions helps deepen the understanding in the Essay Writing.

How to Download Essay Writing Class 10 Notes?

One of the easiest methods to download Essay Writing Class 10 Notes is by searching the notes on Selfstudys.com; however, one can follow the below-given download steps too.

• Type “Selfstudys.com” on your device’s browser

• Scroll down the website a bit or till you find “Free Study Materials”

• Find “CISCE” and Click on that which will open another section containing various study resources

• Choose “Revision Notes Exam” and it will lead to your next step in the downloading process.

• Now, on the newly opened page, click on “Class 10,” it will expand where you need to click on English (Comprehension and Composition) to access the Class 10 ICSE English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing Notes PDF.

5 Benefits of Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes

These 5 benefits of Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes help you understand why one should download the Essay Writing revision notes in PDF and use them.

• Better Command on the uses of Essay Writing: No doubt the more you practise the better you become and so, revising through the ICSE Class 10 English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing help students make their command better on the uses of Essay Writing and enables them to learn how to use the skill properly.
• Opportunity to Strengthen the Knowledge in Essay Writing: Apart from the revision notes of Essay Writing, students can use a variety of study tools to strengthen the knowledge; however, the use of Essay Writing revision notes not only help students to enhance their knowledge in theory but give them skill to utilise them in real-world.
• Works as Confidence Booster: A thorough revision of Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 notes help students boost their confidence in the topic and also gives the confidence to solve several related questions regardless of its difficulty level.
• Provides Various Questions to Practise: This is more like a feature than benefits, but the Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes PDF help students practise several questions. It is because the subject matter experts have included a variety of easy to difficult questions on Essay Writing. Solving those questions also boost the overall confidence in the topic and help students better write answers in the ICSE Class 10 annual examination.
• Ability to Identify Errors in Own Answers: Using the ICSE English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing Class 10 Notes on a regular basis gives students the ability to find errors or mistakes in their own given answers. It happens when a student has gained a great command of the concepts as well as has done a lot of practice to the questions.

5 Methods to Revise Using Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes?

From so many revision methods; here, we have mentioned the 5 revision methods so that you can better use Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 notes and score impressive marks in your examination.

• Reading Aloud: When you are referring to the Essay Writing revision notes of ICSE Class 10 try to read aloud. Reading aloud helps you hear your own voice which boosts the memory’s capability to remember information for a longer period of time. It also helps you improve your English (Comprehension and Composition) pronunciation skills.
• Writing without Looking At the Notes: The very first step is to go through the revision notes of Essay Writing for once and then keep them far from you and try to write whatever you just studied. Writing without looking at the notes gives you confidence and helps you test your own memorising power.
• Solving Relevant Questions: For the convenience of ICSE Class 10 students, we have added some relevant questions in Class 10 English (Comprehension and Composition) Essay Writing notes so that you can test your revision level. Revising using this method doesn’t only help you to level-up your conceptual understanding but help you practise for the examination.
• Use Classic Revision Tool such as FlashCards: One of the classical revision tools is Flashcards in which students write a word, definition or keyword on one side of the card and meaning on the other side. If you are familiar with this technique then, we will advise you to use this method to easily do your revision.
• Revise According to Pomodoro Technique: One of the most renowned and powerful techniques, Pomodoro can be used to revise the Essay Writing ICSE Class 10 Notes. In Pomodoro Technique, one can break their total work time into a 25 minute time slot so that they can better maintain their focus.

How Does Using ICSE Class 10 Notes of Essay Writing Help Students Score Better Marks?

Keep in mind that, Essay Writing is a single topic among so many and so, only using ICSE Class 10 Notes of Essay Writing will not help a student score better marks in the exam, but for sure, revising using this note will help the students to better answer the Essay Writing questions in the exam if asked.

Those who want to score better marks in their ICSE Class 10 English (Comprehension and Composition) paper should first go through the CISCE Syllabus and then they should study accordingly. Using the complete ICSE Class 10 English (Comprehension and Composition) Notes and such other study resources may help a student to score better marks in the annual exam in a particular English (Comprehension and Composition) subject.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 3 strong argumentative essay examples, analyzed.

