The Best Things in Life Are Free Essay

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There is a famous old song saying ‘The Best Things in Life are Free’. Nevertheless, does that saying hold well in today’s world. The stage which humankind has reached, the statement is fast loosing its value. The best things in life are definitely not free anymore.

We need to understand what the best things in life are. The clean air we breathe. The clean water we drink. The food we eat. Are they not the best things we have? There was a time when these things used to be free. They would not cost you money. In fact, there was no money. Mother Nature provided for us all. However, does it any more? The answer would definitely be no. Not anymore. We have taken a lot from her but have forgotten that she needs our attention too. Today, clean air is a luxury with all the pollution around created by our doings. If you want clean air, you need to pay for it. As for water, it will not be too long before we start shelling out the copper for use of each drop of water. In addition, for food, the prices are ever increasing. We bring in technology into all spheres of our daily activities. However, technology comes with a price tag on it. So using pesticides, artificial manure and other things used to enhance the quality of our crops escalate the costs of our crops evermore. (Lamb, 251)

In the current phase through which human kind is passing through everything is all about money. When Linda told Johnny that she was pregnant, both of them were filled with joy. It was all they wanted: to have a family of their own. Linda and John had a beautiful daughter named Sara. She is ten months old now. Now, John and Linda, both, have to work throughout the day to make ends meet. They work to plan Sara’s future, to pay her school fees, to pay her baby food, to pay for her nanny. The best thing in life for them does not get their attention as much it deserves anymore. (Lamb, 226)

What if we could go back to the countrysides, enjoy the serene greenery, eat the food we get, drink the water we find? Nevertheless, where do we find it? Countrysides are fast disappearing in the name of industrialization. To enjoy the serene view of nature we travel to national parks, forest reserves or resorts built to provide excellent views. However, in the process we end up paying a fortune for the rights to admission. We need to pay for what was quite naturally free: the sight of nature. However, it is not anymore. In addition, the question is would we just eat any food we find? Drink any water we get? The answer in actuality is that we are too conscious about its processing and worry where is it coming from. Thus, we are willing to pay for our basic survival.

The way we have and are being brought up, the notion of something being free has become so rare that we are overcome with happiness whenever someone offers us with something free although in veracity it is not. Consider the marketing strategies of ‘Buy two get one free’. We all know that there are some hidden calculations, which make up for the free item. However, sales are increased because the word “free” affects the psyche of the buyer. It would be extraordinary if we get anything free in reality. In addition, undeniably, the best things in life are not free.

Works Cited

Lamb, Davis; Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization; ( Wellington: National Book Trust. 2004).

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Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Values of Life — The Best Things in Life Are Free: A Reflection on True Value

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The Best Things in Life Are Free: a Reflection on True Value

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Published: Sep 16, 2023

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The gift of nature, love and relationships, experiences and memories, acts of kindness and compassion, personal growth and self-discovery.

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This is an article from Turning Points , a magazine that explores what critical moments from this year might mean for the year ahead.

COCO CHANEL is reputed to have said, “The best things in life are free. The second-best things are very, very expensive.” Below, Richard Hell, Yanis Varoufakis, Karl Lagerfeld, Mikhail Prokhorov, Youssou N’Dour, Andreja Pejic and Yao Chen tell us about their favorite things, and contemplate why most of us are so rarely satisfied with sunshine, love and the stars above.

Tell us about your favorite things in the comments below, or on the Times Opinion Facebook page . We may highlight your response in a follow-up to this piece.

Richard Hell

My initial reaction to this question is that nothing is free. Even the sun causes cancer. Water is getting more and more expensive. Everybody tells you that marriage is work. I feel lucky that my needs are few. It is really good to feel loved and to love, and that doesn’t cost anything. The other thing I like is art, meaning books and movies and paintings — museums — and music, and that is not too expensive either.

I have a prejudice against expensive things. Usually they’re about status or snobbery — that’s what I think Coco Chanel is actually talking about, even if she’d deny it. First-rate examples of most nice things can be found very cheaply if you trust your own sensibility. (Not to be too hard on Coco — she was a good businesswoman who priced the fruits of her talents dearly; it was in her interests to promote the costly.)

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  • How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

  • Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
  • Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
  • Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
  • Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
  • Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
  • Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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the best things in life are free argumentative essay

An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

  • Make a claim
  • Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
  • Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
  • Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

  • Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
  • Cite data to support your claim
  • Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
  • Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

  • Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
  • Highlight the problems with this position
  • Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
  • Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

  • Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
  • Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
  • Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
  • Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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All Life is an Experiment

The best things in life really are free.

the best things in life are free argumentative essay

What do frugal people do for fun, besides dumpster-diving and counting their money over and over? Someone unfamiliar with the frugality movement might well wonder – what’s the point of having all that spare time, if you can’t actually spend any money doing fun stuff?

It would be hard to argue that taking a private jet to a Michelin starred-restaurant after 18 holes at Pebble Beach is anything less than a cracking good time – so I won’t. Instead, I’m going to make the more modest claim that free activities are generally more fun than their spendy cousins, and definitely much more rewarding than your typical hedonistic pursuits.

I feel like I have a fairly unusual vantage point in having experienced both sides of the divide. In my former life, I enjoyed a great deal of schmoozing. There were many long lunches at fine restaurants, champagne in business class served by the CEO of the airline, and corporate boxes at the sportsball. I’ve also spent weeks barely moving my carcass from a tropical island hammock except to skin up a joint or get another bottle of wine.

I would be lying if I denied that all of these things are brilliant fun. On the other hand, they don’t tend to lead to much lasting satisfaction, losing their flavour as quickly as an over-chewed piece of gum. After my sixth business class flight in a row, the whole thing was totally routine. The worst thing is that once you’ve adapted to a certain standard of living, it’s hard to go back – I was crushingly depressed when I had to start flying cattle class with my fellow proles again.

Good news! There’s a veritable buffet of free or cheap activities out there that are not only fun, but might even accidentally make you a better human being in the process.

The joy of creation

"To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it." — Kurt Vonnegut quote

As a child I created macaroni art masterpieces, built treehouses and huts that would give an engineer a nervous breakdown, and composed endless variations of ‘Tortured Cats in C Major’ on the recorder.

The drive to create for its own sake slipped away as I became a self-conscious adult, which is a shame. Few things are as satisfying as bringing something into the world that didn’t exist before, no matter how amateurish.

Now I’m making up for lost time. I dabble in building ‘rustic’ furniture out of reclaimed wood, brewing extremely hit-and-miss beer, making music, and writing things for fun (like this blog). All of this is the metaphorical equivalent of a finger-painting child, covered in paint from head to toe, and having a tremendous time doing it.

Drawing and painting don’t cost much. Writing is as free as the birds. So is photography, once you’ve made the initial investment in a decent camera (I bought mine secondhand for ~US$300). Baking and cooking are only as much as the ingredients you buy, and you’ve got to eat anyway. Brewing your own spirits, wine and beer is much cheaper than buying it, heaps of fun, and a surefire way of making friends.

The great outdoors

“i took a walk in the woods, and came out taller than the trees.”.

— Henry David Thoreau

The best things in life are free - like this sweet tree

I’m not a religious person, but it’s always in the great outdoors that I’ve had the closest thing to a spiritual experience. Sitting out the back of the surf between sets as the sun is rising and there’s nothing but you and the ocean. Laying in the sun at the park with a good book. Camping in the woods in the middle of nowhere, listening to the whisper of the wind and the trees and the insects.

So much serenity! Apparently, being out in nature is good for your health and soul in all sorts of interesting ways, including lower stress, better mental health and short-term memory, a stronger immune system, and even a longer lifespan.

Again, this is the sort of thing where you might need to make a small one-off investment – buying a surfboard, a tent, snorkeling gear, or whatever – with little in the way of ongoing costs, except maybe transport.

As a New Zealander I’ve been spoiled for most of my life, with amazing forests, mountains and beaches at my doorstep. I know lots of people won’t have these opportunities. But wherever I’ve gone in the world, there’s always some sort of greenery, a park, or somewhere you can at least feel the wind in your hair and watch the sunset.

“Any man will go considerably out of his way to pick up a silver dollar, but here are golden words which the wisest men of antiquity have uttered, and whose worth the wise of every succeeding age have assured us of.”

The best things in life are free, like this riveting page-turner of a book

I love books like fat kids love cake. You can borrow them for free from the public library, they’re endlessly entertaining, and they make you smarter at the same time. Having unlimited access to the entire wealth of human knowledge and experience is so amazing that it feels like there should be some sort of catch (if you feel the same way, take the 100 book challenge with me!)

In the last couple of years, I’ve finally caught up on the whole podcast thing. Like books, they’re free, and cover any subject you could possibly imagine. Unlike books, you can listen to them when you’re doing boring stuff like driving, or doing groceries. Earlier today I was buying toilet paper at the store while learning about black holes and the multiverse. What is life? Check out my top picks here , and let me know your recommendations.

Some people prefer visual learning. YouTube has tutorials and lectures for every topic under the sun, not to mention loads of free entertainment. There’s 300 hours of fresh content uploaded every single minute, and not all of it is teen vlog confessionals and handicam cat videos. There’s plenty of stuff with surprisingly professional production values – as I mentioned in this post , I’m currently hooked on the lectures of a Canadian psychologist called Jordan Peterson, who uploads all his University of Toronto classes for free.

“When I became a man I put away childish things – like the fear of childishness, and the desire to be very grown up.”

— C. S Lewis

Getting together to play board games with a mob of friends is my idea of a great night out. If that’s too nerdy, maybe you could set up a poker night instead. I can’t play videogames any more because they’re too addictive, but they’re surprisingly good value for money if you deliberately linger a year or two behind the latest releases.

I’m also a fan of playing music. Besides the feeling of accomplishment that comes with nailing a tricky piece, it gives your mind such a good workout that it literally changes the structure of your brain .

The best things in life are free, like playing music with friends

Secondhand instruments can be picked up for next to nothing, and thanks to the Internet, you can get to a decent skill level on a simple instrument with no paid lessons whatsoever.

I’m putting sex in the ‘play’ category too. Boning is another one of those too-good-to-be-true miracles of existence. It’s pretty much the single greatest activity on Earth, has all sorts of amazing health benefits, and doesn’t cost a cent.

“It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”

I’m a recent convert to calisthenics , which requires nothing but your own bodyweight, and is awesome for health and body composition. Once you start playing around with this sort of stuff, the whole world starts to look like a gymnasium…

Personally I hate most forms of cardio, but some weird masochists seem to enjoy running, which is obviously free. So is swimming, if you’re near the ocean or a public pool. I do like to cycle everywhere as much as possible, mostly because it’s so satisfying boosting past the traffic jam of people trapped in their smelly cars.

“It is only a slight exaggeration to say that happiness is the experience of spending time with people you love and who love you.”

— daniel kahneman.

Imagine baking muffins and icing them beautifully, then methodically eating your way through the entire tray until you’re bloated and miserable. Playing endless games of Solitaire, alone in your room. Reading a book that has you exploding with excitement, and having no-one to discuss it with afterwards.

All of the activities mentioned in this post are greatly improved by the addition of other people. Hanging out with friends and family costs nothing, and might be the best possible use of your recreation time. The research shows that time spent with loved ones is one of the best indicators of long-term happiness, which makes community the most important category of all. It’s a cliché, but you really can’t buy friendship, or family, or love.

The best things in life are free – or at the very least, dirt-cheap. Any more activities to add to the list? Leave a comment below, or send me an email.

The best things in life are free essay - the end

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Rich! I discovered your blog 2 days ago and can’t get enough of it dude! It’s brilliantly articulated, exponentially thought-provoking, inspirational and your sense of humor is freaking hilarious! You imprint this underlying wisdom, and clarity to what and how you write that is really unique. Your blog is literally catalyzing my personal growth to a whole new dimension! It’s sort of like cheat codes for better living in general. My only wish is to find out about it sooner! Seriously thank you for creating and sharing these, they are of life-changing quality. Hope you are building ‘momentum’ toward everything you want in life man.

I’m from Venezuela, a former pro athlete, also crazy into calisthenics, and share many of the same viewpoints you have on life.

Theresa

I am new to your blog and must say not only is it brilliant and thought-provoking but dude, you are hilarious! I am having a Deep Dish marathon this weekend and intend to read as many posts as I possibly can. I am definitely getting rid of my television, that piece of crap has been bogging me down far too long. A million thank you-s for this fascinating piece of work. I hope you continue this blog for a very long time.

Best, Theresa

Richard Meadows

Hey Theresa – I’m blushing to my roots! So thrilled that you’re enjoying the blog. Don’t worry – this is my main outlet for indulging my warped sense of humor and general ranting and raving, and I have no plans of stopping any time soon

Alanna

Like this article Richard! Hope you are well and enjoying the adventure 🙂

Thanks Alanna – you too!

Jacqui

Many galleries and museums are free (big cities mainly I guess). Walking in a great surrounds is always great for my soul!

That’s a great addition to the list, thanks Jacqui!

Laurie

“…being out in nature is good for your health and soul in all sorts of interesting ways, including lower stress, better mental health and short-term memory, a stronger immune system, and even a longer lifespan”

Read it out to the whanau, the comment came from the gallery “Phwiff. Clearly, he’s just a shill for ‘big nature'”. 🙂

Seven out of eight physicians recommend Nature (TM) – try it today!

Shane Hogan

I am fortunate to live in Rotorua. Having two kids under 6 and a wife who (like me) works full time, I have less time than I’d like to go mountain tain biking in our world class and free trails, but as the kids get older I an able to do it more. It truly is my happy place and makes the ‘nature’ aspect of this article so relatable.

Awesome mate. So many great adventure and outdoor spots in Rotorua! I need to come back for a visit next time I’m in kiwi land.

Willy Hermann Bügner

Excellent text. We usually spend a lot of time and money to buy stuff that doesn’t bring happiness or joy. Great roll of happy activities!

Thanks Willy, glad you enjoyed it.

Laurie@ThreeYear

I definitely agree with the Daniel Kahneman quote. If I’m with people I love, especially people I haven’t seen in awhile, I’m generally having a great time. Throw in nature, and it’s pretty much a slam dunk. I agree–every time I’m out in the woods I think the same thing, “I should do this more!” And then, when winter comes, I tend to hole up like a bear. But yes, I agree with you. My very favorite things in life don’t really cost much money. Reading, running, hiking, dinner with friends and family, laughing at funny stories. 🙂

Hey Laurie, same – that’s why I haven’t had a winter in three years!

the best things in life are free argumentative essay

Argumentative Essay Examples to Inspire You (+ Free Formula)

Argumentative Essay Examples to Inspire You (+ Free Formula)

Table of contents

the best things in life are free argumentative essay

Meredith Sell

Have you ever been asked to explain your opinion on a controversial issue? 

  • Maybe your family got into a discussion about chemical pesticides
  • Someone at work argues against investing resources into your project
  • Your partner thinks intermittent fasting is the best way to lose weight and you disagree

Proving your point in an argumentative essay can be challenging, unless you are using a proven formula.

Argumentative essay formula & example

In the image below, you can see a recommended structure for argumentative essays. It starts with the topic sentence, which establishes the main idea of the essay. Next, this hypothesis is developed in the development stage. Then, the rebuttal, or the refutal of the main counter argument or arguments. Then, again, development of the rebuttal. This is followed by an example, and ends with a summary. This is a very basic structure, but it gives you a bird-eye-view of how a proper argumentative essay can be built.

Structure of an argumentative essay

Writing an argumentative essay (for a class, a news outlet, or just for fun) can help you improve your understanding of an issue and sharpen your thinking on the matter. Using researched facts and data, you can explain why you or others think the way you do, even while other reasonable people disagree.

Free AI argumentative essay generator > Free AI argumentative essay generator >

argumentative essay

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an explanatory essay that takes a side.

Instead of appealing to emotion and personal experience to change the reader’s mind, an argumentative essay uses logic and well-researched factual information to explain why the thesis in question is the most reasonable opinion on the matter.  

Over several paragraphs or pages, the author systematically walks through:

  • The opposition (and supporting evidence)
  • The chosen thesis (and its supporting evidence)

At the end, the author leaves the decision up to the reader, trusting that the case they’ve made will do the work of changing the reader’s mind. Even if the reader’s opinion doesn’t change, they come away from the essay with a greater understanding of the perspective presented — and perhaps a better understanding of their original opinion.

All of that might make it seem like writing an argumentative essay is way harder than an emotionally-driven persuasive essay — but if you’re like me and much more comfortable spouting facts and figures than making impassioned pleas, you may find that an argumentative essay is easier to write. 

Plus, the process of researching an argumentative essay means you can check your assumptions and develop an opinion that’s more based in reality than what you originally thought. I know for sure that my opinions need to be fact checked — don’t yours?

So how exactly do we write the argumentative essay?

How do you start an argumentative essay

First, gain a clear understanding of what exactly an argumentative essay is. To formulate a proper topic sentence, you have to be clear on your topic, and to explore it through research.

Students have difficulty starting an essay because the whole task seems intimidating, and they are afraid of spending too much time on the topic sentence. Experienced writers, however, know that there is no set time to spend on figuring out your topic. It's a real exploration that is based to a large extent on intuition.

6 Steps to Write an Argumentative Essay (Persuasion Formula)

Use this checklist to tackle your essay one step at a time:

Argumentative Essay Checklist

1. Research an issue with an arguable question

To start, you need to identify an issue that well-informed people have varying opinions on. Here, it’s helpful to think of one core topic and how it intersects with another (or several other) issues. That intersection is where hot takes and reasonable (or unreasonable) opinions abound. 

I find it helpful to stage the issue as a question.

For example: 

Is it better to legislate the minimum size of chicken enclosures or to outlaw the sale of eggs from chickens who don’t have enough space?

Should snow removal policies focus more on effectively keeping roads clear for traffic or the environmental impacts of snow removal methods?

Once you have your arguable question ready, start researching the basic facts and specific opinions and arguments on the issue. Do your best to stay focused on gathering information that is directly relevant to your topic. Depending on what your essay is for, you may reference academic studies, government reports, or newspaper articles.

