Opinion Writing: I Think ... Because

You give opinions when you choose things you like. You might pick a game, a snack, or a story. An opinion tells what you think, feel, or believe about something.

Name your feeling

“Painting is the best art activity” tells what one person thinks. “Painting is messy and boring” tells a different opinion. Both writers are judging the same activity. They do not have to enjoy it in the same way.

A preference tells what you like better. “I like drawing more than painting” gives a preference. It is one kind of opinion. To find your own, picture two choices. Ask yourself which one you would choose, then say why.

Notice opinion clues

Words such as “favorite,” “best,” “fun,” and “boring” often show opinions. So do “I think,” “I feel,” and “I believe.” Read this sentence: “I think building with blocks is fun.” The writer tells how building feels to them.

You still need to think about the whole sentence. A clue word helps you look; it does not do all your thinking. A sentence can share an opinion without using “I think.” “Drawing is the best rainy-day activity” already tells a view.

Make room for another view

Suppose you love loud music, but your friend likes quiet music. Listen while your friend explains. You can say, “I like a strong beat. I see why you enjoy soft music.” A different opinion is not a mistake. You can be kind and keep your own view.

Your own opinion can change, too. You may think puzzles are boring until you try one with a friend. Learning or trying something new can change how you feel.

Say it before you write

Choose something you know: a game, food, or place to play. Say, “My favorite game is ...” to a partner. Finish with your own words. Your partner can ask, “Why?” Saying your idea aloud helps you hear the words you want to write.

“The shelf has six books.” “The shelf has the best books.” These sentences do different jobs. One can be checked by counting. The other tells how someone feels.

Ask what you can check

A fact is true and can be checked. You can look, count, measure, or read a book you trust. To check the first sentence, count the books. If there are six, the sentence is a fact.

An opinion gives a judgment or feeling. Counting the books will not tell you whether they are the best. Different readers may choose different favorites.

Look past the first words

Ask, “Can I check this?” Then ask, “Is it about what someone thinks or feels?” A true, checked statement is a fact. A statement about a feeling or judgment is an opinion.

“Leo is the fastest runner in today's race” can be checked by the race results. “Leo is the best person to play with” is a judgment. The word “fastest” can describe something measured. The word “best” asks what someone values.

Adding “I think” does not stop a statement from being checkable. “I think this box has 12 crayons” still calls for counting. Feeling very sure works the other way, too. “Red is definitely the nicest color” is still an opinion.

A mistake is different

Suppose you count 10 crayons in the box. The sentence “The box holds 12 crayons” is wrong. It is not a fact, and it is not a feeling. It is a mistake about something you can check.

One sentence can hold both kinds of idea. In “Our library has two rooms, and it is wonderful,” you can check the number of rooms. “Wonderful” gives the writer's opinion.

Facts can help an opinion. “We should get another bookshelf. Our books fill both shelves” gives a view, then a checkable reason.

When you tell a friend what you think, they can ask why. Your reader needs that answer on the page. Opinion writing shares your view and explains why you hold it.

Know your writing's job

A story tells what happens. A report gives information. An opinion piece tells what you think and gives reasons. Compare these starts:

• “We built a fort after lunch” begins telling an event.
• “The fort has three walls” gives information you can check.
• “Building a fort is a great team activity” gives an opinion.

Many schools call opinion writing persuasive writing. To persuade is to try to get someone to agree or act. You might want your class to choose a game. You might want a friend to try a book.

Picture your audience

Your audience is whoever will read your writing. Before starting, ask two questions: “Who will read this?” and “What do I want them to think or do?”

For example, you want your classmates to choose a drawing club. They may want to know what they could make there. Your teacher may want to know how everyone could join. Thinking about the reader helps you choose useful reasons.

Meet the four parts

An opinion piece needs a topic, an opinion, reasons, and a closing. Watch each part do its job:

1. Topic: “Our class is choosing a club.” This names what the writing is about.
2. Opinion: “I think we should choose a drawing club.” This tells the writer's choice.
3. Reason: “Everyone could make pictures with our classroom pencils.” This explains why the choice works.
4. Closing: “Please vote for the drawing club.” This finishes by asking the readers to act.

