English Language JSS3 Second Term
Week 4
Contents:
Skill Focus: Writing an Argument
Literature: Figures of Speech
Skill Focus: Writing an Argument
Argument
An argument in everyday English is a quarrel. But a written ‘ argument’ is a piece of writing that sets out what you think and why you think it. It is not ‘ argumentative’ or ‘quarrelsome’ : it is reasonable, thoughtful and therefore persuasive.
Here are some suggested approaches:
1. When writing an argument in answer to a question, for example, make sure that you have read and understood the question. A candidate once wrote a fine composition in favour of capital punishment – only to realise afterwards that the subject of the debate was corporal punishment. She lost a lot of marks.
2. As usual, go through the five stages:
- Preparation (Brainstorming and Planning)
- Rough draft
- Making improvements
- Final Draft
- Check
3. Here is some help with the all-important preparation stage;
Brainstorming
- If the question gives you the choice, decide what your own opinions are. Roughly jot down in the note form, or in a mind-map, all the arguments you can think of in support of your case (Make sure that later on you put a neat line through these notes – otherwise the examiner may try to mark them)
- Jot down in the same way a list of the arguments against your case. Decide which ones you can explain away – and which ones you may have to concede as being true.
In writing your argument, avoid ‘ waffle’ or ill-ordered generalisations that have no supporting evidence. Use your general knowledge and experience, so that what you say is supported by some factual information.
Planning
The best way to avoid waffle is by planning your composition well. This means that the idea that you brainstormed have to be placed in some kind of order. You will find that doing an outline like we explained in last term is helpful.
Here is one sample plan which is always reliable, and which you can vary in all kinds of ways if you wish:
1. Introduction – The present situation. The problems that have arisen.
2. Development (1) – Your views with evidence
3. Development (2) – Other people’s views, why you do not accept them
4. Conclusion – Summary of your case
Literature: Figures of Speech
You might have heard the expression “it’s a figure of speech,” but what does that really mean? A figure of speech is just that – figurative language. It might be words with a literal meaning, a certain arrangements of words, or a phrase with a meaning that is something entirely other than that of the words themselves. Figures of speech can be refreshing and fun, but for some – especially those who are not native English speakers – a figure of speech can be very confusing.
A figure of speech is designed to portray an idea more clearly or more interestingly. The most common types of figures of speech are metaphors,similes, idioms, personification, hyperbole, and euphemisms. Here are some of the most common figures of speech and what they mean.
Metaphor
A metaphor asserts that one thing is something that it literally is not. For example:
- This bedroom is a prison.
- He’s a real gannet.
Euphemism
Euphemism is used to express a mild, indirect, or vague term to substitute for a harsh, blunt, or offensive term. Euphemism is often contrasted with dysphemism. Some euphemisms intend to amuse, while others intend to give positive appearances to negative events or even mislead entirely. A euphemism is the use of agreeable or inoffensive words to replace rude or offensive ones. For example:
Examples:
These are examples of euphemism:
- Going to the other side = death,
- Passed away = die.
- On the streets = homeless.
- kicked the bucket = has died
- knocked up = is pregnant
- letting you go = you’re fired
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally. Hyperboles are exaggerations to create emphasis or effect.
Examples
Examples of hyperbole include:
- I am so hungry; I could eat a horse!
- She’s older than the hills.
- I could sleep for a year; I was so tired.
- I have a million problems.
- He’s filthy rich. He’s got tons of money.
Simile
A simile is a figure of speech comparing two unlike things, often introduced with the word “like” or “as”. A simile likens one thing to another. A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things or ideas using “like” or “as” to accentuate a certain feature of an object by comparing it to a dissimilar object that is a typical example of that particular trait. It takes the form of:
- X is (not) like Y
- X is (not) as Y
- X is (not) similar to Y
Example:
- She sings like an angel.
- He fights like a lion.
- He swims as fast as a fish.
Personification
Personification is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to an abstract quality, animal, or inanimate object.
Examples
Notice the use of personification in William Blake’s poem below:
Two Sunflowers Move in the Yellow Room.
“Ah, William, we’re weary of weather,”
said the sunflowers, shining with dew.
“Our traveling habits have tired us.
Can you give us a room with a view?”They arranged themselves at the window
and counted the steps of the sun,
and they both took root in the carpet
where the topaz tortoises run.William Blake
(1757-1827)
Onomatopoeia
This figure of speech is partly pleasure and partly business. It is used to replicate sounds created by objects, actions, animals and people. This is the use of a word that actually sounds like what it means. Good examples include “hiss” or “ding-dong” or “fizz.” These words are meant to describe something that actually sounds very much like the word itself. For example: Cock-a-doodle-do, quack, moo.
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