when to use a counter argument in an essay

Consider the following thesis for a short paper that analyzes different approaches to stopping climate change:

Climate activism that focuses on personal actions such as recycling obscures the need for systemic change that will be required to slow carbon emissions.

The author of this thesis is promising to make the case that personal actions not only will not solve the climate problem but may actually make the problem more difficult to solve. In order to make a convincing argument, the author will need to consider how thoughtful people might disagree with this claim. In this case, the author might anticipate the following counterarguments:

• By encouraging personal actions, climate activists may raise awareness of the problem and encourage people to support larger systemic change.  
• Personal actions on a global level would actually make a difference.  
• Personal actions may not make a difference, but they will not obscure the need for systemic solutions.  
• Personal actions cannot be put into one category and must be differentiated.

In order to make a convincing argument, the author of this essay may need to address these potential counterarguments. But you don’t need to address every possible counterargument. Rather, you should engage counterarguments when doing so allows you to strengthen your own argument by explaining how it holds up in relation to other arguments. 

How to address counterarguments 

Once you have considered the potential counterarguments, you will need to figure out how to address them in your essay. In general, to address a counterargument, you’ll need to take the following steps.

• State the counterargument and explain why a reasonable reader could raise that counterargument.  
• Counter the counterargument. How you grapple with a counterargument will depend on what you think it means for your argument. You may explain why your argument is still convincing, even in light of this other position. You may point to a flaw in the counterargument. You may concede that the counterargument gets something right but then explain why it does not undermine your argument. You may explain why the counterargument is not relevant. You may refine your own argument in response to the counterargument.  
• Consider the language you are using to address the counterargument. Words like but or however signal to the reader that you are refuting the counterargument. Words like nevertheless or still signal to the reader that your argument is not diminished by the counterargument. 

Here’s an example of a paragraph in which a counterargument is raised and addressed.

Image version

The two steps are marked with counterargument and “counter” to the counterargument: COUNTERARGUMENT/ But some experts argue that it’s important for individuals to take action to mitigate climate change. In “All That Performative Environmentalism Adds Up,” Annie Lowery argues that personal actions to fight climate change, such as reducing household trash or installing solar panels, matter because change in social behavior can lead to changes in laws. [1]  

COUNTER TO THE COUNTERARGUMENT/ While Lowery may be correct that individual actions can lead to collective action, this focus on individual action can allow corporations to receive positive publicity while continuing to burn fossil fuels at dangerous rates.

Where to address counterarguments 

There is no one right place for a counterargument—where you raise a particular counterargument will depend on how it fits in with the rest of your argument. The most common spots are the following:

• Before your conclusion This is a common and effective spot for a counterargument because it’s a chance to address anything that you think a reader might still be concerned about after you’ve made your main argument. Don’t put a counterargument in your conclusion, however. At that point, you won’t have the space to address it, and readers may come away confused—or less convinced by your argument.
• Before your thesis Often, your thesis will actually be a counterargument to someone else’s argument. In other words, you will be making your argument because someone else has made an argument that you disagree with. In those cases, you may want to offer that counterargument before you state your thesis to show your readers what’s at stake—someone else has made an unconvincing argument, and you are now going to make a better one. 
• After your introduction In some cases, you may want to respond to a counterargument early in your essay, before you get too far into your argument. This is a good option when you think readers may need to understand why the counterargument is not as strong as your argument before you can even launch your own ideas. You might do this in the paragraph right after your thesis. 
• Anywhere that makes sense  As you draft an essay, you should always keep your readers in mind and think about where a thoughtful reader might disagree with you or raise an objection to an assertion or interpretation of evidence that you are offering. In those spots, you can introduce that potential objection and explain why it does not change your argument. If you think it does affect your argument, you can acknowledge that and explain why your argument is still strong.

[1] Annie Lowery, “All that Performative Environmentalism Adds Up.” The Atlantic . August 31, 2020. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/your-tote-bag-can-mak…

• picture_as_pdf Counterargument

How to Write a Counter Argument (Step-by-Step Guide)

Have you been asked to include a counter argument in an essay you are writing? Unless you are already an experienced essay writer, you may have no idea where to even start. We're here to help you tackle your counter argument like a pro.

What Is a Counter Argument?

A counter argument is precisely what it sounds like — an argument that offers reasons to disagree with an essay's thesis statement. As you are writing your essay, you will likely pen multiple supporting arguments that outline precisely why readers should logically agree with the thesis. In a counter argument paragraph, you show that you also understand common reasons to believe differently.

In any given essay, you may write one or more counter arguments — and then, frequently, immediately refute them. Whether you are required to include a counter argument or you simply want to, always include:

• A simple statement explaining the counter argument. As it will likely follow paragraphs in which you fleshed out your argument, this can start with words like "Some people are concerned that", or "critics say", or "On the other hand".
• Then include further reasoning, data, or statistics.
• Following this, you will want to discredit the counter argument immediately.

Why Include a Counter Argument?

Including a counter argument (or multiple, for that matter) in an essay may be required, but even in cases where it is not, mentioning at least one counter argument can make your essay much stronger. You may, at first glance, believe that you are undermining yourself and contradicting your thesis statement. That's not true at all. By including a counter argument in your essay, you show that:

• You have done your research and are intimately familiar with each aspect of your thesis, including opposition to it.
• You have arrived at your conclusion through the power of reason, and without undue bias.
• You do not only blindly support your thesis, but can also deal with opposition to it.

In doing so, your essay will become much more reasoned and logical, and in practical terms, this likely means that you can count on a higher grade.

How To Write a Counter Argument (Step-by-Step Guide)

You have been laboring over your essay for a while, carefully researching each aspect of your thesis and making strong arguments that aim to persuade the reader that your view is the correct one — or at least that you are a solid writer who understands the subject matter and deserves a good grade for your efforts.

If you are passionate about the topic in question, it can be hard to decide how to incorporate a counter argument. Here's how to do it, step-by-step:

1. Brainstorm

You have already researched your topic, so you know on what grounds people most frequently oppose your argument. Write them down. Pick one, or a few, that you consider to be important and interesting. Formulate the counter argument as if you were on the opposing side.

2. Making the Transition

Your counter argument paragraph or paragraphs differ from the rest of your essay, so you will want to introduce a counter argument with a transition. Common ways to do this are to introduce your counter argument with phrases like:

• Admittedly, conversely, however, nevertheless, or although.
• Opponents would argue that...
• Common concerns with this position are...
• Critics say that...

3. Offering Evidence

Flesh the counter argument out by offering evidence — of the fact that people hold that position (where possible, quote a well-known opponent), as well as reasons why. Word your counter argument in such a way that makes it clear that you have carefully considered the position, and are not simply belittling it. This portion of your counter argument will require doing additional research in most cases.

4. Refute the Counter Argument

You are still arguing in favor of your main thesis. You will, therefore, not just want to describe the opposing side and leave it at that — you will also thoughtfully want to show why the opposing argument is not valid, in your opinion, and you will want to include evidence here, as well.

5. Restate Your Argument

After refuting your counter argument, you can go ahead and restate your argument. Why should people believe what you have to say, despite any opposition?

How To Write A Good Counter Argument

As you're writing a counter argument, you might run into some difficulties if you fervently believe in the truth of your argument. Indeed, in some cases, your argument may appear to you to be so obvious that you don't understand why anyone could think differently.

To help you write a good counter argument, keep in mind that:

• You should never caricature the opposing viewpoint. Show that you deeply understand it, instead.
• To do this, it helps if you validate legitimate concerns you find in an opponent's point of view.
• This may require quite a bit of research, including getting into the opposing side's mindset.
• Refute your counter argument with compassion, and not smugly.

Examples of Counter Arguments with Refutation

Still not sure? No worries; we have you covered. Take a look at these examples:

• Many people have argued that a vaccine mandate would strip people of their individual liberties by forcing them to inject foreign substances into their bodies. While this is, in a sense, true, the option of remaining unvaccinated likewise forces other people to be exposed to this virus; thereby potentially stripping them of the most important liberty of all — the liberty to stay alive.
• The concern has been raised that the death penalty could irreversibly strip innocent people of their lives. The answer to this problem lies in raising the bar for death penalty sentences by limiting them to only those cases in which no question whatsoever exists that the convicted party was truly guilty. Modern forensic science has made this infinitely easier.

In short, you'll want to acknowledge that other arguments exist, and then refute them. The tone in which you do so depends on your goal.

What is a counter argument in a thesis?

A counter argument is one that supports the opposing side. In an essay, it shows that you understand other viewpoints, have considered them, and ultimately dismissed them.

Where do I place the counter argument in an essay?

Place the counter argument after your main supporting arguments.

How long should the counter argument be?

It may be a single paragraph or multiple, depending on how important you believe the counter argument to be and the length of the essay.

What is the difference between a counter argument and a rebuttal?

A counter argument describes the opposing side in some detail before it is refuted. In a rebuttal, you may simply oppose the opposition.

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When should I make a counter-argument?

Apr 18, 2019

This post will clarify what I mean when I advise band 6.5 candidates to ‘discuss both sides’, and help you to understand when and where to write a counter-argument.

I often find my advice about ‘discussing both sides’ being misunderstood or misinterpreted. Some people mistakenly believe that when I say that ‘ you must always discuss both sides of the question ‘ that this means ‘ You must always give a counter-argument .’ This is not at all what I mean, especially as I know that the latter  can  be bad advice for people stuck at band 6.5 in writing.

In writing task 2, we can a lways talk about ‘ two sides ‘ of the question, but t here are times when  it is not a good idea to write a whole parag raph presenting a counter-argument .   To understand this, let us begin by understanding the key terms we are using.

Understanding the terms

1  what is ‘a side’.

The word ‘side’ has several different meanings in English. The image below, from the Cambridge online dictionary, shows the two most relevant meanings here.

As you can see, the word  ‘side’ does not always mean ‘opinion.’   It can be used to refer to ‘one opinion’ in an argument  but it can also be used to mean ‘ one part ‘ of an issue. We can only understand the precise meaning of a word from the context it is being used in.  So, only when I am talking about a question with two opinions, should you interpret ‘both sides’ to mean ‘both opinions.’

2  What is a ‘counter-argument’

To fully understand what a ‘counter-argument’ is we need to also understand the verb ‘to counter’:

So, a ‘counter-argument’ is an argument made ‘against’ an opinion. The main problems arise when this idea is mistakenly interpreted as:

  ‘I must always write a paragraph that argues against the opinion in the question.’

In my experience, this mistaken belief stops many people from reaching band 7 because they often alter the question or task in some way in order to force what they see as a ‘counter-argument’ into their answer, no matter what the question asks.

Consider this question from Cambridge test book 10:

‘ Countries are becoming more and more similar because people are able to buy the same products everywhere in the world. Do you think this is a positive or a negative development ?”

As you can see, there is no clear ‘opinion’ in the first statement, so candidates who mistakenly believe that they must always write a paragraph that gives a counter-argument will struggle here. Remember, you must be able to show ‘flexibility’ in your writing – this means reacting and responding to the very specific task you are given. The two ‘sides’ of this issue that need to be discussed are whether this is 1) a negative development or 2) a positive development.

Let us try to interpret this idea of ‘discussing both sides’ in the context of more essay questions.

What  do you  mean by ‘the different sides’ to a question?

Writing task 2 can take several different forms. There may be one view, or there may be two views on an issue. There may be extra information included in the question to give you a clear context for the issue you need to discuss (and to make sure you fully understand it). There may be a description of an issue or of a development. These prompts are followed by one or two questions such as ‘To What extent do you agree or disagree?’; ‘Discuss the advantages and disadvantages / problems and solutions etc.’;  ‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion.’ ; Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?”

The Task response descriptor tells us that band 6 candidates ‘address all parts of the task although some parts may be more fully covered than others .’ This is not a problem at band 7. So, if you want to score band 7, you MUST cover all parts of the question equally. This is what I mean when I refer to ‘discussing both sides’ of the question. If you have read Chapter 7 of The Key to IELTS Success , you will know why so many people follow bad advice and ignore parts of the question altogether.

Your argument must represent a balanced discussion of the issue like this:

Not an unbalanced one like this:

This means that, if you are given two differing opinions and asked to ‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion,’ you must discuss both opinions equally . In this case, Side A = one argument and Side B = the counter-argument you are given.

Similarly, if you are asked to say whether an issue ‘has more benefits than problems’, then Side A = the benefits and Side B = the problems. If you are asked whether the topic ‘is a positive or a negative development’  then Side A = the positives  and Side B = the negatives and so on.

The main problems seem to arise with questions where you are given one viewpoint and asked, ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?’  The two ‘sides’ of a question like this will always depend on 1) the issue raised and 2) your own views on it. However, your language ability also plays a part in how you respond. Band 9 candidates (and the invisible band 10 writers I sometimes refer to) are capable of responding to these questions in a very subtle and skilful way,  which creates problems for the candidates at band 6 and below who try to emulate it. For example, the higher level candidates are able to explain their complete agreement on an issue in a way that is not at all repetitive. At the end of their essay, they may also refer to a possible counter-argument, without discussing it in detail but also without making their position confusing or unclear. Examples like this can be found in Practice test book 10 on pages 162 and 166. Such examples are very difficult for candidates at band 6 and below to learn from.

So, how should I respond if I am band 6 and aiming for band 7?

This is my advice for candidates aiming for band 7:  For questions where you are given one viewpoint and asked ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?’ (or in GT, ‘Do you agree or disagree?’) I always give the advice to ‘discuss both sides.’ This helps band 6 candidates to avoid writing in a repetitive way.  What these ‘2 sides’ are will depend on your views and the issue you are given. Often, there are two clear ‘sides’ within the question. Look at the following example:

“ In many places, new homes are needed, but the only space available for building them is in the countryside. Some people believe it is more important to protect the countryside and not build new homes there. To what extent do you agree or disagree ?”

There are 2 clear sides to this issue: Side  A =  building houses in the countryside Side  B  = protecting the countryside and not building there.  In organising your answer this way you will ‘discuss both sides’ of the issue while also (hopefully) making your complete agreement or disagreement clear.  You can also apply the same balanced discussion of the two ‘sides’ if you neither completely agree nor completely disagree.

The ‘two sides’ are less clear in a question like this:

‘ Some people say that it is possible to tell a lot about a person’s culture and character from their choice of clothes. Do you agree or disagree?”

For a question like this, a band 8 or 9 candidate can easily argue that they completely agree ( or completely disagree) and explain exactly why. For a band 6.5 candidate trying to reach band 7, this is not so easy; often they will simply repeat the same ideas in both body paragraphs and so remain stuck at band 6.5.

An easy way to see the ‘other side’ of an issue is to think of the opposite . In this case: Side A = You can tell a lot about a person from their clothes and Side B = You cannot tell a lot about a person from their clothes. This immediately gives you two clear main ideas for each body paragraph and helps to make your essay less repetitive.

In my experience, when band 6.5 candidates follow the advice to ‘ always give a counter-argument, ‘ they tend to interpret this in a very narrow way as Side A = I completely agree  Side B = I completely disagree. This creates problems that keep them stuck at band 6.5.  Instead, look for ‘ the other side ‘ of the issue or argument by considering the ‘opposite’ – this can help you to write in a way that is balanced but not repetitive and yet still make your position very clear throughout.

When should I write a counter-argument?

For me, a counter-argument is most appropriate in the following situations:

• When you are given a view that you completely disagree with.  (Side A = the view in the question Side B = your counter-argument.)
• When you are given an argument and a counter-argument and asked to discuss them both (Side A = one argument, Side B = the counter-argument)
• you feel confident that you can write only  about your agreement without repeating your ideas , and
• you are a confident band 8 or 9 candidate and want to show that you have considered both sides , and
• you are confident that you have the language skills to mention a logical counter-argument   without making your overall position unclear .

Learn more about different types of questions in The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS

Learn how to write a band 7+ essay in my new book:   The Key to IELTS Writing Task 2

Once you understand how to answer, you need to build the right language so that you can write confidently about any topic., learn the right vocabulary for bands 7 and above with my ielts vocabulary books….

…and my  IELTS Vocabulary teaching apps

170 Comments

Couldn’t be clearer, thanks for taking the time to do this.

Thanks, Behrooz! I really appreciate your support, as always.

Hi Ms. Cullen, thank you very much, so writing about both sides doesn’t necessarily mean writing a counterargument?

That’s right. Let me know if there is anything in the post that you can’t understand -it’s a very complex issue and difficult to make clear.

This is great, thank you always Pauline

Hi Pauline, thank you very much, your site has a problem, I tried a lot. So I can achieve 7 without counter argument?

This happens when I write a new post on a very popular topic. You should be able to access it now.

Thank you. I got 6.5 in writing and I need 7, can I get 7 with balanced view or I should always write strong view?

Hi Negin, read The Key to IELTS Success to answer that – it’s my free book and there is a link at the bottom of this post.

Hi pauline, thank you very much, I tought when I write counter, it helps my score, it is not right?

Hi Maryam, if you read the post all the way through you will see at the end the only times when a counter-argument will help your score.

?? can I write a middle view in an opinion essay?

I did mention this in the post. As I have always said, write about what you actually think and feel – if you believe in a middle view, then explain it.

But my teacher say middle view is not clear, for 7 you should have strong view

I can’t answer for your teacher or for why your teacher believes that. I can only answer for myself. If you believe that both sides have their merits, and you are able to make this clear, then this is a strong view. If you believe that, but then force yourself to lie (and condemn a viewpoint that you actually support) then I don’t believe you will succeed in making your position clear. It’s more than likely that your argument against something you partly agree with will be confusing and unconvincing. Write what you think and feel.

Thank you so much, this is a relief because it is easier to write about other side than counter argument

Thank you for your writing, it is very helpful

Hi pauline,

Could you please cite examples for the post you have shared on counter agreement .This will help in understanding the main idea easily.I shall be thankful to you.

I’m not sure what you mean by citing examples? I did give page references for some example materials. What sort of information are you looking for?

This is fabulous thank you ☺️

Thanks, Ehsan!