The parts can share a sentence. “We should choose a drawing club because everyone could join” gives both an opinion and a reason.

Give the missing why

“I like the club” leaves your reader wondering what you like. Add something they can understand: “I like the club because we can draw our own characters.” You have moved from naming a feeling to explaining it.

A topic names what your writing is about. “Lunch” is a topic. It does not yet say what you think. Choose a topic you know and care about, so you can explain your view.

Make a big topic smaller

Try this path: “games,” then “indoor games,” then “the best game for a rainy recess.” Each step gives you less to explain at once. Now you can choose one game and say why it suits that time.

Ask yourself, “Do I have something to say about this?” Then ask, “Can I explain why?” If you know little about a topic, choose one you have tried or read about.

Sometimes a question gives you the topic. “Should we read after lunch?” is about reading after lunch. Your answer will be your opinion. You still need to name what you are discussing.

Give your reader a name

“It is the best” leaves a reader guessing. “Checkers is the best rainy-day game” names the game right away. Put your topic near the start.

You can open with a question, too: “What could we play on a rainy day? Our class needs an indoor game.” Follow the question with enough information to name the topic.

Name a book clearly

For a book, include the title and author. The title is the book's name. The author is the person who wrote it. You could write, “I read Charlotte's Web by E. B. White.”

Use capitals for the first word, last word, and other important words in a title. Small words in the middle, such as “in,” often stay lowercase. Look at The Cat in the Hat. Both “The” at the start and “Hat” at the end have capitals. The small words “in” and “the” in the middle do not.

Underline a book title when you write by hand. Use italics, or slanted letters, when you type it.

Choose your book focus

You can write about the whole book or one part. Maybe you liked a character, the pictures, or the ending. You can also decide who should read the book. Choose the part you can explain with a detail you remember and can check.

Your reader needs to know exactly what you think. An opinion sentence names your topic and gives your view. “I think our class should have a puzzle corner” does both jobs.

Build the sentence

Start with a topic: a puzzle corner. Ask, “What do I think about it?” You think your class should have one. Turn those notes into a sentence: “Our class should have a puzzle corner.”

You can use a starter to find your words:

• “I think ...”
• “I believe ...”
• “In my opinion, ...”
• “My favorite ... is ...”
• “I liked ...”

Fill the space with your own thought. “My favorite classroom activity is painting” names both the activity and your feeling.

Say one clear view

“Puzzles, maybe games, or painting” leaves the reader unsure. Decide what this piece will support. “Puzzles are the best choice for our quiet corner” gives one clear view.

Be exact about what you want to say. “School is nice” covers many things. “Our school should have a puzzle corner for quiet play” gives the reader a clear idea to think about.

A starter is useful, but you do not always need one. “Our class should have a puzzle corner” already gives an opinion. It does not become a fact when you take out “I think.”

Check the whole sentence

Use a capital letter at the start and a period at the end. “Best quiet game puzzles” is a set of notes. “Puzzles are the best quiet games.” is a complete sentence.

A question can get a reader interested, but it does not state your view. After “Do you enjoy puzzles?” add your opinion. Your reader should not have to guess your answer.

Check the meaning as well. “Our class has a puzzle” gives information. “Our class should have more puzzles” shares a view about a change.

Finally, read your opening aloud. If you wrote “In my opinion, I think,” choose just one starter. “In my opinion, puzzles are a great choice” says what you mean without saying the starter twice.

You have said what you think. Now your reader wants to know why. A reason answers that question and helps the reader understand your choice.

Find your first reason

Say, “We should have a class drawing time.” Ask yourself, “Why should we?” You might answer, “We could share our ideas in pictures.” Put the ideas together: “We should have a class drawing time because we could share our ideas in pictures.”

One clear reason is a good start. You can say the sentence aloud before writing it. Listen for whether the words after “because” explain your view.

