Mind Stretcher A* English Essay Workshop (Part 2): Expository & Argumentative with Master Teacher Steven Sim
When students are asked to explain why something matters or argue whether they agree with a statement, too many of them fall back on the only tool they have: narration. They tell a story when the question asks for an explanation. They list opinions without evidence when the question asks for an argument. The result is an essay that sounds like it has gone off-topic.
In this 1.5-hour workshop, Master Teacher Steven Sim focuses on the two essay types that dominate upper secondary English and cross over into content subjects — the Expository Essay and the Argumentative Essay — and gives students the frameworks to plan, structure, and write both with clarity and confidence.
What students will learn:
The five types of expository essay and when to use each one — How-to, Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast, Definition, and Classification — so students can match the right structure to the question in front of them
How to use Compare-Contrast as an idea generation tool — and why it is not the same as listing Advantages vs Disadvantages, with worked examples showing how each approach produces different (and complementary) sets of ideas
Signal words that hold expository and argumentative essays together — including While, However, Unlike, Similarly, Whereas, In contrast, and On the other hand — with practice combining contrasting ideas into single, well-constructed sentences
How to build argumentative paragraphs using Mental Schemas, selecting the right combination of Cause & Effect, Anecdote, Description, and Compare & Contrast to develop a position that goes beyond "I agree because..."
The difference between stating an opinion and constructing an argument — learning to move from a claim to supporting evidence to a developed explanation, rather than leaving ideas at the surface level
How to write introductions that do more than restate the question — using hooks, background context, and thesis statements to orient the reader before the argument begins
Every technique is demonstrated through model paragraphs that show the same idea written at a basic level and at a "Mind-Stretching" level, so students can see what separates a passing response from a compelling one.
Who is this for?
Students who can write a decent recount but freeze when the essay question starts with "Do you agree?", "Explain why...", or "What are the causes of..." — and want a clear method for tackling expository and argumentative prompts with structure and substance.