Thanks pauline, this is awesome. My question is about a discussion question (discuss both these views), when I agree with one opinion/side completely, should I show my disagreement with the other opinion when I represent it, or should I present both opinions fairly without taking one side in the body paragraphs and say my opinion in the conclusion. In that case how can I have a clear position throughout?

You can still show your lack of agreement while discussing an issue – in fact, this is exactly what is meant by ‘making your position clear throughout’. Even when you are discussing a view that you disagree with, we should know that you disagree with it because of the language you use. Reread the chapters on Grammar, vocabulary and on Task 2 in The Key to IELTS Success to see how to do this.

Also, N.D, if you read chapter 7 of The Key to IELTS Success you will see why every task 2 question should be seen as both ”a discussion and an opinion essay” – these ‘types’ actually have no meaning in IELTS.

Thanks Ms. Cullen. It was very clear and thorough, like always. I think the gist of all your posts is: “Be yourself, write about the raised question” I always try to answer the question in a way that a friend of mine is asking about that issue; Simple and Precise.

Yes, that’s exactly right 🙂

Thank you Pauline, can you send the download link to your free book?

The link is at the bottom of the post.

thank you pauline, I tried many many times but it says invalid download link, can I download it from somewhere else? also there’s something wrong with your website, I couldn’t reach it for 2 hours

When there is a lot of traffic I’m afraid this happens.

Hi Pauline, thank you very much for your valuable information. I have a question when the question is cause and solution, my causes and solutions should be related?

Thats’ a good question! Yes, the ‘solutions’ must be linked to the ‘problems’ you have outlined. If they weren’t, your ideas would not be logically connected and your argument would not develop.

Dear Pauline! First of all thanks a lot for your valuable advice for us 6.5 “stuckers”. My question is if we are asked to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of ,say, advertisements then can make one paragraph for advantage side, one for disadvantage and one for our opinion like how to regulate them etc? It is is better to mention our opinion in the conclusion breafly? Thanks in advance!

What you are describing would be a plan for an essay that has 2 questions (e.g. What are the advantages and disadvantages? What is the best way to regulate them?) In which case, yes, your plan is the same as I would use.

Many thanks for the clarity on this. Your books and apps are really helpful. Now, I can easily recall vocab while writing and speaking. I cannot wait for your book on writing.

That’s great to hear, Ashish

Hi Pauline, After reading and understanding this post and your book The Key to IELTS Success I have produced an essay. Kindly provide feedback on the second body paragraph whether it makes sense in regards to counter-argument or not. I’m posting the whole essay as I don’t think the only paragraph in isolation would make sense. Thanks for your generosity. Some people say it is important to keep your home and your workplace tidy, with everything organized and in the correct place. What is your opinion about this? Having a place for everything and keeping them on their designated places are keys to efficient management. Those who value these skills manage to utilize their time in appropriately, whereas others being disorganized waste their time and energy. Organizing your belongings is important, be it your home or office. It gives us an opportunity to utilize our time diligently rather than wasting on finding things which might be lost due to untidiness. If we know exactly where our things are, we can locate them easily without squandering time. Consequently, an organized and neat workplace provides peace of mind which ultimately extracts the best out of us, and we manage to make better decisions. Additionally, when we organize our important things, we also separate the stuff which is not in use anymore, hence it can either be discarded or recycled. In either way it reduces our burden of handling unnecessary items thereby reducing our workload. On the other hand, people leave things haphazardly as they think keeping them in order is just a waste of time. They are reluctant to clean their surroundings, as they believe it is a never ending process, and they will be messy again, somehow. They do not realize that a little time spent on organizing them could save their precious hours of finding things in an otherwise dirty and unsystematic place. Such disorientation could lead to wastage of both time and energy, ultimately preventing people to excel in their endeavors. In conclusion, organizing and managing our homes and workplaces, and keeping them clean are of uttermost importance as they save time and energy, and help us to give our best towards things which matter the most. Although it’s a cyclic process, it ultimately leads to efficient and smart working.

Hi Hamza, I don’t have time ti give detailed feedback at the moment. Your main problem here is that you do not make it clear when you are giving your own opinion. Your ideas are good and your counter argument is handled very well, but we need to know what you consider fact and what is your opinion. E.g, it would be better to being the second sentence of your introduction with: “In my view…’ Similarly with the conclusion, tell us what you think – after all, this is what the question has asked you for. In terms of language, your have used some very nice language, though there are errors: “Having a place for everything and keeping everything in ITS designated place…’ ‘rather than wasting IT on…’ ‘could save THEM precious hours’ ‘preventing people FROM excelLING..’ ‘disorientation’ doesn’t work here (confusion would be better) and ‘wastage’ is not a word that we use with time – we would say ‘waste of time and energy’. Again, to make your opinion clear, it would be better to say: ‘ In fact, I believe that working surrounded by such confusion can cause people to waste time and energy…’

Ma’am you have pointed out some very technical issues of mine. I will definitely work on them. Maybe these are the little but critical issues which are keeping me away from band 7. Thank you very much.

Not answering the very specific question you’re given is the main thing that will keep you below band 7. Always focus on that and keep going back to the question to check you ARE answering it.

Many thanks

Hi Pauline, Could you please also explain how to handle the language of low certainty. I’ve heard that, in discus both views or to what extent essays, if a candidate wants to present a counter argument then he or she needs to use various degrees of certainty and present information from “other people’s point of view” with phrases like: it seems, some people believe that, it seems to be the case and etc. Whereas your own position must be clear and presented with “however, from my point of view”. How far do you agree with that? Could you please tell us more? Unfortunately, I can’t find trustworthy source of how to present info. Apparently, you can also make a mistake by presenting info as a fact. Thank you so much for your help!

I am dealing with this in my next book (which will not be ready for a few months). Until then, read the grammar chapter of The Key to IELTS Success – I do deal with this there.

Thank you Pauline. You are the best!

Hi Pauline, thank you for the great thing you are doing online for many people. I read this essay and your feedback, I understand that your feedback is not detailed but you said that the counter argument here is handled well, don’t you think this essay lacks progression, maybe because same ideas are repeated in both paragraphs? The first body paragraphs says “It gives us an opportunity to utilize our time diligently rather than wasting on finding things”, and repeats this same idea for 5 or 6 more lines. The second paragraphs is also mainly about saving time: “They do not realize that a little time spent on organizing them could save their precious hours of finding things”. So I think one of the reasons this essay is not a 7 is because there is no progression throughout, am I right in thinking that?

Hi Naser, you have identified the main idea in both paragraphs, which is exactly what you should be able to do as a reader. The rest of the paragraph explains and supports this main idea. I don’t see any repetition here. The progression comes from making a point and developing the argument so that the reader fully understands the point and can be persuaded about the argument. AS you said, I don’t have time for detailed feedback at the moment.

Thank you Pauline, but in your previous post you wrote that when we have only one idea, it usually leads to repetition, and the problem is that the main idea in both paragraphs is the same, you can save time if you are tidy and organized, isn’t it?

Again, I don’t have time to give detailed feedback and I don’t agree that the paragraphs have the same main idea.

Hi Pauline, I read this reply. So can you please explain how progression in CC is different from development in TR?

There is overlap between the two and I think TR and CC are more connected than people realise. TR is looking at how all of your ideas work together to create your answer overall while CC looks at how you organise, connect and explain those ideas within your essay.

Thanks Paulin The argument on the difference between a “counter-argument” and “both sides” was not clear to me. Am I right if I interpret that counter-argument means just writing about a view without giving my own opinion, while “both sides” means giving my view on both sides?

A counter-argument is an argument against what you believe. It isn’t connected to giving your own opinion. It is just showing you understand the argument of the people who hold an opposite view. You may disagree with neither (i.e. the argument on one wise and its counter-argument.) Interpret ‘both sides’ as discussing everthing in the question equally.

Hi Pauline, I have read it on your blog that when he question asks whether it is a positive or negative development we should talk about both the positives and the negatives of something. I took the IELTS test today and the question was about shops being open late and whether this a positive or negative development for shoppers and the local community. (I know you don’t share recent exam questions so I expect that you might edit it (PC – I did!), I have read all your posts and books about writing, but I wasn’t sure how to answer this question, according to what you said I need to talk about both positives and negatives, I should also talk about both shoppers and the local community. This means positives and negatives for shoppers, and positives and negatives for the community, which makes the essay very long. Can you please tell me if there is another way I can answer this question? Thank you so much.

Hi Mehrdad, the 2 sides of this question are ‘the shoppers’ and ‘the local community’. If you can see only positives for both, then you only need to write about those. If you can see negatives, then discuss those too. As I explained in the above post, a band 8 -9 candidate will mention the possible negatives even if they believe there are only positives (and vice versa), but this does not need to be discussed at length. TO answer it, think about your local community and local shops – do they benefit from shops being open late at night? How? (think of the convenience etc.) if not, why not? (think of noise at night etc). Does this helP?

Thanks a lot Pauline, it was very helpful

Hi Pauline, To ensure that we have understood the issue completely, we need to look into it from all sides, exploring it essentially. I do write only 4 paragraphs for my essays (Intro, 2 BPs, Conclusion). With this approach, considering that there should be only one idea to focus on in a single paragraph, if my second Body Para is for the opposing side (=the side I disagree with, and find reasons for its rebuttal). This limits my ideas for each paragraph for the side I agree with.(First BP) This would mean that if I fully develop my argument in the first BP, thats going to be more than enough for the sake of word count and the development of argument, which would not allow me to write on many reasons (if I have more than one).

Do you think I am looking at it too mechanically in this way??

Hi, the issue here is that you are trying to be as inflexible as possible, but the test requires you to be flexible. By this I mean that you appear to be trying to find one single rule that can be applied to all writing task questions. There is only one ‘rule’ that can and does apply to all, and I explained what this is in chapter 7 of The Key to IELTS Success. To show the problems in your thinking, below I have added comments or questions in response to your ‘plan’:

1) ‘ considering that there should be only one idea to focus on in a single paragraph ‘ My comment: To clarify, there should be one MAIN idea. This is not the same as one idea.

2) ‘ if my second Body Para is for the opposing side (=the side I disagree with, and find reasons for its rebuttal). This limits my ideas for each paragraph for the side I agree with .(First BP)’ My comment: I don’t understand why the contents of your second paragraph will limit what you write in your first paragraph, or how you can generalise about this without seeing a question. Creating a ‘rule’ like this means you cannot respond to each individual question in an individual way.

3) This would mean that My comment: Your conclusion here is based on the assumption that the previous statement is true – which it isn’t.

4) ‘ if I fully develop my argument in the first BP My comment: your argument develops over the entire essay – your rebuttal of a point IS a part of your argument.

5)’ thats going to be more than enough for the sake of word count and the development of argument, which would not allow me to write on many reasons (if I have more than one). My comment:Again, this conclusion follows on from the previous limitations you have set, which will not be ‘true’ for every essay question.

You may not be aware of it, but you have presented an argument here which echoes the most common problems in the arguments I find in essays, and which make conclusions unclear. I am writing about this very topic at the moment in The Key to IELTS Writing Workbook – before you ask, it will not be ready for several more months. For the moment, don’t try to limit your planning, respond naturally to each writing task.

Thank you for the detailed response. Allow me to explain what leads me to this thinking. Consider this that I have read your book and your posts as well. The reason for this inflexibility is following:

• I have a habit of producing 4 paragraphs (self-imposed)> the reason of this inflexible approach is that I believe most of the essays can get their job done, if written effectively, in 4 paragraphs, otherwise, and I have felt this while practicing, I wonder around the ideas just to fill the body paragraphs somewhere in my mind not sure on the number of paragraphs (an added burden to think of). While staying with the 2 Body paragraphs ensures that I stay on topic and fully develop my arguments.

I know that all of your advice is about flexibility and spontaneity and being natural on the test day breaking free any rules, structures, and ready-made approaches, may be it is the lack of confidence in my own writing that I fall for these limitations.

I agree that 4 paragraphs should be sufficient in many essays – I use the same approach myself in that I plan my ideas to fit into those two main paragraphs. Try to see it this way and not the other way around. Having said this, there are questions where 3 body paragraphs may be better – for example when you are asked 2 questions.

Great. One more thing, I was preparing for the GRE some time ago, and I felt it has the Analytical Writing Assessment – Issue Essay which is very similar to the IELTS WT2. Do you think reading those sample essays would be useful for general understanding of how to frame your arguments and the approach? The IELTS has very few authentic samples written by examiners.

I don’t know that exam so it would completely depend on 1) the criteria used to assess writing in it 2) the style of questions and 3) the writing skills of the people writing the samples. My writing workbook will have lost of samples.

Thank you ❤️

Hi Pauline, I have a question about this topic from cambridge books. Please help me because I really can’t find a solution. ‘Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.’ I really can’t understand the first view in the question and why some people should believe it is better to accept a bad situation than to try and improve. Why do you think some people might think this? I’m really desperate for need, thank you so much Pauline.

Can you tell me which book it is from?

Hi, I saw it in my school library. It was either book 12 or 14.

It was actually book 14 Academic.

Can you please help me?

I am confused about which of the above comments are yours.

I’m sorry for the trouble. I didn’t know I need to write my name, the comments are all mine, the question is from book 14, test 1. Thank you for your help.

Ok, I just thought I was getting messages from 2 different people! 🙂 To answer your question, you need to either think about people you know or put yourself in the position of someone who has this issue. It can be difficult if you have never had a job yourself, but think about all of the people in your family – I am sure someone you know has held a job that they did not enjoy or that was unsatisfactory – why do you think they accepted this? Perhaps they accepted it for a while until they could change their job? Perhaps they really needed the money or there was a shortage of good jobs? Or perhaps they were studying and so needed extra money until they could graduate and get a better job? I am sure If you think about it, you can think of people like that and the reasons they perhaps needed to accept something. If not, then you are completely disagreeing with the first view, and you just need to explain why it is never ok to accept a bad situation.

Thank you so much Pauline, the problem with the question is that it does NOT say that it is better to accept a bad situation FOR A WHILE or that accepting a bad situation is the first step in order to improve, it simply says that it is better to accept a bad situation and this is hard to argue for (because the question has asked us to discuss both views). To me the only reason people may think it is better to accept a bad situation is because they are not willing to risk the little things that they have and are afraid to lose what they have, which may not be much. Do you think my line of argument makes any sense?

Yes, this is exactly the type of explanation that you must provide. Why you think this would be wrong?

Thank you Pauline, I’ve been checking the website for the past several days, I assume you are very busy, thank you for answering my question. Honestly, the main reason for my confusion is the sample answer at the back of the book that has received a 7. It generally says that people need to first accept a bad situation in order to improve. To me it sounds like the argument for the other side that says it is better to improve a bad situation instead of accepting it.

Yes, I am travelling for work at the moment and preparing for a conference talk. I think the issue here is that you are trying to fond one answer from a single sample answer – even if that answer was a band 9, it would still only show you one person’s way of answering – no single answer can show you more than that. It isn’t possible to show every way of answering, because your answer will always be personal to you. My question is why you think your plan / ideas are ‘wrong’ – what do you think the problem is? I am asking this to try to understand your area of doubt.

Hi Pauline, I have a question about the band descriptors for task 2. In the descriptors for band 7 it is written that supporting ideas may lack focus, what does it mean by supporting ideas, and more importantly what does lack focus mean? Can you give an example to help me understand it better? I really appreciate your help.

Have you read my free book, The Key to IELTS Success? I do try to explain this in chapter 7 with examples. A lack of focus often means the candidate is using examples (often learned) that are not related to the question or the main idea in the paragraph.

Thank you for the response. I have read your book thoroughly and thank you for that. But my question is that when I present the main idea and then I give an example that does not help the development of my idea, is this a feature of band 5, 6 or 7? Because in band 5 it says that there may be irrelevant detail, in band 6 it says that the main idea is inadequately developed, and in band 7 it says that the supporting ideas may lack focus. So what band is it when our examples do not help the development of main ideas? Thank you again.

Hi Java What those descriptors are attempting to describe are 3 different ‘shades’ of the same issue – imagine if we represented Task response as a colour, then the deepest colour would be at band 9, and the shade of this colour would become lighter and lighter until we can barely see it by band 1. It isn’t possible to say just how the shade is acheived by each candidate, their reasons for arriving at that band will be varied (some may use irrelevant examples, some may have none etc) what matters is the extent to which their overall task response is affected (ei†her positively or negatively) – †hat is what will result in the band 6 or 7 etc. The truth is, that you cannot single out short phrases from the descriptors – they have †o be seen as working together. So, for example, with band 7, it matters that it says ‘ presents, extends and supports main ideas , but there may be a tendency to overgeneralise and/or supporting ideas may lack focus’ While a band 5 candidate ” presents some main ideas but these are limited and not sufficiently developed; there may be irrelevant detail.”

It’s also important to note that not all ‘supporting ideas’ are ‘examples’ as I pointed†ed out in chapter 7.

Task response is really assessing how all of the ideas work together to form a complete, effective response to the question. At band 5, the ideas generally don’t always work together, while at band 7, they do. Though there are still issues at band 7 that prevent these responses from reaching band 8 etc.

I hope this helps.

Perfect, Pauline ?

Thank you Pauline for your posts, can you please give us an example in which supporting ideas may lack focus? I appreciate it.

Generally this is an idea or an example which is not clearly linked to the previous ideas within the paragraph.

Hi Pauline, I’m an IELTS teacher and I have been teaching IELTS for almost 10 years. I have had this question for many years but I have never found the answer. The problem is when I’m dealing with essays that have almost no grammar mistakes, but there are serious problems with the task response and especially with the position. And I can’t say what band score the grammar is, because there is a wide range of structures and the majority of sentences are error-free except for occasional errors and according to the band descriptors the GRA should be an 8, but at the same time these grammatically accurate sentences do not help develop a position. One of my knowledgeable trainers always says that grammar and vocabulary should always be used to help develop a position. So my question is whether we should rate grammar on its own based on how grammatically correct and varied the sentences are or should we assess grammar on the basis of how much it helps the task response and the development of ideas? Thank you so much for your help.