‍ Research your opposition and the facts that support their viewpoint as much as you research your own position . You’ll need to address your opposition in your essay, so you’ll want to know their argument from the inside out.

2. Choose a side based on your research

You likely started with an inclination toward one side or the other, but your research should ultimately shape your perspective. So once you’ve completed the research, nail down your opinion and start articulating the what and why of your take. 

What: I think it’s better to outlaw selling eggs from chickens whose enclosures are too small.

Why: Because if you regulate the enclosure size directly, egg producers outside of the government’s jurisdiction could ship eggs into your territory and put nearby egg producers out of business by offering better prices because they don’t have the added cost of larger enclosures.

This is an early form of your thesis and the basic logic of your argument. You’ll want to iterate on this a few times and develop a one-sentence statement that sums up the thesis of your essay.

Thesis: Outlawing the sale of eggs from chickens with cramped living spaces is better for business than regulating the size of chicken enclosures.

Now that you’ve articulated your thesis , spell out the counterargument(s) as well. Putting your opposition’s take into words will help you throughout the rest of the essay-writing process. (You can start by choosing the counter argument option with Wordtune Spices .)

the best things in life are free argumentative essay

Counterargument: Outlawing the sale of eggs from chickens with too small enclosures will immediately drive up egg prices for consumers, making the low-cost protein source harder to afford — especially for low-income consumers.

There may be one main counterargument to articulate, or several. Write them all out and start thinking about how you’ll use evidence to address each of them or show why your argument is still the best option.

3. Organize the evidence — for your side and the opposition

You did all of that research for a reason. Now’s the time to use it. 

Hopefully, you kept detailed notes in a document, complete with links and titles of all your source material. Go through your research document and copy the evidence for your argument and your opposition’s into another document.

List the main points of your argument. Then, below each point, paste the evidence that backs them up.

If you’re writing about chicken enclosures, maybe you found evidence that shows the spread of disease among birds kept in close quarters is worse than among birds who have more space. Or maybe you found information that says eggs from free-range chickens are more flavorful or nutritious. Put that information next to the appropriate part of your argument. 

Repeat the process with your opposition’s argument: What information did you find that supports your opposition? Paste it beside your opposition’s argument.

You could also put information here that refutes your opposition, but organize it in a way that clearly tells you — at a glance — that the information disproves their point.

Counterargument: Outlawing the sale of eggs from chickens with too small enclosures will immediately drive up egg prices for consumers.

BUT: Sicknesses like avian flu spread more easily through small enclosures and could cause a shortage that would drive up egg prices naturally, so ensuring larger enclosures is still a better policy for consumers over the long term.

As you organize your research and see the evidence all together, start thinking through the best way to order your points.  

Will it be better to present your argument all at once or to break it up with opposition claims you can quickly refute? Would some points set up other points well? Does a more complicated point require that the reader understands a simpler point first?

Play around and rearrange your notes to see how your essay might flow one way or another.

4. Freewrite or outline to think through your argument

Is your brain buzzing yet? At this point in the process, it can be helpful to take out a notebook or open a fresh document and dump whatever you’re thinking on the page.

Where should your essay start? What ground-level information do you need to provide your readers before you can dive into the issue?

Use your organized evidence document from step 3 to think through your argument from beginning to end, and determine the structure of your essay.

There are three typical structures for argumentative essays:

  • Make your argument and tackle opposition claims one by one, as they come up in relation to the points of your argument - In this approach, the whole essay — from beginning to end — focuses on your argument, but as you make each point, you address the relevant opposition claims individually. This approach works well if your opposition’s views can be quickly explained and refuted and if they directly relate to specific points in your argument.
  • Make the bulk of your argument, and then address the opposition all at once in a paragraph (or a few) - This approach puts the opposition in its own section, separate from your main argument. After you’ve made your case, with ample evidence to convince your readers, you write about the opposition, explaining their viewpoint and supporting evidence — and showing readers why the opposition’s argument is unconvincing. Once you’ve addressed the opposition, you write a conclusion that sums up why your argument is the better one.
  • Open your essay by talking about the opposition and where it falls short. Build your entire argument to show how it is superior to that opposition - With this structure, you’re showing your readers “a better way” to address the issue. After opening your piece by showing how your opposition’s approaches fail, you launch into your argument, providing readers with ample evidence that backs you up.

As you think through your argument and examine your evidence document, consider which structure will serve your argument best. Sketch out an outline to give yourself a map to follow in the writing process. You could also rearrange your evidence document again to match your outline, so it will be easy to find what you need when you start writing.

5. Write your first draft

You have an outline and an organized document with all your points and evidence lined up and ready. Now you just have to write your essay.

In your first draft, focus on getting your ideas on the page. Your wording may not be perfect (whose is?), but you know what you’re trying to say — so even if you’re overly wordy and taking too much space to say what you need to say, put those words on the page.

Follow your outline, and draw from that evidence document to flesh out each point of your argument. Explain what the evidence means for your argument and your opposition. Connect the dots for your readers so they can follow you, point by point, and understand what you’re trying to say.

As you write, be sure to include:

1. Any background information your reader needs in order to understand the issue in question.

2. Evidence for both your argument and the counterargument(s). This shows that you’ve done your homework and builds trust with your reader, while also setting you up to make a more convincing argument. (If you find gaps in your research while you’re writing, Wordtune Spices can source statistics or historical facts on the fly!)

the best things in life are free argumentative essay

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3. A conclusion that sums up your overall argument and evidence — and leaves the reader with an understanding of the issue and its significance. This sort of conclusion brings your essay to a strong ending that doesn’t waste readers’ time, but actually adds value to your case.

6. Revise (with Wordtune)

The hard work is done: you have a first draft. Now, let’s fine tune your writing.

I like to step away from what I’ve written for a day (or at least a night of sleep) before attempting to revise. It helps me approach clunky phrases and rough transitions with fresh eyes. If you don’t have that luxury, just get away from your computer for a few minutes — use the bathroom, do some jumping jacks, eat an apple — and then come back and read through your piece.

As you revise, make sure you …

  • Get the facts right. An argument with false evidence falls apart pretty quickly, so check your facts to make yours rock solid.
  • Don’t misrepresent the opposition or their evidence. If someone who holds the opposing view reads your essay, they should affirm how you explain their side — even if they disagree with your rebuttal.
  • Present a case that builds over the course of your essay, makes sense, and ends on a strong note. One point should naturally lead to the next. Your readers shouldn’t feel like you’re constantly changing subjects. You’re making a variety of points, but your argument should feel like a cohesive whole.
  • Paraphrase sources and cite them appropriately. Did you skip citations when writing your first draft? No worries — you can add them now. And check that you don’t overly rely on quotations. (Need help paraphrasing? Wordtune can help. Simply highlight the sentence or phrase you want to adjust and sort through Wordtune’s suggestions.)
  • Tighten up overly wordy explanations and sharpen any convoluted ideas. Wordtune makes a great sidekick for this too 😉

the best things in life are free argumentative essay

Words to start an argumentative essay

The best way to introduce a convincing argument is to provide a strong thesis statement . These are the words I usually use to start an argumentative essay:

  • It is indisputable that the world today is facing a multitude of issues
  • With the rise of ____, the potential to make a positive difference has never been more accessible
  • It is essential that we take action now and tackle these issues head-on
  • it is critical to understand the underlying causes of the problems standing before us
  • Opponents of this idea claim
  • Those who are against these ideas may say
  • Some people may disagree with this idea
  • Some people may say that ____, however

When refuting an opposing concept, use:

  • These researchers have a point in thinking
  • To a certain extent they are right
  • After seeing this evidence, there is no way one can agree with this idea
  • This argument is irrelevant to the topic

Are you convinced by your own argument yet? Ready to brave the next get-together where everyone’s talking like they know something about intermittent fasting , chicken enclosures , or snow removal policies? 

Now if someone asks you to explain your evidence-based but controversial opinion, you can hand them your essay and ask them to report back after they’ve read it.

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9.3: The Argumentative Essay

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Learning Objectives

  • Examine types of argumentative essays

Argumentative Essays

You may have heard it said that all writing is an argument of some kind. Even if you’re writing an informative essay, you still have the job of trying to convince your audience that the information is important. However, there are times you’ll be asked to write an essay that is specifically an argumentative piece.

An argumentative essay is one that makes a clear assertion or argument about some topic or issue. When you’re writing an argumentative essay, it’s important to remember that an academic argument is quite different from a regular, emotional argument. Note that sometimes students forget the academic aspect of an argumentative essay and write essays that are much too emotional for an academic audience. It’s important for you to choose a topic you feel passionately about (if you’re allowed to pick your topic), but you have to be sure you aren’t too emotionally attached to a topic. In an academic argument, you’ll have a lot more constraints you have to consider, and you’ll focus much more on logic and reasoning than emotions.

A cartoon person with a heart in one hand and a brain in the other.

Argumentative essays are quite common in academic writing and are often an important part of writing in all disciplines. You may be asked to take a stand on a social issue in your introduction to writing course, but you could also be asked to take a stand on an issue related to health care in your nursing courses or make a case for solving a local environmental problem in your biology class. And, since argument is such a common essay assignment, it’s important to be aware of some basic elements of a good argumentative essay.

When your professor asks you to write an argumentative essay, you’ll often be given something specific to write about. For example, you may be asked to take a stand on an issue you have been discussing in class. Perhaps, in your education class, you would be asked to write about standardized testing in public schools. Or, in your literature class, you might be asked to argue the effects of protest literature on public policy in the United States.

However, there are times when you’ll be given a choice of topics. You might even be asked to write an argumentative essay on any topic related to your field of study or a topic you feel that is important personally.

Whatever the case, having some knowledge of some basic argumentative techniques or strategies will be helpful as you write. Below are some common types of arguments.

Causal Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you argue that something has caused something else. For example, you might explore the causes of the decline of large mammals in the world’s ocean and make a case for your cause.

Evaluation Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you make an argumentative evaluation of something as “good” or “bad,” but you need to establish the criteria for “good” or “bad.” For example, you might evaluate a children’s book for your education class, but you would need to establish clear criteria for your evaluation for your audience.

Proposal Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you must propose a solution to a problem. First, you must establish a clear problem and then propose a specific solution to that problem. For example, you might argue for a proposal that would increase retention rates at your college.

Narrative Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you make your case by telling a story with a clear point related to your argument. For example, you might write a narrative about your experiences with standardized testing in order to make a case for reform.

Rebuttal Arguments

  • In a rebuttal argument, you build your case around refuting an idea or ideas that have come before. In other words, your starting point is to challenge the ideas of the past.

Definition Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you use a definition as the starting point for making your case. For example, in a definition argument, you might argue that NCAA basketball players should be defined as professional players and, therefore, should be paid.

https://assessments.lumenlearning.co...essments/20277

Essay Examples

  • Click here to read an argumentative essay on the consequences of fast fashion . Read it and look at the comments to recognize strategies and techniques the author uses to convey her ideas.
  • In this example, you’ll see a sample argumentative paper from a psychology class submitted in APA format. Key parts of the argumentative structure have been noted for you in the sample.

Link to Learning

For more examples of types of argumentative essays, visit the Argumentative Purposes section of the Excelsior OWL .

Contributors and Attributions

  • Argumentative Essay. Provided by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/argumentative-essay/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
  • Image of a man with a heart and a brain. Authored by : Mohamed Hassan. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : pixabay.com/illustrations/decision-brain-heart-mind-4083469/. License : Other . License Terms : pixabay.com/service/terms/#license

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52 Argumentative Essay Ideas that are Actually Interesting

What’s covered:, how to pick a good argumentative essay topic, elements of a strong argumentative essay, argumentative essay idea example topics.

Are you having writer’s block? Coming up with an essay topic can be the hardest part of the process. You have very likely encountered argumentative essay writing in high school and have been asked to write your own. If you’re having trouble finding a topic, we’ve created a list of 52 essay ideas to help jumpstart your brainstorming process! In addition, this post will cover strategies for picking a topic and how to make your argument a strong one. Ultimately, the goal is to convince your reader. 

An argumentative essay tasks the writer with presenting an assertion and bolstering that assertion with proper research. You’ll present the claim’s authenticity. This means that whatever argument you’re making must be empirically true! Writing an argumentative essay without any evidence will leave you stranded without any facts to back up your claim. When choosing your essay topic, begin by thinking about themes that have been researched before. Readers will be more engaged with an argument that is supported by data.

This isn’t to say that your argumentative essay topic has to be as well-known, like “Gravity: Does it Exist?” but it shouldn’t be so obscure that there isn’t ample evidence. Finding a topic with multiple sources confirming its validity will help you support your thesis throughout your essay. If upon review of these articles you begin to doubt their worth due to small sample sizes, biased funding sources, or scientific disintegrity, don’t be afraid to move on to a different topic. Your ultimate goal should be proving to your audience that your argument is true because the data supports it.

The hardest essays to write are the ones that you don’t care about. If you don’t care about your topic, why should someone else? Topics that are more personal to the reader are immediately more thoughtful and meaningful because the author’s passion shines through. If you are free to choose an argumentative essay topic, find a topic where the papers you read and cite are fun to read. It’s much easier to write when the passion is already inside of you!

However, you won’t always have the choice to pick your topic. You may receive an assignment to write an argumentative essay that you feel is boring. There is still value in writing an argumentative essay on a topic that may not be of interest to you. It will push you to study a new topic, and broaden your ability to write on a variety of topics. Getting good at proving a point thoroughly and effectively will help you to both understand different fields more completely and increase your comfort with scientific writing.

Convincing Thesis Statement

It’s important to remember the general essay structure: an introduction paragraph with a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. A strong thesis statement will set your essay up for success. What is it? A succinct, concise, and pithy sentence found in your first paragraph that summarizes your main point. Pour over this statement to ensure that you can set up your reader to understand your essay. You should also restate your thesis throughout your essay to keep your reader focused on your point.

Ample Research

A typical argumentative essay prompt may look like this: “What has been the most important invention of the 21st century? Support your claim with evidence.” This question is open-ended and gives you flexibility. But that also means it requires research to prove your point convincingly. The strongest essays weave scientific quotes and results into your writing. You can use recent articles, primary sources, or news sources. Maybe you even cite your own research. Remember, this process takes time, so be sure you set aside enough time to dive deep into your topic.

Clear Structure

If the reader can’t follow your argument, all your research could be for nothing! Structure is key to persuading your audience. Below are two common argumentative essay structures that you can use to organize your essays.

The Toulmin argument and the Rogerian argument each contain the four sections mentioned above but executes them in different ways. Be sure to familiarize yourself with both essay structures so that your essay is the most effective it can be.

The Toulmin argument has a straightforward presentation. You begin with your assertion, your thesis statement. You then list the evidence that supports your point and why these are valid sources. The bulk of your essay should be explaining how your sources support your claim. You then end your essay by acknowledging and discussing the problems or flaws that readers may find in your presentation. Then, you should list the solutions to these and alternative perspectives and prove your argument is stronger.

The Rogerian argument has a more complex structure. You begin with a discussion of what opposing sides do right and the validity of their arguments. This is effective because it allows you to piece apart your opponent’s argument. The next section contains your position on the questions. In this section, it is important to list problems with your opponent’s argument that your argument fixes. This way, your position feels much stronger. Your essay ends with suggesting a possible compromise between the two sides. A combination of the two sides could be the most effective solution.

  • Is the death penalty effective?
  • Is our election process fair?
  • Is the electoral college outdated?
  • Should we have lower taxes?
  • How many Supreme Court Justices should there be?
  • Should there be different term limits for elected officials?
  • Should the drinking age be lowered?
  • Does religion cause war?
  • Should the country legalize marijuana?
  • Should the country have tighter gun control laws?
  • Should men get paternity leave?
  • Should maternity leave be longer?
  • Should smoking be banned?
  • Should the government have a say in our diet?
  • Should birth control be free?
  • Should we increase access to condoms for teens?
  • Should abortion be legal?
  • Do school uniforms help educational attainment?
  • Are kids better or worse students than they were ten years ago?
  • Should students be allowed to cheat?
  • Is school too long?
  • Does school start too early?
  • Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school?
  • Is summer break still relevant?
  • Is college too expensive?

Art / Culture

  • How can you reform copyright law?
  • What was the best decade for music?
  • Do video games cause students to be more violent?
  • Should content online be more harshly regulated?
  • Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?
  • Should schools ban books?
  • How important is art education?
  • Should music be taught in school?
  • Are music-sharing services helpful to artists?
  • What is the best way to teach science in a religious school?
  • Should fracking be legal?
  • Should parents be allowed to modify their unborn children?
  • Should vaccinations be required for attending school?
  • Are GMOs helpful or harmful?
  • Are we too dependent on our phones?
  • Should everyone have internet access?
  • Should internet access be free?
  • Should the police force be required to wear body cams?
  • Should social media companies be allowed to collect data from their users?
  • How has the internet impacted human society?
  • Should self-driving cars be allowed on the streets?
  • Should athletes be held to high moral standards?
  • Are professional athletes paid too much?
  • Should the U.S. have more professional sports teams?
  • Should sports be separated by gender?
  • Should college athletes be paid?
  • What are the best ways to increase safety in sports?

Where to Get More Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original argumentative essay ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

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50 Argumentative Essay Topics for Students

50 Argumentative Essay Topics for Students

4-minute read

  • 11th June 2022

The goal of an argumentative essay is to persuade the reader to understand and support your position on an issue by presenting your reasoning along with supporting evidence. It’s important to find the right balance between giving your opinions and presenting established research.

These essays discuss issues around a range of topics, including science, technology, politics, and healthcare. Whether you’re a teacher looking for essay topics for your students or a student tasked with developing an idea of your own, we’ve compiled a list of 50 argumentative essay topics to help you get started!

●  Does texting hinder interpersonal communication skills?

●  Should there be laws against using devices while driving?

●  Do violent video games teach or encourage people to behave violently?

●  Should social media sites be allowed to collect users’ data?

●  Should parents limit how long their children spend in front of screens?

●  Is AI helping or hurting society?

●  Should cyber-bullying carry legal consequences?

