2020 ENGLISH FORM 4 WRITING ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY AND IDIOMS

2020 ENGLISH: WRITING AND VOCABULARY PRACTICE
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY AND IDIOMS

WRITING: ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

 Argumentative is synonymous with disagreeable.
 Argumentative essay is to give your views and stance on a topic.

It is almost similar to giving opinions essay.
 You can choose to agree or disagree with the topic and provide justification with facts

and statements.
 When writing, use transitional words to ensure your ideas flow.

a) Additive transitions: c) Casual transitions:
Introduction: such as, for example, for Cause/Reason: due to (the fact that),
instance being that
Addition:indeed, further, moreover, in Condition: provided that, unless, in the
addition, in fact event that
Reference: considering (this), Effect/Result: as a result, consequently,
regarding (this) hence
Similarity: in the same way, likewise Purpose: for the purpose of, with this
Clarification: I mean, in other words intention
Consequence: in that case, otherwise
b) Adversative transitions:
Conflict: on the other hand, in contrast d) Sequential transitions:
Emphasis: even more, above all, Numerical: initially, in the first place, to
indeed begin with
Replacement: at least, rather, instead Continuation: subsequently, previously,
Consession: even though, despite, eventually
nevertheless Conclusion: to conclude, as a final
Dismissal: either way, in any event, at point, finally
any rate Disgression: incidentally, by the way
Summation: in summary, to sum up, to
summarise

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EXERCISE

Can diamonds be girls’ best friends? What is your opinion? Give reasons to
support your answer.

Diamonds are girls’ best friends Diamonds are not girls’ best friends

Expensive- valuable- a long Too expensive to buy
lasting gem Easy target for robbery
Can be a sign of social status Dull - boring to look at
Beautiful to look at Other gems- nicer – sapphire
Symbol of endless love and ruby

When writing your composition:

 You may use the notes given
 Give reasons for your choice
 Write in not less than 150 words

PREPARED BY MISS NATRA@SMKPJI 2020 1

2020 ENGLISH: WRITING AND VOCABULARY PRACTICE
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY AND IDIOMS

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CRITERIA MARKS OBTAINED
CONTENT / 20
COMMUNICATIVE
ACHIEVEMENT
ORGANISATION
LANGUAGE
TOTAL

PREPARED BY MISS NATRA@SMKPJI 2020 2

2020 ENGLISH: WRITING AND VOCABULARY PRACTICE
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY AND IDIOMS

VOCABULARY: IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

An idiomatic expression is a saying that is commonly used but its
meaning cannot be explained by the individual words used in the saying itself.

A chip of the old block Like father like son

A close shave A narrow escape

A jack of all trades One who is able to do all kinds of jobs

A pain in the neck Annoyance

A wet blanket One who spoils another persoon’s fun

At loggerheads Always quarrelling

Bag of bones A very thin person

Be my guest To give someone permission to do something

Beat around the bush To say something in an indirect manner

Better safe than sorry Better to be extremely careful than to be careless and

regret later

Black sheep Someone who brings dishonour to the family
Blow one’s own trumpet To boast

Build castles in the air To daydream

Burn the midnight oil Work till late

Caught red-handed Caught in the act of commiting an offense

Drives me up the wall Annoyance

Foot the bill Pay the bill

Gift of the gab Ability to speak well

Heart was in my mouth Frightened

In stitches Laugh until your sides aches

In the same boat In the same or difficult situation

In the twinkling of an eye In just a short time

Jump out of his skin Frightened

Live from hand to mouth To have just enough to live on

On cloud nine Very happy

On top of the world Very happy

Once in a blue moon rarely

Over the moon Very happy

Raining cats and dogs Raining heavily

Shed crocodile tears To pretend that one is crying

Start the ball rolling To begin an activity in which others will join in
Take to one’s heels Run away

Tighten your belt To spend less

Turn a blind eye on Pretend not to see
Turn one’s back on To refuse to help

Under the weather Not well

Wanted the ground to open up embarassment

and swallow me

Went red as a beetroot embarassment

PREPARED BY MISS NATRA@SMKPJI 2020 3

2020 ENGLISH: WRITING AND VOCABULARY PRACTICE
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY AND IDIOMS

Task 1: Fill in the blanks below with an appropriate idiom.
1) My ______________________________ when I saw my dad fall off the ladder.
2) My sister always borrows my clothes and it ____________________________.
3) Eddie was ___________________________ when his parents bought him a new game

console.
4) Henry nearly __________________________ when he saw a big snake in the kitchen.
5) Shah ___________________________ when his grandma gave him a kiss in front of his

friends.
6) I felt _________________________ when I won the competition.
7) There’s always a lot of traffic on Monday mornings. It’s ___________________________.
8) I fell off my chair in the middle of my English class. I just __________________________.
9) Wei Ling is _____________________________ to complete her revision on time.
10) My brother and my sister cannot seem to agree and ___________________________.
11) “I can’t be there on time. It’s __________________________ and the road is slippery”

said Ameena on the phone.
12) Choo lost his job during the recent Covid 19’s Movement Restriction Order. He is

_______________________ until he can find another job.
13) Yuna received her salary today and took her family out for dinner. She

________________________ for everyone to show her gratitude.
14) Since Shawn Mendez was diagnosed with depression last year, he looked deranged and

like a ________________________.
15) Khatijah was nominated as the school’s best debater. She really has the

__________________________.
16) Phi Nam always says that she will marry one of the BTS band members. She is really

__________________________.
17) “ Oh boy! I was _____________________ when I heard that you ripped your trousers

while having a dance battle yesterday” said Selvarajah.
18) Anding is truly __________________________. He can sew, sell his paintings and work

as a bank manager too.
19) “ We cannot let the students cross the road like that. We need an officer to control the

Traffic during peak hours. It’s _____________________________.” said the Principal.
20) “_______________________. The house is all yours while we’re on our vacation.” said

mom to Aunt Rinai.

PREPARED BY MISS NATRA@SMKPJI 2020 4

2020 ENGLISH: WRITING AND VOCABULARY PRACTICE
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY AND IDIOMS

Task 2: Construct sentences using the idioms below.
1) start the ball rolling
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2) take to one’s heels
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3) once in a blue moon
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4) beat around the bush
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5) a chip of the old block
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6) turn a blind eye on
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7) a close shave
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8) in the same boat
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PREPARED BY MISS NATRA@SMKPJI 2020 5