Hi Reza, that’s a really goor question. The main issue for me would be where this band 8 level grammar comes from if the Task response and coherence and cohesion are lacking. Could you send me an example? If the band 8 grammar comes from learned patterns, showing no / little understanding of meaning, this would be a different matter to an an answer that simple misinterpret the question. In some cases, the grammar can be rewarded while the other scores are reduced, but in other cases, if a candidate is effectively saying ‘I can’t write on the topic you have given me, but I can write this’ the we cannot say that they have shown the flexibility and range required of a higher band. If you can send me an example id be happy to try and be more helpful.

Hello Pauline, I’m sorry to take up your time, I have a question about writing task 2 band descriptors. In band 4, it says that the candidate ‘responds to the task only in a minimal way or the answer is tangential’, what does it mean by a minimal way or tangential? Is it different from being off-topic? Thank you for your help.

“off-topic’ refers to some parts of the answer, while tangential describes an answer about something else completely.

Thank you, but it sounds strange, you mean if a candidate writes about a completely different topic, they can still get a 4 for task response? Also the band descriptors for band 1 says ‘answer is completely unrelated to the task’, so wouldn’t that be a 1?

Another thing is that band 4 says ‘in a minimal way’, does it mean parts of the answer is related to the question and parts of it are unrelated? Thank you.

I don’t mean the it is impossible to see any connection – tangential could be seen as related to the phrase ‘going off on a tangent’ – which means moving away from the original discussion of something. The question gives you a very specific issue to discuss, at band 4, either through misunderstanding or through an inability to discuss the issue, a candidate may aim to write 250 words but, in doing so, will move away from the original issue so much that it seems unrelated. This is not the same as, for example, writing about fashion when you are given a topic about traffic. It is closer to being given a topic about traffic but going on to write about pollutions caused by planes. It isn’t really possible to make it clear without an example.

Thank you so much, I understand. I also have a question about speaking descriptors. In speaking we have fluency and coherence and there is no mention of cohesion, can you tell me if coherence in speaking is the same as coherence in writing and why is cohesion not mentioned in the descriptors for speaking? Thank you so much.

Coherence means ‘being understood’ which applies in writing and speaking. Cohesion is the logical connecting and linking of ideas to form paragraphs – we don’t naturally speak in that way.

Dear Pauline,

You have said:

“When should I write a counter-argument?

When you are given one statement with one viewpoint that you completely agree with and… 1.you feel confident that you can write only about your agreement without repeating your ideas, and 2.you are a confident band 8 or 9 candidate and want to show that you have considered both sides, and 3.you are confident that you have the language skills to mention a logical counter-argument without making your overall position unclear.” Since I am trying to attain 7 score in writing and I prefer to avoid any risk, I am a bit confused as to whether in what cases writing a counter argument is not compulsory if the candidate is a 7 band one? As you have mentioned when it comes to the third case, which I have rewritten above, the candidates who are band 8 or 9 could write a counter-argument. Therefore, I would like to know what means the third case exactly. Would you please give some examples?

Thanks in advance, Saeed

Actually, you have changed what I said. I gave 3 separate descriptions of when it is appropriated / necessary to make a counterargument, and the third of these has these 3 bullet points. So, the 3rd point I makes is: – if you are given a question with only one viewpoint and asked ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree?” – and you completely agree with †he view in the question you could reach band 7 in TR without mentioning the counterargument

only mention the counterargument if you can make it clear that you do not agree with it.

Hi Pauline, So how about when I am given a question with only one viewpoint and I completely agree with it, is it possible to achieve an 8 or 9 without mentioning a counterargument or is counterargument a must for higher scores in these questions? Thank you.

I talk in terms of what is generally true – with skilled native speaker writers, there is always a possibility that they can break rules and still achieve the main aim of the question. If you read the bottom of the post, I give all of the times when a counterargument is used and one of these is exactly what you describe here.

Thank you very much Pauline, so is this a rule that we MUST use a counterargument in the situations that you have described at the bottom of your post in order to score 8 or above?

There is no ‘must’ (as I said in my previous answer skilled professional native speaker writers might find a way to answer without doing that) We can only generalise and state that, in general, what makes band 8 and 9 answers different is that they manage to completely agree while also making their dismissal of the counterargument clear.

Hi Pauline, Thank you for this wonderful post. I have read the samples that you have written for the topic of recycling from Cambridge book 11, in the version that you said you completely disagree, you first mentioned the reasons why people do not recycle their domestic waste (lack of time, confusion) and in the next paragraph you concluded that if these are the reasons, making it a legal requirement does not work, and instead we should make the process simpler and also educate the people. But here in the post you have said that writing a counter-argument is what candidates at bands 8 or 9 will do. The other point that has confused me is that I took the test 4 weeks ago, and before I took the test IDP arranged an online webinar with an IELTS examiner for those who had registered for the test. I asked the examiner if a counter-argument is needed for bands 8 or 9, and she said the exact words as you did, she said that it is possible to EVEN achieve a 9 without writing a counter-argument, and that candidates at band 7 do not need to do it AT ALL, but only those at bands 8 or 9 can do it well. And she also said that if candidates at lower bands attempt to do it, they may fail to do it well and this might affect their score negatively. And my last point is that one of my friends took the test with me 4 weeks ago and she scored 8 in writing, but she said that she hadn’t included a counter-argument. So my question is, as I saw in your sample and according to the examiner and also my friend, it is not necessary to include a counter-argument for band 8 when the question asks to what extent do you agree or disagree? Thanks so much for your support.

Hi Armin, I’m afraid I don’t see the problem – can you explain this sentence to me: ‘But here in the post you have said that writing a counter-argument is what candidates at bands 8 or 9 will do.” Are you saying that I didn’t give a counterargument? or that I should not have given a counterargument? I don’t understand the issue with this.

I completely. agree with what you say the examiner said to you, I have also made exactly the same points myself on many occasions. If you want to ignore the advice of the examiner, and myself, and the IDP course you took, and instead follow a comment made by someone else, that is entirely your choice. Just understand that candidates are not experts on why they achieved the score they did. People often send me writing samples and add comments in the margin saying ‘Here, in this sentence, I am giving the main idea, and here, I am adding evidence’ And I will then have to say to them that, actually, these sentences are not doing this. Your friend is giving you their own opinion about what they wrote and how they achieved their score, you are both drawing a conclusion about counterarguments from that. It is absolutely up to you if you want to do that, but my advice will continue to be the same.

Hello again, Thank you for the comment, I think you misunderstood what I meant. What I said about your recycling sample was that you haven’t included a counter-argument in the ‘I disagree’ version. I also said that the examiner said that a counter-argument is optional and we don’t have to include one for band 8 or 9. My friend who took the test also told me that she didn’t include a counter-argument in her essay but she scored an 8. So I think all these (what you have done in your sample, what the examiner said, and what my friend did in her test) show that a counter-argument is optional and not necessary even for bands 8 or 9, am I right in thinking that?

Hi Armin The only reason you can find a post about counterarguments on my website or anywhere in my books is because people outside of the test keep on bringing it up. People want to pin down writing to make it into a science, when in fact this is not possible. I talk about counterarguments not because they are essential but because someone (I do not know who) has made them into a confusing and controversial issue. This post was written because of the many questions I was being asked about it, not because I felt it was important. A counterargument is just one way of making a point, it is not always essential, but many people believe that it is and so attempt to make one in their essay. In doing so, they create problems for themselves. My problem is that, as you see here, when trying to help those who have trained themselves to think about counterarguments and to make the ideas clear, there will always be someone who tried to find an example when the advice does not fit. Writing is a skill – it is both science and art and cannot be pinned down to absolute rules. There are questions when you MUST discuss the counterargument (see the post) and there are also times when you CAN discuss a counterargument. I don’t know how to make it clearer really – the point of writing this post was to make it clear for those stuck at band 6.5 and aiming for band 7.

With the recycling model answers, I wrote those around 3 years ago and did not memorise them so I do not know whether I included a counterargument or not. Can you send me a link to the essay you are referring to?

I think I got my answer, I have also heard a lot about writing a counter-argument maybe for the reasons that you mentioned (somebody must have been looking for a short cut), so when I read your post I thought including a counter-argument must be important for the test that’s why you have written a separate post about it. But with the explanation that you gave I now understand why you have written this post. By the way, I saw the recycling model answer on your facebook page and I saved the image. I don’t have the link, but I can type it here if you want. Thanks again for clarifying the point, it was a great help.

No problem! It’s been made into a very complex issue (much more than it needs to be!) My main concern is that if I say ‘you do not need to write a counterargument’ then people will also do this ‘discuss both views’ essays, where they mustn’t just choose one side to write about. Don’t worry about the recycling essay – it may be an old version of it anyway – I was going to rewrite them at one point I’ll see if I can find the post about it.

This is the latest version of those answers: https://keytoielts.com/making-your-position-clear-throughout/

Thank you so much for your support Pauline, it means a lot to all of us candidates.

No problem 🙂

Thanks for the link Pauline.

Hi Pauline, I have a question about this topic from book 14:

‘Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.’

In this topic there are 2 examples for what it means by accepting a bad situation. Should a stick to those examples or can I think of another bad situation? If it is okay to think of another bad situation, should it be related to money like the examples or can it be for instance losing a loved one? Because in the second part of the question it says it is better to improve the bad situation, but a bad situation such as losing a loved one cannot be improved. Thank you for your support.

Hi Rima, when examples are given in a question, the aim is to help you understand exactly what is meant by ‘a bad situation.’ As with all tests, topics that are too upsetting are avoided as it can be difficult for people to write about. It is fine to come up with your own types of bad situation, but I would avoid talking about losing a loved one for the reasons I have mentioned. You could use it as just one example of a case where not all bad situations can be improved on, but I do think the question is really asking you to talk about situations where you can make the choice to act or not to act, so this would not be a main point of a paragraph.

Hi Pauline, I am an IELTS candidate from Iran, my IELTS teacher told me that recently IELTS has changed the rule for the minimum number of words and it is no longer necessary to write 250 words for task 2 or 150 words for task 1. Is this true that? Because I took the test today and in my task 2 it was written write at least 250 words. Can you tell me what the rule is? Thank you

When it is no longer written on the page, then it will be a reality. It is under discussion, I know, but I don’t know when it will be implemented. Personally, I don’t see this as a benefit for non-native speakers. It is only skilled native speakers who can generally answer fully in less than the recommended number of words. I intend to continue advising people to aim for a minimum of 250 words and not much more than 300 if possible.

Thank you, but in my test it was written ‘write at least 250 words’. So this change has not yet implemented?

Hello Pauline. I have a question about speaking, is it important that the information I give in my speaking is factually true? For example if I say that my favourite city to visit is Tokyo because of the Eiffel tower and the Pyramids. So will I lose marks for this, and if so in which speaking criteria will I lose marks? Thanks a lot.

Hi Ditri, I recommend you read the speaking chapter of The Key to IELTS Success. I talk there about the problems with giving invented information like this. You can find the link to the free book on my website.

Hi, Thanks for the reply, I have read your book and I know that you advise against inventing examples in both speaking and writing, but my question is specifically about giving information which is not factual, I don’t mean inventing examples but this could be because might not know this or might mix up information about different cities, so the question is that if this happens will the candidate lose marks, and if so in which criteria? Thank you for taking the time to help us.

The candidate wouldn’t lose marks for incorrect facts.

Hi Pauline, There is a very helpful discussion about position in your book, but after reading the writing chapter several times I still cannot fully understand the difference between a relevant position in band 6 and a clear position in band 7? In what ways are they different and what determines this difference? Thank you so much for your support.

It isn’t possible to separate out phrases – they ideas expressed work together. So, at band 7, the main difference is that the candidate ”presents a clear position throughout the response ” and band 6 candidates may state their opinion but the conclusions may become unclear or repetitive . It is the word ‘throughout’ used together with the word ‘clear’ that makes the difference.

Hi Pauline, I’ve read all your posts and they have helped me so much. I’m going to take an IELTS soon, so could you please do me a favor, giving me some comments and band scores for each of the 4 criteria on my writing below (I wrote this without timing, and lots of time proofreading it, so on test day I might perform much less than this). Thank you so much and hope to have your feedback!

“In many countries today, people in cities either live alone or in small family units, rather than in large, extended family groups. Is this a positive or negative trend?”

In many cities nowadays, families in are small, usually having only one to four people from one to two generations. This seems to be a result of modern societies where many people leave their home towns for urban areas to pursue their study or careers. Although this trend has a major benefit, I believe it is a negative development.

Perhaps the main positive side of this is that conflicts related to age gaps can be avoided. In extended families with multiple generations, habits of grandparents might be totally different from those of their grandchildren. For example, my grandfather tends to go to bed early, whereas I usually go home late and stay up until 1 am. As a result, sometimes I make noises at night and disturb his sleeps, causing us to have arguements about whether I should be at home earlier. If I stayed in a separate place, this conflict would be less likely to occur. However, despite this advantage, not being surrounded by many family members might have negative effects on individuals.

I believe the biggest impact on nuclear families is the lack of child care support. For households with children, looking after children is one of the most important tasks of their daily life. Without grandparents or relatives around, parents have to find alternative ways to take care of their children, such as sending them to day care centers or leaving them alone at home. Day care classes are expensive, while leaving children at home can limit their interaction with the outside world, and can even bring them bad habits such as video game addiction. These long-term impacts, in my opinion, far outweigh the short-term benefit discussed above.

In conclusion, while living in small families can bring some benefits, I believe this overal development is negative. Because this trend appears to be inevitable in modern life, one should adapt to it and minimize its impacts to have a more comfortable life.

Hi Cuong, I’m afraid I don’t have time to give detailed feedback on your 3 task 2s at the moment. I will try to take a look at some stage in the next few weeks.

Thank you Pauline. My test is on September 7,so I would really appreciate if you could give me some feedback whenever you can. By the way, I have only 1 writing, not 3.

My apologies, someone else also sent me 3 different versions of one essay.

Given the fact that my test date is on September 7th, after all my preparation I feel a bit confused. I am going to take a GT. I was wondering whether you could kindly see the question below and the two options and let me know if the 2nd option would be what you consider as both sides of the question?

Moreover, would you mind telling me if the 1st option is considered off-topic?

“Students from disadvantaged families and rural areas are finding it difficult to get a university education. Some people believe that universities should help them. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include examples from your experience.”

1st option :

My position: I agree with the idea that universities should help but not solely their responsibility.

Paragraph A: Why the poor students in rural areas find it difficult to obtain post-secondary education? I wrote about the reasons behind this problem.

Paragraph B: Why it should be the government and universities effective collaboration to deal with this issue? I depicted how the university and government can collaboratively tackle this problem.

2nd option:

My position: I agree these students should be helped by the universities but not solely.

Paragraph A: Why people think this is solely the universities responsibility? The reasons why people in the question think this should happen.

Paragraph B: Why this is not only the universities responsibility?

I explain why I think this responsibility should not be shouldered only by universities.

Hopefully, I could be able to hear from you sometimes this week before my exam date. Many thanks, Ali

Hi Ali, first of all, be very wary of trying to reach conclusions about IELTS using shared test questions (if that is where this question comes from). Secondly, I think your best solution is a combination of these 2 approaches – I am not sure why you think a different approach is needed for each as your overall position appears to be the same. Paragraphs A in your first approach seems a logical start, then Paragraph B of your second plan (or a combination of the two paragraph Bs) The most important point is to make your argument clearly and make it clear that you are answering the main question of ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree?” You appear to agree that something should be done but that universities alone are not responsible. I would expect to see an explanation of why you think the universities are responsible and what they could do and why you think governments should also help followed by ways that they can do this.

In paragraph A of your second plan you propose something I see attempted a lot and that often causes problems: an attempt to state why the unknown people who hold the view in the question believe what they do. We can only guess at this, we cannot know it, and there is enough to write about in your proposed plan without this.

Hi Pauline, thank you so much for the time you spent replying me, I do appreciate it.

A little clarification, in fact, the first option is my way of dealing with this question before reading your book (the key to IELTS success) and this post, and the second option is what I came up with as the main paragraph ideas after reading those materials.

The confusion is coming from tons of materials for IELTS that made a huge mess outside of British Council, for instance, I had the following question and I was told that I have written off-topic while I was mainly trying to explain my position to answer that:

“Some governments say how many children a family can have in their country. It is sometimes necessary and right for a government to control the population in this way. Do you agree or disagree?”

Suppose that I disagree with this statement and in fact, I argue that the government has no right to officially limit the number of children in a family.

Paragraph A: Why the government has no write to officially curb the number of children in each family? In my essay, answering this question I also breifly explained why some people may sypport the official limitation to consider the other side of the argument. Paragraph B: Instead of such limitation being enforced to the public, the government should introduce incentives to encourage parents to have fewer children so that they could decide freely.

My essay was commented as “In agree/disagree writing: Do not give alternative solutions. Just give arguments for or against the statement. ” Do you agree with this quoted comment? I am aware taht you do not accept any categorization for the essays such as opinion, and discussion, I was wondering if giving such alternatives to the topic is considered off-topics?

Now that I put your essay written in your books as the actual references alongside other practice books, and yor answer to my post I feel a lot more confident and I suggest the others to only focus on the official materials and that is indeed enough.

Many thanks, Ali

Hi Ali, I can’t really comment without seeing the full answer – for me, it would really depend on how and when you present the alternative solutions. For example, you could argue that: 1) overpopulation is creating serious problems around the world – unsurprisingly many governments want to find a solution 2) some governments try to control this through ABC – I completely disagree with this because XYZ 3) controlling people in this way goes too far and governments need to find another way – (e.g DEF)

In that essay, the main discussion would be 1) the issue itself and 2) the reasons for my complete disagreement. Only at the end would I suggest another possibility. This means the main discussion is still about my complete disagreement and, in fact, the alternative solutions are support for the idea that governments do not need to control people in this way. Does that help?

Hi, Pauline Two quick questions here. First, the equality of two sides means the equal length. Is this correct? For example, two paragraphs are of the same size or similar size. Second, what about questions that require you to talk about causes and solutions. So “two sides” here refer to causes and solutions and they must be of the equal length. Is this correct?

