An opinion is a claim + a reason: Giving and justifying an opinion means two things, not one: you state what you think (an opinion phrase such as In my view…) and you support it with a reason (because…, since…, for example…).
An opinion on its own — "Social media is bad" — is weak. The same opinion justified — "In my view social media can be harmful, because it often makes teenagers compare themselves to others" — is exactly what every English B writing and speaking task rewards.
- an opinion
- what you personally think or believe about something
- to justify
- to give reasons that show why your opinion is sensible
- an opinion phrase
- a set phrase that signals a view is coming (In my view…, I believe…)
- a reason
- the 'why' behind an opinion, usually introduced by because / since / as
- evidence / an example
- a fact or real case that backs up the reason (for example, for instance)
- to hedge
- to soften an opinion so it sounds less absolute (I tend to think…, It seems to me…)
- a counter-argument
- the opposite view, which you mention then answer (admittedly…, however…)
Why it carries the marks: Opinion + justification runs through every skill: a written blog or essay, the individual oral, and the listening clips where speakers give views. Examiners reward developed ideas — a justified opinion is the single fastest way to lift Criterion B (Message), and the opinion phrases themselves feed Criterion A (Language).
Four jobs, four sets of phrases: Build an opinion from four toolkits: phrases to introduce a view, words to adjust its strength, connectors to justify it, and phrases to react to someone else's view. Mix them — repeating I think in every sentence caps your Criterion A mark.
| Job | Phrases to use |
|---|---|
| Introduce an opinion | In my view… · I believe (that)… · It seems to me that… · Personally, I think… · As far as I'm concerned… |
| Adjust the strength | Strong: I'm convinced that… / There's no doubt that… — Soft: I tend to think… / I'd say… / It could be argued that… |
| Justify (give a reason) | because… · since… · as… · given that… · the reason is that… · for example / for instance… |
| React to a view | I completely agree that… · I see your point, but… · I'm not convinced that… · On the contrary,… |
Phrase + reason — the pattern to memorise
- Opinion phrase → I believe that homework should be optional…
- …+ reason (because/since) → …because students learn more when they study by choice.
- …+ example (for example) → For example, my younger brother reads far more now that no one forces him.
- …+ counter then answer (admittedly… however…) → Admittedly some students need structure; however, that can come from class, not extra homework.
Vary the verb of opinion: English has many ways to say I think: believe, feel, reckon, consider, be convinced, tend to think, would say. Rotating them is an easy Criterion A win — but keep one rule: an opinion phrase is followed by a clause (I believe that it works), never by a bare noun.
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Never leave an opinion unsupported: Whenever a task asks you to discuss, argue, persuade, recommend or give your point of view, the examiner is looking for justified opinions. The rule is simple: every opinion needs at least one reason, and the strongest answers add an example and answer the other side too.
Where justified opinions earn marks
- Persuasive writing — a blog, opinion article, letter to the editor or speech.
- Discursive essays — 'To what extent do you agree…?' style tasks.
- The individual oral — explaining your view of the stimulus and answering follow-up questions.
- Reacting in any text — agreeing or disagreeing with a writer's or speaker's claim.
- Even in an informal email — 'I really think you should… because…'.
Unjustified (weak)
- Tourism is bad for the city.
- I think we should recycle more.
- Everyone should learn a language.
Justified (strong)
- In my view tourism harms the city, because rents rise so much that locals can no longer afford to live there.
- I believe we should recycle more, since most of our waste could easily be reused.
- It seems to me that everyone should learn a language, as it opens doors to other cultures — for instance, I made friends abroad only because I spoke Spanish.
One claim, one reason — at least: A quick self-check while you write or speak: after each opinion, ask "why?" If you can't answer it in the next clause with because / since / as, your point is not yet justified. Add the reason before you move on.
Building one justified opinion, step by step: Here is a single, well-built opinion paragraph, assembled one move at a time: an opinion phrase, a reason, an example, a concession + counter, and a closing restatement. Read it once for the idea, then notice how each step is signalled by a specific phrase.
IB-style task — a justified opinion in action
One opinion, move by move
- Opinion phrase + claim. "In my view, schools should teach students how to manage money." — open with a clear opinion phrase so the reader knows at once what you think.
- Justify with a reason (because / since). "I believe this because many young people leave school without knowing how to budget or save." — a claim without a reason scores far less; the word because forces you to support it.
- Add evidence or an example (for example / for instance). "For example, a friend of mine got into debt in her first year of university simply because no one had explained how a credit card works." — a concrete example makes the reason convincing.
- Acknowledge the other side (admittedly / it is true that … however). "Admittedly, some people argue that this is the parents' job; however, not every family has the knowledge to teach it." — conceding then countering shows mature, balanced reasoning.
- Close with your overall view (that is why / for these reasons). "For these reasons, I am convinced that basic financial education should be part of every school timetable." — restate your opinion, now backed by everything above.
Steal this skeleton: You can reuse the same five-move skeleton for almost any opinion task: phrase → reason → example → concede-and-counter → restate. Swap in your own topic and you have a ready-made paragraph for an essay, a blog or the oral.
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The slips to watch for: Four mistakes cost the most marks: giving an opinion with no reason, treating an opinion as an undeniable fact, an opinion phrase grammar slip (I'm agree, In my opinion that…), and repeating the same phrase (I think… I think… I think…). Compare the weak version with the fix and the habit becomes obvious.
Correct
- In my view, fast fashion is harmful, because it produces enormous waste.
- I agree that we should travel less by plane.
- It seems to me that the plan won't work.
Common error
- Fast fashion is harmful. (opinion with no reason — add 'because…')
- I'm agree that we should travel less. (✗ 'agree' is a verb — use 'I agree', not 'I'm agree')
- It seems to me the plan won't work. (missing 'that' — say 'It seems to me that the plan…')
Ask: did I say why, and is it really an opinion?: Two quick checks before you move on. 1. Have I given a reason (because / since / as)? If not, add one. 2. Have I marked it as my view (In my view… / I believe…), not as a fact? And watch the grammar: it's I agree (not I'm agree), and an opinion phrase takes a that-clause (I believe that…).