English Grade 10
Argumentative essay topics for High School, College, and University Students
Browse a list of argumentative essay topics for High School (Grade 12 Class 12, Grade 11 Class 11, Grade 10 Class 10), College and University Students.
Contents
- 1 What is an argumentative essay?
- 2 5 Common Characteristics of an argumentative essay
- 3 34 Argumentative essay Topics for College and Grade 12 Class 12 Students
- 4 Advanced Argumentative essay topics for University and College Students
- 4.1 Technology Argumentative essay topics
- 4.2 Health Argumentative essay topics
- 4.3 Government-related Argumentative essay topics
- 4.4 Education Argumentative essay topics
- 4.5 Environmental Argumentative essay topics
- 4.6 Economic Argumentative essay topics
- 4.7 Sports Argumentative essay topics
- 4.8 Ethics-related Argumentative essay topics
- 4.9 Religion Argumentative essay topics
- 5 Sources:
What is an argumentative essay?
The argumentative essay is a very specific kind of writing in which a learner selects a topic (often a controversial topic), researches it extensively, and then uses the evidence gathered in their research process to establish their position on the topic in an essay designed to persuade others.
5 Common Characteristics of an argumentative essay
The following five features make up the structure of an argumentative essay:
- Introduction and thesis
- Opposing and qualifying ideas
- Strong evidence in support of claim
- Style and tone of language
- A compelling conclusion
34 Argumentative essay Topics for College and Grade 12 Class 12 Students
- Does your vote count?
- Does diversity in media matter?
- Does the wage gap really exist?
- What should be done about gun control in the countries (choose a specific country)?
- Does the average citizen need to have the right to own a gun?
- Should marijuana be legalized?
- Should religion have a place in government?
- Should students be allowed to choose their own classes (as they do in college) from a younger age?
- Is net neutrality important?
- Is single-sex education beneficial or harmful to students?
- What should young people be given more credit for?
- Is the widespread increased use of technology good for young children—or does it harm their development?
- How is the President doing at his job?
- What is the greatest threat to our environment?
- Should we be investing in space exploration?
- Is the development of technology that automates jobs previously held by real people good or bad for our society?
- Is celebrity culture harmful or harmless? Why?
- What types of restrictions should there be on abortions?
- How involved should South Africa get in conflicts in other African countries?
- Should employers be required to pay a living wage?
- What is the line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation?
- Do corporations have social responsibilities to their customers?
- Should there be restrictions or laws on what types of bathrooms trans people can use?
- What types of academic requirements should student athletes have to meet in order to maintain their eligibility to compete?
- The Electoral College—effective or outdated?
- Which branch of government is the most important?
- Is homeschooling good for students?
- Should hate speech be protected under free speech?
- Should an employer be able to fire someone if the employer has a problem with the employee’s race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, identity, etc.?
- Are GMO foods good or bad for our country?
- What levels of education do people really need in order to be qualified to enter the workforce?
- Do our schools today adequately prepare students for the real world?
- What is the best way for the average person to make a difference?
- Should people who make more money pay taxes on a higher percentage of their income?
Advanced Argumentative essay topics for University and College Students
Technology Argumentative essay topics
- Should social media platforms be banned from collecting their users’ data?
- Should companies have to hire human workers overusing autonomous machines?
- Should cell phones be banned from vehicles?
- Has the internet made society better?
- Should parents limit screen time for kids?
- Should everyone get the internet for free?
- Is technology too isolating?
- Should cyber-bullying carry legal consequences?
Health Argumentative essay topics
- Are GMOs good for us or bad for us?
- Should schools require vaccinations for students?
- Would universal healthcare improve healthcare access?
- Should medical professionals be allowed to market pharmaceuticals to their patients?
- Should parents limit the number of activities their kids participate in?
- Are kids more depressed than they used to be?
- Is there too much focus on diets in society?
- Is fasting healthy?
- Does our society undervalue sleep?
- Are car seats effective at keeping children safe in car crashes?
- Is physical health more important than mental health?
- Should vaccinations be compulsory for all South African citizens?
- Should climate change be a governmental issue?