Thank you for your education on “two sides”.

Th two sides would be discussed in a balanced way if they have been discussed in the same depth – this will not always result in exactly the same number of words in each paragraph, but there would be a similar amount of discussion involved and so they would be of a similar length. With causes and solutions you would equally discuss 1) the causes and 2) the possible solutions.

OK. I get it, thank you. But that sentence should be “this does not always result in…”, correct?

I was aiming for ‘this will not’ but yours works too! I have edited my response.

Hi Pauline, I have a question about cause and solution essay. Should the solutions we offer be directly related to the causes or can we offer general solutions? For example if I say that one of the causes that children behave badly these days is the influence of celebrities who behave badly in society. And then for the solution I say that parents need to increase their supervision on children and teach them good manners from an early age. Thank you.

If the causes you raise are not addressed, and the solutions are not clearly related to them then I think that would be odd. You should find a way to link the two e.g by saying: One way for parents to try to minimise the impact this has on their children is to supervise them more. For example,…

Sorry for the previous comment which I accidentally posted. It is incomplete. Kindly read this one.

Hey tutor Pauline Hope you are in the pink of your health

Learners are adversely affected by the improper learning, wrong guidelines from websites, private people, wrong feedback and structuring of essays. A new student started following you would become successful in a minimum amount of time but the misguided ones like me are actually confused about writing.

I have a few questions for you dear tutor.

You said it is better for an average writer: 6.5 level to write the opposite side of the argument to avoid repetitive ideas. Well, great advice. You said we should not completely disagree when writing the opp side, and a balanced approach would be good. How?

In a discussion model essay ( means to discuss two views ), suppose if we are supporting one side, what should we talk about the opp side ( other people’s view?). Should we say they are wrong ( in that body paragraph or just talk about the benefits, seeing through their eyes )? If so then we are also supporting them!

What if we talk about our side( talked about the benefits ) and criticize the other side( other people’s opinion ) in 2nd body para? Is that ok?

An example body para

I do not support the idea of implementing struct rules to reduce the crime rate in society ( my side ). Just imagine I explained.

Now I’m talking about the opp side

However, others vouch for implementing stringent rules that can bring down violence in society. People who are into dreaded crimes and those making troubles very often are now afraid of being caught and put in jail which can deter them from committing crimes. ( see, I explained why they want struct rules). Here is my doubt. Shouldn’t we counter them in the same paragraph? What if I write this following their view. Nevertheless, I think that imprisoning someone for long periods for their crimes actually causes repercussion since jail life can make the person more insane and cruel due to mingling with other criminals.

Then I’m going to a conclusion.

Is that ok?

I think it is better if you post a few of your essays on the website so that people can learn and follow the right structure.

Best Regards.

Hi Ajeesh, I will try to answer your questions and respond to your comments (numbered below). The main problem appears to be that you are trying to apply my advice for ‘To what extend do you agree or disagree?” with questions that ask you to ‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion.’

1) You said we should not completely disagree when writing the opp side, and a balanced approach would be good. How? My answer: Can you tell me where you believe I have said this? My advice is always this: if you agree, show it, if you disagree, show it. You show it through your language and ideas (read The Key to IELTS Success – especially the chapters on vocabulary and grammar).

2) In a discussion model essay ( means to discuss two views ), suppose if we are supporting one side, what should we talk about the opp side ( other people’s view?). Should we say they are wrong ( in that body paragraph or just talk about the benefits, seeing through their eyes )?

My Answer: If you are asked to ‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion.’ Then you need to do exactly that. Notice that you are not asked to ‘choose one side to agree with and only write about that’ (which some people believe). Always answer the question you are given. Here you are asked to ‘discuss’ each of the views in the question – i.e. look objectively at each viewpoint and what it means. The way that you do that should help the reader understand why you fully support only one side, or neither side. If you discuss the side you eventually say you disagree with using language that is very supportive, then the reader will be confused.

3) What if we talk about our side( talked about the benefits ) and criticize the other side( other people’s opinion ) in 2nd body para? Is that ok?

My Answer: As I explained above, this would only happen in a different question – one where you are given one viewpoint and asked ‘To What extent do you agree or disagree?” Always respond to the question you are given. If you are asked to discuss both views, do that. If you are given one viewpoint to discuss, do that. As I explain in the post above your comment, my advice for this type of question is, if you are stuck for ideas, consider the opposite point of view or the opposite side (what if we DIDN’T have or do this?”)

4) An example body para – I do not support the idea of implementing struct rules to reduce the crime rate in society ( my side ).

My Comment: Just to be clear, I assume this is a question where you are given one viewpoint and asked ‘Do you agree or disagree?” etc. Not a question where you are given 2 viewpoints to discuss (as in your first question).

Just imagine I explained. Now I’m talking about the opp side ‘’However, others vouch for implementing stringent rules that can bring down violence in society. People who are into dreaded crimes and those making troubles very often are now afraid of being caught and put in jail which can deter them from committing crimes.’’ ( see, I explained why they want struct rules).

My comment: Actually, you DIDN’T explain ‘why THEY want strict rules’ Your position is unclear here because your second sentence tells the reader that YOU believe this. It is your language that is creating the problem. (NB there are also vocabulary problems here as you are trying to use as many different words as possible to talk about punishment or crime.)

5) Here is my doubt. Shouldn’t we counter them in the same paragraph? My Comment: If this is an idea you disagree with, then you must show this disagreement throughout. You must make it clear 1) what you believe 2) what others believe 3) how you feel about others’ opinions. Your problem is that you are not making it clear which views are yours and which belong to others. E.g. When you write ‘People who are into dreaded crimes and those making troubles very often are now afraid of being caught and put in jail which can deter them from committing crimes.’ You are telling the reader that you believe that strict punishments are effective in reducing crime – in other words, showing support for strict punishment. (NB again there are problems with vocabulary here)

6) What if I write this following their view. Nevertheless, I think that imprisoning someone for long periods for their crimes actually causes repercussion since jail life can make the person more insane and cruel due to mingling with other criminals. Then I’m going to a conclusion. Is that ok?

My answer: Writing this after the previous sentence will mean that your position is not clear ‘throughout’ because you are saying 1) strict punishments can reduce crime 2) I think strict punishments make things worse. Which part of your second sentence (‘People who are into dreaded crimes and those making troubles very often are now afraid of being caught and put in jail which can deter them from committing crimes.’) shows that you do not hold this view?

7) I think it is better if you post a few of your essays on the website so that people can learn and follow the right structure.

My comment: Like most people, I cannot afford to work only for free. Sadly, too many people simply look for free downloads of my books. Until sales of my books improve, I can’t add more free content like that.

Hi Pauline, I would like to know whether the tense(s) used in the overview has to correspond to that or those of the data. For example , in a sample answer(unit23-Vocab for IELTS Advanced) you’ve used the present perfect in the overview, whereas the barcharts show a past period(1950-2010).

I can’t find the sentence you mean but you shouls definitely be conscious of the tense you use when there is a change over time being showman the data

Hi Pauline, I have a question about writing a brief counter-argument in the conclusion paragraph of the essay without discussing it in detail (as you have mentioned in the post). I read it on an IELTS blog that in such cases we cannot begin the final paragraph with “in conclusion”, because here we are referring to a possible counter-argument that is not mentioned in the body paragraphs, so it can’t be a conclusion of our arguments, and therefore we cannot use “in conclusion” or “to sum up” at the beginning of this paragraph, do you think it’s true? Thanks for your support.

There is no rule like this, Soheil. I can certainly imagine a band 9 writer referring to a counterargument in the conclusion.

Hi again, I don’t think I could make myself understood. The blog post didn’t say that we cannot write a counter-argument in the conclusion, it said that when we write the counter-argument in the conclusion we cannot begin the conclusion paragraph with “in conclusion” or “to sum up”. Would you say this is accuarate?

Oh, I see, well, I think it would be unconventional but not impossible to do that (there are conventions but no rules like this) The result would probably be a longer paragraph than usual because you would need to summarise all of your points, refer to a counterargument, and then find a way to finish. I would not rule out a native speaker being able to do this, but I am sure the blog was trying to make life easier for learners. The only reason I say that it is possible is that you may find examples like this in the wider world. It is best to see this not as a fixed rule but as ‘good advice’ for what to aim for.

Thank you Pauline, but allow me to explain more; the post in the blog was not concerned about a long paragraph, the only concern was about the use of the phrase “in conclusion”. It said it would be perfectly fine to write a brief counter-argument in the conclusion, but just that we must not use the discourse marker “in conclusion”. The exact post from the blog said the following: “If you want to write a counter-argument in your conclusion, do not write ‘in conclusion’ at the beginning of the paragraph, because you are not just concluding from your body paragraphs, but including a counter-argument as well.” So I imagine the advice was not given to avoid a long paragraph, it simply said write a brief counter-argument, summarise your main points, but just don’t use “in conclusion” at the beginning of it. Honestly I found the advice rather odd, so I wanted to know your opinion. Thanks you so much for your help.

I think there are many people trying to impose ‘rules’ like this, but the reality is actually much more complicated. When teaching the lower levels, (bands 5 or lower) we new present language with very strict rules, but as the learners become more advanced, they learn that language is less structures and much more complicated. I don’t know the bog post or the writer, but it is very difficult to give advice that suits every level at the same time.

Hi Pauline, My name is Barry and I’m a native speaker. I’ve been following your blog for some time now and thank you for the amazing content. I’m planning to take the IELTS test and I’m aiming for a 9 in writing. To my experience, the biggest challenge is planning. I came across this example question from a recent Cambridge book and I’m not sure how to plan for it, do you think you could help me with it? ‘Some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?’ I was thinking of writing a paragraph about how music helps bring people of different ages together, and another paragraph about how it can bring different cultures together. Do you think this plan is good for a 9? Or do you think I need a more considered position (maybe by offering a counter-argument)? (honestly I’m not sure how and if a counter-argument fits here). I really appreciate it.

Hi Barry You are correct in thinking that one of the greatest problems (in my view) for native speakers is a lack of planning – aim to spend 5-10 minutes thinking about the issue and about how to explain your own feelings about it before you begin writing anything. The suggested organisation of your paragraphs (what you have written here is an outline and not a plan) could work for someone who is confident that they have sufficient ideas to support these views. It all comes down to what you think about believe about music and its ability to unite people. For me, I would find it easier to write about either of these: A) how music can unite people of different cultures and ages B) ways music doesn’t always unite people of different cultures and ages If the question said ‘Some people think that music is the best way to unite people of different ages and cultures’ Then I would write organise my answer like this: A) ways music does and doesn’t unite people B) other ways of uniting people of different ages and cultures.

The main issue is having ideas that actually do support your main ideas and being able to clearly explain them and logically organise them. Feel free to send a practice essay and I will give some feedback.

Hi Pauline, In your comment to Barry, you said that what he has written is an outline, and not a plan. Can you explain how a plan is different from an outline, and which one do we need for the test,an outline or a plan? Thank you so much.

A plan is far more detailed – I am showing this as a step by step process in my next book, which will be available next month.

Hi Pauline! Can I just clarify your advice to discuss both sides in a ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree’ essay?

Is this advice simply to help candidates avoid repetition?

Is it to help candidates to “address all parts of the task”? Because you seem to equate “sides” with “parts”, then you say that a ‘to what extent’ essay can have 2 sides, thus implying that candidates MUST address both “sides” in a ‘to what extent’ essay in order to get Band 7.

Hi Charlie, yes, it is to help candidates address all parts of the task , but it is also to help in getting extra ideas and avoiding repetition.

The ‘sides’ refers to different sides of an argument, while ‘parts’ relates to ‘parts’ of the question – often these are the same thing (e.g. if there are 2 viewpoints in the question then the ‘parts’ are also ‘sides’ of an argument. Where there is one viewpoint, the different parts can be within the topic itself. E.g, in a question like this: ‘Some people think parents should teach children how to behave so that teachers don’t have to.’ The two ‘parts’ are 1) ‘parents teaching children to behave’ and 2) teachers teaching children to behave’ – which is also, again, 2 different sides of the argument.

Hi, Pauline. This post is of extreme importance to me. Really appreciate your effort! Just to confirm: If we aim for 7 or higher, we need to cover both sides whether we completely agree or disagree, is this correct? I mean, we don’t have to agree with the other side but we need to give it due attention. So we arrive at our conclusion with equal consideration of both sides. This is my understanding of “discuss”. Correct me if I am wrong. Much appreciated!

Yes, that’s exactly right, Thomas.

Dear Ms. Cullen , I am really glad to find this great and helpful site with a great and skilful IELTS teacher . I would like to say that I read some of your points . They are really amazing .

Hi most are the counter-argument essay have unclear conclusions how can we write a counter argument and come to logical conclusion?

I’m explaining this in detail in my new book – it isn’t something you can explain briefly.

Hi, dear Pauline, I remember in your reply to my question last year (which is also on this page), you agreed that if a question has two parts, the discussion of each part should be of an equal amount. However, in the Official Guidance book, the sample for Test 2 (which I know is not written by you) clearly gives more paragraphs to the second question than to the first question. This really confuses me. If the task has two questions, we should answer both in the same or similar length. Is that correct?

Another question is, how do you understand “How true do you think the statement is”? Can I understand it as “to which degree do you agree with it”? The sample does not give me a clear answer. So I am here to bother you again. I really appreciate your time and attention!

Hi Thomas, I am planning on writing new models for the questions in the Official Guide once I have completed my writing book. There is no rule on how much of your essay to devote to different questions when there are 2 – sometimes there is naturally more to say about one than the other, sometimes the second question is there to prompt you so that you have enough to talk about. In my new book I show you how to make sure you address each issue in a balanced way. The question ‘How true do you think the statement is?” should definitely be ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?”

Thanks again for your clarification and I am eager to know when your new book will be available.

Thank you very much Ms. Cullen. I just came across your website and found it really helpful. And now I was wondering if you could find the time to answer my question. As someone who has recently started preparing students for IELTS, do you think I should categorize what I want to teach to students with different target band scores? I mean, for someone who, for example, needs to get a 6 in writing, should I just tell them to take one side (in a TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE essay question) and try to develop it using some certain structures?

Hi Morteza, I address this idea a little in my new course – I am sure you will find it helpful. I have aimed the course at bands 6.5 at the moment but I plan to write a lower level version when I can. There is advice for teachers as well as self-study students. It is a 20-lesson course that could be done in 20 days, or 20 weeks, depending on the time you have. There are printable worksheets too. I’ll be sharing a link soon.

Hi, Paullen. A quick question for you: When “discussing both views”, must I say explicitly that “some people believe”? In other words, is it a must that I should distinguish the views I discuss from my own views, even though I might totally agree with one of them?

Hi Thomas, you need to make it clear 1) when you are addressing the question and 2) what your position is. So, you would need to show through the way that you discuss the opinion you agree with, that you also support it. You do that explicitly (by saying that you do!) and also through the ideas and language you use. The main problem people have is when discussing the idea they disagree with (they tend to show too much support for that idea!) I discuss both of these in my new book and show you how to address it. The ‘counterargument’ chapter is the longest!

Oh, thank you. Cannot wait to buy that book.

So is it a must that I say explicitly that “some people believe…”? Or I just directly discuss the view I agree with?

It’s impossible to give a rule like that – there are many ways to do this, and it will always depend on the individual situation. This is certainly one way and it is a way that I recommend in the book.

Do students get marked down in a question that asks for advantages/disadvantages if they just talk about one in a paragraph? Is it the same for problems/causes and solutions? If they develop one solution really well, would that just be ‘partial’ and limit them to band 6?

Hi Ming, the following post will help: https://keytoielts.com/do-the-advantages-outweigh-the-disadvantages/ There is also information about this in my new book.

hi Mrs, thanks for the useful explanation. I have just purchased your latest book. Love it! for this post, I checked the practice test book 10 page 162 and 166. Why do they only have a counter argument paragraph but no conclusion. So can I not write a conclusion or can I include the counter argument into the conclusion?

Hello, I suggest you read the lessons in my new book in order – they explain everything step by step. If you are still confused by the end then let me know. If you read the introduction you will understand why the sample answers in test practice books are not always helpful.

Hi Thanks for amazing tips. One small question. Is this a good plan for a discussion question. BP1: discussing side A BP2: discussing Side B briefly (in two sentences). + refuting the ideas of side B. Concluding that side A is good.

What I mean is can we discuss one side only briefly? and does it need to be refuted?

That isn’t a ‘plan’ for an essay, it is a very basic description of what an essay looks like. The counterargument needs to be refuted so that you make your own position clear. My task 2 book shows you how to plan your essay and there is a lesson on when and how to write a counterargument: https://keytoielts.com/product/the-key-to-ielts-writing-task-2-course/

Hi Paullen,

When you say Side A and Side B, do you mean one body paragraph should talk about Side A and the other about Side B. I have seen a sample answer in Cambridge IELTS book 10. It is a response to an ‘ is it a positive or negative development’ question. But the sample essay only talks about why the writer thinks it is a negative development. Could you explain why?

That’s the way that I recommend you write so as to get the highest score you can in the test. I refer to the sample answers in the test books as an ‘invisible band 10’ because they are not produced in test conditions and are generally edited professionally. The result is often more subtle, so it will cover all that you need to cover but not in a way that is helpful for candidates. My Writing Task 2 book has over 20 models that were all written in 40 minutes, were assessed as being band 9, and are helpful models for you to follow: https://keytoielts.com/product/the-key-to-ielts-writing-task-2-course/

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The Key to IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Part 3 Video worksheet

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Argumentative Essays: The Counter-Argument & Refutation

An argumentative essay presents an argument for or against a topic. For example, if your topic is working from home , then your essay would either argue in favor of working from home (this is the for  side) or against working from home.

Like most essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction that ends with the writer's position (or stance) in the thesis statement .

Introduction Paragraph

(Background information....)

• Thesis statement : Employers should give their workers the option to work from home in order to improve employee well-being and reduce office costs.