●  Should Supreme Court justices be elected?

●  Is war always a political decision?

●  Should people join a political party?

●  Is capitalism ethical?

●  Is the electoral college an effective system?

●  Should prisoners be allowed to vote?

●  Should the death penalty be legal?

●  Are governments around the world doing enough to combat global warming?

●  Is healthcare a fundamental human right?

●  Should vaccinations be mandated for children?

●  Are there any circumstances under which physician-assisted suicides should be legal?

●  Should parents be able to choose specific genetic modifications of their future children?

●  Should abortion be legal?

●  Is it ethical to perform medical experiments on animals?

●  Should patients who lead unhealthy lifestyles be denied organ transplants?

●  Should doctors be able to provide medical care to children against their parents’ wishes?

Mental Healthcare

●  What causes the stigma around mental health?

●  Discuss the link between insufficient access to mental health services and the high suicide rates among veterans.

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●  Should cannabis be used as a treatment for patients with mental disorders?

●  Is there a link between social media use and mental disorders?

●  Discuss the effect of physical activity on mental health.

●  Should sports be segregated by gender?

●  Should male and female athletes be given the same pay and opportunities?

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●  Should sports betting be legal?

●  Should online access to art such as music be free?

●  Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?

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●  Should schools be required to offer art courses?

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●  Should reciting the Pledge of Allegiance be required in schools?

●  Do standardized tests effectively measure intelligence?

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●  Should higher education be free?

●  Is there too much pressure on high school students to attend college?

●  Are children better off in two-parent households?

●  Should LGBTQ+ partners be allowed to adopt?

●  Should single people be able to adopt children as easily as couples?

●  Is it okay for parents to physically discipline their children?

●  Does helicopter parenting help or hurt children?

●  Should parents monitor their children’s Internet use?

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IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024

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  • Test Information FAQ
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  • Computer IELTS: Pros & Cons
  • How to Prepare
  • Useful Links & Resources
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  • Writing Task 1
  • Writing Task 2
  • Speaking Part 1 Topics
  • Speaking Part 2 Topics
  • Speaking Part 3 Topics
  • 100 Essay Questions
  • On The Day Tips
  • Top Results
  • Advanced IELTS

Important Things are Free Essay Tips

A number of students reported this essay question in IELTS writing task 2. Many of you have asked me for ideas and tips about this essay. You can find step by step tips below. The essay below is called an Opinion Essay (however some teachers called it an “argumentative essay” or “agree/disagree essay”).

IELTS Essay Question

Some people think that the most important things in life are free and cannot be bought. To what extent do you agree?

Tips for this IELTS Essay

  • Please note that the wording of the essay is “important things” not “important services”. You need to pay close attention to the words used in the essay so that you don’t change the meaning.
  • appreciation of nature
  • Each of the above cannot be bought using money – they are available to rich and poor alike.
  • This essay is not about WHY they are free. You need to be very clear what the aim of the question is. The question is “do you think the most important things are free or do you think the most important things are not free and must be bought.
  • health care
  • electricity
  • these items must be bought using money. Rich people get better quality food, housing, education etc than poor people who sometimes can’t afford even the most basic human necessities.
  • Now you have brainstormed your ideas. What is your opinion? Do you think the best things in life are free? Or do you think the best things in life are not free?
  • Your opinion must be written clearly in the introduction and explained in the body paragraphs.
  • The thesis statement should be one sentence that presents your position (your opinion).
  • You can start this sentence with : In my opinion or I think or I believe or something similar that shows YOUR own personal opinion. Don’t start it with “this essay”.
  • See a range of different introductions for this essay question: Model Introductions

IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Essays

You can find more tips, free videos and model essays on this page: IELTS Writing Task 2 .

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i want to ask about agree/ disagree type questiona.

Shall we write our whole essay only on the side we agree/disagree OR we should write both sides of our agreement to clear the arguments….like if i agree to school children should participate only in team games rather than on individual interest games, then i should write another side benefits of playing individual games also ?????

OR shall i complete the all paragraphs on providing benefits of playing in team????

This will boost the scores or reduce it….

Thnks in advance……..

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Please look at the model introductions for this lesson which explains it all. The link is provided on the page above.

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Hello Liz …. I got 7.5 overall in the ielts exam… i watched ur vidz and learnt from them … coaching classes costed a lot … but i prepared myself and got this score … thank you so much for the lessons … Keep up the good work ☺️😇

Well done !! Good score 🙂

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Hi Liz, I believe that this is not opinion essay and hence we need cover only one part to whom we agree, as there is nothing in the question like “Discuss both sides”. Could you please let me know if my understanding is correct. Thanks

Discuss both sides and give your opinion = a discussion essay which contains both sides as well as an opinion To what extent do you agree? = an opinion essay without a discussion

So, above will be an opinion essay without a both side discssion?

That’s right. An opinion essay requires your opinion and only your opinion.

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Thanks a lot Liz I got L7.5,R6.5,W7,S7.5..just using your blog but want paid up lessons for reading..how do I get in touch with you?

Well done!! Sorry I don’t have paid lessons for reading at the moment.

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I appeared on 11th of November, 2017 and had the same Task 2.

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I appeared on 11th August 2022 and got same question

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I believe that the most important elements in life such as family, friends, happiness, and love are for free. While on the other hand, material things such as medicine, shelter, clothes, and education which are also considered as basic necessity cost something.

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In my opinion, we are being gifted many things like life, health, family and love that are totally free and priceless. However there are many things in life which are important and we have to be bought as necessities such as, food, healthcare, education, transport and house.

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Hi liz i am really appriate for your support I have a question pleas tell me. I have a sentence : if a female student is the best candidate for a place on a course ,it would be wrong to reject her in favor of a male student . Here we used would in second sentence why did they use would instead of will . Is it corret if we use will?

Because it is hypothetical.

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Elizabeth’s thesis:

In my opinion, I agree that the things that are really significant throughout life, and often not valued enough, are free and cannot be acquired with money. This essay will try to support this statement.

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In my opinion, all important things in life are not free, some of them like family,health,love etc are priceless but some basic needs like food, shelter, education etc are priceworthy and ought to be bought. .

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In my opinion,there are some essential things of life susch as hapiness,health and love which we acquire at no cost while education,housing and health care which are also critical to life must be paid for.

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Here is my version of the introduction.

It is thought by some that the most valued things in life come at no monetary cost. In my opinion, I agree as overall health, family and friends are very important to a person.

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In this hectic world . Many people think that everything can be bought which is unfortunately not true, as the most important things in life are priceless like health or happiness for examples. Money will stand still when it comes to such important and vital things in life like that.

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Hi liz, This essay says to what extent u agree? Does it mean u cant disagree with the statement?

Do you agree? Do you agree or disagree? To what extent do you agree? To what extent do you agree or disagree? = all the same essay = all the same instructions.

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Dear Liz does it mean therefore that in any “agree/disagree” essay there has to be a separate body paragraph for the opposing viewpoint?

What opposing view point? The whole essay explains YOUR opinion.

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I believe God has gifted us certain necessities in life such as nature,health,family and love;however, there are other important things that we need in life that has to be bought.

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Hello Ma’am, Please check it and point if found any mistake. It is commonly though that most significant things in a life are costless and there is no need to spend money on that, while other side, people have to spend on it.I definitely go with the given sentence that most vital things which we got from god are free, which I will discuss in below.

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I believe, there is no doubt that most essential things of life, such as family, love and health come with no cost which can never be acquired in exchange of money.

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In my point of view, the most esential things in our normal life are free and natural. However, to achieve them, we need to afford the human necessities which are bought by using money.

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In my opinion, The best things in life are free however the most important things needs hardwork and money to avail it.

In my perspective. I believe the best things in life are free however most important things needs hardwork in order to avail it.

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Hi liz, Thanks for the guidance. I have a doubt in one topic : Some ppl choose career for salary . other choose career according to whether they enjoy the work.

Ok does enjoyment mean work satisfaction here? Or going by passion? I need to understand this to give relevant points supporting my views.

It is about job satisfaction or salary.

Thanks liz.

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In my opinion, I totally agree that money would never be able to buy the most valuable things in life, namely family and health, which are not only for free, but also priceless.

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I completely agree with this as some of the things gifted to human such as family and health are free but irreplaceable whenever lost, making them more important than other necessities of life which can eventually be attained although at a price.

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With the gradual merging of capitalism and modern lifestyles, it is arguably difficult to name a single thing today not yet materialized. However, it is believed many valuable issues in the world are still definitely unbuyable. From a personal prospective, Despite its rareness, things such as true friendship can not be offered for sale. This will be analyzed by looking at why real friendship is heavier lasts longer compared to paid one

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In my opinion, free things are essential for life, but the basic needs of life which have to buy, are also significantly important to live a healthy life.

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In my opinion ,i think that the most essential things of life ought not to be free and should be bought with money.

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Hi Liz, Below is what I wrote as background n theisis.

There is a school of thought that, the most essential and intrinsic things of everyday life cannot be purchased. In my opinion, there are many strong reasons for advocating tbe above fact, as now will be explained below.

Is above correct?

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Hi Liz, Here is my answer, please correct me if I’m wrong.

People have different opinion on whether or not the most important things in life can be brought. There are some strong arguments against the idea that those most important things in life can be free, I still believe that there are certain things that people cannot buy.

Some people believe that there is a price for everything, whereas they can get anything they wanted through hard-working. In doing so, people can buy their dream house and have good meals if they deserved it, therefore people will live their life with passion.

By contrast, in my opinion, I believe that the most important things in life are invaluable. Because in people’s loves, there are important things that cannot be brought by using money, such as intimacy and love. It is impossible to buy a life-long relationship such as family or friendship, in other words, people do not pay their parents, siblings, or any of their loved ones for their cares.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that money has a certain importance in people’s lives, but I still belie that there are important things that money cannot buy.

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Liz has told you to write only the thesis not the whole essay but nevertheless you fid a good job by comparing things you can buy with money and those which are priceless,cannot be bought by money.

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Most people believe that there are some important things in our life which can not be bought through money such as family, friends and health, these are the priceless and gifted by good. I definitely agree with the statement mentioned.

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Some people have the perception of most crucial things in the world are cost free and cannot be purchased. However, in my opinion I agree that they are free analyzing both the family and health aspect of life.

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For this essay I mentioned Air & Water as the most important things in life and explained why aren’t they free anymore. Is this alright? Did I go off-topic?

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Thesis statement for the argumentative essay. It is said and it is also a fact that certain non_materialistic things like natural beauty, health care, love and family are those blessings which have been granted to us free to enjoy our life and if they’re lost once can’t be bought at any cost.

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In my opinion, I agree most of the important things in life are free but not all because there are still important things like food, shelter, clothing etc that we still have to work for.

Hi Liz, Here’s my opinion.

People have different opinion on whether or not the most important things in life can be brought. There are some strong arguments against the idea that those most important things in life should be free, I still believe that there are certain things that you cannot buy. Some people believe that there is a price for everything, whereas they can get anything they wanted through hard-working. In doing so, people can buy their dream house and have good meals if they deserved it, therefore people will live their life with passion. By contrast, in my opinion, I believe that the most important things in life are invaluable. Because there are important things which cannot be brought by using money in our life, such as intimacy and love. It is impossible to buy a life-long relationship like family or friendship, in the other words, people cannot have intimacy and love through money. People do not pay your parents, siblings, any of your loved ones for their cares. In conclusion, there is no doubt that there is a certain importance of money in people’s lives, but I believe that there are important things that money cannot buy.

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It is argued by some that extremely important things in one’s life are free of charge and no amount of money can buy them. However, I am of the opinion that a number of things, which are crucial for survival such as education , food, clothing and shelter to name but a few, can only be obtained by means of money.

It is argued by some that extremely important things in one’s life are free of charge and no amount of money can buy them. However, I am of the opinion that a number of things, which are crucial for survival such as food, clothing and shelter to name but a few, must be bought.

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Thesis statement: In my perspective, Love, family relations and air are most important among those which we freely enjoy and I also belive that everyone relishes it all the time in their life’s.

(Ideas: Love – Mother’s love is unconditional right from the time we are in her womb.

Family relations: Everyone tends to remember their family members such as mother, father, grand parents which are most important relations being enjoyed for free from being a toddler till last breath.

Air: One of the five essential elements which is completely free and the only means of living which cannot be substituted.

– All the ideas are to be elaborated with some real life scenarios / examples if possible.

This is what I would write. Liz, Please do correct me and let me know if any changes are to be made. (My goal for writing task is 7 min)

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It is argued by some that it is not possible to purchase the most valuable things in life. While I agree that certain qualities such as happiness, love and health cannot be bought, in my opinion, the most basic human needs such as food, housing and education can only be obtained, using money.

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I entirely agree that some non material thing which ca not be bought are free for us and we accesse them freely.

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Hi Liz I’m José, In my case here at Canada, I took the IELTS the last Saturday. And the writing task 2 was kind the same with the question. “Some people buy products because they are good and suits to what they need, that’s why advertising is unnecessary” They want me to say some advantages and disvatanges of that topic and also the question “for what extent I was agree?” Before the day test I was watching one of your videos and you say that something about “what extent” means. I said that I wasn’t completely agree with that statement… I hope I could get what they really asked.

Thanks for your tips for IELTS, and when I get my results I will post them here.

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Free and the things which can not be bought are considered to be the most precious things in life. In my opinion, I agree that free and priceless values, such as family, friends, love and belief, are the most significant in life. However, I also believe that a piece of bread could be more necessary in the capitalistic system.

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In some people’s opinion major things in life cannot be obtained by money, but are available to everyone equally for free. I certainly agree to this view like family, time, health which are most valuable assets, are free.

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Hi Liz!!!!you are the most prominent and sublime teacher I ever met!!!!your materials are much helpful for ielts students…those who are sharing their successful experiences!!!!!I truly appreciate them!!!!!!! God bless you all!!!!I am facing huge problem in writing but getting some help from your tips and very slowly doing well in writing!!!!

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I got to write in task 2 if govt should spend money on top athletes or on sports for everyone do send solution.

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it is commonly thought that the most fundamental issues in our life are costless and we can not buy it. In my opinion, I totally agree with this idea as our families and our health are free, and they are certainly invaluable things in our lives.

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Hello Liz, Thesis statement: From my perspective, I believe that family, sincerity and humbleness are among the most valuable things in life and, fortunately, they are all free.

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Some people think that things that are really valuable to us cannot be bought with money. I would like to agree to this statement. Few of these priceless things are real happiness, good Health and true Relationships. Let’s explore about each of these in detail see what makes it truly priceless yet so valuable.

Firstly, happiness is one important thing that cannot be bought with money. Happiness is ones state of mind, with a feeling of being loved and being secure. Happiness that come from riches and wealth is temporary and doesn’t last long.

Secondly, good health is something that one has to attain over a long period of time. In order to stay fit and healthy, one may have to invest in good food and lifestyle. But that alone does not ensure good health. Health is a state of complete physical, social and emotional well being. For example, an end stage cancer patient, when doctors say that nothing can be done, if he has good moral support from friends and family and people to keep him happy, it will definitely help him to a large extent.

Last but not the least, true friendships and relationships are the ones that stay with us through thick and thin. Such relationships cannot be bought with money. Friendships that come with wealth and riches and wealth are temporary and not true.

Hence I would like to conclude that true happiness, good health and real relationships are keys to life and these priceless things are valuable yet free. As people get richer and wealthier, they tend to miss out on these precious things and that makes their life miserable.

I have scored band 7 for the above essay! Thanks for the tips.

Well done 🙂 Good news 😉

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Introduction: Few people argue that the most essential things in life are free of cost and cannot be acquired by other means. I partially agree with this school of thought, as I believe that there are other things which holds an equal importance.

Waiting for your feedback, Liz.

Some people think that things that are really valuable to us cannot be bought with money. I would like to agree to this statement. Few of these priceless things are real happiness, True love, good Health and Relationships. Let’s explore about each of these in detail see what makes it truly priceless yet so valuable.

Firstly, happiness is one important thing that cannot be bought with money. Happiness is ones state of mind, with a feeling of being loved and being secure…..

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In my opinion, i agree to some extend that the most important things in life are free however there are a number of basis necessities of life which are not.

it was my husband question yesterday….in KSA

thanks a lot

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It was my question on 11th Nov in Khi Pakistan. Really a tough statement to write on it.

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In my point of view, the most significant things like family, health, happiness and appreciation of nature are available to every human being without spending a peny whereas less important substances like residence, health care, a luxurious transport are bought against price.

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I just chose one side n agreed with the statement. N the things i mentioned were health, time, intellect/wisdom. I mentioned that these things are most valuable and cannot be bought. In body paragraphs i explained these things in each paragraph. I didn’t mentio the things that we can buy like food, housing, car, food etc did i attempt in the wrong direction?

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I mentioned time, happiness and health as the most important things in life and can not be bought.

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In my opinion, I believe that every person has some personal exclusive things which cannot buy or it cannot be measured by money rather it’s a matter of feelings.

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Some argue that most valuable things in life cannot be purchased and come at free of cost.I completely agree with the statement…

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plz tell this approach of balanced view is appropriate? In my opinion, I strongly believe that things like family, health, wisdom, love are free, however, their maintenance does require some amount of finance.

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I have tried and written the entire essay. Please suggest in case of any correction / improvements needed:-

Although some people believe that the most significant things in life are free of cost, other people think that most precious things in life are purchased through paying the price. In my opinion, I believe that the most key things in life are free of charge.

On one hand, few people think that the vital things in life are free of charge and I agree as well. In another words, these precious things are available in abundance to rich as well as poor in the same manner. For example, family, love, nature, health, air, water etc. There is no charge on these significant things and all of these are available to us in our life irrespective of being rich or poor. Furthermore, we must thankful, appreciate and preserve the nature and surrounding available resources which provide us almost all of these things in our life without charging us.

On the other hand, some people think that the valuable things in life are purchased through money. In other words, the key things are only available to us if we spend good amount of money on them. For example, food, clothes, housing, higher education, well lifestyle, car etc. These vital things are the basic human necessities and cannot be available to us unless we pay the higher price on them.