- Would America function better without the electoral college?
- Should America automate voter registration?
- Should all states provide automatic mail-in ballots for elections?
- Should people serving prison sentences be allowed to vote?
- Should Americans vote on and elect Supreme Court justices?
- Should unpaid internships be illegal?
- Should the government increase the federal minimum wage?
- Should the government provide everyone with a universal basic income?
- Should corporations pay more taxes?
- Should the government regulate what we eat?
- Should the government impose term limits on Congresspeople?
- Should South Africa have an official language?
- Should the drinking age in South Africa be lowered to 18?
- Should personal ownership of guns be illegal?
- Should the government be blamed for the current national obesity rate?
- Should military service be compulsory in South Africa?
- Should smoking in public be illegal?
- Should alcohol sales be illegal between midnight and noon?
- Should the voting age in South Africa be raised to 21?
- Should the government be able to censor people on the internet?
- Are the current political fundraising rules effective?
- Is South African immigration policy effective?
- Is the South African Constitution outdated?
Education Argumentative essay topics
- Should colleges and universities have to pay their student athletes?
- Should public schools allow student-led religious clubs and organizations?
- Should schools require students to say the Pledge of Allegiance?
- Should schools require their students to wear school uniforms?
- Should physical education classes be graded?
- Should college and university be free like elementary, middle and high school?
- Should college students be prohibited from participating in Greek life?
- Should art classes be compulsory in school?
- Should music and other types of art be free online?
- Should students who cheat on tests be punished?
- Should schools limit the use of computers and other technology for students?
- Is single-sex education better than co-education?
- Should schools run year round?
- Should schools abolish homework?
- Should all students receive free breakfast and lunch at school?
- Is private education too competitive?
- Should teachers be held accountable for poor test scores?
- Should high school students get to choose which classes they take?
- Should students be required to learn a foreign language?
- Should teachers assign grades to students?
- Are standardized tests effective?
- Do sports hurt academic performance in teenagers?
- Should students be allowed to use computers for research when taking tests?
- Should high school graduates take a gap year before beginning their careers or going to college?
- Should the school day start after 9 am?
- Is online learning effective?
- Should middle and high school students be required to work part-time?
- Should teachers earn more money?
- Should parents be punished if their kids skip school?
- Should college be compulsory for all kids?
- Should students have the option of grading their teachers?
- Should schools allow corporal punishment?
- Are schools safer with armed guards?
- Should school libraries ban certain books from students?
Environmental Argumentative essay topics
- Do electric vehicles decrease overall emissions?
- Is the seemingly increased frequency of natural disasters a result of climate change?
Economic Argumentative essay topics
- Should companies have to provide paid parental leave?
- Should all companies offer paternity leave?
- Is the current American tax system fair?
- Should there be a salary cap for celebrities like athletes and actors?
- Do CEOs make too much money?
- Should most companies move to a four-day workweek?
- Is there an income inequality problem in South Africa?
- Are workers more productive at home?
Sports Argumentative essay topics
- Should women be allowed to play professional sports on men’s teams?
- Are designated hitters good or bad for the sport of baseball?
- Should dance be an Olympic sport?
- Should steroid users be banned from their sport forever?
- Should tackle football be illegal for kids under 18 years old?
- Does the use of helmets in sports like football and hockey make playing more dangerous?
- Should professional athletes and professional coaches make the same amount of money?
- Should social media sites regulate and censor user posts?
- Are humans and our actions responsible for climate change?
- Should the death penalty be illegal?
- Should torture ever be allowed?
- Should influencers be allowed to market products?
- Are curfews for teenagers effective?
- Is animal testing moral?
- Should smoking cigarettes be illegal?
- Should public video surveillance be illegal?
- Should people be fined for not recycling?
- Are children too coddled?
- Should marketing designed for kids be illegal?
- Should society hold celebrities to a high moral standard?
- Should violent video games be illegal?
- Do violent video games cause people to act more violently?
- Are beauty pageants dangerous for the participants?
- Should drugs be legal?
- Is affirmative action effective
- Is cloning unethical?
- Are social protests effective?
- Should there be a limit to the number of children a person can have?