This thesis statement shows that the two points I plan to explain in my body paragraphs are 1) working from home improves well-being, and 2) it allows companies to reduce costs. Each topic will have its own paragraph. Here's an example of a very basic essay outline with these ideas:

• Background information

Body Paragraph 1

• Topic Sentence : Workers who work from home have improved well-being .
• Evidence from academic sources

Body Paragraph 2

• Topic Sentence : Furthermore, companies can reduce their expenses by allowing employees to work at home .
• Summary of key points
• Restatement of thesis statement

Does this look like a strong essay? Not really . There are no academic sources (research) used, and also...

You Need to Also Respond to the Counter-Arguments!

The above essay outline is very basic. The argument it presents can be made much stronger if you consider the counter-argument , and then try to respond (refute) its points.

The counter-argument presents the main points on the other side of the debate. Because we are arguing FOR working from home, this means the counter-argument is AGAINST working from home. The best way to find the counter-argument is by reading research on the topic to learn about the other side of the debate. The counter-argument for this topic might include these points:

• Distractions at home > could make it hard to concentrate
• Dishonest/lazy people > might work less because no one is watching

Next, we have to try to respond to the counter-argument in the refutation (or rebuttal/response) paragraph .

The Refutation/Response Paragraph

The purpose of this paragraph is to address the points of the counter-argument and to explain why they are false, somewhat false, or unimportant. So how can we respond to the above counter-argument? With research !

A study by Bloom (2013) followed workers at a call center in China who tried working from home for nine months. Its key results were as follows:

• The performance of people who worked from home increased by 13%
• These workers took fewer breaks and sick-days
• They also worked more minutes per shift

In other words, this study shows that the counter-argument might be false. (Note: To have an even stronger essay, present data from more than one study.) Now we have a refutation.

Where Do We Put the Counter-Argument and Refutation?

Commonly, these sections can go at the beginning of the essay (after the introduction), or at the end of the essay (before the conclusion). Let's put it at the beginning. Now our essay looks like this:

Counter-argument Paragraph

• Dishonest/lazy people might work less because no one is watching

Refutation/Response Paragraph

• Study: Productivity  increased by 14%
• (+ other details)

Body Paragraph 3

• Topic Sentence : In addition, people who work from home have improved well-being .

Body Paragraph 4

The outline is stronger now because it includes the counter-argument and refutation. Note that the essay still needs more details and research to become more convincing.

Working from home may increase productivity.

Extra Advice on Argumentative Essays

It's not a compare and contrast essay.

An argumentative essay focuses on one topic (e.g. cats) and argues for or against it. An argumentative essay should not have two topics (e.g. cats vs dogs). When you compare two ideas, you are writing a compare and contrast essay. An argumentative essay has one topic (cats). If you are FOR cats as pets, a simplistic outline for an argumentative essay could look something like this:

• Thesis: Cats are the best pet.
• are unloving
• cause allergy issues
• This is a benefit >  Many working people do not have time for a needy pet
• If you have an allergy, do not buy a cat.
• But for most people (without allergies), cats are great
• Supporting Details

Use Language in Counter-Argument That Shows Its Not Your Position

The counter-argument is not your position. To make this clear, use language such as this in your counter-argument:

• Opponents might argue that cats are unloving.
• People who dislike cats would argue that cats are unloving.
• Critics of cats could argue that cats are unloving.
• It could be argued that cats are unloving.

These  underlined phrases make it clear that you are presenting  someone else's argument , not your own.

Choose the Side with the Strongest Support

Do not choose your side based on your own personal opinion. Instead, do some research and learn the truth about the topic. After you have read the arguments for and against, choose the side with the strongest support as your position.

Do Not Include Too Many Counter-arguments

Include the main (two or three) points in the counter-argument. If you include too many points, refuting these points becomes quite difficult.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below.

- Matthew Barton / Creator of Englishcurrent.com

Additional Resources :

• Writing a Counter-Argument & Refutation (Richland College)
• Language for Counter-Argument and Refutation Paragraphs (Brown's Student Learning Tools)

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24 comments on “ Argumentative Essays: The Counter-Argument & Refutation ”

Thank you professor. It is really helpful.

Can you also put the counter argument in the third paragraph

It depends on what your instructor wants. Generally, a good argumentative essay needs to have a counter-argument and refutation somewhere. Most teachers will probably let you put them anywhere (e.g. in the start, middle, or end) and be happy as long as they are present. But ask your teacher to be sure.

Thank you for the information Professor

how could I address a counter argument for “plastic bags and its consumption should be banned”?

For what reasons do they say they should be banned? You need to address the reasons themselves and show that these reasons are invalid/weak.

Thank you for this useful article. I understand very well.

Thank you for the useful article, this helps me a lot!

Thank you for this useful article which helps me in my study.

Thank you, professor Mylene 102-04

it was very useful for writing essay

Very useful reference body support to began writing a good essay. Thank you!

Really very helpful. Thanks Regards Mayank

Thank you, professor, it is very helpful to write an essay.

It is really helpful thank you

It was a very helpful set of learning materials. I will follow it and use it in my essay writing. Thank you, professor. Regards Isha

Thanks Professor

This was really helpful as it lays the difference between argumentative essay and compare and contrast essay.. Thanks for the clarification.

This is such a helpful guide in composing an argumentative essay. Thank you, professor.

This was really helpful proof, thankyou!

Thanks this was really helpful to me

This was very helpful for us to generate a good form of essay

thank you so much for this useful information.

Thank you so much, Sir. This helps a lot!

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25 Counterargument Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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A counterargument is a response, rebuttal, or refutation of an argument with your own argument. Its purpose is to oppose and disprove a theory that someone else has put forward.

We use counterarguments extensively in debates as well as argumentative essay writing.

When teaching essay writing, I teach my students to always present counterarguments to their opponents’ points of view. This helps them to strengthen their own argument and demonstrate awareness of potential rebuttals.

Below are some methods, with examples, that could be used – be it in essay writing, debates, or any other communication genre.

Counterargument Examples

1. empirical challenges.

An empirical challenge is, simply, a rebuttal that challenges the facts presented by the opponent, showing that their facts are wrong and yours are right.

To undermine your opponent’s set of facts, it will be your job to present facts that show that the opponent’s supposed facts are wrong, perhaps due to misreading data or cherry-picking.

Then, you would need to present concrete information, data, or evidence that negates the claim or conclusion of an opponent’s argument.

The core strength of empirical challenges is in their reliance on hard facts and numbers, which are difficult to refute without equally credible opposing data.

Example of Empirical Challenge: If your opponent argues that global warming isn’t a serious issue, an empirical challenge would be to provide scientific data or research studies showing the increase in global temperatures and the harmful effects.

See Also: Empirical Evidence Examples

2. Challenging the Relevance

Challenging the relevance means questioning whether your opponent’s argument or perspective is applicable to the discussion at hand.

This sort of counter-argument seeks to destabilize your opponent’s view by showing that, while their facts or arguments might be sound in isolation, they do not bear any relation to, or are unfit for, the topic at hand, making them irrelevant.

The power of relevance challenge lays in its ability to destabilize your opponent’s argument without needing to directly dispute the truth of their claims.

Example of Challenging the Relevance: You will often find this argument when comparing the usefulness of various research methodologies for a research project. Multiple research methods may be valid, but there’s likely one that’s best for any given study.

See Also: Relevance Examples

3. Reductio ad absurdum

Reductio ad absurdum is a latin term that means reducing to the absurd . This method involves demonstrating the absurdity of an opponent’s argument by showing its illogical or extreme consequences.

The goal is to show that if the argument were valid, it would inevitably lead to senseless or ridiculous outcomes.

The application of reductio ad absurdum is especially effective in debates or discussions where flawed logic or hyperbolic statements are used to influence the audience’s opinion, as it discredits the credibility of the other person’s argument.

Example of Reductio ad absurdum : Consider a scenario where someone argues for the total removal of all regulations on vehicle speed to improve the efficiency of transportation. You can counter this argument through reductio ad absurdum by stating, “By that logic, let’s allow cars to travel at 200 miles per hour down residential streets. After all, it would make the mail delivery much faster!” It becomes evident that permitting extremely high speeds could lead to dangerous conditions and potential for disastrous accidents.

4. Pointing Out Logical Fallacies

The strategy of pointing out logical fallacies involves identifying and highlighting flaws in your opponent’s reasoning.

In a debate or discussion, logical fallacies are often subtle errors that lead to invalid conclusions or arguments.

By identifying these fallacies, you avoid being swayed by flawed reasoning and instead promote cognizant, logical thought.

Successful use of this strategy requires a good understanding of the different kinds of logical fallacies , such as straw man fallacies, ad hominem attacks, and appeals to ignorance.

Example of Pointing Out Logical Fallacies: Consider an argument where your opponent asserts, “All cats I’ve ever seen have been aloof, so all cats must be aloof.” This is a hasty generalization fallacy, where a conclusion about all members of a group is drawn from inadequate sample size.

5. Counterexamples

A counterexample is an example that opposes or contradicts an argument or theory proposed by another.

The use of a counterexample is a practical and powerful means of rebutting an argument or theory that has been presented as absolute or universally applicable.

When you provide a singular example that contradicts your opponent’s proposed theory, it demonstrates the theory isn’t universally true and therefore, weakens their argument.

However, this tactic requires sound knowledge and a good command of subject matter to be able to identify and present valid exceptions.

Example of Counterexamples: Consider an argument where someone states that “Mammals can’t lay eggs.” A solid counterexample would be the platypus, a mammal that does lay eggs. This single example is sufficient to contradict the universal claim.

6. Using Hypotheticals

Hypothetical situations, in essence, are imagined scenarios used to refute your opponent’s point of view. It’s, in essence, an example that is plausible, but not real.

Using hypotheticals assists in clarifying the ramifications of a particular argument, policy, or theory. When a hypothetical scenario effectively illustrates the flaws or shortcomings of your opponent’s viewpoint, it can completely unsettle their position.

However, care must be taken to frame the hypotheticals reasonably and realistically, lest they distort the argument or derail the conversation.

Example of Using Hypotheticals: If someone argues that raising the minimum wage will lead to job loss, you could counter with a hypothetical that if businesses paid their employees more, those employees would have more spending power, bolstering the economy and creating more jobs.

7. Comparison and Contrast

Comparison and contrast entails directly comparing your argument to your opponent’s, showing the strength of your perspective and the weakness of the opponent’s.

This tool allows you to support your arguments or disprove your opponent’s by using existing examples or situations that illustrate your point clearly.

The technique relies heavily on the logical thinking of comparing two or more entities in a manner that is informative, convincing, and significant to the argument.

Example of Comparison and Contrast: Let’s say, for instance, you are arguing against privatization of public utilities. You could compare the rates and services of private utilities to those of public ones showing that private companies often charge more for the same services, thereby supporting your argument against privatization.

See More: Compare and Contrast Examples

8. Challenging Biases

Challenging biases involves questioning the objectivity of your opponent’s argument by pointing out the predispositions that may influence their perspective.

Biases can greatly affect the validity and reliability of an argument because they can skew the interpretation of information and hinder fair judgement.

By challenging biases, you can expose the partiality in your opponent’s argument, thereby diminishing its credibility and persuasiveness.

However, it’s important to respectfully and tactfully challenge biases to prevent the discussion from turning into a personal attack.

Example of Challenging Biases: If your opponent is a staunch supporter of a political party and they provide an argument that solely favors this party, you could challenge their bias by questioning whether their support for the party is unduly influencing their viewpoint, hence the need for them to consider the opposing perspectives.

See More: List of Different Biases

9. Ethical Dispute

Ethical disputes involve challenging your opponent’s argument based on moral values or principles.

Ethics play a crucial role in shaping people’s beliefs, attitudes, and actions. Therefore, ethical disputes can serve as powerful counterarguments, especially in debates concerning sensitive or controversial topics.

If your opponent’s position contradicts generally accepted ethical norms or values, you can point this out to weaken their argument.

Just remember, ethics can occasionally be subjective and personal, so it’s important to approach ethical disputes with sensitivity and respect.

Example of Ethical Dispute: If your opponent supports factory farming based on economic benefits, you could challenge their argument by pointing out the ethical issues related to animal welfare and the environment.

10. Challenging the Source

Challenging the source is a tactic used to question the credibility or reliability of the information used by your opponent in their argument.

This technique focuses on examining the origin of the evidence presented, probing whether the source is credible, trusted, and free from bias.

To do this, I recommend using this media literacy framework .

If the source used by your opponent is flawed, biased or unreliable, their argument loses credibility, making your position stronger.

Example of Challenging the Source: If your opponent uses an obscure blog as their primary source of their argument on a scientific topic, you could challenge the source by questioning its credibility and offering information from reputable scientific journals instead.

See More: Good Sources for Essay Writing

A Full List of Methods for Counterargument

• Empirical challenges
• Challenging the relevance
• Reductio ad absurdum
• Pointing out logical fallacies
• Counterexamples
• Using hypotheticals
• Comparison and contrast
• Challenging biases
• Ethical dispute
• Challenging the source
• Questioning assumptions
• Slippery slope argument
• Challenging a false dichtomy
• Historical Precedent
• Anecdotal Evidence
• Challenging the Definition
• Socratic Questioning
• Highlighting Unintended Consequences
• Appeal to Emotion
• Challenging the Frame
• Highlighting Inconsistencies
• Challenging Completeness
• Temporal Challenge
• Offering alternative explanations
• Exposing oversimplifications
• Appeal to authority

Counterargument is an essential skill for debaters and essay writers. You need to be able to know and understand strategies for countering the arguments of your opponents to position your argument in the best light possible. To do this, we have to vectors of attack: First, you can undermine their arguments and demonstrate the flaws. Second, you can present your argument as stronger.

The key, however, is to ensure your arguments are as airtight and foolproof as possible to prevent effective rebuttals to your own counterarguments!

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The Study Blog : Tips

8 counter argument examples to help you write a strong essay.

By Evans Oct 26, 2020

A one-sided essay is like a beautiful dish with no flavor. Everyone looks at it, but nobody wants to partake of it. An essay presenting one side of a debate shows that you are not reasonable. Instead of persuading your readers, it ends up feeling like you’re just forcing an opinion on them. How do you change this? How do you make your essay interesting and persuasive? Counter argument! You heard me right. Using the counter argument is one of the best ways that you can strengthen your essay.

Before we proceed further, what exactly is a counter-argument? An academic essay means that you need to come up with a thesis, a strong one at that, and even stronger points that support that particular thesis . You also need to come up with an argument that opposes your thesis. This is what we call a counter-argument. It is basically, an argument that is against your thesis.

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What is the purpose of a counter-argument?

When writing an essay, especially to persuade, you need to put yourself in the shoes of your readers. What are they likely to think about your thesis? How can they possibly argue against it? What questions might they have against the idea you are trying to sell to them? A counter-argument allows you to creatively and wisely respond to these questions. A counter-argument clears any doubts that your reader may have on your argument. It also shows them that you are the bigger person by actually addressing arguments against your thesis.

Counter argument examples

Let’s say your argument is about getting the patient to consent to it, rather than have the doctors decide on it.

A reader might argue: a patient may be too sickly to even consent for euthanasia.

Refutal: you can refute the counter-argument by proving that it is possible to get a patient in the right frame long enough to sign the consent form.

Overprotective parents

Argument: overprotective parents often treat their grown-up children like babies. As a result, these children grow to be very dependent on the parents and unable to make decisions on their own.

Counter-argument: parents have seen more than their children. Protecting them from the problems they encountered saves the children from getting hurt.

Refutal: Though parents think that shielding their grown children protects them from the dangerous world, they only end up protecting children from living. As a result, if such a child makes a mistake, it might be very hard for them to recover from it.

Getting a dog as a pet for young children

Argument: getting a dog as a pet for younger children is not a very good idea as children may not understand how to take care of the dog.

Counter-argument: having a pet teaches the children responsibility.

Rebuttal: While it is true that having a pet can teach kids how to become more responsible, the fact remains that taking care of a pet is a full-time job. A pet is not like a toy that you can discard when tired of it. Young kids may not have the stamina or the time to take care of a pet.

Exposure to technology

Argument: Technology provides children with an amazing learning experience. Children who have been exposed to technology learn pretty first how to deal and respond to different situations better than students who have no exposure to technology.

You may also like: How to write a technology essay: tips, topics, and examples

Counter argument: early exposure to entertainment and violence affects the cognitive skills of a child.

Rebuttal: Although some form of technology may affect the cognitive skills of a child, it doesn’t mean that children should be kept away from technology. There are learning programs that provide a better learning experience as compared to formal education. Doing away with technology is not the answer. The answer is controlling what children are exposed to.

Argument: taking part in elections is not only a right but a responsibility that every citizen should participate in.

Counter-argument: It is better not to vote than vote in a corrupt person.

Rebuttal: While you might feel like not taking part in the voting process keeps you from the guilt of choosing the wrong person, the truth is that you only give other people the right to choose for you. This means that if a corrupt person gets in, you’re still responsible for not voting for a better candidate.

Argument: Smoking should not be allowed on campuses.

Counter-argument: smoking is not illegal, especially to someone above 18 years old. Since it is not illegal, students should be allowed to smoke within the campus vicinity.

Rebuttal: indeed, smoking is not illegal. However, smoking on campus can prove to be fatal especially to students with health issues such as asthma. It is widely known that smoking affects not just the person holding the cigar but everyone else around them. Therefore, to keep students safe, smoking should not be allowed on campus.

Animal testing

Argument: animals should not be used as test subjects.

Counter-argument: animals happen to be the best test method for health products

Rebuttal: While it is true that over the years animals have been used as test subjects, it doesn’t change the fact that these tests often subject animals to excruciating pain. Research shows that there are better alternatives that can be used, thereby saving animals from unnecessary pain.

Cyberbullying

Argument: Cyberbullying is a serious issue and therefore it is very important to understand how to protect yourself from cyberbullies.

Counter-argument: the victims do not need to learn how to protect themselves and use the internet fearfully. The internet should be made secure for every user and all cyberbullying should be put to jail.