In conclusion, while people may differ in their views I think that most of the precious things in life are free of cost and as a human being we must appreciate for the same.

Regards, Vimal

Well written

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Hi Liz, Thank you for doing what you do. Here is my thesis statement for this essay.

It is thought by some people that the most essential things in life are priceless and cannot be gotten with money. In my opinion, I totally agree that the most essential things in life are equally accessible both to the rich and the poor. Is this a good thesis or not? Thanks for being there

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Hello Liz That is great tips. What is wrong with starting thesis statement by “This essay will…”? Thank you very much.

It doesn’t express your OWN opinion.

Ohh…many thanks.

Ok, can I write it like this ” In this essay, I will explain why most important things are free” Thanks

Your thesis statement should actually provide your answer – introduce your answer in the introduction and give the support in the body paragraphs.

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In my view, I believe that the things we value much in life such as love and happiness are given freely, hence, cannot be traded.

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In my opinion, I strongly believe that the most paramount things are not charged by a human.

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Great work Liz. I paid soo much attention to the task 2 especially on food,housing,clothes and cars. I should be expecting Band 8 as usual…lol I started my essay this way

It is believed most valuable things of life should be free and not to be purchased. I totally dis-agree with this notion. In my BP1 I wrote about “value”. When things are bought with our hard earned money, we not only value it, we appreciate and maintain it and I related this to Clothing. If clothes are free everyone will just wear them and dump them. BP2 I related it to Council flats in UK…lol some of these flats are not as clean as they should be and the reason is simply because they are offered by the government FREE. BP3 I related it to Cars, if cars are free how will it be fuel? If Cars are free will the parts will also be free? People who got donated Cars careless on maintaining them nor replace their parts ontime because they do not value what they got for free. I also talk about Quality. Quality on things got for free can NEVER be compared to those that were Purchased. In my conclusion, after a brief summary on why things of life should not be free including education,transportation and health care{even though i didn’t discuss them in my BPs}. I ended my essay with “Nothing is free in Life even for those that live in FREELAND”…lol sounds funny

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I think the important things in life are naturally made to be free

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In the current question do we need to discuss both the sides or any one on which we agree or disagree… I took the exam and had the same question. I disagreed with the opinion and largely talked on points mentioned under disagree point as above.. am I right in my approach

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here’s my thesis statement.tnx in advance for the feedback. “I believed that the most important things in life are free and is available to rich and poor alike.”

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I got the same essay and was slightly confused in the begning.

In my Opinion, The best things in life are free such as Healhy relationships and Teachings from elders.

I wrote about the Relationships with our love ones; How relationships are important in being mentally well being and how they cannot be bought from money, and Teachings from elderly people such as Discipline, Punctuality are available free to youngsters, how these things will play a pivotal role later in future life; in a postive manner.

I explained these points in details with examples and concluded with my opinion. What do you think about the content of this essay I wrote? I hope I wrote the essay well.

Many Thanks for wonderful lessons.

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Hi, I received this question in ielts general test held on 11 November 2017. I mentioned love and air as two important things.

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Some people have perception that best things in life are free namely family,health,love etc.But,others reckon that there are many things which are not free and those are very necessery in life like food,clothes.I disagree with former view and this essay will discuss reasons before forming conclusion.

In my opinion, I believe that the most precious things in life are free of cost.

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In my opinion, I think the most vital things in life should be free to choose and people do not have to buy them.

Hi, I’ve noticed people here write: In my opinion, I think/agree/believe.. Is it really better than just: In my opinion the most vital… I don’t have much experience in writing and it sounds weird to me.

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Like if we talk about honesty and freedom… As the most important things

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I completely agree with this view those who hold this view. In my opinion, most important things are free that cannot be bought by money.

I completely agree with sentence that Time which is most valuable and priceless thing.

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Thanks much!

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Dear Liz, I have given neutral opinion on this topic stating that eventhough some necessary things of life are free such as family, friends but other important things like cars, bank balance need to be earn. After that I have given justifications on both views in each body paragraphs. And then conclusion. Is this is correct way?

Hi Liz, My question is can we give neutral opinion also on this?

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It is thought by some people that most of the important things that are available in our are free, which means they involves no cost. In my opinion, I agree that friends, family and real life knowledge are free.

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Hi Liz, Please correct me if I am wrong… Can I begin like below: Though many people feel that best things are not freely available yet I, personally believe, that best things in life can not be bought with money rather can be get freely with love and care. I can better eludicate my point of view as below. Begin next paragraph with real life examples…

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In my opinion I believe that most important things of life are free,because love,good health and family are the most significant things of life you get for free.

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99 Great Handpicked Ideas for Argumentative Essays

99 argumentative essay ideas.

Bonus Material: 5-step thesis machine and essay checklist

If you want to write a great argumentative essay, then these are the foolproof steps to do it.

Grab this guide to help you craft a strong thesis statement and check that you haven’t forgotten a crucial part of your essay.

Or skip to the bottom for a list of fantastic argumentative essay ideas that have been vetted by a Princeton grad and professional editor who has taught writing at Notre Dame. 

Keep reading to learn more about what an argumentative essay is, and how is it different from other types of academic writing? What are the most important features of an effective argumentative essay? How do you write this kind of essay—where should you start, how do you make sure that you have an argument, and what are the most common pitfalls?

In this post we’ll cover:

  • What is an academic argumentative essay?
  • What are the elements of a good argumentative essay? What are the most common mistakes?
  • How do you create an effective thesis for an argumentative essay?
  • How do you present your evidence for an academic argumentative essay?
  • What are good topics for an argumentative essay? 
  • Bonus: essential essay checklist + 5-step thesis machine

Download the guide to a great thesis statement and essay checklist

Bonus: download our 5-step guide to creating a great thesis statement and essential essay checklist .

What is an argumentative essay?

An argumentative essay is a common assignment in many high school and college classes. But many students don’t know how to write a great argumentative essay!

In order to avoid some of the most common pitfalls, it’s important to know what this kind of essay is not . 

We can divide academic writing into three broad categories:

  • Analytical: analyze the tools an author uses to make their point
  • Research: delve deeply into a research topic and share your findings
  • Persuasive: argue a specific and nuanced position backed by evidence

An argumentative essay falls into the third category.  It’s crucial that your essay presents an argument , not just a series of facts or observations!

In elementary or middle school, you may have been assigned a version of this assignment—something like “write a persuasive essay arguing for a bigger allowance from your parents.” 

Maybe you wrote a five-paragraph essay explaining why you deserved an allowance for completing your weekly chores, the ways in which your current allowance limited your ability to join your friends in social activities, and examples of some of the educational things you’d spend your increased allowance on.

This is the more mature version of that assignment. The goal is to present a nuanced argument with deep thinking . Often the essay explores an ethical question.

a great essay presents nuanced arguments with deep thinking

Keep reading to learn our foolproof way of confirming that you have something that’s arguable . Our hand-picked list of 99 essay topics below gives a great starting place!

For example, you might start with the question “is animal testing ethical?” 

The idea is not to give a simple yes or no answer, but dig into the complexities of the question. Are there circumstances where it would be okay, but not other circumstances? 

Maybe you draw a distinction between animal testing that is part of efforts to find cures for serious human illnesses versus animal testing to develop cosmetics. So instead of just answering yes or no, you give a more nuanced answer.

In this example, you might even further qualify your position. Maybe you think that animal testing for medical research should be subject to careful regulations.

Or maybe you think that only certain animals should be involved in testing. Are tests using fruitflies okay? How about horseshoe crabs? Mice? Dogs? Primates? 

How about genetically modifying the animals as part of the testing?

Is animal testing for certain kinds of medical research more ethical than others?

See how there are a lot of different directions you can take this in beyond just “yes” or “no”? This is what will make your writing more mature and interesting!

For an academic argumentative essay, you will then need to support all of your points with evidence from reputable sources (we’ll explore this more below ). Remember, your opinion is a component of the essay, but it’s also supported by evidence.

student writing

The skills that you build when you’re writing an academic argumentative essay will be incredibly useful throughout your life. They’re applicable in nearly any job that you can imagine! 

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers , 73.4% of employers want a candidate with strong written communication skills. Writing skills are in high demand for employers in every industry and can be crucial to your future success, even if you’re in a STEM-based career.

Download our 5-step guide to creating a great thesis statement and essential essay checklist .

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Elements of a good argumentative essay

What makes a good academic argumentative essay?

A good argumentative essay should open with an engaging introduction. 

A well-crafted introduction makes a smooth funnel that starts more broadly and smoothly zeroes in on the specific argument:

  • It begins with some kind of “hook”: this can be an anecdote, quote, statistic, provocative statement, question, etc.
  • It gives some background information that is relevant to understand the ethical dilemma or debate
  • It has a lead-up to the thesis
  • At the end of the introduction, the thesis is clearly stated

essay intro funnel

Check out examples of great introductions here.

Crucially, a good argumentative essay has a strong, clear thesis.

The thesis should be:

  • Arguable: it’s not just the facts—someone could disagree with this position
  • Narrow & specific: don’t pick a position that’s so broad you could never back it up
  • Complex: show that you are thinking deeply—one way to do this is to consider objections/qualifiers in your thesis

We’ll talk more about how to craft a good thesis below , and you can download our 5-step worksheet to make a great thesis statement. 

The body of the essay should have at least three paragraphs.

These be clearly organized, and each paragraph should have a distinct idea. Together, the paragraphs cover all the points raised in the thesis. They should be in a logical order that best supports the argument. 

Each paragraph contains:

  • Transition from the previous sentence: this can be just a word or phrase, or it can be 1–2 whole sentences
  • Topic sentence: the main idea of the paragraph, taken from one “chunk” of your thesis
  • Context: introduce your piece of evidence and any relevant background info
  • Explanation: explain what the quote/paraphrase means in your own words
  • Analysis: analyze how this piece of evidence proves your thesis
  • Relate it back to the thesis: don’t forget to relate this point back to your overarching thesis!
  • Summarizing sentence: restate topic sentence

Keep reading for more tips on how to use evidence effectively in your essay.

Your essay should also have a conclusion.

The conclusion should summarize your entire argument without being redundant. It should also point to the larger significance of the issue.

So to recap, your essay needs:

  • An engaging introduction
  • A great thesis statement
  • Organized paragraphs with evidence from reputable sources
  • A conclusion

Make sure your essay has all of these parts! Download our detailed checklist to make sure your essay avoids the most common mistakes.

To see how all these parts work together, check out our examples of great argumentative essays. 

student taking notes

5 steps to develop a great thesis for an argumentative essay

Having a great thesis statement is a make-or-break component of an argumentative essay.

In order to write a great thesis statement for an argumentative essay, use these five steps :

  • State the topic ( check out our list of great topics below !)
  • Turn it into a debatable issue
  • Provide a rationale for your position
  • Add qualifier(s) to refine your position
  • Reverse your statement to confirm it’s arguable and to anticipate possible counterarguments

(Adapted from Sheridan Baker, The Practical Stylist .)

birds arguing

Using this method with our example of animal testing, we might write:

  • The idea: Animal testing
  • Your position: Animal testing should only be used in certain circumstances. 
  • Give a reason for your position: Animal testing causes suffering or injury to animals, which we should avoid as much as possible—but this is outweighed by the enormous potential for scientific discoveries.
  • Add nuance and detail to your position: The ethical problems with animal testing are outweighed by the potential to advance cures for both animal and human diseases, but animal testing should be carefully limited to only applications that reduce suffering and disease, not for cosmetic or recreational applications.
  • Check that it’s arguable and someone could argue the opposite side: Animal testing causes suffering to animals, which is unethical, and can often be misused for profit.

Download our 5-step worksheet to help guide you through these steps to write a great thesis statement!

How to use evidence in an argumentative essay

Using evidence to support your points is key to making an academic argument. 

When you were in elementary or middle school, perhaps you did a version of this assignment with just your own observations and opinions. 

When you’re writing a more advanced essay, however, you want to support your ideas with evidence from reputable sources.

research on a laptop

One of the big differences between a research paper and an argumentative essay is that you don’t need to do your own original research with primary sources. Original research would be things like running experiments, administering surveys, deciphering ancient inscriptions, interviewing people, or reading archival material.

Instead, you can rely on secondary sources . These are publications of other people’s research or analysis . 

For an academic essay, you want to make sure that your secondary sources are reputable .

How do you know a source is reputable? One good indication is that it’s published in a book by a major publisher (like Penguin), especially an academic publisher (like Princeton University Press, Harvard University Press, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press. . . basically anything with “university press” in the name!).

Another good kind of source is articles published in major academic journals . Some famous journals are Nature (all science), The Lancet (medicine), and The American Historical Review (history).

More accessible sources might be in other national magazines or newspapers , like The Atlantic, The Economist, or The New York Times.

library research

How do you gather evidence for your essay? When you’re reading sources and taking notes, think:

  • What is the author’s main argument? Supporting arguments?
  • What specific evidence does the author use to support that argument?
  • How does this argument relate to the argument in other sources? Does it agree/disagree or complicate the argument in other sources?

When you’re selecting your evidence, make sure that it directly supports the argument of that paragraph and the essay in general. 

Once you have your evidence gathered, you need to analyze it! You can’t just dump evidence on your readers without explaining its significance to your sub-point and your overall argument.

If you’re representing an author’s perspective, or if the quote is especially strong, quote it directly with quote marks: “  ”. As much as you can, try and quote only part of a sentence, and interweave it with your own writing.

The rest of the time, paraphrase the evidence in your own words. 

Make sure to cite your sources ! There are lots of different citation styles. Which style is most appropriate will depend on which field you’re working in. Usually your teacher/professor will tell you which one to use. If it’s not clear, it’s always a good question to ask your instructor.

(You still cite when you paraphrase, unless it’s common knowledge that you find in virtually all the sources you read.)

student typing

How to write analysis

A balanced essay will have at least two sentences of analysis for every one sentence of direct quotation. For our essay about animal testing, this might look like:

“Whenever possible, animal testing should be avoided. Fortunately, advances in technology have made many alternatives to animal testing possible. For example, the polio vaccine, which has saved millions of human lives, used to be made in the kidney cells of monkeys, which meant that tens of thousands of monkeys died each year to produce the vaccine. However, by the 1970s the live monkeys had been replaced by cells in culture, which meant that many monkey lives were saved (Bookchin and Schumacher, 2005). An added benefit of this newer technique is that it also eliminated the risk of contamination with animal viruses (Taylor, 2019). Similarly, the vaccine against yellow fever used to be checked on live animals, but in the 1970s this was replaced with a cell culture test (World Health Organization, 2007). Scientists have also been able to avoid using animals for testing because our understanding of the diseases themselves has improved. For example, scientists used to perform a “particularly unpleasant” test using mice to check batches of insulin which involved sending mice into convulsions (Taylor, 2019). Since every batch of insulin needed to be tested on 600 mice, tens of thousands of mice were involved in the testing every year in the UK alone. Now, however, scientists know how to measure the components of insulin directly, and the mice are no longer needed (Taylor, 2019). Through these advances in scientific understanding and techniques, researchers have been able to reduce the amount of animal testing without compromising important work for human health.”

You should introduce your evidence by providing some context. Next, present your evidence. Then explain what it means and how it supports your argument. 

For a really great paper, you can also show how different sources relate to one another! Use transition words or phrases throughout your paragraphs to guide the reader along your thought process.

Your analysis should be:

  • Nuanced and specific
  • Takes into account multiple perspectives and ideas; draws distinctions and connections among them
  • Backed by evidence all relating back to the argument

For more mature writing, avoid clunky phrases like “On page 12, McKitterick states that. . . ” or “This evidence reveals that. . . ” Instead, try to weave the evidence into your writing seamlessly.

Wondering what this looks like when you put it all together? Check out our examples of great student essays.

student writing

Download our 5-step thesis guide

99 great topic ideas for argumentative essays

All of these essay ideas have been vetted by a Princeton grad to confirm that they’re actually arguable . That means that they all would make great starting points for argumentative essays!

Use our foolproof 5-step guide to turn one of these ideas into a great thesis statement!

Student issues

  • Should sodas or other unhealthy food be banned at schools?
  • Should students hold jobs?
  • Should gym class be required?
  • Are parents responsible for childhood obesity?
  • Should schools require uniforms?
  • Should schools have tracking (honors classes, AP classes) or should classes be the same for all students in the same grade?
  • Should college athletes be paid?
  • Should children be allowed to play sports that have been proven to have a high risk of permanent brain damage from concussions? Is it ethical for adult athletes to be paid to play these sports?
  • How much should parents get involved in their child’s physical education? Is it ethical for young athletes to compete at the highest levels? (e.g. Olympic athletes who are under 18 years of age.)
  • If social media has been demonstrated to have harmful effects on mental health, should minors have unregulated access to it?
  • Should media for children and teens be regulated?
  • Should college be free of cost? Should future income be tied to the cost of a college degree?
  • Should public preschool be a right for all children?
  • Should all students receive free breakfast and lunch at school?
  • Should the school day start after 9am?
  • Should school libraries ban certain books?
  • Is marketing designed for children ethical?
  • Should the legal drinking age in the US be lowered to 18?

Animal rights

  • Should animal testing be banned?
  • Should animals be kept in zoos?
  • Is having pets ethical?
  • Should wild animals be allowed to be kept as pets?
  • Should you adopt a pet from a shelter or buy a specific breed from a breeder? 
  • Can eating meat be justified?
  • Is animal hunting ethical? 

