Chopping an onion can be made easier with the following steps:
1. Start by cutting off the stem end of the onion, leaving the root end intact. Peel off the papery outer layers of the onion and discard.
2. Cut the onion in half from top to bottom, through the root end.
3. Lay one half of the onion cut-side down on the cutting board. Cut off the root end of the onion, being careful to keep the layers intact.
4. Make vertical cuts from the top of the onion towards the cutting board, but not all the way through to the root end. The closer together the cuts, the smaller the resulting pieces of onion will be.
5. Make horizontal cuts across the onion, again being careful not to cut all the way through to the root end.
6. Finally, chop the onion by making downward cuts through the onion, using a rocking motion with your knife. The size of the pieces will depend on how finely you chop the onion.
Repeat with the other half of the onion. Be sure to use a sharp knife to make clean cuts and minimize tearing.