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IN the public examination, the board wants your opinion and strong reasons. Here is how to handle it. The composition is between 350 to 450 words. The introduction has 4-5 lines. Restate topic and your clear stance. Do not sit on the fence.
Example, “Social media does more harm than good. I agree because it damages mental health, spreads fake news, and kills real conversation.” Body has about three paragraphs = strong points. Each point = 1 idea + explanation + short example.
Use linking words: Firstly, Furthermore, However, In conclusion. Conclusion: has 3-4 lines. Restate stance and sum up two main reasons. End strong, not “in my opinion”. . . Here are some examples of topics which often come up. Pick a stance and practice with these:
Schools should ban mobile phones”, Agree/Disagree. “Girls education is more important than boys “Argue against it. Social media has ruined family life. Agree/Disagree. “Government should make voting compulsory.” Agree/Disagree.
“Corporal punishment should be brought back in schools.” Agree/Disagree.
Rules to score high marks. Clear stance: Examiners hate “on the one hand . . . on the other hand. Pick a side in line 2. Relevant examples: Zimbabwe. “Load shedding affects studying. Formal language: No slang, no I think, I feel. “It is clear that”, “This proves that”.
Here is a practice topic: “Should school uniforms be made optional?” What’s your stance; agree or disagree? In public examination at times you find one-worded topic like “Food”. Such topics are the one way of examination boards testing your imagination. You have to pick an angle, because write about food is too wide”. Turn into an argumentative question. Ask yourself: What can I argue about food? Then your essay becomes an argument, not a description.
Examples: Food: Fast food is destroying traditional diets — argue agree/disagree. Food: “School canteens should only serve healthy meals” Argue for/against. Food: Zimbabwe should focus on growing our own food”— argue importance of food security.
Examiners mark you higher for arguing than for listing facts about food. Use 5W trick to narrow it down. Pick one angle so that you do not wander. Why: Why is food important? — Food is more than survival: it builds culture and health.
Problem: What is wrong with food today? “Processed food is a health crisis.” Solution: How do we fix food problems? Urban farming can solve hunger. Comparison: Traditional versus modern food; traditional foods are better than imported foods.
Structure for “Food” as an argument. Introduction: Define + stance fast. Food sustains life. But modern eating habits are harming us. Processed food must be reduced because it causes disease, wastes money, and kills culture. Body 1: Point 1 Zimbabwe example. For example: Rise of diabetes from sugary drinks.
Body 2: Point 2 + example. For an example, money spent on imports instead of local maize/Sadza. Body 3: Point 3. Example, loss of traditional dishes like muboora, kapenta. Conclusion: Restate + call to action. “We must return to healthier, local food choices.”
Key rule: One word topic = You choose the argument. The examiner wants to see if you can focus. Do not write a recipe book. The topic given as an example here is Food. Such a topic is just Food. No question, no angle given.
For the local examination board Paper 1, that means you create the argument. Examiners do not want “Food is nice. People eat food. They want a focused stance. Here is the fastest way to tackle it. Step 1: Pick one argument about food. Choose one so your essay does not drift. For food these work well.
1. Traditional food is better than fast food. Argue for tradition.
2 Schools should ban junk food. Argue for healthy food.
3 Food security is Zimbabwe’s biggest problem. Argue importance.
Let us use one because it is easy to get Zimbabwe examples. Step 2: Skeleton for food: Traditional food is better than fast food. Introduction Hook + definition + stance. Food is what sustains life, but not all food is equal. I argue that traditional Zimbabwean food is better than fast food because it is healthier, cheaper and preserves our culture.
Body 1 Health — Chicken and chips $5 versus Sadza + ibhobola $1,50, imported food drains foreign currency. Local food supports farmers. Body 3: Culture. Fast food is the same everywhere. Sadza, muriwo (vegetables), matemba tell our story. If we lose them, we lose our identity.
Conclusion: Restate + final push. Food is more than fuel. Choosing traditional food protects our health, money, and culture. We must value what grows in our soil.
Step 3: Avoid these traps. Do not describe how to cook Sadza for 3 paragraphs. Do not list 20 types of food. Do not say, “Food is lif”e and stop there.
Which angle do you prefer; traditional versus fast food or schools should ban junk food.
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