Rebuttal: nobody deserves to be afraid while using the internet. However, while it is a very good idea to have all cyberbullies jailed, that remains to be just a dream. This is because almost everyone can be a cyber-bully at one point or another. It, therefore, remains your responsibility to protect yourself and also learn how to handle cyberbullying.

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Final thoughts

As the examples show, a good persuasive essay should contain your thesis statement , a counter-argument, and a rebuttal of the counter-argument. This makes your essay strong, very persuasive, and with a very good flavor.

You may also like: The little secret why your friends are earning better grades

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How To Write A Counter Argument In An Essay

Steps of how to effectively design and write a counter argument.

Has your professor asked you to include a counterargument in your next assignment? Are you puzzled about where to start and what to write? If you wonder how to write a counter argument essay, worry not. Many students struggle to come up with the right standpoints in their papers, so we’ve decided to lend you a hand.

Expressing conflicting positions on a hot topic is a critical skill in the academic world. In short, you need a well-grounded contradicting stance with supporting facts to refute the opponent’s opinion. Keep reading to find out how.

What Is A Counterargument In An Essay – The Definition

Counter arguments should clear any doubts readers might have about your positions. Moreover, the purpose of an opposing argument is to offer a reason to disagree with the thesis statement. Whether you include it in the introduction or dedicate an entire paragraph to it, your counter argument shows that you’re aware that various views exist.

Addressing claims against your main standpoints makes you savvier, and your paper well-structured and substantiated. Since your  argument essay outline will urge your readers to agree with your claim, it’s advisable to mention a reason to believe differently.

Why Are Counterarguments Important

By incorporating a contradicting standpoint in your assignment, you demonstrate that:  

•       You are knowledgeable about the topic and know how to back up your thoughts.
•       You have researched the subject matter well and can tackle alternative views.
•       You don’t underestimate opinions that clash with yours.
•       You don’t stick to your perspectives blindly but are ready to discuss opposing ideas.
•       You aren’t biased but have come to the ultimate standpoint through reasoning.
•       You solidify your arguments and give them credibility.

How To Start A Counterargument

This segment will alert readers that a different stand from the thesis follows. So how to write a counterargument paragraph? The beginning of the denial section should explicitly or implicitly tell whoever’s reading to prepare for a contradiction. Omitting hints about the rebuttal in the paper will make it look one-sided and blunt.

So, how do you start the segment containing the counter argument? When you write your argumentative essay , ensure you include relevant starters and transitions. These may be a single word, a phrase, or an entire sentence supporting the overall statement.  

Counter Argument Starters

Let’s discuss the possible phrases you can use to introduce the counter argument. Here are a few starters that inform whoever’s reading to expect a change of direction:

•       However, yet, but
•       Even though/although
•       In spite of/despite the fact that
•       On the contrary
•       On the other side/hand
•       A possible concern/problem is
•       Conversely, in contrast

Another approach that arouses interest is to use a rhetorical question. For instance, try the following starting phrases:

•       Wouldn’t it be better if…?
•       But, what if…?
•       Nonetheless, how can this be true…?

Similarly, you may take an indirect stance and present the counterviews of others to express your opinion. For example, say this:

•       However, scientists claim that
•       Yet, many people believe that
•       On the other hand, students stand for
•       Critics say that

Transition Words

Choosing the right counter argument starter is just a part of the equation. A coherently written assignment requires you to use transitions that make the argument flow smooth. Even the best custom essay writing service will fail its purpose if it lacks linking phrases.

Coordinating transitions ease the reading process by linking ideas into a cohesive whole. These phrases show that two things are alike or that you add extra information along the same lines. Here are a few relevant examples:

•       What is more
•       Not to mention
•       Likewise
•       Then again
•       On top of that
•       Not only
•       Additionally
•       Furthermore

Why Include A Counterargument In An Argumentative Essay?

Including a counter argument in your essay will make your written piece more convincing. Though you may think this approach will weaken your position or undermine your claim, this isn’t true. On the contrary, by doing so, you respectfully acknowledge evidence or standpoints that differ from your argument.

Some students believe a counter argument will lead the readers away from the main claim. However, any top-notch argumentative essay writer service will include it because it demonstrates the issue was elaborated from multiple perspectives. Finally, you enhance critical thinking by presenting both sides of the problem.

Example Of Counter Argument Paragraph

Below, we share a relevant example of an argument on a specific topic with guidance on avoiding writing an irrelevant counter argument.

The argument:

Many students prefer to smoke on college campuses. They often argue that authorities can’t ban smoking on campus if it isn’t illegal.

Ineffective counter argument:

However, the college management is the ultimate decision-maker and can prohibit whatever they deem harmful on campus.

This counter argument is useless because even if the college management has the right to impose bans, it can’t disregard students’ requirements on all grounds.

So, how to write an argumentative essay with a relevant counter argument? Check the suggestion below.

Effective counter argument:

Yet, second-hand smoke can harm people in the vicinity that suffer from conditions like asthma, thus putting them at risk of health deterioration.

This example will achieve its primary purpose – discuss the other perspective openly. You may disagree with this view but demonstrate you’re aware that some people might take a different standpoint. And they have every right to because no issue is one-sided. In the second example, the reader can see how students smoking on campus might harm those around.

How To Respond To A Counterargument: The Refutation

Among other things, you must address the counterviews in your written piece with a rebuttal . Stating and refuting the contradicting idea is critical if you want to give credence to your standpoint . No matter how and where you incorporate the rebuttal, do it objectively by maintaining a formal and scholarly tone.

The best approach is to oppose the counter opinion logically by considering these questions:

•       Will you discredit the different perspectives by bringing in contradictory research?
•       Will you say that the other point is valid but that your argument is more relevant by means of comparison?

Responding to these questions and taking a specific route will refine your stance and clarify the issues considered. Moreover, if you suddenly agree with the counter opinion, revise your statement and main points to reflect your new thinking.

Common Mistakes And Fallacies To Avoid While Writing Opposing Arguments

Keep these things in mind when you write argumentative essays, and avoid them as much as possible:

•       You haven’t done research on the multiple perspectives on the topic.
•       You don’t include supporting ideas for the positions against your thesis.
•       You dedicate too much space and attention to contradicting reasons.
•       You don’t bring up a different perspective in the introduction but keep to your opinion only.
•       Your line of thought is incoherent, and you constantly switch standpoints throughout the paper.
•       You use offensive or biased language to refute the opponent’s viewpoint.
•       You believe the opponent’s stance is wrong and don’t give it credit.
•       Besides having a strong argument , you make the counterview weak and ineffective.
•       You can’t explain how your position responds to the contradicting idea.
•       If you aren’t a rhetoric expert, avoid using sarcasm and satire.

Bottom Line

When writing your work, you might decide to include a sentence or a whole segment that presents a denial statement. Whatever your choice, use a specific layout to express your views clearly and accurately. It is important to remember that for urgent essay writing , the need for incorporating counterargument examples is even more critical to ensure a well-substantiated and persuasive written piece. Therefore, it is essential to consider both sides of the argument when constructing your response.

Hopefully, this post helps you understand what is a counterargument and how to write a counterargument. Provided you follow the tips outlined above, it won’t take long to polish your work. If you have any concerns about your writing assignment, always ask your teacher for support.

Do Synthesis Essays Need A Counter Argument?

Yes, ensure you include a counter argument and oppose it to justify your viewpoint. It’s best to place it in the first body segment of your synthesis essay. By doing so, you show your capacity to appreciate different opinions than yours.

Does An Argumentative Essay Need A Counter Argument?

Yes, argumentative papers should contain a well-presented contradicting idea than the one expressed in the thesis. Taking a single standpoint doesn’t add value to your work because readers with a different opinion will see it as biased and unfair.

Where Does The Counterargument Go In An Essay?

One idea is to write it in the introduction to create a contrast for the main claim. Alternatively, you may explain the contradictory opinion in one section that acknowledges the idea and then discredit it. It is often better to place it before your opinion to end the paper on a positive note that supports your perspective.

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• Counter Argument

In writing an argumentative essay, your goal is to persuade an audience that your claim is correct. You research, think about your topic deeply, and determine what information will support that argument . However, strong argumentation requires you to address opposing views. How will you incorporate them into your essay? How will you prove your argument is the better one? Identifying and addressing counterarguments will make your argumentative essays stronger. 

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Which of the following is NOT part of the classical structure? 

Select the following two (2) statements that explain the purpose of including counterarguments.  

Which rebuttal strategy would work best for an audience who shares your beliefs? 

Which rebuttal strategy would work best for an audience who does not share your beliefs? 

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• Participial Phrase
• Personal Narrative
• Placement of Modifiers
• Polysyndeton
• Post-Hoc Argument
• Process Analysis Rhetorical Mode
• Red Herring
• Reverse Causation
• Rhetorical Fallacy
• Rhetorical Modes
• Rhetorical Question
• Rhetorical Situation
• Scare Tactics
• Sentimental Appeals
• Situational Irony
• Slippery Slope
• Spatial Description
• Straw Man Argument
• Subject Consistency
• Subjective Description
• Tactile Description
• Tense Consistency
• Tone and Word Choice
• Transitions
• Twisting the Language Around
• Unstated Assumption
• Verbal Irony
• Visual Description
• Rhetorical Analysis Essay
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Counterargument Meaning

A counterargument is a contrasting or opposing argument . Counterarguments are common in persuasive writing. In argumentation , you are trying to convince an audience of your claim. C laims are the writer's main ideas and position. In an argumentative essay, your goal is for the audience to believe your claim. To convince your audience that your claim is correct, you will need reasons –the evidence that supports your claim.

The counterargument is the opposing argument to the one you are writing about. You include counterarguments in your writing to form a rebuttal . A rebuttal is where you explain why your position is stronger than the counterargument. When incorporating counterarguments in your essay, you will need to know the counterargument's claims and reasons. For example, in an essay about whether teachers should assign homework, you take the position that teachers should not give homework. The counterargument is that teachers should assign homework.

To write about this counterargument, you will need to explain the claims and reasons why teachers should assign homework. You will refute these points and spend the rest of your essay explaining why teachers should not assign homework.

Counterargument Example

The example above demonstrates how a writer may present the counterargument to the claim that teachers should not assign homework.

While some researchers advocate for teachers' limiting homework, others find teachers should assign homework to reinforce content and skills learned in school. According to an analysis of multiple studies done examining the effects of homework on academic achievement by Cooper et al. (2006), homework for grades 7-12 positively affected students' educational outcomes, such as grades on unit tests and national exams. 1 Cooper et al. (2006) found consistency across studies that 1.5-2.5 hours per day of homework was the optimal amount for students to complete. Students gain practice and exposure to the material through this practice, which increases academic performance. Other research found that homework may not be as effective as Cooper et al. (2006) suggest. Galloway et al. (2013) argue that teachers assigning homework often do not follow these recommendations, negatively impacting students. 2

Based on survey results from Galloway et al. (2013), secondary students reported having an average of 3 hours of homework per night, an estimate higher than Cooper et al.'s (2006) recommendation. This amount of homework negatively impacted students since it increased mental stress and decreased time spent on socialization. This research shows that while assigning homework may benefit students, teachers do not follow best practices and instead harm students. Teachers should err on the side of not giving homework to prevent placing too much stress on students.

This paragraph addresses the counterargument: why teachers should assign homework. The first part of the paragraph addresses why teachers should assign homework and cites research on the optimal way teachers should assign it. The counterargument contains strong evidence and claims on why teachers should assign homework.

This evidence improves the essay because it strengthens the rebuttal. The writer needs to address the counterargument's convincing claims in the rebuttal, which makes the rebuttal and overall argument more persuasive. The second half of the paragraph is the rebuttal to this argument. It cites research on how teachers do not frequently use these best practices and harm students. The rebuttal also directly addresses the counterargument about these best practices.

Purpose of Counterarguments

There are several reasons why you may include counterarguments in your writing. First, counterarguments and rebuttals strengthen your overall argument. It seems counterintuitive, but your overall argument becomes stronger when you outline and address opposing views. By incorporating and rebutting opposing claims, you challenge the validity of the counterargument. If you can effectively address and rebuke your opposition, your argument will appear more credible to your audience than the counterargument.

Second, it will help you persuade your audience that your position is correct, especially if they are skeptical of your position. Arguments can be one-sided , which do not include counterarguments or opposing views, or multisided , which incorporate multiple views. One-sided arguments work best for an audience who already accepts your claims and reasoning. Because your audience already believes your idea, you do not have to spend time addressing opposing opinions.

In a multisided argument , you present counterarguments, include rebuttals, and argue why your position is stronger. This method works best for an audience with diverse opinions because you show you understand their beliefs while advocating for your position. Counterarguments help convince your audience that your position is correct. You acknowledge their beliefs while explaining why your position is better.

Counterarguments in an Essay

In academic writing, you can incorporate several strategies for including counterarguments. Often, addressing the counterarguments is kept to one paragraph within the essay. This section outlines a common essay structure for incorporating counterarguments, how to write them, and strategies for creating your counterarguments.

Structuring an Argumentative Essay

Writers, all the way from antiquity, have thought about the best way to incorporate opposing viewpoints into their writing. Writers can choose several ways to structure an argumentative essay to have counterarguments. The most common method is the classical structure, which originated in Ancient Greece. There are four main parts to this structure.

Introduction

Memorable statement or information to gain readers' attention.

Present background information necessary to your argument.

State your primary claim or thesis .

Discuss how you will structure your overall argument by outlining your main claims and counterarguments.

Writer's position

The central part of your essay.

State your claim(s) and supporting evidence.

Incorporate hard evidence or other rhetorical appeals as reasons to help you support your claims.

Counterarguments

Outline alternative points of view in a non-biased manner.

Refute their claims by discussing negative aspects of the counterargument.

May concede to the positive aspects of the counterargument.

Explain why your view is preferable to others.

Summarize your primary claim or thesis .

Explain the importance of your argument based on background information.

Encourage the audience to act on this information.

Strategies for Addressing Counterarguments

Remember that arguments can be one-sided or multisided. If you are writing a multisided argument, you will need to know how to address counterarguments based on your audience's views. There are several strategies for addressing counterarguments and forming your rebuttals. The two major categories for these strategies include refutation and concession.

Refutation describes the process of showing how the counterargument contains logical fallacies or is not supported with evidence. Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning. You can point out these logical fallacies to discredit and weaken an argument. Refutation is a good strategy if you are trying to convince an audience who may be more sympathetic toward your viewpoint. There are several ways you can refute a counterargument.

• Identify logical fallacies. When looking at a counterargument, take the time to break down its claims and reasons. You may discover logical fallacies in the counterargument, such as faulty reasoning or an overgeneralization. You can highlight these fallacies in your rebuttal and discuss why your argument is stronger.
• Point out unstated assumptions made in the argument . In general, arguments often contain unstated assumptions. For example, suppose you are exploring the counterargument that teachers should assign homework to help students master academic material. In that case, there is the unstated assumption that students will have the time to complete assignments at home. You can address the flaws in these assumptions using evidence and facts. To discredit this assumption in your rebuttal, you would incorporate data on how students do not have the time to complete homework.
• Find counterexamples or counter-evidence. The counterargument will incorporate data and evidence to support their claims. You will need to find evidence and data to support your rebuttal. You will want to use this evidence and data if it casts doubt on the counterargument's evidence.
• Question the data used to support the counterargument. A uthors will cite data and statistics w hen making logical claims in an essay. You will want to analyze the author's use of this data to discover if they cited it correctly. If they misrepresented it, or it's outdated, you can point this out in your rebuttal and offer a better interpretation.
• Show how the counterargument's experts or examples are flawed or not valid. Take the time to find out which sources the author uses. If you find out that a cited expert is not credible on the subject, or if an example is inaccurate, you can cast doubt on the counterargument by discussing the lack of credibility of an authority or an example. Cite stronger, more accurate evidence in your rebuttal.

Concession is the rebuttal strategy of admitting that an opposing argument is correct. However, you will show that your claims are stronger since it has better reasons to support them. For example, you may write an essay about why teachers should not assign homework. You would concede that the research on the homework is correct. However, you would present multiple pieces of evidence and explain how this research shows teachers should not support homework.

There are two reasons why you may want to include concessions in your writing. First, a concession is a good strategy if your audience is sympathetic to the counterargument. Because you acknowledge the strength of the counterargument, you will not alienate your audience. Second, a concession may strengthen your argument. Because you explain that the counterargument is strong, you can increase the strength of your overall argument by including more convincing evidence on why your position is correct.

Writing a Counterargument Paragraph

Often, counterarguments for papers in school are around a paragraph in length. To begin writing a counterargument, research the opposing views. You will need to do this research to understand the reasons and claims behind the opposing viewpoint. This research selects the opposing viewpoint's most substantial claims and reasons. Begin your counterargument paragraph by summarizing and explaining these claims. Your argument will be more persuasive if you can engage and address the counterargument's most compelling information.

After describing the opposing viewpoints, write the rebuttal in the second half of the paragraph. You will want to select one of the strategies above to address the counterargument. The counterargument you choose will depend on the audience and your goals. Remember, a skeptical audience may find concession more persuasive, while a neutral or supportive audience may support refutation. In the rebuttal, address the specific reasons and claims from the counterargument. You will want to use research to support your rebuttal.

Whether you place the counterargument or your main argument first depends on your goals. A counterargument rebutted using refutation is traditionally near the end of the essay after discussing your main points. After laying out your claims and evidence , you can use this information to form the evidence you will use to create your rebuttal against the counterargument. If you primarily want to use concessions , it will be better near the beginning of the paper after the introduction. Because your main points show how your argument is stronger, you will want to introduce the opposing viewpoint at the beginning.

