Escuela de Ciencias del Lenguaje

Departamento de Lenguas Extranjeras – Sección de E.S.P.

Lectura de textos académicos en inglés II
Unit 2 Rhetorical Strategies

Problem - Solution:
Purpose:

These essays inform readers about problems and suggest actions that could be taken to
remedy these problems. This type of paragraph can help you in persuasion. It is useful
to get the audience to agree with your solution. It can be used to explain something that
is a problem. For example, you might discuss how hunger is a big problem in this country
and in the world. You would give details about the problem, such as giving statistics for
the number of hungry people. Then you would offer a solution to this problem. Give
details about the solution and tell why it is a good solution for the problem. When you
use this type, be sure that your audience understands the problem. Identify the problem
directly. Give examples and details that are clear and specific. Identify the solution
directly. Explain why the solution works.

Structure:
The topic sentence names the issue you will discuss. The supporting sentences show
why this issue is a problem. While writing a problem-solution paragraph, there are
several steps to follow:

1. State and define the problem: Briefly, clearly, and simply explain what the
problematic issue is and why it should be treated as a problem.
2. Suggest the possible solutions: Present the reader with at least two possible
solutions to the problem. The solutions should be acceptable, realistic, reliable and
mutually exclusive. Otherwise, there is no point in suggesting them as solutions.
3. Evaluate the solutions: Discuss the advantages (strengths) and the disadvantages
(weaknesses) of the solutions. Your aim is to make your reader understand why one
solution is better than the other(s). However, keep in mind that your solutions should
be effective; otherwise, you wouldn't have suggested them in the first place.
4. Make a recommendation: If you think that one of the solutions is better than the
other(s), state directly which of the solutions in your opinion is better (the best) and
why. You may also suggest that solutions be implemented together to overcome or
prevent a problem.
Grammar:

Useful phrases and connectors:

 The problem is/ the solution is…

 There are 3 things we can do to …
 To (do something) is not easy but there are ways.
 We could propose that…

Firs conditional review:

The first conditional is a useful way to talk about both problems and solutions:

Fish will get ill if factories dump their waste into streams.
Modal + Simple present

Punctuation note: no comma is needed when the if – clause comes second:

If people eat fish, they can become ill  People can become ill if they eat the ill fish.

The event in the if – clause is possible, or is likely to happen. The event is the result clause
would logically follow. There are other types of conditional sentences, but first
conditionals are the most common in writing about problems and solutions.

Example:

On most part, energy is created by burning fossil fuels -- coal, natural gas and oil. The
problem with this is that these resources are finite. At the current rate of use, it is
expected that the world will run out of fossil fuels in thirty to forty years to come. As a
result, it will no longer be possible to generate power to operate factories and vehicles
 Escuela de Ciencias del Lenguaje
Departamento de Lenguas Extranjeras – Sección de E.S.P.
Lectura de textos académicos en inglés II
Unit 2 Rhetorical Strategies

or to light and heat houses. This world-wide problem can be resolved through the
implementation of two possible solutions. The first solution is to improve conservation
efforts. In order to do this, governments can try to raise public awareness, discourage
over-consumption and encourage recycling. For example, they can encourage the
installation of high-efficiency light bulbs in homes and offices. They can inform the public
of the amount of energy saved by simply turning off lights that are not being used or by
using public transport more and cars less. They can also pass laws mandating the
recycling of whatever possible. Improvements in conservation will surely extend the life
of current fuels but they are not complete answers to what will happen when fossil fuels
eventually run out. The second and better solution, therefore, is to use alternative
sources of energy to meet future needs. The current leading alternatives to fossil fuels
are solar energy and fusion, which is the union of atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei.
Solar energy is directly obtained from the sun so it is easily accessible and pollution-free.
It can be used both to heat water and buildings and to generate electricity but mostly in
countries that have ample sunlight. Fusion, on the other hand, will make it possible for
nuclear power plants to generate enormous amounts of energy in order to meet the
energy needs of the planet indefinitely. In addition, despite public concern about safety
and risk of contamination, fusion is a safe and clean source of energy as modern power
plants take strict safety measures to prevent potential nuclear disasters and leaks. In
conclusion, in order to have sufficient energy for the next century, it will be necessary to
develop and encourage the use of alternative energy sources worldwide.
Exercise:

 Read the text and answer the questions below:

Deforestation is a serious problem because forests and trees aren’t just pretty to look
at, they do an important job making the earth’s envrionment suitable for life. They clean
the air, store water, preserve soil, and provide homes for animals. They also supply food,
fuel, wood products, and paper products for humans. In the past fifty years, more than
half of the world’s rainforests have been destroyed. Today, the forest of the world are
being cut down at a rate of fifty acres every minute! Scientists say that if deforestation
continues, the world’s climate may change, floods may become more common, and
animals will die.

One solution to the problem of deforestation is to use less paper. If you use less paper,
fewer trees will be cut for paper making. How can you use less paper? One answer is to
reduce your paper use by using both sides of the paper when you photocopy, write a
leer, or write an essay. A second answer is to reuse old paper when you can, rather than
using a new sheet of paper. The backs of old envelopes are perfect for shopping lists or
phone messages, and when you write a rough draft of an essay, write it on the back of
something else. A final answer is to recycle used paper products instead of throwing
them away. Most schools, offices, and districts have some kind of recycling center. If you
follow the three RS – reduce, reuse, and recycle – you can help save the world’s forests.

1. How is the first paragraph developed?

2. What are the supporting ideas?

3. What do the supporting ideas show?

4. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
5. What is the topic sentence?
6. What solution does the writer offer? What details support or explain the
solution?
7. Is there a concluding sentence in the first paragraph? In the second paragraph?