General Education

Need to defend your opinion on an issue? Argumentative essays are one of the most popular types of essays you’ll write in school. They combine persuasive arguments with fact-based research, and, when done well, can be powerful tools for making someone agree with your point of view. If you’re struggling to write an argumentative essay or just want to learn more about them, seeing examples can be a big help.

After giving an overview of this type of essay, we provide three argumentative essay examples. After each essay, we explain in-depth how the essay was structured, what worked, and where the essay could be improved. We end with tips for making your own argumentative essay as strong as possible.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses evidence and facts to support the claim it’s making. Its purpose is to persuade the reader to agree with the argument being made.

A good argumentative essay will use facts and evidence to support the argument, rather than just the author’s thoughts and opinions. For example, say you wanted to write an argumentative essay stating that Charleston, SC is a great destination for families. You couldn’t just say that it’s a great place because you took your family there and enjoyed it. For it to be an argumentative essay, you need to have facts and data to support your argument, such as the number of child-friendly attractions in Charleston, special deals you can get with kids, and surveys of people who visited Charleston as a family and enjoyed it. The first argument is based entirely on feelings, whereas the second is based on evidence that can be proven.

The standard five paragraph format is common, but not required, for argumentative essays. These essays typically follow one of two formats: the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model.

• The Toulmin model is the most common. It begins with an introduction, follows with a thesis/claim, and gives data and evidence to support that claim. This style of essay also includes rebuttals of counterarguments.
• The Rogerian model analyzes two sides of an argument and reaches a conclusion after weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each.

3 Good Argumentative Essay Examples + Analysis

Below are three examples of argumentative essays, written by yours truly in my school days, as well as analysis of what each did well and where it could be improved.

Argumentative Essay Example 1

Proponents of this idea state that it will save local cities and towns money because libraries are expensive to maintain. They also believe it will encourage more people to read because they won’t have to travel to a library to get a book; they can simply click on what they want to read and read it from wherever they are. They could also access more materials because libraries won’t have to buy physical copies of books; they can simply rent out as many digital copies as they need.

However, it would be a serious mistake to replace libraries with tablets. First, digital books and resources are associated with less learning and more problems than print resources. A study done on tablet vs book reading found that people read 20-30% slower on tablets, retain 20% less information, and understand 10% less of what they read compared to people who read the same information in print. Additionally, staring too long at a screen has been shown to cause numerous health problems, including blurred vision, dizziness, dry eyes, headaches, and eye strain, at much higher instances than reading print does. People who use tablets and mobile devices excessively also have a higher incidence of more serious health issues such as fibromyalgia, shoulder and back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and muscle strain. I know that whenever I read from my e-reader for too long, my eyes begin to feel tired and my neck hurts. We should not add to these problems by giving people, especially young people, more reasons to look at screens.

Second, it is incredibly narrow-minded to assume that the only service libraries offer is book lending. Libraries have a multitude of benefits, and many are only available if the library has a physical location. Some of these benefits include acting as a quiet study space, giving people a way to converse with their neighbors, holding classes on a variety of topics, providing jobs, answering patron questions, and keeping the community connected. One neighborhood found that, after a local library instituted community events such as play times for toddlers and parents, job fairs for teenagers, and meeting spaces for senior citizens, over a third of residents reported feeling more connected to their community. Similarly, a Pew survey conducted in 2015 found that nearly two-thirds of American adults feel that closing their local library would have a major impact on their community. People see libraries as a way to connect with others and get their questions answered, benefits tablets can’t offer nearly as well or as easily.

While replacing libraries with tablets may seem like a simple solution, it would encourage people to spend even more time looking at digital screens, despite the myriad issues surrounding them. It would also end access to many of the benefits of libraries that people have come to rely on. In many areas, libraries are such an important part of the community network that they could never be replaced by a simple object.

The author begins by giving an overview of the counter-argument, then the thesis appears as the first sentence in the third paragraph. The essay then spends the rest of the paper dismantling the counter argument and showing why readers should believe the other side.