Counter Argument - Key Takeaways

• A counterargument is a contrasting or opposing argument. The counterargument is the opposite argument of the one you are writing about.
• You include counterarguments in your writing to form a rebuttal . A rebuttal is where you explain why your position is stronger than the other.
• Including counterarguments strengthens your argument by making it more credible and helps to convince your audience of your claims.
• The classical argumentation structure is a common one to follow for incorporating counterarguments.
• Two strategies for rebutting your counterargument include refutation and concession. Refutation describes the process of showing how the counterargument contains logical fallacies or is not supported with evidence. Concession is the strategy of admitting that an opposing argument is correct.
• Harris Cooper, Jorgianne Civey Robinson, and Erika Patall, "Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement? A Synthesis of Research, 1987-2003," 2006.
• Mollie Galloway, Jerusha Connor, and Denise Pope, "Nonacademic Effects of Homework in Privileged, High-Performing High Schools," 2013.

Flashcards in Counter Argument 4

Counterfactuals

Counterarguments strengthen your argument since you explain the opposing view and why your viewpoint is stronger. 

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Frequently Asked Questions about Counter Argument

What's a counterargument?

A counterargument is a contrasting or opposing argument. Counterarguments are common in argumentative essays. The counterargument is the opposing argument to the one you are writing about. You include counterarguments in your writing to form a rebuttal . A rebuttal is where you explain why your position is stronger than the counterargument.

How should a counterargument be presented?

There are several strategies for addressing counterarguments and forming your rebuttals. The two major categories for these strategies include refutation and concession.  Refutation describes the process of showing how the counterargument contains logical fallacies or is not supported with evidence. Concession is the strategy of admitting that an opposing argument is correct.

How to start a counterargument paragraph?

To begin writing a counterargument, research the opposing views. You will need to do this research to understand the reasons and claims behind the opposing viewpoint. From this research, select the opposing viewpoint's strongest claims and reasons. Begin your counterargument paragraph summarizing and explaining these claims.

How to write a counterargument paragraph

Begin your counterargument paragraph by summarizing and explaining the claims. After describing the opposing viewpoints, write the rebuttal in the second half of the paragraph. The counterargument you choose will depend on the audience and your goals. A skeptical audience may find concession more persuasive, while a neutral or supportive audience may support refutation.

How does a counterargument strengthen your argument?

Your argument becomes stronger because you have to address your opposition's claims. If you can effectively address and rebuke your opposition's arguments, your argument will appear more credible to your audience. It will help you persuade your audience that your argument is correct, especially if they are skeptical of your position.

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How To Write A Counter Argument Properly?

How to write a counter argument is a bit tricky question as it is a viewpoint that opposes your main argument. In fact the English Cambridge dictionary gives the counter argument definition as an argument against another argument. The counter argument meaning is to understand your own argument better. This type of essay will allow you to think about the problem as a whole rather than just your idea of it.

Counter argument words go against your thesis, but while it may seem that acknowledging your opponent’s argument would undermine your own argument, these counter-arguments can actually fortify your strength of view if done the right way. How to start counter argument requires you to know your topic well so that you can look at both sides of the issue.

Your topic might be dogs, and an example of this might be you arguing that dogs make better pets than cats. This is because they show their feelings more. You argue that cats make better pets because they’re more able to care for themselves. Your take is a counterargument to the fact that dogs make better pets.

What Is A Counter-Argument?

When you’ve got an argument like the one described above, you can make your argument stronger by showing that you respect the other person’s point of view, and that you have actually thought about their argument before coming to your position. You understand the reasons why someone might disagree with you.

Other typical counter argument examples might be making the case that cell phones allowed at school are disruptive. This is because students are responding to the cell phone’s constant rings and messages.

A counter statement might be that cell phones in classrooms can actually be beneficial because then students have instant access to research. This is particularly true in a school where there may not be enough money to buy computers for the students.

If you’re still not convinced about how to write a counter argument essay, don’t stress as we have profesional essay writers that will write you a counter argument example essay and bring in the marks you require to pass well.

They will also show you how to start a counter argument sentence, and the counter argument essay examples will tell you everything you need to know. They’ll explain what’s a counter argument, what counter argument sentence starters to use and also how to prepare a counter argument paragraph outline.

The Counter Argument Paragraph

When writing your counterargument paragraph, how to write counter argument will require you responding to your other position and identifying the opposing argument. You’ll be responding to it by giving the reasons the argument is weak and providing examples to show why the opposing argument is unsound. You can then state your own argument and why it is stronger than the counterargument.

Your counter statement can appear anywhere in your essay, but a counter-argument essay example will show you that it commonly appears as part of your introduction — before proposing your thesis. A counter-argument is essentially an argument that is opposed to your thesis, expressing the view of a person who disagrees with your position. A counter argument synonym might be a rebuttal, counter-attack, disclaimer or counter statement.

There are plenty of counter argument transitions in these essays too – counter argument transition words or phrases that link ideas. These words can be used to show two things are similar to each other, so when you’re adding information you might want to use the following transition words among others:

• not to mention
• by the same token

How To Start A Counter Argument

How you start a counter argument will depend on your subject, but in your first sentence you could state the topic you are discussing. For instance, pit bulls are a controversial topic and your argument could be that pit bulls are safe dogs to keep when brought up properly.

The counter argument will be based on stats that prove that they’re aggressive dogs, and your rebuttal would then be that such aggressive behavior from these dogs comes from aggressive dog owners who raise their dogs the wrong way.

Your counter argument will alert the reader that the paper will express a view different from the thesis. The purpose of the paper, together with the counter-argument, is to support the thesis.

How to introduce a counter argument? This should be done in a way that your reader knows that the view you want to convey isn’t one that you’re 100% in agreement with. Simple ways are to start a sentence with are ‘however’ or ‘but’.

You can use the following counter argument starters in your essay to incorporate rebuttals in your writing:

• Even though
• In spite of the fact that..
• A possible concern is ..
• That is a concern, however…

With an argumentative paper, including a counterargument paragraph shows that you understand that other positions exist. With a persuasive essay you provide a view on your topic and the idea is to persuade your reader to your way of thinking.

By providing counter arguments, you show the professor that you have also considered the flaws in your pro-arguments. With a counter argument example you will see that the first few lines describe your purpose of your persuasive essay – your thesis statement. Once the general idea of the introduction is written down, you move to the body and related counter arguments. With persuasive writing you have to know how to write a counter argument.

A student may well believe that a counterargument would weaken their argument as they’re giving the other side some ammunition, but a counterargument does the opposite and strengthens your argument, showing you’ve done research and have grasped both sides of the argument.

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Where to put counter-examples within a 5-paragraph essay?

I am tutoring some students in the very basics of writing a 5-paragraph essay to present an argument, in preparation for more advanced academic writing. I am instructing them to include:

• An introduction with thesis
• Three body paragraphs, each with statements that supporting the thesis and evidence
• A conclusion

Sometimes, the students want to present counter-arguments to their thesis. For example, they organized the five paragraphs like this:

• ¶1 thesis: Dogs make great pets.
• ¶2 statement: Dogs can make people happy. Examples.
• ¶3 statement: Dogs can rescue people. Examples.
• ¶4 statement: However, dogs are not clean. Examples.
• ¶5 conclusion.

Is it okay to include an entire paragraph based around a counter-example like this. What would be the appropriate place for such a counter-example to appear?

• academic-writing

6 Answers 6

In my humble opinion, it's a good idea in a persuasive essay to at least acknowledge counter-arguments. If you simply ignore counter-arguments, and a reader is aware of them, his response is likely to be, "Well, he just completely ignored the fact that X."

As Paul Clayton says, if you give the pro, then the con, then with no rebuttal or reply to the con you give your conclusion, it can make the argument look weak or disconnected. It can come across as, "Here is my argument, here is why my argument is flawed, but I'm just going to ignore the flaws and stick to my original thesis." When I am writing a persuasive essay, I don't end with counter-examples. I may end with counter-examples followed by rebuttals. More often, I start with the position I disagree with, then show why it's wrong, then give my conclusion. But there are many ways to structure an essay.

The shorter an essay the less time you're going to spend on rebuttals. In a 5-paragraph essay I might well skip rebuttals as there's just no time to get into them.

I think there are a couple of equally valid ways that it could be done, depending on how they chose to structure their argument.

• Supporting Argument
• Supporting Example
• Counterexample

Is perfectly fine. However I don't see that there is anything wrong with:

• Merciless destruction of counterexample
• Why the counterexample is fair.
• Why the original thesis is better.

• 2 Your first and last one don't quite work. "Thesis" is an argument without examples: "Dogs make great pets." So your first one actually runs Thesis, Pro example, Pro example, Con example, Conclusion, which is what the OP posited. Your last one is Thesis, Con example, Con example, Pro example, Conclusion -- same general idea, in reverse order. And your second one is essentially the same as mine, but taking a harsher tone in Para 4. –  Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum Commented Nov 1, 2013 at 16:53
• 1 #2 is what I strive for when doing this kind of writing. The counterexample shouldn't be the last "real" thing they read (intros and conclusions don't count here), and "merciless destruction of counterexample" is spot-on -- bring it up and then show why it's not a concern. –  Monica Cellio Commented Nov 4, 2013 at 19:27

It depends on what the "point" of the essay is, and how it's set up in the intro/thesis.

If the goal of the essay is to argue "dogs make great pets," then there shouldn't be a counter-argument at all.

If the goal is to present both sides of a point, then the intro needs to say that, and I would suggest Para 2 is the Pro, Para 3 is the Con, and maybe Para 4 discusses which is stronger or has more weight. At the moment your two-pro/one-con feels lopsided.

In any case, I would certainly put pro arguments before con arguments, so you're heading in the right direction.

• 1 Is there any way to word the thesis in such a way that it presents both sides of the point? –  Village Commented Nov 1, 2013 at 12:41
• 1 @Village You can just baldly state "Many cultures keep dogs as pets; as with any pet, there are benefits and drawbacks, and it is up to the person to decide if a dog is right for him/her." (or whatever Para 4 is: "some people feel dogs are not worth the effort" or "some people are inseparable from their dogs despite the effort," etc.) –  Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum Commented Nov 1, 2013 at 15:16
• 5 Addressing obvious counter arguments strengthens the pro case. Also placing Cons immediately before the conclusion gives them more weight, weakening the earlier Pros. This placement could be appropriate for an attempt at a balanced presentation when the writer favors the Pro side. Audience/goals also matter: emboldening supporters, convincing the undecided, seeking mutual respect, weakening the resolve of opponents, and converting opponents (among other goals) can involve different tactics. –  user5232 Commented Nov 1, 2013 at 17:58

I am learning this in Language Arts right now. I am in sixth grade, and we are writing 5 paragraph argumentative essays. I believe the counterargument should be in the 4th paragraph, and then you give more pros that will outnumber the cons, so the reader is convinced.

We usually use three prongs, to make our writing more organized. So if you do it this way, you can introduce your third reason in your fourth paragraph, and THEN provide a counterargument.

I believe (and notice) that the most effective location is just before the Conclusion , if the alternate opinions are elaborative and has a measure of being the devil's advocate .

However, in abstracts of scientific papers, I notice that alternative opinions or theses are often placed after the declaration of the thesis. That has the intention to, as a respected scientist should, fore-warn readers that the thesis at hand is but one of multiple possibilities, or that the thesis is complementary or supplementary to other opinions - so that the thesis at hand should be taken in consideration with, or compared against, all the other theses mentioned.

I think you need to remember that the five paragraph essay is not a normal literary form, it is an artificial training exercise (of dubious merit, if you ask me, but that is beside the point). Training exercises are designed to isolate certain aspects of an activity in order to focus on them in practice. (Like learning to drive standard by practicing in an empty parking lot rather than stalling your car on the public roads.)

As such, you set the rules to force students to practice the particular skill you are trying to train them for. If you are trying to train them to address counter arguments than that should be a required part of the drill. If you are trying to train them to marshal arguments in favor of a position, then it should not.

There is no right or wrong here except in regard to the specific skill you are trying to isolate and practice.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged academic-writing structure essay or ask your own question .

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What Is a Counter Argument in an Essay?

What is a counter argument in an essay? Counter argument writing is one of the arguments students develop in essays. When students learn how to write a counter argument, they develop communication skills. The ability to write a counter argument helps students debate when they have to make a personal argument and oppose the ideas of others using reason and evidence. Developing a counter argument in the flow of debate, you think better considering the problem from different perspectives that allow you to win in any dispute as your arguments will leave no chances for an opponent to make counterarguments since you already consider them.

By writing a counter argument, students make their essays more impressive and stronger. It allows them to build a logical justification of personal argument with a higher level of supportive evidence. A strong counter argument helps writing an academic paper with a substantial amount of examples and critical statements, and it makes an essay stronger.

What Is a Counter Argument in an Essay? Essential Information

What is a counter argument? A counter argument is a statement that contradicts the main argument developing evidence that does not agree with what a student has written in the man part. The main purpose of a counter argument is to help a student to justify the main argument by means of providing evidence of why it is wrong. Writing a counter argument allows developing the objections to it that makes the essay sound belligerent. Using a counter argument in an essay shows strong features of a student, such as communication, research, and justification skills.

How to Write a Counter Argument

• List the major objectives of the argument that come to your mind immediately when you think about your argument. Conduct research if you do not have any particular ideas in this direction. Rank the objections from 1 the strongest to 3 the weakest. Make sure that the ideas listed make your argument stronger but do not destroy it.
• Think about an essay structure; how you are going to implement these counter arguments in your paper. You may gather all counter arguments in one paragraph at the end of an essay, which is a common essay structure in this case, or you may add some portions of counterargument throughout the paper, both contradicting your statement and seeking for the persuasive arguments why the counterargument cannot be considered as an argument in your case. Both variants will make your paper stronger. Remember about transitional and linking words.
• Remember that you need to develop a couple of sentences regarding your counter argument to elaborate on it; do not leave one phrase without explanation. It may be useful to provide several examples to give a better explanation of what you mean by your counter argument.
• Mind that you have to explain in detail why the counter argument you have developed is invalid. You need to perfectly indicate the reasons why the counterargument does not contradict your argument. Use examples and sources as a reference to justify your response.
• Check your thesis one more time and ensure that the counter arguments developed to make your paper stronger as even though they try to contradict your ideas, the presence of the explanation of their validity makes your main argument more developed.

Where to Write a Counter Argument

Your counter argument may be located anywhere in the paper. You decide where to put the counterargument. You may place it at the end or throughout the paper. Just mind that each counter argument must be properly explained no matter where it is located. Here is a list of the sections where you may place your counter argument:

• In the introduction. You may state a counter argument and further write a thesis statement. In this case, you will have an opportunity to justify your thesis by referring to the counter argument provided.
• A paragraph next to the introduction. You are sure to make the strongest argument in favor of your thesis statement here; this, it may be logical to offer the counterargument you are going to argue.
• A part of any paragraph. In this case, you may offer some examples justifying the thesis and the topic sentence you currently work on.

Mind that you should do not write too much about the counter argument not to make it a focus of your paper. A counter argument is just an assisting point that helps you justify your thesis statement.

How to Start Writing a Counter Argument

Even though a counter argument is a part of an essay, you need to incorporate it in such a way that it does not sound like a center of discussion. Use transition words to make a counter argument a part of your writing. You need to resort to transitional words or phrases to make the change of ideas slight and reasonable. Remember to make your discussion logical. This is the only way of making your essay strong.

Counter Argument Transition Words

There are many transition words you may use for your counter argument. Writing opposing points of your argument may require specific transition words. Check the list below and use the words that may be interesting for you, and comply with your writing. Here are some of the transitional phrases:

Transition Words Examples

Rather than

Although this may be true

On the other hand

On the contrary

In contrast

Even though

Some experts argue

There is a good strategy to resort to question worlds as a part of your transition:

However, why

However, if

Nonetheless, how does

Check a Counter Argument Example Developed by Our Professional Writers

In the paper I wrote “Genetic Engineering-Salvation or Damnation?” I argued that genetic engineering in the field of agriculture is a dangerous endeavor given the weak regulations that guide the field. In this light, I explored potential dangers of genetic engineering as it is carried out presently and pointed at clear examples of the adverse effects posed by practice that hinder its initial objective of solving food crisis around the globe. Genetic engineering interferes with indigenous species, and there is little research carried out to establish its long-term effect on the environment and the social welfare of communities. In addition, it is under-regulated and seeks to give the power of food security to a few corporations who patent their products. However, there are some weak points in the argument above as it purports that genetically modified foods brought a new era of bio-colonialism that endangers indigenous crops. The paper presents genetic engineering as a potential threat to current and future survival of indigenous species. While there is evidence of interference from such crops, a lot of research and lab tests are carried out to ascertain their safety. The paper also fails to recognize the crucial role played by genetically modified foods in curbing global food insecurity. The logic that my argument rests on is as follows: Genetic engineering is damnation. However, someone might object to the logic of this unstated assumption due to evidence that genetically modified foods make significant contributions to food security, as they can thrive in conditions that indigenous food would fail. Such foods are drought and pest resistant making them suitable for all-year production thus averting hunger crisis. In addition, genetic engineering allows modification of indigenous crops, making them tolerable to pests and harsh weather conditions. I can identify strong arguments that someone might make responding differently to my question on the issue of genetic engineering. Genetically modified food is unhealthy for human consumption and further has more non-health based negative effects. Consumption of such food involves consuming the modifying genes in the product and the gene remains in the body of the consumer, leading to unpredictable chronic diseases and harm to unborn babies. There is a deficiency in research on the long-term effects of GMOs. The plants affect the environment, social welfare and have economic costs. The plants and their herbicides degrade the environment, affect biodiversity, and pollute water, which in turn affect communities and bears economic costs. The future of food security lies in the genetic engineering. Despite the huge population and massive population growth trends around the world, only 10% of the earth is arable to feed that population. As such, alternative means of food production to ensure food security are necessary to avert a crisis. Genetic engineering offers a perfect solution to the problem since the plants are pest and drought resistant. In addition, genetic engineering allows the transfer of desirable genes to various plants, thus increasing their production capabilities. Indigenous crops are the most prominent beneficiaries of genetic engineering since they can be improved to enhance their productivity and increase their resistance to perennial problems of pests and drought. The seeds are also relatively cheap and hence affordable to farmers. There are weaknesses in this argument as well. Genetically engineered plants interfere with local species, as was the case in Minnesota where genetic rice cross-pollinated with local rice causing sterility, thus affecting production rates. In addition, such foods tend to deprive farmers of the benefits of their traditional foods due to their replacement thereby endangering their existence. In other situations, companies seek intellectual property rights for their products, which ensures that they continue to increase their products, thus further commercializing food security.