Check that it fits

A reason has to help the opinion beside it. “We should have a class drawing time because my shoes are wet” does not explain why drawing time is a good idea.

Try the why test:

1. Read the opinion.
2. Ask, “Why do I think that?”
3. Read the reason as your answer.

“We could share our ideas in pictures” passes. It explains something useful about drawing together. The wet shoes do not.

Go beyond saying you like it

“I like drawing because I like it” goes around in a circle. The reader already knows you like drawing. Tell what makes it worth choosing: “I like drawing because I can make up new animals.”

“Just because” also leaves the question unanswered. Pause and remember what made you feel that way. Was it something you did, saw, or learned? That can help you find a real reason.

Use a fact when it helps

Facts can support opinions. Suppose your classroom has no place to hang pictures. You could write, “We should add a display board because we have no place to show our art.” The reason can be checked by looking around the room.

Think about your reader, too. A classmate may care about drawing funny creatures. A teacher may care about sharing ideas. Choose a reason that matters to the person you hope to persuade.

A second reason gives your reader another way to understand your view. A detail helps the reader picture what you mean.

List before you choose

Suppose you want a classroom reading nook. Make quick notes: “quiet place,” “soft cushions,” “I saw one,” “space to read with a partner.” Then ask which notes explain why your class should have a nook.

“I saw one” tells where the idea came from. It does not explain why your class needs it. Keep the notes that help your view.

Check for different reasons

“We could read quietly” and “It would be quiet for reading” say the same thing. They give one reason twice. Try a new idea: “We could also read with a partner.” Now the reader hears about quiet reading and reading together.

Two strong reasons help more than three weak ones. You do not need to keep every idea you wrote down. Pick the ones that matter most to your reader.

Add a detail to a reason

A detail explains or shows your reason. It can be a fact, number, example, or something that happened to you. Ask, “What do I mean?” or “Can I show that?”

Reason: “A nook would give us a quiet place.” Detail: “We could sit away from the noisy block area.”

Here is another pair. Reason: “We could read with a partner.” Detail: “Two children could sit on the cushions and take turns reading.”

A reason answers why the nook is a good choice. A detail explains the reason more fully.

Put the ideas in order

Keep a reason beside its own detail. Then move to your next reason. You can save your strongest reason for last, where it may stay in the reader's mind.

Reread every sentence. “My uncle has a yellow truck” does not help your view about the nook. Take it out so your reader can follow the ideas that do help.

A book opinion needs something from the book to back it up. Look at what the characters say and do. Choose the part that explains your view.

Follow three steps

First, say your opinion. Next, ask, “What in the book made me think that?” Then find that part and tell it in your own words.

Here is a tiny made-up story to try: “Nell saw that Jo had no paper. Nell tore her own sheet in half and gave Jo one piece.”

Your opinion might be, “Nell is kind.” What shows it? She shares her paper when Jo has none. Put them together: “I think Nell is kind because she shares her paper with Jo.” The action gives the reader a reason to understand your view.

Match the detail to the opinion

If you call a character brave, look for something brave they do. If you say the pictures are funny, describe a picture that made you laugh. A detail about the cover's color will not explain why a character is brave.

You can use this method with a book you know. In Charlotte's Web, Charlotte writes words in her web to help save Wilbur. That action supports the view that Charlotte is a good friend. You do not need to describe every event in the book to make that point.

Tell just the part you need

A retelling says what happened in a story. An opinion piece uses selected events to explain what you think. For the Nell story, you need the shared paper. You do not need to add what happened before class or after lunch.

Helpful starts include “I liked ... because ...” and “My favorite part was when ...” You can have mixed feelings, too: “I liked the pictures, but I did not like the ending.” Explain the part of your view you want your reader to understand.

Look back and check

Read the story again before writing your detail. Did Nell share paper or lend a pencil? The real action matters. A detail remembered wrongly cannot show what the book actually says.

Two readers may choose different favorite parts. Each reader can explain their own view with a detail from the book.