What this essay does well:

• Although it’s a bit unusual to have the thesis appear fairly far into the essay, it works because, once the thesis is stated, the rest of the essay focuses on supporting it since the counter-argument has already been discussed earlier in the paper.
• This essay includes numerous facts and cites studies to support its case. By having specific data to rely on, the author’s argument is stronger and readers will be more inclined to agree with it.
• For every argument the other side makes, the author makes sure to refute it and follow up with why her opinion is the stronger one. In order to make a strong argument, it’s important to dismantle the other side, which this essay does this by making the author's view appear stronger.
• This is a shorter paper, and if it needed to be expanded to meet length requirements, it could include more examples and go more into depth with them, such as by explaining specific cases where people benefited from local libraries.
• Additionally, while the paper uses lots of data, the author also mentions their own experience with using tablets. This should be removed since argumentative essays focus on facts and data to support an argument, not the author’s own opinion or experiences. Replacing that with more data on health issues associated with screen time would strengthen the essay.
• Some of the points made aren't completely accurate , particularly the one about digital books being cheaper. It actually often costs a library more money to rent out numerous digital copies of a book compared to buying a single physical copy. Make sure in your own essay you thoroughly research each of the points and rebuttals you make, otherwise you'll look like you don't know the issue that well.

Argumentative Essay Example 2

There are multiple drugs available to treat malaria, and many of them work well and save lives, but malaria eradication programs that focus too much on them and not enough on prevention haven’t seen long-term success in Sub-Saharan Africa. A major program to combat malaria was WHO’s Global Malaria Eradication Programme. Started in 1955, it had a goal of eliminating malaria in Africa within the next ten years. Based upon previously successful programs in Brazil and the United States, the program focused mainly on vector control. This included widely distributing chloroquine and spraying large amounts of DDT. More than one billion dollars was spent trying to abolish malaria. However, the program suffered from many problems and in 1969, WHO was forced to admit that the program had not succeeded in eradicating malaria. The number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa who contracted malaria as well as the number of malaria deaths had actually increased over 10% during the time the program was active.

One of the major reasons for the failure of the project was that it set uniform strategies and policies. By failing to consider variations between governments, geography, and infrastructure, the program was not nearly as successful as it could have been. Sub-Saharan Africa has neither the money nor the infrastructure to support such an elaborate program, and it couldn’t be run the way it was meant to. Most African countries don't have the resources to send all their people to doctors and get shots, nor can they afford to clear wetlands or other malaria prone areas. The continent’s spending per person for eradicating malaria was just a quarter of what Brazil spent. Sub-Saharan Africa simply can’t rely on a plan that requires more money, infrastructure, and expertise than they have to spare.

Additionally, the widespread use of chloroquine has created drug resistant parasites which are now plaguing Sub-Saharan Africa. Because chloroquine was used widely but inconsistently, mosquitoes developed resistance, and chloroquine is now nearly completely ineffective in Sub-Saharan Africa, with over 95% of mosquitoes resistant to it. As a result, newer, more expensive drugs need to be used to prevent and treat malaria, which further drives up the cost of malaria treatment for a region that can ill afford it.

Instead of developing plans to treat malaria after the infection has incurred, programs should focus on preventing infection from occurring in the first place. Not only is this plan cheaper and more effective, reducing the number of people who contract malaria also reduces loss of work/school days which can further bring down the productivity of the region.

One of the cheapest and most effective ways of preventing malaria is to implement insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs).  These nets provide a protective barrier around the person or people using them. While untreated bed nets are still helpful, those treated with insecticides are much more useful because they stop mosquitoes from biting people through the nets, and they help reduce mosquito populations in a community, thus helping people who don’t even own bed nets.  Bed nets are also very effective because most mosquito bites occur while the person is sleeping, so bed nets would be able to drastically reduce the number of transmissions during the night. In fact, transmission of malaria can be reduced by as much as 90% in areas where the use of ITNs is widespread. Because money is so scarce in Sub-Saharan Africa, the low cost is a great benefit and a major reason why the program is so successful. Bed nets cost roughly 2 USD to make, last several years, and can protect two adults. Studies have shown that, for every 100-1000 more nets are being used, one less child dies of malaria. With an estimated 300 million people in Africa not being protected by mosquito nets, there’s the potential to save three million lives by spending just a few dollars per person.