- Should fur coats be illegal?
- Should drunk drivers have their driver’s licenses permanently revoked?
- Is graffiti an act of vandalism or the creation of art?
Religion Argumentative essay topics
- Should religious groups and organizations have to pay taxes like businesses do?
- Should religion be a required course in school?
- Should all clergy people be allowed to marry and have children?
Sources:
https://nerdify.medium.com/10-things-i-did-to-fail-my-argumentative-essay-6047556e209
https://www.journalbuddies.com/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/argumentative-essay-topics
The birth of shaka poem questions and answers:
Contents
The Birth of Shaka
by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali
His baby cry
was of a cub
tearing the neck
of the lioness
because he was fatherless.
The gods
boiled his blood
in a clay pot of passion
to course in his veins.
His heart was shaped into an ox shield
to foil every foe.
Ancestors forged
his muscles into
thongs as tough
as water bark
and nerves
as sharp as
syringa thorns.
His eyes were lanterns
that shone from the dark valleys of Zululand
to see white swallows
coming across the sea.
His cry to two assassin brothers:
“Lo! you can kill me
but you’ll never rule this land!”
About the poem
‘The Birth of Shaka’ by Oswald Mtshali is a free verse poem about a South African well-known historic warrior and ruler of the Zulu kingdom, named Shaka Zulu. The poem is constructed almost as if it were a history lesson focusing on paying respects to Shaka’s life. Mtshali puts Shaka on a pedestal as he describes the circumstances of his birth and death, clearly idolizing him. Shaka was a ruler that displayed extreme strength and capability, causing his people to view him as a gift from the gods.
Did you know: free verse is an open form of poetry, which in its modern form arose through the French vers libre form. It does not use consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any musical pattern. It thus tends to follow the rhythm of natural speech.
Free Verse Poem: No rules
Questions with Answers
- Refer to lines 1 and 2 (‘His baby cry/was of a cub …’).
- Who does the ‘lioness’ in line 4 refer to? (1)
- Identify the figure of speech used here. Answer: Metaphor
- Explain why the poet has used this figure of speech. Answer: It compares baby Shaka to a lion cub. Or To show that although Shaka was still a (newborn) baby/very small, he was already displaying a fierce/ferocious/vicious nature.
- Refer to lines 3 and 4 (‘tearing the neck/of the lioness’). To whom does the word ‘lioness’ refer? Answer: His (Shaka’s) mother OR Nandi
- Refer to stanza 2.
- In your own words, explain how the gods created Shaka. (1) Answer: They gave him an emotional/passionate nature. OR They used a clay pot to boil his blood.
- State ONE of Shaka’s characteristics suggested by the use of the
words ‘clay pot’. Answer: He was only human/fragile/vulnerable/not perfect. OR, Like a clay pot, he represented/contained traditional values.
- Quote TWO separate words from stanza 2 which tell us that Shaka’s ancestors had a hand in shaping him into the man he became. (2)
- Identify any TWO African images from stanzas 1 and 2. (2)
- Refer to lines 6–9 (‘The gods boiled … in his veins’). What do these lines suggest about Shaka’s spirit? State TWO points.
- Refer to stanza 4 (‘Ancestors forged his … as syringa thorns’). Quote ONE word from these lines to show that the following statement is TRUE:
- Shaka’s forefathers were involved in shaping his personality. (1)
- Refer to lines 16–18 (‘and nerves as sharp as syringa thorns’). In your OWN words explain why Shaka would need ‘sharp nerves’. (2)
- Refer to stanza 5 (‘his eyes were … across the sea’). Which characteristic of Shaka is portrayed in these lines (1)
- Refer to lines 23–25 (‘His cry to … rule this land’).
- Who is Shaka addressing in lines 23–24? (1)
- Identify the sound device used in line 24. (1)
- Do you think that this poem is a celebration of Shaka’s life? Discuss your views.
Downloadable PDF Questions and Answers Memo:vThe Birth of Shaka
Questions and Answers
My Courses has a large Questions and Answers repository for the most popular High School and Tertiary Schools subjects. This comes in handy when doing your revision or preparing for exams, tests, research tasks, and assignments.