The word because tells your reader why. It can join your opinion and reason in one sentence. The words after it explain the words before it.

Join two ideas

Start with these sentences: “We should make name tags.” “They will help us learn everyone's name.” The first gives an opinion. The second gives a reason.

Take these steps:

1. Remove the period after “tags.”
2. Add “because.”
3. Change the capital “They” to lowercase “they.”
4. Keep the period at the end.

Your sentence is now, “We should make name tags because they will help us learn everyone's name.” You do not need a comma before “because” in this sentence.

Check the reason

Ask, “Why should we make name tags?” The words after “because” answer: “They will help us learn everyone's name.” The sentence has the right ideas in the right order.

A linking word cannot make an unrelated idea fit. “We should make name tags because the window is open” still needs a useful reason. Choose the reason before you join the words.

Finish the whole thought

“Because they help us” gives only a reason. Even “Because name tags help us” is incomplete by itself. It needs the other part to finish the thought. Add the view: “We should make name tags because they help us.”

You can start with “because” when you include both parts. “Because name tags help us, we should make them.” Here, the reason comes first. Put a comma after that first part, before your opinion.

Read both versions aloud. They give the same connection. Moving the reason does not change why the writer wants name tags.

Remember the spelling

The letters are b-e-c-a-u-s-e. The first letters of “big elephants can always understand small elephants” spell the word. Say the little memory sentence, then write “because” and check each letter.

When you have more than one reason, show how they fit together. Some linking words add an idea. Others show where it belongs in your list.

Add with and or also

And can join two things in one sentence. “The game is quick and easy to learn” gives two helpful things about a game.

Also adds another idea. “The game is quick. It is also easy to learn.” The two sentences still tell how the game works. You can begin a new reason with “Another reason is ...” as well: “Another reason is that four children can play together.”

Notice that adding a linking word does not create a new reason by itself. “It is fun. Also, it is lots of fun” repeats one idea. Think of a different reason before choosing the link.

Show the order

Use “first” for your first reason. Use “next” or “second” for the one after it. Use “finally” or “last” for your last reason.

Put a comma after an order word at the start:

“First, the game is quick. Next, it is easy to learn. Finally, four children can play together.”

The words guide your reader through the list. They do not tell the steps for playing the game here. They show the order of the writer's reasons for choosing it.

Break a sentence that runs on

“I like this game and it is quick and we can all play and we can learn it easily” feels tiring to read. Find places where one thought ends. Try, “I like this game because it is quick. We can all play, and we can learn it easily.”

Read your writing aloud. A long string of “ands” can hide where one reason ends and another begins. A period gives the reader a fresh start.

Choose a little variety

You do not need “also” at the start of every sentence. Use “also” where you add an idea. Try an order word when you list reasons. Keep each word because it helps the reader follow what you mean.

Linking words can do more than add ideas. They can give a reason, show a result, give an example, or show two different sides. Choose the word that matches the connection.

Show a reason or a result

Because and since introduce reasons. “We should use the big table because everyone will fit.” You can also write, “Since everyone will fit, we should use the big table.”

So introduces a result. “Everyone will fit, so we should use the big table.” Now the reason comes first. Put a comma before “so” when it joins two complete thoughts like these.

Compare the directions. “We need a lamp because the room is dark” gives the need first and the reason second. “The room is dark, so we need a lamp” gives the reason first and the result second. “We need a lamp so the room is dark” points the connection the wrong way.

Therefore means “for this reason.” Write it after a reason: “Everyone will fit at the big table. Therefore, we should use it.” Put a comma after “Therefore” at the start of its sentence.

Show an example

Use for example before something that shows your idea. “This club lets us build useful things. For example, we made a pencil holder.” The pencil holder shows what “useful things” means. An example has to match the idea it explains.

Show different sides

A contrast puts different or surprising ideas together. But can show one: “I liked the game, but I did not like waiting for a turn.” Both parts tell your view.