Reducing the number of people who contract malaria would also reduce poverty levels in Africa significantly, thus improving other aspects of society like education levels and the economy. Vector control is more effective than treatment strategies because it means fewer people are getting sick. When fewer people get sick, the working population is stronger as a whole because people are not put out of work from malaria, nor are they caring for sick relatives. Malaria-afflicted families can typically only harvest 40% of the crops that healthy families can harvest. Additionally, a family with members who have malaria spends roughly a quarter of its income treatment, not including the loss of work they also must deal with due to the illness. It’s estimated that malaria costs Africa 12 billion USD in lost income every year. A strong working population creates a stronger economy, which Sub-Saharan Africa is in desperate need of.  

This essay begins with an introduction, which ends with the thesis (that malaria eradication plans in Sub-Saharan Africa should focus on prevention rather than treatment). The first part of the essay lays out why the counter argument (treatment rather than prevention) is not as effective, and the second part of the essay focuses on why prevention of malaria is the better path to take.

• The thesis appears early, is stated clearly, and is supported throughout the rest of the essay. This makes the argument clear for readers to understand and follow throughout the essay.
• There’s lots of solid research in this essay, including specific programs that were conducted and how successful they were, as well as specific data mentioned throughout. This evidence helps strengthen the author’s argument.
• The author makes a case for using expanding bed net use over waiting until malaria occurs and beginning treatment, but not much of a plan is given for how the bed nets would be distributed or how to ensure they’re being used properly. By going more into detail of what she believes should be done, the author would be making a stronger argument.
• The introduction of the essay does a good job of laying out the seriousness of the problem, but the conclusion is short and abrupt. Expanding it into its own paragraph would give the author a final way to convince readers of her side of the argument.

Argumentative Essay Example 3

There are many ways payments could work. They could be in the form of a free-market approach, where athletes are able to earn whatever the market is willing to pay them, it could be a set amount of money per athlete, or student athletes could earn income from endorsements, autographs, and control of their likeness, similar to the way top Olympians earn money.

Proponents of the idea believe that, because college athletes are the ones who are training, participating in games, and bringing in audiences, they should receive some sort of compensation for their work. If there were no college athletes, the NCAA wouldn’t exist, college coaches wouldn’t receive there (sometimes very high) salaries, and brands like Nike couldn’t profit from college sports. In fact, the NCAA brings in roughly $1 billion in revenue a year, but college athletes don’t receive any of that money in the form of a paycheck. Additionally, people who believe college athletes should be paid state that paying college athletes will actually encourage them to remain in college longer and not turn pro as quickly, either by giving them a way to begin earning money in college or requiring them to sign a contract stating they’ll stay at the university for a certain number of years while making an agreed-upon salary.  

Supporters of this idea point to Zion Williamson, the Duke basketball superstar, who, during his freshman year, sustained a serious knee injury. Many argued that, even if he enjoyed playing for Duke, it wasn’t worth risking another injury and ending his professional career before it even began for a program that wasn’t paying him. Williamson seems to have agreed with them and declared his eligibility for the NCAA draft later that year. If he was being paid, he may have stayed at Duke longer. In fact, roughly a third of student athletes surveyed stated that receiving a salary while in college would make them “strongly consider” remaining collegiate athletes longer before turning pro.

Paying athletes could also stop the recruitment scandals that have plagued the NCAA. In 2018, the NCAA stripped the University of Louisville's men's basketball team of its 2013 national championship title because it was discovered coaches were using sex workers to entice recruits to join the team. There have been dozens of other recruitment scandals where college athletes and recruits have been bribed with anything from having their grades changed, to getting free cars, to being straight out bribed. By paying college athletes and putting their salaries out in the open, the NCAA could end the illegal and underhanded ways some schools and coaches try to entice athletes to join.

People who argue against the idea of paying college athletes believe the practice could be disastrous for college sports. By paying athletes, they argue, they’d turn college sports into a bidding war, where only the richest schools could afford top athletes, and the majority of schools would be shut out from developing a talented team (though some argue this already happens because the best players often go to the most established college sports programs, who typically pay their coaches millions of dollars per year). It could also ruin the tight camaraderie of many college teams if players become jealous that certain teammates are making more money than they are.