Politics and human relations

  • Should smoking be illegal? Smoking in public? Smoking around children?
  • Should drug possession be decriminalized?
  • Should some items be taxed more than others? Is there anything that should be exempt from sales tax?
  • Are knock-off fashion “dupes” unethical?
  • Should museum items be returned (repatriated) to the country where they were created?
  • Should charities and humanitarian aid organizations use images of graphic suffering in their advertising campaigns?
  • Is it acceptable to risk harming others in order to benefit one who is clearly in need? For example, is it okay to drive over the speed limit because you need to help someone get to the hospital who is in urgent crisis? What if you cause a crash on the way to the hospital because of dangerous driving? 
  • Should there be any limits to lawyer-client confidentiality?
  • Is the death penalty ever warranted? Should the death penalty exist?
  • Is torture ever justified?
  • Is it ever right to steal, even if you have a great need?
  • Is it unethical to be extremely rich?
  • Should unpaid internships be legal?
  • Should companies be required to meet diversity quotes for their hiring practices?
  • Should parental leave be equal for all parents, regardless of who gives birth?
  • Should the minimum wage be raised?
  • Can war be ethical?
  • Should nuclear weapons be banned globally?
  • Should all new cars be electric?
  • Should we impose population controls? Should people have children, if that greatly increases one’s carbon footprint?
  • Should countries that produce disproportionate carbon emissions and other environmental damage have to help other countries with the effects of climate change?
  • Should individuals be able to sue the government when the government has failed to provide a basic standard of living?
  • Should we invest in military weapons development? 
  • Should we land machines, or humans, on planets, comets or other extraterrestrial bodies in order to study them?
  • Should we explore space colonization?
  • If people engage in risky behaviors, should they be charged a fine if they need to be rescued? (For example, swimming in the ocean at night while drunk.)
  • Should we distribute universal income?
  • How much control should the state have on the press?
  • Should law enforcement be able to work undercover? Is working undercover deception?
  • Should law enforcement be able to use tracking data from phones?
  • Should people serving prison sentences be allowed to vote?
  • Should gender quotas be used in government elections?
  • Can modern societies still be held accountable for what their nation did in the past?
  • Should public transit be free?
  • Should social media companies be regulated?
  • Should everyone have access to the internet for free?
  • Should elections be decided by popular vote? Should citizens over age 18 be legally required to vote?
  • Should certain kinds of speech on social media be banned?

Tech, AI, and data

  • Should tech devices come with an addiction warning label?
  • Will AI help the world or hurt it?
  • Should there be financial penalties for buying soda or other unhealthy foods?
  • Do people have a right to privacy online?
  • Should our data be used to determine insurance policies or legal consequences? For example, should we create a diabetic insulin implant that could notify your doctor or insurance company when you make poor diet choices, and should that decision make you ineligible for certain types of medical treatment? Should cars be equipped to monitor speed and other measures of good driving, and should this data be subpoenaed by authorities following a crash? 
  • Should law enforcement be able to access someone’s online data or phone with a warrant?
  • Can hacking ever be morally justified?

Medical ethics

  • Is healthcare a fundamental human right? Should universal healthcare be free?
  • In cases of terminal illness, do you think that a patient should be able to request medically assisted suicide?
  • Should terminally ill patients who have exhausted all approved drug therapies be able to access drugs that have not been approved for sale by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (commonly called “ Right to Try ”)?  
  • Under what conditions should people be kept artificially alive?
  • How should we decide who receives organ transplants? Is it ethical to de-prioritize a transplant candidate who smokes cigarettes, for example? 
  • Should there be any limits to doctor-patient confidentiality?
  • Is it ethical for medical study participants to be financially compensated?
  • Is it ethical for blood, plasma, or bone marrow donors to be financially compensated?
  • Should uninsured patients be offered free clinical trials ?
  • Is it ethical for individuals who donate genetic material for fertility purposes (e.g. egg or sperm donors) to be financially compensated?
  • Should vaccines and medications be patented? Should individuals or corporations be able to profit from vaccines and medications? 
  • Should individuals or corporations be able to profit from healthcare?
  • Is plastic surgery ethical?
  • Should vaccinations be mandatory for everyone?
  • Should medical personnel collect healthy tissues of a deceased person without their consent?
  • What are the ethics of extremely expensive medical treatments? What if the treatment is not curative, but only extends life for a few more months?
  • As medical data becomes increasingly less “non-identifiable”—i.e. with AI, bigger data, and increasing knowledge of genetics it is less possible to guarantee that research study participants will remain anonymous—what are the ethical implications? 
  • Now that whole genome sequencing allows prospective parents to check the risks of conceiving children, what are the ethical obligations for the best interests of future possible children on the part of the prospective parents? If you know that your children will inherit a serious disease, should you have biological children? Should social policies govern such decisions? Should those policies protect parental procreative liberty or enhance social responsibility for the best interests of those future possible children?
  • Is it ethical to collect extra samples from a patient (for example, an extra vial of blood) before obtaining consent to be enrolled in a study? (Assume that in this scenario the sample would be discarded if the patient declines to enroll in the study.)
  • If, in the course of an unrelated medical or scientific study, a genetic predisposition to a certain illness or condition is discovered, should the study participant be notified? Does it matter if the findings are medically actionable or not? For example, “In a specific study, researchers were performing NGS on tissue banked samples of healthy controls and colon cancer patients to validate an assay. The use of healthy controls in a study like this is not uncommon; however, what happens if one of the healthy controls tests positive for a mutation that predisposes to colon cancer using an unvalidated research assay? The samples were obtained from a tissue bank and the researchers were unclear about what the informed consent stated about returning incidental findings, raising the question whether to contact the subject and if contact is attempted, how to do it.” 
  • Should parents decide medical treatment for their children? Should parents be allowed to opt out of medically-advised treatment because of personal beliefs?
  • Should parents who are researchers be able to enroll their own children in their research study ?
  • Should DNA be used for genealogical research?
  • Should we create synthetic forms of life ? Should we let them loose in the world?
  • Should we use geo-engineering to attempt to combat global warming?
  • Should we create genetically-modified organisms (like food crops)?
  • Should we resurrect extinct species?
  • If we had the ability to eliminate aberrant thought patterns and enforce social conformity through technological or pharmacological means, would it be the right thing to do? Or do people have an inalienable right to be themselves, provided they pose no immediate risk to themselves or others?
  • Are human enhancements ethical? Pharmaceutical, surgical, mechanical and neurological enhancements are already available for therapeutic purposes. But these same enhancements can be used to magnify human biological function beyond the societal norm. Where do we draw the line between therapy and enhancement? How do we justify enhancing human bodies when so many individuals still lack access to basic therapeutic medicine? Should neuro-enhancing drugs be legal? Is it ethical to improve memory functions with brain stimulation?

Bonus: download the essential essay checklist + 5-step thesis machine

Working on writing your own essay?

Grab our handy checklist to make sure that your essay has everything it needs! It also comes with our foolproof 5-step worksheet for creating great thesis statements every time.

Download the guide to a great thesis statement and essay checklist

Emily graduated  summa cum laude  from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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English for Academic Purposes

Aquascript

Agree/Disagree: The best things in life are free

Before your write your introduction, you need to do a number of things:
Firstly, decide what the general subject area is
— This will help you write your General background information sentence/s
Secondly, decide how the statement in the exam prompt (see below) can best be re-written
— This will be part of your Opinion sentence
Thirdly, what reasons will you give to support your opinion
— These reasons will be summarised in your Thesis statement sentence
1. List two reasons to agree and, two reasons to disagree
2. Write an introduction paragraph (this needs three parts and therefore, at least three sentences)
3. Write your topic sentence for body paragraph one (your first reason)
4. Write your topic sentence for body paragraph two (your second reason)
5. Write a conclusion paragraph (this has three parts, part two should be in the Past Tense)

57 thoughts on “Agree/Disagree: The best things in life are free”

This is an excellent introduction, well done — &c.

Nowadays, some people that the best things in life are free and money cannot buy happiness.Therefore, I agree with these people. There are many reasons for my opinion, however the first , and most, important reason is to sit, chat speak with my family and friends that the best thing in our life. Secondly, when everyone want happy we will find it with out Money. Also, happiness it is important for everyone. In this essay, I will explain the important reasons.

This is a very good description, well done — &c.

There are many requirements in life, but there is one important thing to most people, and his our presence can do what we want it is money. In this essay I will write two reasons about that, I disagree that because the money it very important in our life and money allows you buy things that bring people closer together. Also money allows you the ability to travel, go to sporting and arts events, and experience fine dining. These things lead to positive memories, which influence happiness.

However, in terms of punctuation, remember that there is no space before full stops and commas, but always a single space afterwards. Please correct these punctuation errors and resubmit .

These days , some people think that the best things in life are free and money cannot buy happiness . Therefore , I strongly agree these people . There are two main reasons in my opinion . However in this essay I will give two reasons . The first reason money is very important in the life people can doing any thing they want for example shopping and travel and than people can feel happiness and secondly by money I can help poor people and make them happy

This is a very good introduction, all three parts are covered — &c.

In general, T t here are many things that we do. Some things cost us a lot but, some things do not cost any money and make you very happy. Therefore, I completely a gree agree with the idea of the best things in life are free. There are many reason support my opinion, however, in this essay I will give two. The first reason is the simple things when you do you feel more happy and save your money and secondly, best things make you more health y and have more vitality.

This is a very good (but a bit short) introduction, all three parts are covered — &c.

There are many things we like it in our life, and we call it the best things, and it is different from person to another. However some people think that free is the best thing in their life. I am completely disagree with them, because there are many things are the best, but they are not free for instance, traveling, shopping, eating delicious food and having big house with a Ferrari car.

These days, the most important in the life is money. Some people feel happiness when they have money and they can doing anything do they want. Therefore, I completely agree with the point money can buy happiness because I can get anything I want. Also, the meaning of happiness for me are travel, shopping and Buy everything new in the world of technology because I like do that. There are many reasons for my opinion, however, in this essay I will explain some reasons the two key ones .

There are many best things in the life some of them are free and other is not free. Many people do not have a lot of money to get what they want. So, I disagree with the people who think the money can not buy the best things and happiness. There are two important reasons for my opinion, the first one is the best things is eating and food it is not free. Second, traveling is best thing but we should have to spend money to do this .

This is an excellent introduction, all three parts are covered — &c.

Money is not everything to be happy. Some people think that money is important in your live. I think this is a bad idea. So I think the true happiness is with family and friends. I agree . In this essay, I will give two reasons to support my opinion. First, some people have a lot of money but they are not happy because they are sick. Second, some people feel happy around big families, sincere friends and maintaining good health, this is true happiness; because it is important to remember that money doesn’t last.

Some people think the that money is not important in life to by happy.I agree with this idea.In my essay, I will give tow two reasons to support my opinion. First, happiness is thing which are we feeling in the hart we can not buy it, happiness is love the family, country and safe. Second, the people have much money buy the thing do not needed in the life,they are do not feel good directions for the money value,they have which especially if they are not help ing the other poorer people.

Some people think the money is everything in this life and anther people opposite with this people and say the money cannot buy happiness. Therefore, I completely agree with the point of the best things in life are free. There are many reasons for my opinion, however, in this essay I will give two. The first reason is because when you spend your time with your friends or your family is without money, and secondly the health is very the most important thing in this life and when you are sick your life will not be good even if you have millions of rupees .

Some people think the best things in life are free. In my opinion, I completely agree with the point of view of best things in life are free. There are many reason s for my opinion, however, in this essay I will give two reasons. The first reason is because we can spend time with family, and secondly the working is for free, because the life without work would be boring and pointless .

Everybody in this live , they think in different way , many of them thinks that money is not all things in the live but other people they thinks in other way . I agree with the point of some people thinks that bast things in the live are free . There are many reasons for my opinion in comparison , in this essay l will give you two reason s . The first reason is we can spend time with family and we don’t do not have to pay money . Secondly the nature can see with out pay money .

This is a good introduction, all three parts are covered — &c.

Nowadays, some people think the money is everything and you will be happy but, this is untrue you can be happy without money. Of course I agree with these people the money can not buy happiness and the best things in life no need to buy it. There are two reasons support my opinion if you are sick do not need to buy medicine because it is free and spend your time with your family and friends.

This is a good introduction but, only two parts are covered — &c.

Nowadays, the some people think that best things in life are free. In my opinion, I disagree this idea and I will give two reason to support me. First, when anyone want to go to the shopping we need the money to buy anything. Also, if anyone does not have money, we will feel sad and angry. And, this feel ing may make anyone to do anything do get money even if illegal, and these make a big problem for all.

In this day in age (or “These days” ) , some of people think money is very important so, people study and work only to get money. As I see, the life with a little money is better than more money. Also, I have many reasons about my opinion but, I will give two reasons. Firstly there are some king s who have a lot of money but, kings can not buy their healthy. Secondly, there are many of poor family feel reset and freedom with out money.

Life and money can’t cannot buy happiness. I agree with these people, because the money is not every thing. Money a way of life and not an end of life, we need money to live and do not live for money. In this essay I will explain two reasons to support my opinion. First, the money not buy every thing around you. secondly, F f riends and family are making happiness without money.

There are a lot of beautiful things in life are not sold like love and motherhood and attention.To be happy does not mean that should you have money. There are many poor people, but they happy more than rich people. It is argued by some people that the best thing in life are free and that, money cannot buy happiness. I agree withe this opinion and I have two reasons to support my opinion. In this essay I will write and discuss the reason s which made me agree with e this opinion (here “idea” would be a better word) . First, money cannot buy happiness and the natural places is more comfortable than manmade places. Secondly, nothing is more important than health even if you have a lot of money.

This is a good (but short) introduction, all three parts are covered — &c.

Happiness vary depending on the individual’s personality. Some people think that the money con not cannot buy happiness. I agree with this people. Money can buy a bed but can not buy the sleep also money can buy the clock, but can not buy the time. When I see happiness people I feel optimism. Happiness is greater than money.

Nowadays, there are a lot of people think the best things in the life are free. I agree with this idea. In this essay I will provide two key reasons. That will be support my opinion. Firstly there are a lot of things can not be purchased such as parents love, talents and good health. Secondly, happiness, comfort and reassurance. That are important things in the life and it is gift from god. Furthermore, you do not need any money to get that.

These days some people thinks the best things in the life are free, and that money can not buy happiness. I agree with that, because the money is not all my life. My parents are the best things in my life. Some people love the money and they think, they can be happy and do every thing they wont it to do buy money. But in my opinion they are wrong i I can not buying the comfort or happiness with money. So it is not every thing.

These days some people thinks the best things in the life are free, and that money can not buy happiness. I agree with that, because the money is not all my life. My parents are the best things in my life. Some people love the money and they think, they can be happy and do every thing they wont it to do buy money. But in my opinion they are wrong I can not buying the comfort or happiness with money. So it is not every thing.

These days, there are some people think the best things in life are free because they think free things in life will make them happy. However, I disagree that the best things in life are free. There are many reasons to support my opinion, in this essay I will focus on the two key ones. The first reason is because for many people the bast thing in life is shopping and buy nice things that will costs money, and the second reason is most people the like traveling and stay ing in hotel and that costs money and are is not free.

This is excellent overall in terms of length and content. — &c.

Generally, in life the best things if you have loads of money, you can have anything you wanted for,you can even buy a fabulous shoes some say we or you can buy happiness well it does, but we do not forget being free there is lots of consequences,being free. we sometimes forget many things in life just maybe for fun, because we do not have the hardship and do not forget one thing money is the roots of evil in life. We can spent time being free in these world but what is the outcome for these are we doing good or bad for these.?! Somehow and I can agree for these being free or having tons of money you can do whatever you want it.Think about it everybody agree for that,but we should know how to balance out things in life though. Secondly, the same time I would disagree for being free jut because what we gonna happen if in these worlds if everybody is free think about it could be in chaos.

Free = Things that do not cost money

Freedom = Being able to do whatever you want

In this life there is something special makes you feel like you possess the world, it is those things that we do not need money to get it these are that make you feel happy b . Because of that, I disagree with people who think that money is the happiness they believe this because they do not have those things that are even more valuable than money and the money does not define the ethics of the person. There are two key reasons to example that support my opinion the first one is , emotions and feelings we do not need to buy them and the second reason is , health, family and friends never replacing or sell the money.

In this day ( These days or, In this day in age ) , some people think you can by the best things in life are free but anther other people they cost money. In this essay, I will write two reasons for me agree with the people think you can by the best things with out money. First, when we spend time with family we don’t do not to pay money. Second, the nature can see with out pay money.

This is a good (but short) introduction, only two parts are covered — &c.

Now a days,people think the the best thing in our life are free. However I disagree with that. Iwill give two reasons in this essay. First reason money is imprtant (?) becouse (?) it’s give you opportnuity (?) to do a lot of things. Secondly it’s give you chance to help poor people from the money.

These days, the world is evolution and all people we want something to live and improve their life. There four Therefore , I agree with the idea that some people that the best things in life are free and money can not buy happiness.There are many reasons for my opinion, however, in this essay I will give two reasons. The first reason is because money cannot buy health and wellness can not buy from money and secondly, there is when we sit with our family and talk to them, this is true happiness.

This is a good introduction, but it is too short — &c.

All of us would do any t hing just to be happy . However , it’s impossible to buy happiness by money . Many people agree that happiness can be bought by money , while I disagree with that because human is the one who can create the happiness not money . In addition , money won’t last forever .

Some people feel that the secret of the happiness is money. Money brings for us the happiness in many things.However, there are things that money can not buy it. such as friends and family and love. I agree that money is not the secret of happiness because (very good) , the first reason, let us think about our self only and to be selfish. make your friends ignore you. (I am not too sure what these reasons mean?)

Some people think that the best things in life are free and that money can not buy happiness. When people have money, they can doing any thing but, can not buy the good relationship with their families and friends. I agree with this these people because they can not buy the happiness while using the money and many people have the money but, they are not happy. Secondly, they can use the money in travel and shopping but, can not use it in their relationship with their parents.

These days, money can not buy happiness and the good life, but the friendly relations and love, that’s what a new study revealed what people actually appreciated. Therefor e , I completely agree with the point of view of the good life is the key to happiness, not money. There are many reasons for my opinion, however, in this essay I will give two. The first reason is because true happiness breed of self and can not be provided by any object in the universe for us It’s it leads to a nice in life, and secondly happiness her key conviction and conviction something very precious and missing these days.

This is quite good, but a bit too short — &c.

Also, in terms of punctuation, remember that there is no space before full stops and commas, but always a single space afterwards. Please correct these punctuation errors and resubmit .