Sources
Rehman, Noor. “The Birth of Shaka by Oswald Mtshali”. Poem Analysis, https://poemanalysis.com/oswald-mtshali/the-birth-of-shaka/. Accessed 25 August 2021.
My Name Poem by Magoleng wa Selepe: Questions and Answers.
Contents
The Poem:
Nomgqibelo Ncamisile Mnqhibisa
Look what they have done to my name …
the wonderful name of my great-great-grandmothers
Nomgqibelo Ncamisile Mnqhibisa
The burly bureaucrat was surprised.
What he heard was music to his ears
‘Wat is daai, sê nou weer?’
‘I am from Chief Daluxolo Velayigodle of emaMpodweni
And my name is Nomgqibelo Ncamisile Mnqhibisa.’
Messiah, help me!
My name is so simple
and yet so meaningful,
but to this man it is trash…
He gives me a name
Convenient enough to answer his whim: 15 I end up being
Maria …
I …
Nomgqibelo Ncamisile Mnqhibisa.
About the Poem: My Name Poem by Magoleng wa Selepe
Under white rule, Africans were required to have European names at school, in church, at work, and in their formal identification documents, documents they would need to carry at all times.
Language use:
Three languages are used in this poem: the narrator’s Xhosa name, the government bureaucrat’s Afrikaans, and the narrator’s replies in English. The narrator chooses not to reply in Afrikaans, because Africans saw it as the language of the hated government.
Questions
- State TWO reasons why the speaker is very proud of her name.
- Refer to line 2 (‘Look what they have done to my name …’). What feeling does the speaker express in this line?
- What does the word ‘burly’ (line 5) suggest about the bureaucrat?
- Refer to line 6 (‘What he heard was music to his ears’). Does the reference to music suggest that the bureaucrat appreciates the speaker’s name? Give a reason for your answer. (2)
- Where does the speaker come from? (1)
- Refer to line 10 (‘Messiah, help me’). What does the use of the word ‘Messiah’ suggest about the speaker? (2)
- Identify the figure of speech used in line 13, (‘but to this man it is trash …’). (1)
- Explain why the bureaucrat changes the speaker’s name to Maria. (2)
- Choose ONE word that emphasises how the speaker feels about her name. (1)
- What does this poem suggest about the bureaucrat’s political beliefs? (2)
- Refer to lines 16 – 18 (I end up being Maria …). Discuss the effect created by the use of very short lines at this point in the poem.
Questions and Answers
My Courses has a large Questions and Answers repository for the most popular High School and Tertiary Schools subjects. This comes in handy when doing your revision or preparing for exams, tests, research tasks, and assignments.
This page explains what are Adjectives and 10 examples.
Contents
- 1 10 Examples of Adjectives
- 1.1 Adjectives to describe Taste
- 1.2 Adjectives to describe Touch
- 1.3 Adjectives to describe Sound
- 1.4 Adjectives to describe Color
- 1.5 Adjectives to describe Size
- 1.6 Adjectives to describe Shape
- 1.7 Adjectives to describe Time
- 1.8 Adjectives to describe an Amount
- 1.9 Adjectives to describe an Emotion
- 1.10 Adjectives to describe a Person or Personality
- 1.11 Adjectives to describe Appearance
- 1.12 Adjectives to describe Situations
What are Adjectives
In English language, an adjective is a word that modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes its referent. Its semantic role is to change information given by the noun.
10 Examples of Adjectives
If they ask you in the exam to give 10 examples of adjectives in a setence, you should mention the following:
- They live in a beautiful home.
- Refilwe is wearing a sleeveless shirt today.
- She wore beautiful shoes.
- He writes meaningless letters.
- This car is much nicer.
- She wore a beautiful dress.
- Ofunwa is an adorable boy.
- Mpho’s hair is gorgeous.
- This bottle is breakable.
- I met a homeless person in Cape Town.