They also argue that paying college athletes actually means only a small fraction would make significant money. Out of the 350 Division I athletic departments, fewer than a dozen earn any money. Nearly all the money the NCAA makes comes from men’s football and basketball, so paying college athletes would make a small group of men--who likely will be signed to pro teams and begin making millions immediately out of college--rich at the expense of other players.

Those against paying college athletes also believe that the athletes are receiving enough benefits already. The top athletes already receive scholarships that are worth tens of thousands per year, they receive free food/housing/textbooks, have access to top medical care if they are injured, receive top coaching, get travel perks and free gear, and can use their time in college as a way to capture the attention of professional recruiters. No other college students receive anywhere near as much from their schools.

People on this side also point out that, while the NCAA brings in a massive amount of money each year, it is still a non-profit organization. How? Because over 95% of those profits are redistributed to its members’ institutions in the form of scholarships, grants, conferences, support for Division II and Division III teams, and educational programs. Taking away a significant part of that revenue would hurt smaller programs that rely on that money to keep running.

While both sides have good points, it’s clear that the negatives of paying college athletes far outweigh the positives. College athletes spend a significant amount of time and energy playing for their school, but they are compensated for it by the scholarships and perks they receive. Adding a salary to that would result in a college athletic system where only a small handful of athletes (those likely to become millionaires in the professional leagues) are paid by a handful of schools who enter bidding wars to recruit them, while the majority of student athletics and college athletic programs suffer or even shut down for lack of money. Continuing to offer the current level of benefits to student athletes makes it possible for as many people to benefit from and enjoy college sports as possible.

This argumentative essay follows the Rogerian model. It discusses each side, first laying out multiple reasons people believe student athletes should be paid, then discussing reasons why the athletes shouldn’t be paid. It ends by stating that college athletes shouldn’t be paid by arguing that paying them would destroy college athletics programs and cause them to have many of the issues professional sports leagues have.

• Both sides of the argument are well developed, with multiple reasons why people agree with each side. It allows readers to get a full view of the argument and its nuances.
• Certain statements on both sides are directly rebuffed in order to show where the strengths and weaknesses of each side lie and give a more complete and sophisticated look at the argument.
• Using the Rogerian model can be tricky because oftentimes you don’t explicitly state your argument until the end of the paper. Here, the thesis doesn’t appear until the first sentence of the final paragraph. That doesn’t give readers a lot of time to be convinced that your argument is the right one, compared to a paper where the thesis is stated in the beginning and then supported throughout the paper. This paper could be strengthened if the final paragraph was expanded to more fully explain why the author supports the view, or if the paper had made it clearer that paying athletes was the weaker argument throughout.

3 Tips for Writing a Good Argumentative Essay

Now that you’ve seen examples of what good argumentative essay samples look like, follow these three tips when crafting your own essay.

#1: Make Your Thesis Crystal Clear

The thesis is the key to your argumentative essay; if it isn’t clear or readers can’t find it easily, your entire essay will be weak as a result. Always make sure that your thesis statement is easy to find. The typical spot for it is the final sentence of the introduction paragraph, but if it doesn’t fit in that spot for your essay, try to at least put it as the first or last sentence of a different paragraph so it stands out more.

Also make sure that your thesis makes clear what side of the argument you’re on. After you’ve written it, it’s a great idea to show your thesis to a couple different people--classmates are great for this. Just by reading your thesis they should be able to understand what point you’ll be trying to make with the rest of your essay.

#2: Show Why the Other Side Is Weak

When writing your essay, you may be tempted to ignore the other side of the argument and just focus on your side, but don’t do this. The best argumentative essays really tear apart the other side to show why readers shouldn’t believe it. Before you begin writing your essay, research what the other side believes, and what their strongest points are. Then, in your essay, be sure to mention each of these and use evidence to explain why they’re incorrect/weak arguments. That’ll make your essay much more effective than if you only focused on your side of the argument.