Nowadays , you can see differences type of people like rich people and poor people.However, some people think that the best things in life are free and that, money cannot buy happiness.I agree with this people. I have important reasons for my opinion is some body have a lot of money but they can not buy health. Other reason you can see happiness family they do not have a lot of money.

In this day Some people think that best thing in life are free ,but anter people they cast mony money , I agree beacous If anyone live with her family me doesn’t need to many to mahe (?) happy only the family must fahappiness (?) ,Also anyone spend time with my friends he make up happiness and fun .

The money not all thing in life there are important thing like happiness. Many people think the best things in life are free , I agree with this. In this essay I will explain two reasons . The first reason is because the money is hard to get it easily and second reason we can do everything without the difficulty.

Everybody in this live, they think in different way, many of them think s that money is not all things in the live but other people they thinks in other way. I agree with the point of some people thinks that bast best things in the live are free. There are many reasons for my opinion in comparison, in this essay l will give you two reasons. The first reason is we can spend time with family and we do not have to pay money. Secondly the nature can be see n without pay ing money.

In this life , there are some people think the best things in life are free because they think free things in life will make them happy. However, I disagree with thous people who think in this way . There are many reasons to support my opinion, in this essay I will focus on the two key ones. The first reason is because for many people the bast best thing in life is shopping and buy many things that will costs money, and the second reason is most people like traveling and staying in hotel and that costs money and are is not free.

However, in terms of punctuation, remember that there is no space before full stops and commas, but always a single space afterwards. Also, new sentences start with capital letters. Please correct these punctuation errors and resubmit .

Some people think the money is everything in the live to be happy . And I think the true happiness is Without a money and we should enjoy the time with family and friends .in this essay, I will give two reasons to support my opinion. First, some people feel happy around big families,friends and maintaining good health. second,the health is very important thing in this life and Without this health the life will not be good and the people are they sick they will feel unhappy throughout their lives.Even if they have money .

Some people think the money is everything in the live to be happy . And I think the true happiness is Without a money and we should enjoy the time with family and friends .in this essay, I will give two reasons. First, some people feel happy around families,friends and good health. second, the health is very important thing in this life and Without this health the life will not be good and the people are they sick they will feel unhappy throughout their lives.Even if they have money .

Depending to what people think and what I think ,The best things in life are free,because if we imagines that we are paying for every thing in our life spicily In our country,like paying for hospitals,schools,parks,beaches….act,that will be a trouble thing because there is some poor people they need to be happy and have a best things but they can’t pay for that,so what should they do.? Even if other people have money they will spend it for the most important things that they think it’s important,then They are not forced to wast them money for every thing,so we must have some thing in our life called FREE.

These days ,money is important in people’s lives . Some people think that the best things in life are free and money cannot buy happiness . Therefore , I strongly agree these people . There are two main reasons in my opinion . However in this essay I will give two reasons . The first reason money is very important in the life people can doing any thing they want for example shopping and travel and than people can feel happiness and secondly by money I can help poor people and make them happy , I will explain the reasons

These days, some people that the best things in life are free and the money cannot buy happiness. Actually, I agree with these people. There are many reasons for my opinion. The first reason, when I visit my friends and set with my family I don’t pay money so I feeling happy and I feel save behind my my family and my friend. The second reason, healthy body, I think that is the most important things in this life, because I feel happy and I can do anything when my body is healthy and do not have pain. So the happiness can got it free but should you think are the family and healthy make you happy or a lot of money and a lot of pain?!

In these days,difficult to get a life of well-being is an effort to get money. But the presence of friends,family and health priceless. So I agree on this thing,just sit down with the likes of happiness itself do not buy the highest bidder.The presence of friends and family around to check on you and talk with you and sit beside you and help you this also happiness,And also health does not exist for the life of others so do not buy a blessing and presence he wishes a lot of patients.

Some people think that the best things in life are free. In my opinion I disagree with them . I have two resinous, first some people like to spend their money for sopping and traveling. Secondly some people think that things are boring . In this essay i will explain this resinous .

In life they have special things you don’t need buy it. People believe that best things in life are free, however i agree with this people because money is not every thing in life. So i will discuss two reason for best things in life are free. first reason is set with your family so we don’t need money to be happy and have your family with you, second reason is when you sleep you don’t spend money you only go to the bed and sleep in every time you need .

Nowadays,some people think that the best things in life are free,and they do not have to buy for it. Actually,I agree with them for many reasons.Firstly,the natural is free,so we can have relax without money. Relaxing is one of the best things in life. Secondly, sleeping is free, we can sleep any time we want. Thirdly,the most important reason is that we do not have to buy for having a good health.

These day, some people think that the best things in life are free and that, money cannot buy happiness. Therefore, I disagree with this idea. There are many reasons for my opinion, however, in this essay I will give two. The first reason is because at the moment the money is important in life. The second reason is because now the money is what brings happiness to the people.

Writing about this topic is so important to write about. So, In this essay. I’m going to give a look at this subject, showing my analysis about why I agree the best things in life are free.There are many reasons the first reason is that money cannot buy happiness the natural places is more comfortable then man made place. Moreover, there are another reason that give us more explanation, nothing more important then health even if I have a lot of money. So, in the following lines I will explain that all.

The money can not buy the happiness, I agree that the best things in life are free, however most of people do not believe that. In this essay I will show you my reasons for why I agree that the best things in life are free. My first reason is that the free places is without constraint and you can do what ever you want. The second reason is that the best free thing in life is the health, you can not feel happy if you have disease.

Newadays, there are many mixing univirsities in the would, moreover some people believe this thing (What thing?) . Howover I think the males and females should not study in the same classroom at univirsities in the UAE, because many parents not allwd for there girls to studies in mixing univirsities.

Please can you correct the following spelling mistakes and/or incorrectly used words: Newadays univirsities Howover allwd

The money not all thing in life there are important thing like happiness. Many people think the best things in life are free, I agree with this. In this essay I will explain two reasons. The first reason is because the money is hard to get it easily and second reason we can do everything without the difficulty.

In this life, there are some people think the best things in life are free because they think free things in life will make them happy. However, I disagree with thous people who think in this way. There are many reasons to support my opinion, in this essay I will focus on the two key ones. The first reason is because for many people the bast best thing in life is shopping and buy many things that will costs money, and the second reason is most people like traveling and staying in hotel and that costs money and are is not free.

In this life we have many best things but some people think that the best things in life are free. Some people disagree with this opinion, also me. In this essay I will give you two reasons for why I disagree with this idea. The first reasons is because they likes to cost her money in the mall or shopping. The second reasons is because they spend money for buy many cars or things that it’s make them happy.

The happiness is the must important thing in the life that’s more important than money , everyone likes to live with it. In this essay I will give two reasons about the people who’s agree with the pest thing in the life is free, I agree with them because I think the best thing is sleeping and take a rest from work and stay at home because that’s good for body and health, however the best things is spend a time with family’s and friends that’s and stay together makes they life easy and comfortable, and that’s are what everybody wants.

These days, many people thinks the pest think in life are free and that, money cannot buy happiness. Hawever, I disagree with this idea. There are many reasons in my opinion. In this essay I will gives two. The first reason is, some people they like to cost her money in the mall or shopping also same place to feel comfortable they wil cost. In addition, the second reason is, they spend money for buy many cars or things that it’s makes them happy.

All of us want happiness in his life. It argued by some people that the best things in life are free and money cannot by happiness. Therefore, I disagree with this opinion. I will gave two reasons to support my opinion. The first reason is because when you have a money you can buys every things you need like , foods, medicines, entertainment, and necessity needs. The second reason is because if I don’t have I the money how can i spend my life . In addition the happiness does not lie existence except the existence of money.

Many people like to have free life and they have nothing to do, they think life without works will be happy and the money don’t buy happy life, in my opinion I agree people have free life because they spend time with family, also they have comfortable and interesting life, secondly working is for free life without work would be boring.

In life there are a lot of things that do not need to buy and also there are things that should buy to get them. These days, some people think that the best things in life are free. However, I agree with this opinion. There are many reasons for my opinion, however the first and important reason is sleep because it is important for health and do not need to buy it. Second, spend time set with family and friends.

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70 Argumentative Essay Topics That Will Put Up a Good Fight

You’ve spent quite a bit of time in your English classes writing  argumentative essays . You’ve even gotten pretty good at writing on the topics your instructor assigns. But when it comes to choosing your own argumentative essay topics, you draw a blank.

It’s not that there aren’t any good topics to choose from. It’s that you start over-thinking it, wondering if each topic is too cliche, overdone, or just not good enough.

Chances are, all you need to do is relax and find a topic you’re passionate about and, of course, one that’s debatable.

Why Pick Debatable Argumentative Essay Topics?

argumentative essay topics

The name of the essay says it all— argumentative . It would be a lot easier to write an essay on something that people generally agree on, certainly. But that’s not really the point of an argumentative essay.

It’s important to choose debatable argumentative essay topics. You need opposing points that you can counter with your own points.

The world isn’t black and white—there are a lot of gray areas. This is good because it means there are a lot of topics you can choose from.

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I’ve listed 70 argumentative essay topics below, phrased as questions, to help get you started. I’ve separated the topics into five categories—legal, moral, social, media, and family. And I’ve even included a helpful link for each topic.

Feel free to use the topics for your own essay or as inspiration to create your own original topic.

14 Legal Argumentative Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics about legal matters are a popular choice. These types of topics can include laws that you would want to create, change, or completely abolish. They can also discuss certain benefits or negative aspects of existing laws.

You don’t have to get super technical with legal argumentative essays. But you  do  need to do your research on what the current laws about your chosen topic actually say.

After all, you don’t want to suggest a changing a law that’s already been changed in the way you want.

argumentative essay topics

  • Should cigarettes and other  tobacco products be outlawed?
  • Should  prostitution be legal?
  • Do the benefits of  medical marijuana justify its legality?
  • Is the  drinking age appropriate (should it be lower, higher, or stay the same)?
  • Should  nuclear weapons be outlawed worldwide?
  • Should the United States put more restrictions on  gun ownership and use ?
  • At what age should girls have access to  birth control without the consent of their parents?
  • Should cellphone use be banned while driving ?
  • Does outlawing  controlled substances only create a larger black market?
  • Should corporations be granted  personhood ?
  • Should juveniles be sentenced to life in prison ?
  • In what situations, if any, does a woman have a right to an  abortion ?
  • Should restaurants be required to include calories on all menu items ?
  • Should an added tax be placed on sugary drinks , such as sodas?

14 Moral Argumentative Essay Topics

Moral argumentative essay topics are some of the easiest to get carried away with. They can cover a variety of moral dilemmas, from animal testing to the death penalty .

These topics tend to be very debatable because people have different opinions—and justifications for those opinions—on what they think is right or wrong.

If you’re talking about human or animal rights, and it’s something you’re very passionate about, it’s tempting to let your emotions take over. While it’s good to be passionate in an argumentative essay, remember to keep your thoughts focused and organized.

It’s definitely worth your time to create an outline. It helps ensure you don’t stray off topic. If you need help crafting an outline, review these two resources:

  • How to Create a Powerful Argumentative Essay Outline
  • 7 Essay Outline Templates to Get Your Essay Going

argumentative essay topics

  • Is  animal testing necessary?
  • Should consumers buy items from countries that endorse  child labor ?
  • Do patients have a right to die ?
  • Are nude photographs appropriate in museums that are open to the public?
  • Should schools and businesses give more incentives for people to do  volunteer work ?
  • Are atheists less  moral than theists?
  • Does freedom of speech give people the right to use  hate speech ?
  • Do people who commit heinous crimes deserve the  death penalty ?
  • Do pre-employment  drug tests infringe on personal privacy rights?
  • Should employees be able to have visible tattoos in the workplace ?
  • Are cameras in public places an invasion of privacy?
  • Should teens be allowed to have cosmetic surgery ?
  • Should Dreamers  be allowed to stay in the United States?

14 Social Argumentative Essay Topics

Social argumentative essay topics tend to overlap with legal and moral topics. But argumentative topics deal more about how individuals act within society and what kinds of pressures society puts on individuals or groups of people.

This is a pretty broad category. There are a lot of topics to choose from and even more that you could create on your own. If you get stuck on which topic to write about, consider something that personally affects you or someone close to you.

This should make writing about that topic come more naturally. Just be sure to rely on facts and not on personal anecdotes. Such anecdotes are more appropriate to the  narrative essay realm.

Remember, even though you may be writing about something that affects you personally, the argument essay isn’t usually the place for first person point of view. Most argumentative research papers require you to use third person .

argumentative essay topics

  • Is there too much  pressure on teenagers to go to college?
  • At what age should citizens be allowed to  vote in the United States?
  • Should more rights be given to  immigrants ?
  • Can heterosexual men and women truly be  friends with no hopes or expectations of anything more?
  • In what case(s) could it be considered fair for a company to  not hire a candidate who smokes cigarettes ?
  • Should the United States make English the  official national language ?
  • Should women wear less-revealing clothing in order to curb men’s  catcalling ?
  • Do prisoners deserve the  right to vote ?
  • Should there be a legal  curfew for minors?
  • Can  online dating replace meeting a person in real life?
  • Does  social media create isolation ?
  • Should  welfare recipients be required to submit to drug tests ?
  • Should adoptive parents be given some form of maternity leave ?
  • Can  video games be a useful learning tool?

14 Advertising and Media Argumentative Essay Topics

Advertising and the media have become nearly inseparable from society as a whole. Essays written on these topics can include various angles.

For instance, you could look at how media (television, news, movies, magazines, social media, etc.) affects society. But you could also look at what should be allowed to be seen or heard through media and advertisements.

Inspiration to create your own advertising or media argumentative essay topics isn’t hard to find. Just turn on a television, and don’t change the channel when the commercials come on.

Pay close attention to all things electronic. You’ll be sure to find something debatable about what you see.

argumentative essay topics

  • Should sex be allowed to be portrayed on prime time  television ?
  • Where should networks draw the line for  violence on television ?
  • Should news shows talk about  celebrities ?
  • Do journalists have a duty to eliminate as much  bias as possible?
  • Is it acceptable for companies to  advertise in schools?
  • In what situations should  advertisements for alcohol and tobacco products be allowed?
  • Should warnings and  side effects be made more clear in advertisements?
  • Is  print advertising obsolete?
  • Do TV shows and movies have the responsibility of being  more diverse ?
  • Are  public service announcements effective?
  • Do reality shows , such as Teen Mom , glorify teen pregnancy?
  • Does the media create unrealistic expectations of relationships and marriage ?
  • Does the media attempt to create hype to influence or scare the public?

14 Family Argumentative Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics covering family life and values are abundant. That’s because every family is different. Rules in families vary on a case-by-case basis, contrary to laws that govern a state or nation.

Because each family is different, it’s hard to generalize in this type of essay.

However, there’s a ton of research on child development and psychology, marital psychology, and personal stories from parents and their children. You can get enough information to make an argument for any of the topics below (or for a topic of your own).

Not sure where to find sources? Check out 5 Best Sources to Help With Writing a Research Paper .

argumentative essay topics

  • At what age should  parents talk to their children about sex ?
  • Do children deserve/need an  allowance ?
  • Is it okay for parents to  monitor teens’ Internet use ?
  • Should parents be able to  spank their children ?
  • Is it acceptable for women to  breastfeed in public ?
  • Should  parenting classes be compulsory?
  • Should parents push their kids into  extracurricular activities , such as music or sports?
  • Are  children’s rooms  really theirs, or do the rooms “belong” to parents’?
  • Should  single people be able to adopt children as easily as couples?
  • Which parenting style is most effective?
  • Should parents pay children for  good grades ?
  • How does helicopter parenting harm (or help) kids?
  • At what age should children be allowed to have a cellphone ?

Final Thoughts on Choosing Argumentative Essay Topics

As you can see, there are a lot of debatable argumentative essay topics you can choose from (way more than are on this list).

For more ideas, read these posts:

  • 20 Persuasive Essay Topics to Help You Get Started
  • 15 Excellent Topics for Persuasive Essays
  • 15 Good Persuasive Essay Topics to Start Your Essay Right

Need to narrow down a broad topic into something more manageable? Read  How to Narrow a Topic and Write a Focused Paper .

And if you’d like a few more argument essay tips, take a look these posts:

  • How to Write a Winning Argument Essay
  • Writing an Argumentative Essay Made Easy (Infographic)

Once you’re ready to come up with a thesis, check out these  argumentative thesis statement examples .

Not sure what a completed argument essay should look like? Read 2 Argumentative Essay Examples With a Fighting Chance .

When picking your topic, keep in mind that it’s much easier to write about something that you already have interest in. In fact, that’s true even if you don’t know a whole lot about it.  Researching the topic will allow you to learn more about what fascinates you.

And if you pick something you actually like , writing the essay will be more enjoyable.

If you’ve wrapped up your argument but think there may be a few holes in your logic, send your essay over to the  Kibin editors . They’ll help give you the winning edge in whatever you’re debating.

the best things in life are free argumentative essay

Psst... 98% of Kibin users report better grades! Get inspiration from over 500,000 example essays .

the best things in life are free argumentative essay

About the Author

Eden Meirow is a full-time copywriter and part-time freelance writer. Along with her BS in marketing from Florida State University and MA in museum studies from Johns Hopkins University, she has spent the past 7 years learning how best to reach and teach people using the power of words. When she's not working, she's constantly trying to expand her creativity through music, writing, art, and animation.

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Need editing and proofreading services, how to write an argumentative essay (examples included).

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Argumentative essay writing, as the name implies, involves creating strong arguments based on facts and evidence. The goal of this essay is to convince the reader to adopt a logical viewpoint based on the available proof. It is a complex form of essay writing which requires extensive first-hand as well as second-hand research.

Let’s understand what an argumentative essay is and how to write it with the help of numerous argumentative essay examples. To guide you in your essay writing journey, we’ve also provided a well-structured argumentative essay outline.

Let’s start off with understanding what is an argumentative essay.

What is an argumentative essay?

An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that convinces one to adopt a particular viewpoint, based on statistics and evidence. Unlike an expository essay, an argumentative essay involves adopting a particular point of view on a topic based on the available information.  