Although can show something surprising: “Although the game took a long time, I wanted to play again.” Put a comma after the beginning “although” part.

While can compare two views: “I liked the guessing game, while my sister liked the drawing game.” Here it shows how your choices differ.

Match word and meaning

Ask what your next idea does. Does it add, explain why, show what follows, show an example, or show a difference? Read the whole sentence after you choose. In “The chairs are heavy, so we need help,” the need for help follows from the weight.

Your last sentence helps the reader leave with your opinion in mind. This is your closing sentence. It is also called a conclusion or concluding statement.

Keep the view, change the words

Suppose your opinion is, “Our class should read poems on Fridays.” A closing could say, “That is why Friday poems would be a great class choice.” The words change, but the choice stays the same.

Copying the first sentence word for word makes the reader hear exactly the same line twice. Think about the main idea, then say it another way. You can change “should read poems” to “would be a great choice” and still keep the opinion clear.

Useful starts include “That is why ...” and “For all these reasons, ...” Choose one and finish it with your own view. The starter alone is not a closing.

Ask for action

Sometimes you want your reader to do something. Your closing can make that request. After reasons for Friday poems, try, “Please help us choose our first Friday poem.” It matches the view and gives the reader a next action.

“I hope you will ...” can help you begin a polite request. In a book opinion, you might say, “If you enjoy silly poems, I hope you will try this book.” That tells who might enjoy it.

Check that the ending belongs

Read your first opinion and your closing together. Do they support the same view? If you begin by choosing Friday poems and end by choosing drawing time, the reader hears two different choices. Change the ending to match.

Keep new reasons in the middle. “Also, poems have funny rhymes” adds a reason; it does not close the piece. Move it beside the other reasons. Then write a closing that finishes your view.

Give more than a stop sign

“The end” and “That is all” show that you have stopped. They do not remind the reader what you think. Replace them with a sentence about your opinion or what you hope your reader will do.

A paragraph is a group of sentences about one main idea. Your opinion is the main idea of your opinion paragraph. Each sentence helps the reader understand or support it.

Make a small plan

Short notes are enough for planning. You can use a chart like this:

Say the plan aloud before you write. Listen for whether the reasons help your view. Change a note if it sounds wrong or repeats another one.

Start with one reason

You can write a first paragraph with just one reason. Here is a short one:

“Our class has sharing time. I think we should share drawings because pictures help us tell our ideas. Please let us bring a drawing to share.”

The first sentence names the topic. The next sentence gives an opinion and a reason. The last closes with a request. Three sentences can do all those jobs because some parts share a sentence.

Grow your plan into sentences

For a longer piece, turn your notes into full sentences. Keep each reason with its detail. Add words that show how the ideas connect:

“Our class has sharing time on Fridays. I think we should share our drawings. First, drawings help us learn about each other. We can explain why we chose our pictures. Also, we can get new ideas by seeing how our friends draw. Please let us have a drawing sharing time.”

The order is topic, opinion, reasons with details, then closing. The paragraph has enough room for two different reasons. There is no set number of sentences a paragraph must have.

Keep the sentences together

When you write by hand, indent the first line. That means leaving a small space before the first word. Let each new sentence follow the one before it. Start a new line when you run out of space, not after every period.

Read from start to finish. If a sentence does not help your main idea, remove it or save it for another piece.

Your first try is a draft. You can change it to make your ideas easier to follow. Read your paragraph aloud slowly and listen for missing or confusing words.

Revise the ideas

Revising means improving what your writing says. You can add, remove, change, or move something. Use these questions:

• Did I name my topic or book?
• Is my opinion clear?
• Do my reasons answer “Why?”
• Did I link my ideas?
• Does my closing remind the reader what I think?

Try this draft: “i like making cards. they are good. my hat is red. the end” It has a feeling, but it does not explain much.

First, make the opinion clearer: “Making cards is a great way to say thank you.” Next, replace “they are good” with a reason: “You can draw a picture just for the person who helped you.” Remove the red hat sentence because it does not help this view. Finish with a matching closing: “Try making a thank-you card for someone today.”

