“Communication skills” are emphasized in the 2026 Course of Study. Learn the basic pattern for writing your opinion in English. As a culmination of junior high school English, practice expressing an opinion in three sentences.
Basic Rules
There is a basic three-sentence structure for expressing an opinion in English:
① Opinion: I think / I believe / In my opinion 〜. (I think 〜.)
② Reason: This is because 〜 / The reason is 〜 / For example 〜. (The reason is 〜.)
③ Conclusion: So, 〜 / Therefore, 〜 / That is why 〜. (That is why 〜.)
If you remember this pattern, you can write sentences that work in Eiken Grade 3 to Pre-Grade 2 writing, high school entrance-exam composition, and TOEFL Junior.
The important thing is to maintain the flow of opinion → reason → conclusion. Unlike in Japanese, where the conclusion is often delayed, English convention is to state your opinion clearly at the beginning.
Q: Do you like reading books?
I think reading books is important.（Opinion）
This is because we can learn many things from books.（Reason）
So, I read a book every day.（Conclusion）
Q: Which do you like better, summer or winter?
I like summer better than winter.（Opinion）
The reason is that I can enjoy swimming in the sea in summer.（Reason）
Therefore, summer is my favorite season.（Conclusion）
Points to Remember
① Variations for beginning an opinion:
- I think 〜. (most general; use this if you are unsure)
- I believe 〜. (a slightly stronger opinion)
- In my opinion, 〜. (formal)
- I agree (with 〜). / I disagree (with 〜).
- I like A better than B.
② Connecting expressions for reasons:
- This is because 〜.
- The reason is that 〜.
- For example, 〜.
- Adding a specific example makes your writing more convincing
③ Connecting the conclusion:
- So, 〜 / Therefore, 〜 / That is why 〜
- Repeat and summarize your opinion in the conclusion
④ At the junior high school level, simplicity is essential. Rather than using difficult structures, accurately express your opinion with structures you can write confidently. You can write 90% of your composition with be verbs, ordinary verbs, modal verbs, and conjunctions.
- Three-sentence structure: opinion → reason → conclusion
- Opinion openings: I think / I believe / I like 〜 better
- Reasons: This is because / For example
- Conclusions: So / Therefore / That is why
- Write accurately in simple English
Practice
- Answer the question “What is your favorite season?” in three sentences (opinion → reason → conclusion).
- Answer the question “Which do you like better, dogs or cats?” in three sentences.
- Answer the question “Do you think studying English is important?” in three sentences.