Adjectives Example (Watch)
Adjectives to describe Taste
| Bitter | Lemon-flavored | Spicy |
| Bland | Minty | Sweet |
| Delicious | Pickled | Tangy |
| Fruity | Salty | Tasty |
| Gingery | Sour | Yummy |
Adjectives to describe Touch
| Boiling | Fluffy | Sharp |
| Breezy | Freezing | Silky |
| Bumpy | Fuzzy | Slick |
| Chilly | Greasy | Slimy |
| Cold | Hard | Slippery |
| Cool | Hot | Smooth |
| Cuddly | Icy | Soft |
| Damp | Loose | Solid |
| Dirty | Melted | Sticky |
| Dry | Painful | Tender |
| Dusty | Prickly | Tight |
| Encrusted | Rough | Uneven |
| Filthy | Shaggy | Warm |
| Flaky | Shaky | Wet |
Adjectives to describe Sound
| Blaring | Melodic | Screeching |
| Deafening | Moaning | Shrill |
| Faint | Muffled | Silent |
| Hoarse | Mute | Soft |
| High-pitched | Noisy | Squealing |
| Hissing | Purring | Squeaking |
| Hushed | Quiet | Thundering |
| Husky | Raspy | Voiceless |
| Loud | Resonant | Whispering |
Adjectives to describe Color
Actually, any colour can be used as an adjective:
| Azure | Gray | Pinkish |
| Black | Green | Purple |
| Blue | Indigo | Red |
| Bright | Lavender | Rosy |
| Brown | Light | Scarlet |
| Crimson | Magenta | Silver |
| Dark | Multicolored | Turquoise |
| Drab | Mustard | Violet |
| Dull | Orange | White |
| Gold | Pink | Yellow |
Adjectives to describe Size
| Abundant | Jumbo | Puny |
| Big-boned | Large | Scrawny |
| Chubby | Little | Short |
| Fat | Long | Small |
| Giant | Majestic | Tall |
| Gigantic | Mammoth | Teeny |
| Great | Massive | Thin |
| Huge | Miniature | Tiny |
| Immense | Petite | Vast |
Adjectives to describe Shape
| Blobby | Distorted | Rotund |
| Broad | Flat | Round |
| Chubby | Fluffy | Skinny |
| Circular | Globular | Square |
| Crooked | Hollow | Steep |
| Curved | Low | Straight |
| Cylindrical | Narrow | Triangular |
| Deep | Oval | Wide |
Adjectives to describe Time
| Annual | Futuristic | Rapid |
| Brief | Historical | Regular |
| Daily | Irregular | Short |
| Early | Late | Slow |
| Eternal | Long | Speed |
| Fast | Modern | Speedy |
| First | Old | Swift |
| Fleet | Old-fashioned | Waiting |
| Future | Quick | Young |
Adjectives to describe an Amount
| All | Heavy | One |
| Ample | Hundreds | Paltry |
| Astronomical | Large | Plentiful |
| Bountiful | Light | Profuse |
| Considerable | Limited | Several |
| Copious | Little | Sizable |
| Countless | Many | Some |
| Each | Measly | Sparse |
| Enough | Mere | Substantial |
| Every | Multiple | Teeming |
| Few | Myriad | Ten |
| Full | Numerous | Very |
Adjectives to describe an Emotion
| Abrasive | Embarrassed | Grumpy |
| Abrupt | Energetic | Kind |
| Afraid | Enraged | Lazy |
| Agreeable | Enthusiastic | Lively |
| Aggressive | Envious | Lonely |
| Amiable | Evil | Lucky |
| Amused | Excited | Mad |
| Angry | Exhausted | Manic |
| Annoyed | Exuberant | Mysterious |
| Ashamed | Fair | Nervous |
| Bad | Faithful | Obedient |
| Bitter | Fantastic | Obnoxious |
| Bewildered | Fierce | Outrageous |
| Boring | Fine | Panicky |
| Brave | Foolish | Perfect |
| Callous | Frantic | Persuasive |
| Calm | Friendly | Pleasant |
| Calming | Frightened | Proud |
| Charming | Funny | Quirky |
| Cheerful | Furious | Relieved |
| Combative | Gentle | Repulsive |
| Comfortable | Glib | Rundown |
| Defeated | Glorious | Sad |