Since it’s aimed at convincing the readers, it needs to contain strong supporting evidence. This requires a much more thorough examination of the available data sources. An argumentative essay is the most common essay type assigned in science, technology or even advanced literature courses in colleges. 

A well-written argumentative essay makes use of information rather than personal opinion. For instance, the statement “beaches are better than mountains” makes for a poor argument. However, including statistical data and figures makes this argument more substantial. For instance “48% of Americans prefer beaches, whereas only 27% prefer mountains”

Now that we’ve understood the meaning of an argumentative essay, let’s take a look at its outline.

Argumentative essay outline

The argumentative essay structure is different from other essay types. Although its aim is to convince the reader to adopt a viewpoint, a good argumentative essay structure looks at an argument from all sides and also addresses the counterargument. The goal is to disprove the opposing arguments with the use of logic and the latest evidence. 

There are three main argumentative essay formats. Let’s take a look:

This is the simplest structure of an argumentative essay when it comes to writing. It follows a logical path of introducing the argument, providing evidence supporting the argument, refuting counterarguments, and finally concluding your argument.

The following outline talks about the advantages of using nuclear power for environmental protection. 

Advantages of Nuclear Power for Environmental Protection

I. Introduction

A. Background information on the topic

B. Thesis statement: Despite the negative reputation and potential risks associated with nuclear power, it is the best bet for our environment due to its low carbon emissions, high energy production, and advancements in safety technology.

II. Low carbon emissions

A. Explanation of carbon emissions and their impact on the environment

B. Comparison of nuclear power to other energy sources in terms of carbon emissions

C. Case studies and statistics supporting the low carbon emission of nuclear power

III. High energy production

A. Explanation of energy production and its importance

B. Comparison of nuclear power to other energy sources in terms of energy production

C. Case studies and statistics supporting the high energy production of nuclear power

IV. Advancements in safety technology

A. Explanation of nuclear power safety concerns

B. Overview of advancements in nuclear power safety technology

C. Comparison of nuclear power safety technology to other energy sources

D. Case studies and statistics supporting the advancements in nuclear power safety technology

V. Counterarguments and refutations

A. Discussion of common counterarguments against nuclear power

B. Refutation of counterarguments with evidence and examples

VI. Conclusion

A. Restatement of thesis

B. Summary of main points

C. Final thoughts on the importance of nuclear power in addressing environmental challenges.

This format is used to explain your stance on a highly polarizing, complex topic. It involves presenting your stance and comparing it with the generally accepted evidence. It also involves presenting the limitations of your claim along with rebuttals. 

The following Toulmin essay outline highlights the dangers of genetic modification:

The Dark Side of Genetic Modification

B. Thesis statement: Genetic modification is dangerous due to the potential risks it poses to human health, the environment, and ethical concerns surrounding genetic engineering.

II. Claim 1: Risks to human health

A. Explanation of the potential risks to human health associated with genetic modification

B. Overview of studies and research that have shown adverse effects on human health

C. Evidence and examples supporting the claim

III. Claim 2: Risks to the environment

A. Explanation of the potential risks to the environment associated with genetic modification

B. Overview of studies and research that have shown negative impacts on the environment

IV. Claim 3: Ethical concerns

A. Explanation of the ethical concerns surrounding genetic engineering

B. Overview of the potential consequences of genetic modification on social, cultural, and ethical values

V. Counterargument and refutation

A. Discussion of common counterarguments in favor of genetic modification

V. Conclusion

C. Final thoughts on the dangers of genetic modification and the need for caution in its application.

3. Rogerian

This format acknowledges both sides of the argument and provides evidence as to why your stance is valid. It is the least confrontational form of argument which is used to convince to opposition to adopt your point of view.  

The following Rogerian essay outline talks about why more government funds should be dedicated to space exploration.

A Cosmic Investment

B. Thesis statement: While some may argue that government funds should be allocated towards pressing issues on earth, dedicating more funds to space travel is necessary because of the technological advancements it brings, the potential for scientific discoveries, and economic benefits.

II. Understanding the opposing arguments

A. Explanation of the opposing viewpoint’s concerns and arguments

B. Acknowledgement of valid points made by the opposing viewpoint

C. Statement of common ground between the opposing viewpoint and the argument

III. Presenting the supporting arguments

A. Explanation of the technological advancements made possible through space travel

B. Overview of the scientific discoveries that have been made possible through space exploration

C. Explanation of the economic benefits of space travel and the growth of the space industry

IV. Addressing concerns of the opposition

A. Discussion of concerns raised by the opposing viewpoint and why they should not prevent the dedication of funds to space travel

B. Explanation of how funding for space travel can coexist with funding for pressing issues on earth

C. Evidence and examples to support the argument

V. Common ground and conclusion

A. Restatement of the thesis statement

B. Summary of the main points of the argument

C. Statement of common ground and call to action for continued exploration of space.

Now that you’ve learned how to structure, let’s understand how to write an argumentative essay. 

How to write an argumentative essay

Although the process of writing an argumentative essay is similar to other essay types, it requires much more research and planning. Developing an argument requires a significant understanding of the subject matter from all angles. 

Let’s take a look at the steps to writing an argumentative essay:

1. Choose appropriate argumentative essay topics.

Although topics for an argumentative essay are highly diverse, they are based on a controversial stance. So, make sure that your argumentative essay topics are debatable. Here are a few examples of good argumentative essay topics:

Should animal testing be prohibited?

Should sports be segregated by gender?

Are wildlife sanctuaries ethical?

2. Construct a thesis statement. 

The thesis statement involves taking a stance on your topic. For instance, if your topic is “Should school uniforms be mandatory?”, your thesis statement will take a stance for, or against this. However, make sure that your thesis statement has sufficient evidence from reliable sources to back it up. 

Let’s take a look at a thesis statement example for the topic “Why four-day work-weeks should  be encouraged”: 

A four-day workweek is a viable solution for reducing employee burnout, enhancing work-life balance, and improving overall productivity. It not only promotes a healthier and happier workforce but also reduces costs for employers.

3. Collect evidence.

After taking your stance on your essay topic, it’s time to back it up with facts, evidence, and statistics. This requires an extensive amount of research. 

Make sure to facilitate your research from reputed sources. To make your essay up-to-date and reliable, you can even collect evidence with the help of surveys and experiments. 

Next, sort your evidence into main points to create a basic outline of your essay. This is also a good time to address the counterarguments to your stance.

4. Write the first draft.

After developing the outline, it’s time to flesh it out. Start by constructing an interesting hook, and providing background information for your thesis statement in the introduction. 

Next, elaborate on the topic sentences that provide support to your thesis statement. You can add statistics and empirical data along with plenty of direct quotes and citations to give credibility to your essay. 

And finally, conclude your essay with a summarization of the main points of your essay along with the key takeaway. A powerful conclusion not only allows the readers to see your viewpoint but also creates a lasting impression on their minds.

5. Edit your draft.

Your first draft may not be perfect. Make sure to optimize the sentence structure and word choice. Also, modify your arguments if necessary. You can have friends and family go over your essay and spot any errors that slip through the cracks. For a more fool-proof, error-free essay you can also take the help of professional essay proofreading services .

Now that we’ve understood how to write an effective argumentative essay, let’s take a look at an example of an argumentative essay.

Argumentative essay example 

To guide you in your essay-writing journey, we’ve provided you with an argumentative essay example. It discusses the ill effects of automation. This essay is slightly longer in length and deviates from the commonly used five-paragraph structure. 

Should Companies Invest in Manpower over Autonomous Machines?

The rise of autonomous machines has revolutionized the manufacturing industry, with robots now able to perform tasks that were once done exclusively by human workers. While this technology has undoubtedly improved efficiency and productivity, the question remains whether companies should be required to hire human workers over using autonomous machines. 

The use of autonomous machines has resulted in job losses in the manufacturing industry. According to a study by the Brookings Institution, the use of robots in the United States has led to the loss of over 1.7 million jobs since 2000. While automation has created new jobs in certain industries, such as software development and engineering, the number of jobs lost is significantly higher.

Hiring human workers also has a positive impact on the economy. According to a report by the National Bureau of Economic Research, every robot that replaces a human worker leads to a net loss of 1.6 jobs. This means that for every 10 robots introduced into the workforce, 16 jobs are lost. Hiring human workers over using autonomous machines can help to create more jobs and improve the overall economic situation.

In addition to the economic benefits, human workers offer several advantages over autonomous machines. Human workers are able to adapt to changing situations and problem-solve in a way that machines cannot. This is particularly important in industries where there is a high level of variability in the work being done. 

Furthermore, the use of autonomous machines can lead to safety concerns in the workplace. While robots have become increasingly sophisticated, they are still prone to malfunctions and errors. In some cases, this can lead to workplace accidents and injuries. Human workers are able to identify potential safety hazards and take preventative measures to reduce the risk of accidents.

Although the use of autonomous machines has led to increased efficiency and productivity, their negative impact cannot be ignored. Hiring human workers over using autonomous machines can create jobs, improve the economy, and offer many more advantages. Additionally, the safety concerns associated with the use of autonomous machines highlight the importance of prioritizing human workers. Human workers are more adept at ensuring the well-being of the workforce and the economy as a whole. Therefore, they should be prioritized over machines. 

We hope the above explanation and examples have clarified the basics of writing argumentative essays. As providers of essay editing services , we understand how writing good essays is not a piece of cake. 

To help you write good essays, our team has created detailed resources. Continue reading to take your essay-writing skills to the next level! 

  • Guide to a Perfect Descriptive Essay
  • Expository Essays | Step-by-Step Manual
  • How to Start an Essay
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Frequently Asked Questions

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100 Last-Day-of-School Activities Your Students Will Love!

100 Thought-Provoking Argumentative Writing Prompts for Kids and Teens

Practice making well-reasoned arguments using research and facts.

Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.

Writing a strong argumentative essay teaches students to make a case for their own point of view without relying on emotion or passion. These argumentative essay topics provide options for kids of all ages, including controversial subjects and some that are just for fun.

School and Education Argumentative Essay Topics

Science and history argumentative essay topics, life and ethics argumentative essay topics, social justice and civics argumentative essay topics, more argumentative essay topics, what’s the difference between argumentative and persuasive essays.

These two types of essays are similar, but there are some subtle and important differences .

  • Author’s purpose: In an argumentative essay, your job is to simply convince the reader that the point of view you’re presenting is valid, even if it doesn’t change their mind. Persuasive essays seek to sway the reader to adopt your point of view over any others.
  • Method: Argumentative essays rely heavily on well-researched facts and logical assertions. In a persuasive essay, the writer may use a blend of emotion and facts to win over the reader.
  • Audience: Persuasive essays require a specific audience, since the writer must acknowledge and attempt to overcome their potential objections. The writer of an argumentative essay is simply making a statement, so knowing their audience is less important.
  • Viewpoint: A persuasive essay writer should believe their point of view is the only correct one, and try to persuade the reader to agree. Argumentative essays acknowledge other points of view, but use reason and logic to argue that the writer’s point of view is best.

Persuasive and argumentative essay topics often overlap. The difference is in how the writer approaches the topic. When you assign one of the topics below as an argumentative essay, remind students to use research, reason, and logic to make a strong but dispassionate argument.

  • Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?
  • Schools should require recommended vaccines for all students, with very limited exceptions.
  • Should all students have the ability to attend college for free?
  • What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?

What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?

  • Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
  • Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
  • Should schools have dress codes?
  • If I could change one school rule, it would be …
  • Is year-round school a good idea?
  • Which is better, private schools or public schools?
  • Should every student have to participate in athletics?
  • Do you think schools should ban junk food from their cafeterias?
  • Should students be required to volunteer in their communities?
  • What is the most important school subject?
  • Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

  • Should schools be allowed to ban some books from their libraries?
  • Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?
  • Are single-gender schools better or worse for students?
  • Are computers making teachers obsolete?
  • Students who fail a test should be given a chance to take it again.
  • Is it acceptable to use animals for experiments and research?
  • Vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco.
  • Do we really learn anything from history, or does it just repeat itself over and over?
  • Is it OK to keep animals in zoos?
  • Should we ban plastic bags and bottles?
  • Should we still consider Pluto a planet?

Should we still consider Pluto a planet?

  • It’s important to spend tax dollars exploring space, instead of on other things.
  • Is there life on other planets?
  • Who was the best/worst American president?
  • Should vaccines be mandatory?
  • Are GMOs more helpful than harmful?
  • Is animal cloning ethical?
  • Should human cloning be legal?
  • Should we use stem cells from human embryos for scientific research?
  • Is it better to provide drug addicts with treatment instead of punishment?

Is it better to provide drug addicts with treatment instead of punishment?

  • Should we ban the use of fossil fuels?
  • Can we truly do anything about human-caused global warming?
  • Are electric vehicles better than gas-powered ones?
  • Was life really better “back in the day”?
  • Choose a foreign conflict (e.g., Vietnam or Afghanistan) and argue whether or not the United States was justified in getting involved.
  • The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
  • Does social media do more harm than good?
  • The best country in the world is …
  • Are men and women treated equally?
  • Is it better to be vegetarian/vegan than to eat meat?
  • Should little kids be allowed to play competitive sports?
  • Who faces more peer pressure, girls or boys?
  • Should kids have set bedtimes or just go to bed whenever they’re sleepy?

Should kids have set bedtimes or just go to bed whenever they’re sleepy?

  • Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?
  • Playing violent video games is bad for kids and teens.
  • Parents should track their kids using their cell phones.
  • Are paper books better than e-books?
  • All kids should play on the same sports teams, regardless of gender.
  • All paper documents should be replaced with electronic versions.
  • Is conflict necessary for change?
  • Is war ever justified?
  • A strong middle class is vital to the economy.

A strong middle class is vital to the economy.

  • Is the local minimum wage truly a living wage?
  • Should we do away with gender-specific public bathrooms?
  • Is a progressive income tax better than a flat tax?
  • Capital punishment does/does not deter crime.
  • Would it be better to legalize, tax, and regulate all drugs (including alcohol and cigarettes) instead of banning them?
  • Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.

Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.

  • The government should provide free internet access for every citizen.
  • Is democracy the best form of government?
  • Is capitalism the best form of economy?
  • Should all Americans be required to vote?
  • Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?
  • Do you think the government should find a way to provide free health care for everyone?
  • School-age children should be allowed to vote.
  • We should/should not abolish the electoral college.
  • Are “Stand Your Ground” laws effective?
  • Supreme Court judges should be appointed for fixed terms.

Supreme Court judges should be appointed for fixed terms.

  • Does segregation still exist in the United States?
  • We should/should not continue building a wall between the United States and Mexico.
  • Will stricter gun control laws help control mass shootings?
  • Should we make the path to American citizenship easier?
  • Is the American justice system inherently racist?
  • Should we redirect some or all police force funding to social services?
  • Should the United States implement a universal basic income?
  • Choose a fictional character and explain why they should be the next president.
  • What animal makes the best pet?
  • Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
  • Which is better, reading books or watching TV?
  • Is a taco a sandwich?
  • Should kids be allowed to stay up as late as they want?

Should kids be allowed to stay up as late as they want?

  • What’s the best video game system?
  • Kids shouldn’t have to go to school on their birthdays.
  • Is video gaming a sport?
  • Are beauty pageants sexist?
  • Should kids get participation trophies for sports?
  • Are stereotypes ever right?
  • Is there any benefit to teaching proper grammar and spelling, or should we allow language to be descriptive instead of prescriptive?
  • All teenagers should have part-time jobs.
  • Should kids have limits on screen time?
  • Is it better to read fiction or nonfiction?
  • Should kids have to eat everything on their plate, even if they really don’t like something?

Should kids have to eat everything on their plate, even if they really don't like something?

  • Is it better to spend an hour a day reading or exercising?
  • Is graffiti an act of vandalism or an art form?
  • Should society hold celebrities to a high moral standard?

What are your favorite argumentative writing prompts? Come share your thoughts in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Also check out 100 intriguing cause and effect essay topics for students ..

Use these thought-provoking argumentative essay topics to teach students to write well-researched and convincing compositions.

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Essay Topics – List of 500+ Essay Writing Topics and Ideas

List of 500+ essay writing topics and ideas.

Essay topics in English can be difficult to come up with. While writing essays , many college and high school students face writer’s block and have a hard time to think about topics and ideas for an essay. In this article, we will list out many good essay topics from different categories like argumentative essays, essays on technology, environment essays for students from 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades. Following list of essay topics are for all – from kids to college students. We have the largest collection of essays. An essay is nothing but a piece of content which is written from the perception of writer or author. Essays are similar to a story, pamphlet, thesis, etc. The best thing about Essay is you can use any type of language – formal or informal. It can biography, the autobiography of anyone. Following is a great list of 100 essay topics. We will be adding 400 more soon!

But Before that you may wanna read some awesome Essay Writing Tips here .

