To start essay: Introduction
It is often said that …
….is a hotly-debated topic that often divides opinion.
….is a topic that is often discussed but rarely solved.
Many people feel that …
We live in an age when many of us are…
More and more families/people are choosing to …
The trend nowadays is towards +ing
Over the past/last ten years or so, …
Recent research indicates that the number of …is increasing.
Statistics indicate that—
Hardly a week goes by without another report of .. appearing in the media. This raises the issue of whether ……………..
Although most people would generally agree that …………… few