| Confused | Good | Scary |
| Cooperative | Grateful | Selfish |
| Courageous | Grieving | Silly |
| Cowardly | Gusty | Splendid |
| Crabby | Gutless | Successful |
| Creepy | Happy | Tedious |
| Cross | Healthy | Tense |
| Cruel | Heinous | Terrible |
| Dangerous | Helpless | Thankful |
| Defeated | Hilarious | Thoughtful |
| Defiant | Hungry | Thoughtless |
| Delightful | Hurt | Tired |
| Depressed | Hysterical | Troubled |
| Determined | Immoral | Upset |
| Disgusted | Impassioned | Weak |
| Disturbed | Indignant | Weary |
| Eager | Irate | Wicked |
| Elated | Itchy | Worried |
| Embarrassed | Jealous | Zany |
| Enchanting | Jolly | Zealous |
Adjectives to describe a Person or Personality
| Aggressive | Famous | Restless |
| Agoraphobic | Fearless | Rich |
| Ambidextrous | Fertile | Righteous |
| Ambitious | Fragile | Ritzy |
| Amoral | Frank | Romantic |
| Angelic | Functional | Rustic |
| Brainy | Gabby | Ruthless |
| Breathless | Generous | Sassy |
| Busy | Gifted | Secretive |
| Calm | Helpful | Sedate |
| Capable | Hesitant | Shy |
| Careless | Innocent | Sleepy |
| Cautious | Inquisitive | Somber |
| Cheerful | Insane | Stingy |
| Clever | Jaunty | Stupid |
| Common | Juicy | Super |
| Complete | Macho | Swanky |
| Concerned | Manly | Tame |
| Crazy | Modern | Tawdry |
| Curious | Mushy | Terrific |
| Dead | Naughty | Testy |
| Deep | Odd | Uninterested |
| Delightful | Old | Vague |
| Determined | Open | Verdant |
| Different | Outstanding | Vivacious |
| Diligent | Perky | Wacky |
| Energetic | Poor | Wandering |
| Erratic | Powerful | Wild |
| Evil | Puzzled | Womanly |
| Exuberant | Real | Wrong |
Adjectives to describe Appearance
| Ablaze | Distinct | Quirky |
| Adorable | Drab | Ruddy |
| Alluring | Dull | Shiny |
| Attractive | Elegant | Skinny |
| Average | Embarrassed | Sloppy |
| Awkward | Fancy | Smiling |
| Balanced | Fat | Sparkling |
| Beautiful | Filthy | Spotless |
| Blonde | Glamorous | Strange |
| Bloody | Gleaming | Tacky |
| Blushing | Glossy | Tall |
| Bright | Graceful | Thin |
| Clean | Grotesque | Ugly |
| Clear | Handsome | Unattractive |
| Cloudy | Homely | Unbecoming |
| Clumsy | Interior | Uncovered |
| Colorful | Lovely | Unsightly |
| Confident | Magnificent | Unusual |
| Cracked | Murky | Watery |
| Crooked | Old-fashioned | Weird |
| Crushed | Plain | Wild |
| Curly | Poised | Wiry |
| Cute | Pretty | Wooden |
| Debonair | Puffy | Worried |
| Dirty | Quaint | Zaftig |
Adjectives to describe Situations
| Accidental | Doubtful | Main |
| Achievable | Elementary | Minor |
| Advantageous | Finger-printed | Nasty |
| Alcoholic | Groundless | Nutritious |
| Animated | Hard | Obsolete |
| Aquatic | Harmful | Optimal |
| Aromatic | High | Organic |
| Aspiring | Honest | Premium |
| Bad | Horrible | Quizzical |
| Bawdy | Illegal | Rainy |
| Biographical | Illegible | Redundant |
| Bizarre | Imperfect | Remarkable |
| Broken | Impossible | Simple |
| Careful | Internal | Tangible |
| Credible | Inventive | Tricky |
| Creepy | Jazzy | Wholesale |
| Cumbersome | Juvenile | Worse |
| Disastrous | Legal | Wry |
| Dismissive | Logical | X-rated |
Sources:
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-adjectives.html
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