500+ essay topics for students and children

Get the Huge list of 100+ Speech Topics here

Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should plastic be banned?
  • Pollution due to Urbanization
  • Education should be free
  • Should Students get limited access to the Internet?
  • Selling Tobacco should be banned
  • Smoking in public places should be banned
  • Facebook should be banned
  • Students should not be allowed to play PUBG

Essay Topics on Technology

  • Wonder Of Science
  • Mobile Phone

Essay Topics on Festivals on Events

  • Independence Day (15 August)
  • Teachers Day
  • Summer Vacation
  • Children’s Day
  • Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
  • Janmashtami
  • Republic Day

Essay Topics on Education

  • Education Essay
  • Importance of Education
  • Contribution of Technology in Education

the best things in life are free argumentative essay

Essay Topics on Famous Leaders

  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • APJ Abdul Kalam
  • Jawaharlal Nehru
  • Swami Vivekananda
  • Mother Teresa
  • Rabindranath Tagore
  • Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
  • Subhash Chandra Bose
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • Martin Luther King
  • Lal Bahadur Shashtri

Essay Topics on Animals and Birds

  • My Favorite Animal

Essays Topics About Yourself

  • My Best Friend
  • My Favourite Teacher
  • My Aim In Life
  • My Favourite Game – Badminton
  • My Favourite Game – Essay
  • My Favourite Book
  • My Ambition
  • How I Spent My Summer Vacation
  • India of My Dreams
  • My School Life
  • I Love My Family
  • My Favourite Subject
  • My Favourite Game Badminton
  • My Father My Hero
  • My School Library
  • My Favourite Author
  • My plans for summer vacation

Essay Topics Based on Environment and Nature

  • Global Warming
  • Environment
  • Air Pollution
  • Environmental Pollution
  • Water Pollution
  • Rainy Season
  • Climate Change
  • Importance Of Trees
  • Winter Season
  • Deforestation
  • Natural Disasters
  • Save Environment
  • Summer Season
  • Trees Our Best Friend Essay In English

Essay Topics Based on Proverbs

  • Health Is Wealth
  • A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
  • An Apple a Day Keeps Doctor Away
  • Where there is a will, there is way
  • Time and Tide wait for none

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Essay Topics for Students from 6th, 7th, 8th Grade

  • Noise Pollution
  • Environment Pollution
  • Women Empowerment
  • Time and Tide Wait for none
  • Science and Technology
  • Importance of Sports
  • Sports and Games
  • Time Management
  • Cleanliness is next to Godliness
  • Cleanliness
  • Rome was not Built in a Day
  • Unemployment
  • Clean India
  • Cow Essay In English
  • Describe Yourself
  • Festivals Of India
  • Ganesh Chaturthi
  • Healthy Food
  • Importance Of Water
  • Plastic Pollution
  • Value of Time
  • Honesty is the Best Policy
  • Gandhi Jayanti
  • Human Rights
  • Knowledge Is Power
  • Same Sex Marriage
  • Childhood Memories
  • Cyber Crime
  • Kalpana Chawla
  • Punctuality
  • Rani Lakshmi Bai
  • Spring Season
  • Unity In Diversity
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Online Shopping
  • Indian Culture
  • Healthy Lifestyle
  • Indian Education System
  • Disaster Management
  • Environmental Issues
  • Freedom Fighters
  • Grandparents
  • Save Fuel For Better Environment
  • Importance Of Newspaper
  • Lal Bahadur Shastri
  • Raksha Bandhan
  • World Environment Day
  • Narendra Modi
  • What Is Religion
  • Charity Begins at Home
  • A Journey by Train
  • Ideal student
  • Save Water Save Earth
  • Indian Farmer
  • Safety of Women in India
  • Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
  • Capital Punishment
  • College Life
  • Natural Resources
  • Peer Pressure
  • Nature Vs Nurture
  • Romeo And Juliet
  • Generation Gap
  • Makar Sankranti
  • Constitution of India
  • Girl Education
  • Importance of Family
  • Importance of Independence Day
  • Brain Drain
  • A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed
  • Action Speaks Louder Than Words
  • All That Glitters Is Not Gold
  • Bhagat Singh
  • Demonetization
  • Agriculture
  • Importance of Discipline
  • Population Explosion
  • Poverty in India
  • Uses Of Mobile Phones
  • Water Scarcity
  • Train Journey
  • Land Pollution
  • Environment Protection
  • Indian Army
  • Uses of Internet
  • All that Glitters is not Gold
  • Balanced Diet
  • Blood Donation
  • Digital India
  • Dussehra Essay
  • Energy Conservation
  • National Integration
  • Railway Station
  • Sachin Tendulkar
  • Health And Hygiene
  • Importance Of Forest
  • Indira Gandhi
  • Laughter Is The Best Medicine
  • Career Goals
  • Mental Health
  • Save Water Save Life
  • International Yoga Day
  • Winter Vacation
  • Soil Pollution
  • Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining
  • Indian Culture And Tradition
  • Unity Is Strength
  • Unity is Diversity
  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Cruelty To Animals
  • Nelson Mandela
  • Of Mice And Men
  • Organ Donation
  • Life in a Big City
  • Democracy in India
  • Waste Management
  • Biodiversity
  • Afforestation
  • Female Foeticide
  • Harmful Effects Of Junk Food
  • Rain Water Harvesting
  • Save Electricity
  • Social Media
  • Social Networking Sites
  • Sound Pollution
  • Procrastination
  • Life in an Indian Village
  • Life in Big City
  • Population Growth
  • World Population Day
  • Greenhouse Effect
  • Statue of Unity
  • Traffic Jam
  • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
  • Importance of Good Manners
  • Good Manners
  • Cyber Security
  • Green Revolution
  • Health And Fitness
  • Incredible India
  • Make In India
  • Surgical Strike
  • Triple Talaq
  • A Good Friend
  • Importance of Friends in our Life
  • Should Plastic be Banned
  • Nationalism
  • Traffic Rules
  • Effects of Global Warming
  • Fundamental Rights
  • Solar System
  • National Constitution Day
  • Good Mother
  • Importance of Trees in our Life
  • City Life Vs Village Life
  • Importance of Communication
  • Conservation of Nature
  • Man vs. Machine
  • Indian Economy
  • Mothers Love
  • Importance of National Integration
  • Black Money
  • Greenhouse effect
  • Untouchability
  • Self Discipline
  • Global Terrorism
  • Conservation of Biodiversity
  • Newspaper and Its Uses
  • World Health Day
  • Conservation of Natural Resources
  • A Picnic with Family
  • Indian Heritage
  • Status of Women in India
  • Child is Father of the Man
  • Reading is Good Habit
  • Plastic Bag
  • Terrorism in India
  • Library and Its Uses
  • Life on Mars
  • Urbanization
  • Pollution Due to Diwali
  • National Flag of India
  • Vocational Education
  • Importance of Tree Plantation
  • Summer Camp
  • Vehicle Pollution
  • Women Education in India
  • Seasons in India
  • Freedom of the Press
  • Caste System
  • Environment and Human Health
  • Mountain Climbing
  • Depletion of Natural Resources
  • Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
  • Health Education
  • Effects of Deforestation
  • Life after School
  • Starvation in India
  • Jan Dhan Yojana
  • Impact of Privatization
  • Election Commission of India
  • Election and Democracy
  • Prevention of Global Warming
  • Impact of Cinema in Life
  • Subhas Chandra Bose
  • Dowry System
  • Ganesh Chaturthi Festival
  • Role of Science in Making India
  • Impact of Global Warming on Oceans
  • Pollution due to Festivals
  • Ambedkar Jayanti
  • Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
  • Family Planning in India
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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 113 perfect persuasive essay topics for any assignment.

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Do you need to write a persuasive essay but aren’t sure what topic to focus on? Were you thrilled when your teacher said you could write about whatever you wanted but are now overwhelmed by the possibilities? We’re here to help!

Read on for a list of 113 top-notch persuasive essay topics, organized into ten categories. To help get you started, we also discuss what a persuasive essay is, how to choose a great topic, and what tips to keep in mind as you write your persuasive essay.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

In a persuasive essay, you attempt to convince readers to agree with your point of view on an argument. For example, an essay analyzing changes in Italian art during the Renaissance wouldn’t be a persuasive essay, because there’s no argument, but an essay where you argue that Italian art reached its peak during the Renaissance would be a persuasive essay because you’re trying to get your audience to agree with your viewpoint.

Persuasive and argumentative essays both try to convince readers to agree with the author, but the two essay types have key differences. Argumentative essays show a more balanced view of the issue and discuss both sides. Persuasive essays focus more heavily on the side the author agrees with. They also often include more of the author’s opinion than argumentative essays, which tend to use only facts and data to support their argument.

All persuasive essays have the following:

  • Introduction: Introduces the topic, explains why it’s important, and ends with the thesis.
  • Thesis: A sentence that sums up what the essay be discussing and what your stance on the issue is.
  • Reasons you believe your side of the argument: Why do you support the side you do? Typically each main point will have its own body paragraph.
  • Evidence supporting your argument: Facts or examples to back up your main points. Even though your opinion is allowed in persuasive essays more than most other essays, having concrete examples will make a stronger argument than relying on your opinion alone.
  • Conclusion: Restatement of thesis, summary of main points, and a recap of why the issue is important.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Essay Topic?

Theoretically, you could write a persuasive essay about any subject under the sun, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Certain topics are easier to write a strong persuasive essay on, and below are tips to follow when deciding what you should write about.

It’s a Topic You Care About

Obviously, it’s possible to write an essay about a topic you find completely boring. You’ve probably done it! However, if possible, it’s always better to choose a topic that you care about and are interested in. When this is the case, you’ll find doing the research more enjoyable, writing the essay easier, and your writing will likely be better because you’ll be more passionate about and informed on the topic.

You Have Enough Evidence to Support Your Argument

Just being passionate about a subject isn’t enough to make it a good persuasive essay topic, though. You need to make sure your argument is complex enough to have at least two potential sides to root for, and you need to be able to back up your side with evidence and examples. Even though persuasive essays allow your opinion to feature more than many other essays, you still need concrete evidence to back up your claims, or you’ll end up with a weak essay.

For example, you may passionately believe that mint chocolate chip ice cream is the best ice cream flavor (I agree!), but could you really write an entire essay on this? What would be your reasons for believing mint chocolate chip is the best (besides the fact that it’s delicious)? How would you support your belief? Have enough studies been done on preferred ice cream flavors to support an entire essay? When choosing a persuasive essay idea, you want to find the right balance between something you care about (so you can write well on it) and something the rest of the world cares about (so you can reference evidence to strengthen your position).

It’s a Manageable Topic

Bigger isn’t always better, especially with essay topics. While it may seem like a great idea to choose a huge, complex topic to write about, you’ll likely struggle to sift through all the information and different sides of the issue and winnow them down to one streamlined essay. For example, choosing to write an essay about how WWII impacted American life more than WWI wouldn’t be a great idea because you’d need to analyze all the impacts of both the wars in numerous areas of American life. It’d be a huge undertaking. A better idea would be to choose one impact on American life the wars had (such as changes in female employment) and focus on that. Doing so will make researching and writing your persuasive essay much more feasible.

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List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics

Below are over 100 persuasive essay ideas, organized into ten categories. When you find an idea that piques your interest, you’ll choose one side of it to argue for in your essay. For example, if you choose the topic, “should fracking be legal?” you’d decide whether you believe fracking should be legal or illegal, then you’d write an essay arguing all the reasons why your audience should agree with you.

Arts/Culture

  • Should students be required to learn an instrument in school?
  • Did the end of Game of Thrones fit with the rest of the series?
  • Can music be an effective way to treat mental illness?
  • With e-readers so popular, have libraries become obsolete?
  • Are the Harry Potter books more popular than they deserve to be?
  • Should music with offensive language come with a warning label?
  • What’s the best way for museums to get more people to visit?
  • Should students be able to substitute an art or music class for a PE class in school?
  • Are the Kardashians good or bad role models for young people?
  • Should people in higher income brackets pay more taxes?
  • Should all high school students be required to take a class on financial literacy?
  • Is it possible to achieve the American dream, or is it only a myth?
  • Is it better to spend a summer as an unpaid intern at a prestigious company or as a paid worker at a local store/restaurant?
  • Should the United States impose more or fewer tariffs?
  • Should college graduates have their student loans forgiven?
  • Should restaurants eliminate tipping and raise staff wages instead?
  • Should students learn cursive writing in school?
  • Which is more important: PE class or music class?
  • Is it better to have year-round school with shorter breaks throughout the year?
  • Should class rank be abolished in schools?
  • Should students be taught sex education in school?
  • Should students be able to attend public universities for free?
  • What’s the most effective way to change the behavior of school bullies?
  • Are the SAT and ACT accurate ways to measure intelligence?
  • Should students be able to learn sign language instead of a foreign language?
  • Do the benefits of Greek life at colleges outweigh the negatives?
  • Does doing homework actually help students learn more?
  • Why do students in many other countries score higher than American students on math exams?
  • Should parents/teachers be able to ban certain books from schools?
  • What’s the best way to reduce cheating in school?
  • Should colleges take a student’s race into account when making admissions decisions?
  • Should there be limits to free speech?
  • Should students be required to perform community service to graduate high school?
  • Should convicted felons who have completed their sentence be allowed to vote?
  • Should gun ownership be more tightly regulated?
  • Should recycling be made mandatory?
  • Should employers be required to offer paid leave to new parents?
  • Are there any circumstances where torture should be allowed?
  • Should children under the age of 18 be able to get plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons?
  • Should white supremacy groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places?
  • Does making abortion illegal make women more or less safe?
  • Does foreign aid actually help developing countries?
  • Are there times a person’s freedom of speech should be curtailed?
  • Should people over a certain age not be allowed to adopt children?

Government/Politics

  • Should the minimum voting age be raised/lowered/kept the same?
  • Should Puerto Rico be granted statehood?
  • Should the United States build a border wall with Mexico?
  • Who should be the next person printed on American banknotes?
  • Should the United States’ military budget be reduced?
  • Did China’s one child policy have overall positive or negative impacts on the country?
  • Should DREAMers be granted US citizenship?
  • Is national security more important than individual privacy?
  • What responsibility does the government have to help homeless people?
  • Should the electoral college be abolished?
  • Should the US increase or decrease the number of refugees it allows in each year?
  • Should privately-run prisons be abolished?
  • Who was the most/least effective US president?
  • Will Brexit end up helping or harming the UK?

body-sparkler-us-flag

  • What’s the best way to reduce the spread of Ebola?
  • Is the Keto diet a safe and effective way to lose weight?
  • Should the FDA regulate vitamins and supplements more strictly?
  • Should public schools require all students who attend to be vaccinated?
  • Is eating genetically modified food safe?
  • What’s the best way to make health insurance more affordable?
  • What’s the best way to lower the teen pregnancy rate?
  • Should recreational marijuana be legalized nationwide?
  • Should birth control pills be available without a prescription?
  • Should pregnant women be forbidden from buying cigarettes and alcohol?
  • Why has anxiety increased in adolescents?
  • Are low-carb or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
  • What caused the destruction of the USS Maine?
  • Was King Arthur a mythical legend or actual Dark Ages king?
  • Was the US justified in dropping atomic bombs during WWII?
  • What was the primary cause of the Rwandan genocide?
  • What happened to the settlers of the Roanoke colony?
  • Was disagreement over slavery the primary cause of the US Civil War?
  • What has caused the numerous disappearances in the Bermuda triangle?
  • Should nuclear power be banned?
  • Is scientific testing on animals necessary?
  • Do zoos help or harm animals?
  • Should scientists be allowed to clone humans?
  • Should animals in circuses be banned?
  • Should fracking be legal?
  • Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals as pets?
  • What’s the best way to reduce illegal poaching in Africa?
  • What is the best way to reduce the impact of global warming?
  • Should euthanasia be legalized?
  • Is there legitimate evidence of extraterrestrial life?
  • Should people be banned from owning aggressive dog breeds?
  • Should the United States devote more money towards space exploration?
  • Should the government subsidize renewable forms of energy?
  • Is solar energy worth the cost?
  • Should stem cells be used in medicine?
  • Is it right for the US to leave the Paris Climate Agreement?
  • Should athletes who fail a drug test receive a lifetime ban from the sport?
  • Should college athletes receive a salary?
  • Should the NFL do more to prevent concussions in players?
  • Do PE classes help students stay in shape?
  • Should horse racing be banned?
  • Should cheerleading be considered a sport?
  • Should children younger than 18 be allowed to play tackle football?
  • Are the costs of hosting an Olympic Games worth it?
  • Can online schools be as effective as traditional schools?
  • Do violent video games encourage players to be violent in real life?
  • Should facial recognition technology be banned?
  • Does excessive social media use lead to depression/anxiety?
  • Has the rise of translation technology made knowing multiple languages obsolete?
  • Was Steve Jobs a visionary or just a great marketer?
  • Should social media be banned for children younger than a certain age?
  • Which 21st-century invention has had the largest impact on society?
  • Are ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft good or bad for society?
  • Should Facebook have done more to protect the privacy of its users?
  • Will technology end up increasing or decreasing inequality worldwide?

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Tips for Writing a Strong Persuasive Essay

After you’ve chosen the perfect topic for your persuasive essay, your work isn’t over. Follow the three tips below to create a top-notch essay.

Do Your Research

Your argument will fall apart if you don’t fully understand the issue you’re discussing or you overlook an important piece of it. Readers won’t be convinced by someone who doesn’t know the subject, and you likely won’t persuade any of them to begin supporting your viewpoint. Before you begin writing a single word of your essay, research your topic thoroughly. Study different sources, learn about the different sides of the argument, ask anyone who’s an expert on the topic what their opinion is, etc. You might be tempted to start writing right away, but by doing your research, you’ll make the writing process much easier when the time comes.

Make Your Thesis Perfect

Your thesis is the most important sentence in your persuasive essay. Just by reading that single sentence, your audience should know exactly what topic you’ll be discussing and where you stand on the issue. You want your thesis to be crystal clear and to accurately set up the rest of your essay. Asking classmates or your teacher to look it over before you begin writing the rest of your essay can be a big help if you’re not entirely confident in your thesis.

Consider the Other Side

You’ll spend most of your essay focusing on your side of the argument since that’s what you want readers to come away believing. However, don’t think that means you can ignore other sides of the issue. In your essay, be sure to discuss the other side’s argument, as well as why you believe this view is weak or untrue. Researching all the different viewpoints and including them in your essay will increase the quality of your writing by making your essay more complete and nuanced.

Summary: Persuasive Essay Ideas

Good persuasive essay topics can be difficult to come up with, but in this guide we’ve created a list of 113 excellent essay topics for you to browse. The best persuasive essay ideas will be those that you are interested in, have enough evidence to support your argument, and aren’t too complicated to be summarized in an essay.

After you’ve chosen your essay topic, keep these three tips in mind when you begin writing:

  • Do your research
  • Make your thesis perfect
  • Consider the other side

What's Next?

Need ideas for a research paper topic as well? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

Thinking about taking an AP English class? Read our guide on AP English classes to learn whether you should take AP English Language or AP English Literature (or both!)

Deciding between the SAT or ACT? Find out for sure which you will do the best on . Also read a detailed comparison between the two tests .

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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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