Structure and Content of a Commentary

This page provides a comprehensive guide on how to write a commentary, focusing on its structure, content, and typical tasks. It offers valuable insights for students learning to craft effective commentaries.

Structure of a Commentary

A well-structured commentary typically consists of three main parts:

1. Introduction:

   • Defines the problem or topic
   • Captures the reader's attention and interest
   • Provides a brief overview of the writer's opinion and reasoning

2. Main Body (Opinion and Reasons):

   • Presents arguments supporting the writer's opinion
   • Focuses on one main point per paragraph
   • Content varies depending on the specific task

3. Conclusion:

   • Summarizes the most important arguments
   • Reinforces the writer's opinion

Highlight: The structure follows a logical flow from introducing the topic to presenting arguments and finally summarizing the main points.

Typical Commentary Tasks

The guide outlines various types of commentary tasks, each requiring a specific approach:

1. Comment (stating your own opinion):

   • State your opinion
   • Provide examples and arguments to support your view
   • Use a statement-reason-example structure

2. Compare:

   • Identify common and distinct features
   • Draw conclusions based on the comparison

3. Criticize:

   • Analyze advantages and disadvantages
   • Comment on someone's opinion, often critically

4. Discuss:

   • Analyze all aspects of a problem
   • Weigh pros and cons

5. Evaluate:

   • Analyze a problem thoroughly
   • Present advantages and disadvantages

6. Justify:

   • Support an opinion
   • Highlight advantages

Example: For a "Compare" task, you might analyze the similarities and differences between two educational systems and conclude which one seems more effective.

Helpful Phrases

The guide provides useful phrases for different parts of the commentary:

Introduction Examples:

• "Lots of people discuss whether [topic]."
• "Many people think that [...]. Is that true?"
• "In this comment, I would like to discuss the question whether [topic]."

Vocabulary: "Einleitung" is the German term for "Introduction."

Main Body Examples:

• "The first/second/... argument that promotes [...] is [...]."
• "It may be argued that [...]."
• "Another argument for/against [...] is [...]."

Vocabulary: "Hauptteile" refers to the "Main Body" sections of the commentary.

Conclusion Examples:

• "After looking at both sides, I argue that [...]."
• "All facts considered, I think that [...]."

Vocabulary: "Schluss" is the German word for "Conclusion."

These phrases serve as Kommentar schreiben Formulierungshilfen, helping students structure their thoughts and express their ideas clearly in a commentary.

Highlight: Using these phrase templates can significantly improve the flow and coherence of your commentary, making it more engaging for the reader.

This guide serves as an excellent resource for students practicing Kommentar schreiben Übung, providing a clear Kommentar schreiben Aufbau (structure) and useful examples to follow.