#3: Use Evidence to Support Your Side

Remember, an essay can’t be an argumentative essay if it doesn’t support its argument with evidence. For every point you make, make sure you have facts to back it up. Some examples are previous studies done on the topic, surveys of large groups of people, data points, etc. There should be lots of numbers in your argumentative essay that support your side of the argument. This will make your essay much stronger compared to only relying on your own opinions to support your argument.

Summary: Argumentative Essay Sample

Argumentative essays are persuasive essays that use facts and evidence to support their side of the argument. Most argumentative essays follow either the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model. By reading good argumentative essay examples, you can learn how to develop your essay and provide enough support to make readers agree with your opinion. When writing your essay, remember to always make your thesis clear, show where the other side is weak, and back up your opinion with data and evidence.

What's Next?

Do you need to write an argumentative essay as well? Check out our guide on the best argumentative essay topics for ideas!

You'll probably also need to write research papers for school. We've got you covered with 113 potential topics for research papers.

Your college admissions essay may end up being one of the most important essays you write. Follow our step-by-step guide on writing a personal statement to have an essay that'll impress colleges.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Argumentative Essay ICSE 2000

Which in your opinion is more important – a healthy body or a healthy mind. Give relevant arguments to support your opinion. This Argumentative Essay was asked in ICSE 2000 board exam. You can find Previous Year Argumentative Essay Topics asked in ICSE board exams.

Which in your opinion is more important – a healthy body or a healthy mind. Give relevant arguments to support your opinion. (ICSE 2000)

Introduction: A healthy mind is more important.

• A healthy mind enables one to differentiate between good and bad.
• It is more lasting and increases with age.
• Increases by use and sharing, imbibes knowledge making one powerful
• Influences life of self and others, examples of Mahatma Gandhi and Helen Keller.
• Influences one’s personality

Conclusion: An essential prerequisite to lead a happy life.

Man is the only creature in the entire universe blessed with both a body and a mind of its own. This makes him the crown of creation. A healthy body is necessary to live, but in the absence of a healthy mind, one is no longer a human being, but more akin to an animal. Thus in my opinion a healthy mind that makes one do good deed is more important than a healthy body.

A healthy mind makes one a good human being, enabling him to differentiate between good or bad, virtuous and evil. It is because of this that all religious scriptures try to mould the mind of the followers, so that they can lead a good and pious life. In its absence one cannot lead a happy life.

The body is subject to ageing, while the mind is not. A healthy person with the passage of time, grows old and infirm, while the mental faculty on the other hand increases. One becomes more mature and wise. People come to seek advice and guidance from him.

The mind, unlike the body, is also unaffected by fatigue and overwork. On the contrary the more one uses it, the more perfect it becomes. It enables one to imbibe knowledge, that can be used for the betterment of self and the society. The power of knowledge, if used judiciously, can make one advance in life. There are numerous examples of people with strong mental strength and frail constitution, managing the destiny of nations, holding sway over millions of other wise well-bodied people.

A person blessed with a healthy mind also influences the life of others. Their impact makes people change their life and career. Mahatma Gandhi, with a frail constitution, led the country to wage a war for independence. His unique approach of non-violence and truth shook the mighty British Empire. They were in mortal fear of this frail; semi clad fakir as they called him. We also know of Helen Keller, though blind and deaf since birth, led a normal life. These souls achieved greatness by sheer dint of strong willpower, endowed by a healthy mind. They are the source of inspiration for thousands of otherwise able-bodied men and women. It is thus evident that a healthy mind can more than make up for a frail or even a physically challenged body.

The mental strength of a person has an all-pervading impact on his life. It moulds his personality by making him more humane, loving, compassionate and caring. These qualities endear him to people in society. A healthy and strong body lacking a good mind is no better than a beast. This is so because people remember one by deeds and not looks.

Undoubtedly a healthy mind is more important, than a healthy body for it is an essential prerequisite for leading a normal happy life. John Ruskin rightly said, “Remember that the most beautiful things are the most useless, peacocks and lilies for instance.”

Assignments

• ‘For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds, Lilies that fester smell far more than weeds.’Discuss.
• ‘The mind is in its place and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.’ (Milton) Discuss.