Chapter 16 - Problem-Solution Essays
From complaint to proposal: teaching students to solve, not just describe
The gap this chapter addresses
Problem-solution writing asks students to think like someone with agency rather than someone venting. The shift from 'this is bad' to 'here is what should change, specifically' is the entire teaching task.
The Who-What-When test is the single most powerful tool here - vague solutions fail it immediately.
Additional activities for Chapter 16
Activity A15-20 min
Who-What-When Test Drill. For five vague solution sentences ('the school should help'), students revise each to pass the Who-What-When test, naming a specific actor, action, and timeframe.
Activity B15-20 min
Complaint-to-Proposal Rewrite. Students take a genuine complaint they have (about school, their neighbourhood, an app) and rewrite it as a one-paragraph proposal with a specific, testable solution.
Further resources
GenAlphaWrite Companion Website
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writealpha.com
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© Dr. Saad Torki
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Last update: 10 July 2026