Y07W38WR Should Competitive Sport Be Compulsory?

Part 1

How to Write

Persuasive – Opinion piece

An opinion piece argues a clear position on an issue with confidence and evidence. It is written for a broad audience who may not share the writer’s view, so the argument must be compelling. The tone should be direct and assertive — a strong, considered voice, not an aggressive one.

  • Ideas & content: Take a definite position and build a logical argument. Use specific reasons, evidence or examples to support each point. An opinion piece is not just a list of feelings.
  • Structure & cohesion: Open with your position, develop your argument in a clear order and close with a strong final point or call to action. Use linking language to connect your reasoning.
  • Voice & audience: Write with conviction. You can use first person, but keep the tone credible rather than purely emotional. Acknowledge the other side briefly to show you understand the full issue.
  • Language choices: Use precise vocabulary and active verbs. Vary sentence structure for emphasis and impact. Use rhetorical questions or short emphatic statements sparingly for effect.
  • Conventions: Write in present tense for your position and arguments. Spell accurately and use punctuation purposefully.

Common pitfalls: Relying on emotion or repetition rather than reasoning — a reader who disagrees needs a logical argument, not stronger feeling. Failing to acknowledge the other side, which can make the piece feel one-dimensional.

Part 2

Your Task Plan for Today

The brief

Question: Write an opinion piece arguing whether competitive sport should or should not be compulsory for all secondary school students. Take a clear position and build a structured argument. Your piece will be shared with the class and your teacher.

Stimulus: A national conversation has emerged about whether competitive sport should be compulsory for all secondary school students. Advocates argue sport teaches teamwork, resilience and physical fitness. Critics argue forcing students into competitive sport disadvantages those who are not athletic, can damage mental health and ignores many other ways students develop physical and social skills.

Task Analysis: This task asks you to take a clear position on a contested education issue and argue it in a structured opinion piece for your class and teacher. A strong response will go beyond personal preference to build a logical argument with specific supporting reasoning, and will acknowledge the other side while arguing against it.

Quick Plan

Before you write, plan:

  • Your position — clearly for or against compulsory competitive sport
  • Two or three specific reasons with developed reasoning
  • The strongest argument on the other side — and how you respond
  • Your closing position — what do you want the reader to conclude?

Thesis / position

State your position clearly in the opening paragraph. An opinion piece is not a discussion — it argues a definite view. Make yours unmistakable before you develop it.

Evidence chain

Develop each reason fully: state the reason, explain the logic and give a specific example or consequence. Avoid simply listing reasons without developing them.

Counterargument

Acknowledge the strongest argument on the other side and explain why it does not outweigh your position. This shows the reader that you have genuinely thought about the issue.

Ending technique

Close with a strong final point that restates your position and leaves the reader with a clear idea of what they should think or do. Do not simply summarise — end with impact.