These changes help the ideas. You could also move a useful detail so it sits beside its reason.

Edit one thing at a time

Editing means fixing spelling, capital letters, and end marks. After revising, check the start of each sentence for a capital. Check the end for a period or another end mark. Then check words you often misspell, such as “because.”

Book titles need their capitals, too. Looking for one kind of mistake at a time makes it easier to notice.

The changed card paragraph reads: “Making cards is a great way to say thank you. You can draw a picture just for the person who helped you. Try making a thank-you card for someone today.”

Ask a partner to listen

Read to a partner. Ask, “Which reason helps most?” or “What part is not clear?” Listen to the answer, then decide what change will help your reader.

When you help a friend, name something you liked first. Then give one kind idea: “I like your opening. Could you tell me why that game is easy to learn?” Make your changes and write or type a clean copy to share.

Your words can help someone listen to your view. Choose words that say exactly what you mean. Keep your reasons clear and treat your reader kindly.

Choose the strength you mean

Compare three sentences:

“Must” pushes hardest. “Might” leaves the most doubt about whether it will happen. Choose the word that matches your meaning, not just the loudest word.

Exact describing words also help. “The blanket is nice” tells little. “The blanket is soft and warm” gives your reader something to picture. Your own word choices help your voice, or way of sounding in writing, come through.

Match your reader

To a friend, you might write, “Hey, you have to try this game!” This is informal language. To your principal, write politely and carefully: “Dear Principal Lee, I believe our class should have a game shelf.” This is formal language.

You can speak to a reader with “you”: “You can learn this game in one recess.” Make sure your promise is truthful.

Help your point stick

A rhetorical question asks the reader to think. It does not need a written answer. “Who wants to spend recess looking for lost pieces?” makes a point about keeping games tidy.

Repetition can help when each line adds something: “A game shelf keeps our cards together. A game shelf keeps our dice together. A game shelf keeps our pieces together.” Repeating the start makes the shared idea stand out.

Choose one or two helpful ways to interest your reader. Your reasons still do the main work.

Stay truthful and kind

“Everyone loves this game” claims too much. Some people may prefer another game. Say what you can support: “Several children in our class asked to play again.” A reader can trust a careful statement more easily.

Leave out insults about people who disagree. “Only babies dislike this game” gives no reason to choose it. Explain what makes the game worth trying.

You can share an opinion in a review, a letter, or an ad. Each uses reasons, but each has a different job. Choose the form that suits your reader.

Help someone choose with a review

A review shares your view so someone can decide whether to try something. A book review names the title and author, gives a little about the book, explains your opinion, and says who might enjoy it.

Imagine a book called The Missing Mitten by Sara Bell. Here is a short review of that made-up book:

“The Missing Mitten by Sara Bell is about two friends looking for a lost mitten. I enjoyed the story because the friends solve clues together. I also liked the pictures of their snowy town. If you like mysteries about friends, try this book.”

The review gives enough to interest a reader. It leaves the ending for them to discover. A review is not a retelling of every event.

Ask a person with a letter

A letter speaks to a named reader. Use a greeting, a body, a closing, and your signature. The body holds your opinion and reasons.

“Dear Coach Hill,

I think we should keep a box of extra jump ropes. More children could join our games. Please help us find a place for the box.

Sincerely,

Rosa”

“Dear Coach Hill,” is the greeting. “Sincerely,” is the letter closing, and “Rosa” is the signature. Put a comma after the greeting and letter closing. The last sentence of the body also finishes the opinion with a clear request.

Invite someone with an ad

An ad tries to get people to buy or try something. Keep it short and easy to remember. Give a reason, then say what to do:

“Try Puzzle Club! We meet every Tuesday. Solve tricky pictures with a partner. Come to Room 4 after lunch!”

Ads can mix facts and opinions. “We meet every Tuesday” is checkable. “Puzzle Club is the best club” would be an opinion. Read ads carefully as well as writing them carefully.