Thus, writing a counter argument is both simple and complicated as n the one hand, you need to provide the argument that contradicts your statement, and on the other hand, it should ensure that you can prove your thesis. When you manage to see the points that may contradict your argument, you also see the statements that may protect your argument. It makes your writing interesting. Moreover, the development of a counter argument increases the validity and strength of your thesis statement, your major argument. The skills required for developing a counter argument will help you in your future to deal with many controversial events. Seek professional assistance if you are not sure that you can properly develop a counter argument but still try to complete the task yourself.

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How to write a Counterclaim Paragraph, Sentence or Rebuttal

• by Joseph Kenas
• January 18, 2024

If you are writing an argumentative essay, you will find yourself including counterclaims. In this guide, we guide you on how to write a good counterclaim in an essay and how to frame your counterclaim sentence and paragraph in rebuttal.

Counterclaims are mostly included in an argumentative essay where you are required to convince your readers to agree with your arguments and point of view concerning the topic in question. 

What is a Counterclaim in an Essay?

A counterclaim can be regarded as the argument or arguments that oppose the thesis statement in your essay. Within the introduction, you introduce the topic and create a thesis statement in the last sentence that makes it clear to your audience the point(s) you want to prove and the strategy you will use to prove it. 

The counterclaim demonstrates to the reader that you have put into consideration the perspectives of the opposing side and you find such perspectives to be weak.

As such, a counterclaim will allow you to respond to the potential arguments of your readers before they complete reading the essay.

Additionally, a counterclaim demonstrates that both sides of the debate have been put into consideration, hence strengthening your position. 

Difference Between a Claim and a Counterclaim

There is a big difference between a claim and a counterclaim. When writing essays, one may need to include both in the same essay, especially when presenting an argumentative topic.

The difference between a claim and a counterclaim lies in their assertion. A claim is a statement that demonstrates the position of argument or the assertion of a fact or a truth. On the other hand, a counterclaim is an argument that negates a specific claim by rebutting it. While a claim asserts the writer’s argument, a counterclaim rebuts.

When writing an essay, particularly an argumentative essay, you will have a topic and a thesis statement that will show the readers the points you are going to prove and how you will prove them.

Most of your paper will be dedicated to proving your claim to the reader so that they can agree with your point of view. 

A good claim should be arguable and at times controversial to allow the readers to think otherwise about your perspectives as the writer.

It can also come up with their interpretations concerning the topic.

Because of this, the essay will be based on the claim and you will demonstrate why your claim is accepted. On the other hand, a counterclaim is a statement of opposition that will allow the readers to perceive the whole picture of the arguments.

Though this is the case, the counterclaim demonstrates that the writer has anticipated arguments against their claim and has provided proof, through the counterclaim, that the readers’ perspectives are false or weak. 

As such, when the counterclaim is stated, it is addressed concerning its weaknesses or limitations. This enhances the claim’s strength.  

How to Write a Good Counterclaim in an Essay

If you wish to write a good counterclaim, make sure that it takes the form of two stages.

The first stage is where you go against your claim or argument so that you can challenge it and the second stage is where you turn back to your claim or argument to re-affirm it.

When writing a good counterclaim, you imagine that some of your readers will be skeptical and you have to make them agree with you. 

For example, if you want to present a counterclaim showing that there was a problem with how you demonstrated your claims, like an unwarranted assumption, certain evidence was played down or ignored, and so on, you can support the counterclaim by presenting the disadvantages or drawbacks of the issues with the presentation. Then, give an alternative proposal or alternative that would make more sense to the readers.

To refute the counterclaim, you announce with words like ‘yet’, ‘but’, ‘however’, ‘still’, or ‘nevertheless’ to indicate that you are about to show why the counterclaim is wrong. Acknowledge that it is a good claim but demonstrate that yours might help the argument more. 

Where to Write a Counterclaim in an Essay

A counterclaim can be included anywhere within the body of the essay except the conclusion. There are some cases where you can write a counterclaim at the second last sentence of the introduction paragraph followed by the thesis statement which acts as the refutation.

You can also write a counterargument after the introduction to show the anticipated reaction to your point of view before moving forward with writing your actual claims. 

Moving forward, the reason why you cannot place the counterclaim within the conclusion is that you have to include a rebuttal paragraph or statements after you have written the counterclaim. Therefore, a counterclaim located at the conclusion will miss the rebuttal paragraph or statements. 

However, argumentative essays can take different structures. Even though such essays will have a basic structure of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, the differences will occur within the body paragraphs. Such differences dictate where the counterclaim(s) are located. 

There is a structure where the counterclaims are located within all the body paragraphs. In this case, you will write your claim, followed by a counterclaim, and then a rebuttal. This means that for every claim you present to support your thesis, there will be a counterclaim and a rebuttal.

The most common structure is where you present your claims and present the counterclaim(s) before the conclusion. The counterclaim is immediately followed by a rebuttal.

Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Counterclaim

When it comes to the dos of writing a counterclaim, always ensure that it is followed by a rebuttal to demonstrate that your claims are superior to it. Secondly, courteously present your counterclaims to avoid upsetting the reader.

Acknowledge the anticipated arguments from the readers.

Demonstrate that the readers’ points of view are valid but your perspective makes more sense.

Finally, appeal to the logic of the readers through the use of valid evidence.

Concerning the don’ts when writing a counterclaim, do not include a counterargument just for the sake of it.

Make sure that the counterargument is valid in its own right and it is verifiable through evidence.

This is because your readers will also use logic and evidence when thinking about your claims. Secondly, do not use a disrespectful or uncourteous tone when addressing the other side of the argument. 

Examples of Counterclaims

A counterclaim in a separate paragraph.

Counterclaim:  “Opponents argue that after-school sports can increase the likelihood of sports-related injuries (Bancroft, 2018). Even minor injuries sustained from participation in after-school sports increase absent rates and the expense of creating injury reports for students (Sizemore, 2019)” . 

Refutation:  “Although students do suffer both serious and minor injuries in after-school sports, these injuries are quite rare (Kinney, 2016) . 

Embedded Within a Paragraph

“Without free after-school sports programs, many students would still play sports without adult supervision and even more injuries would result”.   Counterclaim :  “However, some people would argue that after-school sports can increase the likelihood of sports-related injuries (Sizemore 2019)”.   Refutation:   “Although students do suffer both serious and minor injuries in after-school sports, without school-sponsored sports, the likelihood of more injuries from less supervised recreational leagues or privately sponsored leagues with fewer safety regulations would be much worse” .

How Long Should a Counterclaim Be?

A counterclaim can be as long as a paragraph if it appears after the introduction paragraph or at the end of the body before the conclusion. However, if a counterclaim is located within a paragraph, it can be a few sentences long (2-3). 

However, the length of a counterclaim depends on the length of a claim in general. You can learn more about how to write a claim paragraph in that guide so that you can learn the two in general.

How many Counterclaims can you Put?

This depends on the structure of the essay. If the counterclaim appears after the introduction or before the conclusion, then it will only be one. However, if it is embedded within paragraphs, then they will be as many as the supportive augments.

This is because they will be used to refute every claim made within the body paragraph. If your supporting claims are 5 then the counterclaims will be 5 and so on. 

Check out how to write college essays in our guide that we hope will lead you to score well.

Joseph is a freelance journalist and a part-time writer with a particular interest in the gig economy. He writes about schooling, college life, and changing trends in education. When not writing, Joseph is hiking or playing chess.

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A List of Transition Words to Use for Argumentative Essays

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

Writing an argumentative essay requires a lot of effort aside from research. Besides grammar and structure, you definitely need to make sure your essay is coherent by using transitions.

Argumentative essay transition words allow you to wrap up a piece of evidence to support your main point and then move on to another. Keep reading for tips and an exhaustive list of transition words I put together for your argumentative essays.

What Is a Transition Word?

A transition word is critical to producing quality content. Also known as linking words, transition words make basic connections between sentences and paragraphs to show a relationship between ideas.

A strong transition is crucial when writing an essay. It’s not enough that you provide complete information about your main points and supporting details. You also have to make your argument attractive and logical by using transitions in your academic essay.

The absence of transition words will make your paper less readable and understandable. But too many transitions can also ruin your piece. Use them in moderation to avoid confusion about your document.

Function and Importance of Transitions

The goal of transition words is to convey ideas clearly and concisely to your readers. If you’re writing an argumentative paper, you want to make logical connections in your document to prove your central point.

Transitional phrases and words help you produce a logical flow from one sentence or paragraph to another. In other words, they introduce what the following information will be. Some transitions come in single words, while others come in complete phrases and sentences.

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There are many categories of transitions, including those that present counterarguments and others that build on your arguments. Be careful about using the wrong transition. Otherwise, you won’t achieve your goal of clarity and conciseness. Consider these examples.

• “ For instance , an anonymous TikTok user reports having a shorter attention span because of its over-swiping feature.” (In this sentence, for instance is used to provide an example).
• “ Here’s an exception to my previous point. ” (This entire sentence is a transition, showing a logical connection between the previous and following sentences).

Transition can also be a sentence to a paragraph long. I’ll show you an example.

Paragraph A: A point that supports co-sleeping as a parenting method.

Transition: Despite this, there are many reasons that prove co-sleeping leads to sleep-related accidents.

Paragraph B: Points that oppose co-sleeping.

Types of Transition Words

There are several types of transitions you can use for making high-quality essays.

Transition Between Paragraphs

A type of transition required for a well-written essay is one you can find between paragraphs. Once you’ve arranged each paragraph according to your outline, it’s important to start each with an effective transition. This word or phrase is usually present in the topic sentence of the body.

Some examples include however, similarly, and for example. But these transition expressions cannot be a single sentence long. The initial sentence of every paragraph should be clear and substantial instead of simply connecting ideas.

Transition Within Paragraphs

Creating a powerful transition within every paragraph of your academic papers avoids choppy sentences. It provides a sense of connection between complex ideas to help readers anticipate what is coming.

These are usually single words or short phrases like in addition, since, and if.

Transition Between Sections

The last type of transition phrases and sentences are those between sections. You’ll find them all over the entire paper to summarize the information. They can be restatements of arguments or a short closing sentence to ensure the flow of ideas.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

It’s a type of essay that requires you to research a subject matter and establish a position for or against it.

Aside from researching and evaluating evidence, showing a relationship between sentences and sections is essential when writing a paper. This will allow you to wrap up an idea and then start another. You must cite different sources to support your point of view, then show counterarguments.

The entire essay should include an introduction, a conclusion, and at least three body paragraphs.

How Do You Start an Argumentative Essay?

Every type of paper starts with an introduction, which usually includes a hook, background, and thesis statement.

The common essay introduction piques the reader’s interest through a surprising statistic or an interesting question. Provide readers with a background of your entire content piece, then state your main argument in a clear sentence.

Transition expressions are not yet essential in this stage of essay writing. Focus on setting up your point and discussing how you will argue it throughout the paper.

Common Transitions for Argumentative Essay Writing

Take a look at this list of transitional words and phrases commonly used to make strong arguments.

• Additionally
• In addition
• Not only… but also
• In the same way
• Comparatively
• Furthermore
• Equally important

Counterargument Transition Words

Here’s a transition word list for essays showing different sides of an argument.

• While it is true that
• Nevertheless
• Despite this
• On the other hand
• Be that as it may
• Even though
• Although this may be true

Transition Words and Phrases for Comparing and Contrasting

Here’s a breakdown of transition words and phrases you can use when comparing and contrasting.

• In spite of
• On the contrary
• Different from
• In contrast

Transition Words to Include in Your College Essay

Here are some examples of transition words you can use when applying for college admission or scholarship.

• To put it in another way
• To demonstrate
• As an illustration
• By all means
• In other words

Transition Words for Cause and Effect

Consider this transition word list when showing cause and effect.

• As a result
• For this reason
• Consequently
• Accordingly
• Under those circumstances
• Because the

Transition Words for Essay Paragraphs

• At the present time
• In due time
• To begin with
• All of a sudden
• Immediately
• In a moment

Transitions to Emphasize a Point

• Most of all
• The main problem/issue is
• Without question
• More importantly
• Most important of all

Transition Words for Additional Support or Evidence

Transition words for sequence or order, transition words for space or place.

• In the middle of
• In the distance
• In the background
• Here and there
• On the side

To Cite a Source or Paraphrase

• According to
• This means that
• Put it more simply

Transition Words to Begin a Body Paragraph

• What is more
• Beyond that

Transition Words to Introduce Details

• For example
• As an example
• For instance
• A case in point
• Specifically
• In particular
• More specifically

Transition Words for Conclusion

• As can be seen
• By and large
• On the whole
• To summarize
• In the final analysis
• Generally speaking

More Transition Words

• With this intention
• In order to
• In the hope that
• With this in mind
• For the purpose of
• Provided that

Tips for Using Argumentative Essay Transitions

Follow these tips to improve your use of transitions in your essay.

Know What the Transitions Mean

Non-native speakers may need help knowing the meaning of every transition expression, so research every term before using it.

There are also many categories of transition words. You can use them to summarize points, show contradictions, express sequence, or begin a paragraph.

Start Your Essay with an Outline

Writing an outline will make it easier to map your ideas and move them around. This strategy will help you transition between paragraphs.

Don’t Overuse Transitions

The last mistake you shouldn’t make is overuse. Instead of making connections between sentences, you’ll make your paper more difficult to read. It creates more incoherence and distraction in your writing, contradicting its intended purpose in your paper.

Use Transition Words Properly

Now you know how to use transition words and phrases for your argumentative essay through this guide and list. These expressions will help you produce a coherent relationship between every idea.

Mastering transitions for your essay may not be a piece of cake, but practice makes perfect. Don’t forget to revise and proofread your argumentative before submitting it to your professor.

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The “peacemaker’s paradox”: Why you should embrace the arguments made against you

• Every argument has a corresponding counterargument.
• Acknowledging these can reveal weaknesses in your position but also help you sharpen your argument or realize its flaws.
• In his 2024 book Habits of a Peacemaker , author and law professor Steven T. Collis advises seeking out arguments made against you — even if doing so is uncomfortable.

If you ever want to have your day ruined, talk to an economist. One of the things economists are fond of pointing out is that there is no such thing as a free lunch. What they mean by this is that there is a cost to everything. If you say you’re excited to go get a free lunch, and there is an economist around, they will be quick to point out that if you think it’s free, you’re wrong. You’re giving something up to enjoy that lunch: the time to get there, whatever else you could have been doing during the lunch, another meal you might have enjoyed, other people you could have spent that time with. There is, they will say, always a trade-off.

Once they have you depressed, they will emphasize that those trade-offs are often referred to in economic theory as opportunity costs — the value of what you give up when you choose between two mutually exclusive options. This is not a hard concept to understand. Any time we choose to do one thing, we are giving up something else. If I choose to accept my friend’s free tickets to an NBA game, I am giving up spending that time with someone else or watching a different sporting event. If I choose to linger after work for happy hour, I am giving up time with my family. If I choose to go home to my family immediately after work, I am sacrificing networking time with potentially powerful connections in my career.

The economists are right: There is no such thing as a free lunch, and everything has a cost, which means for every position on a given topic there are arguments against it. Those arguments may be weak; they may not raise costs so high that you feel you should change your mind, but they do exist. And you should always be aware of them.

For a simple example, consider something like seatbelt laws. Except for New Hampshire, all of the states in the United States require adults to wear seatbelts. (All states require children to wear seatbelts.) The rationale is what we see on road signs anytime we take a trip: They save lives and reduce medical care expenditures related to accidents. Enough of us are convinced this is true; otherwise, all these seatbelt laws would not have passed. They have become so commonplace that few of us even question them anymore. That was not always so. 

There are costs. One is that people must give up some of their personal autonomy when mandated to wear a seatbelt. Some may use the argument that if people want to choose to risk death when they drive, that is their choice; we don’t need a paternalistic government to protect us from every harm to which we might want to subject ourselves. Another cost that not everyone considers is that seatbelt laws disproportionately burden those families who want to have more children. It’s no longer the 1970s, when a hoard of kids climbing around in the back of a station wagon was perfectly legal. Requiring that every seat in a car have a belt means that any parents who would like to have more than three kids must incur a greater cost to purchase a bigger vehicle and will be disincentivized from having larger families.

When the various states were debating passing seatbelt laws, those and other arguments were brought to the fore. They obviously did not win the day almost anywhere, but they were real arguments that policy-makers needed to take seriously.

Similar arguments exist for any policy position you might adopt. So always ask yourself: What is the cost to what you want to see happen in the world? Once you come to understand that, you will have a better grip on the best argument against your view. You may even come to realize that the cost of what you want is just too high, which may force you to tweak or nuance your position. Doing so will make your viewpoint even stronger.

That is an important point. You are not seeking out the costs of your preferred position only to weaken your arguments. You are seeking them out to find the weaknesses in your position. The result will be that you either improve your view, or you realize you were mistaken. Either way, your world will be enhanced.

Don’t be afraid of arguments that make you uncomfortable

We live in a society that attempts at almost every turn to protect us from potential harm and discomfort. Psychologists, theologians, teachers, and philosophers have all recognized that some time, over the last sixty years, the wealthy nations of the Western world have shifted culturally. We used to adopt the mindset that people should lose themselves as part of various higher causes. In some instances, this belief was one of necessity. Children born into an environment in which the only option was to produce food or die needed to learn as quickly as possible to contribute to the enterprise of survival. The goal was to help them become contributors at an early age.

But the wealth and luxury of the modern world changed that. Many segments of society now operate with the mindset that we must not only protect children from physical harm, but from any notion of discomfort — mental, emotional, or physical. Instead of asking how we can contribute to society, we have started asking how society can be therapeutic to us. Anna Lembke traces all of this back to Freud:

[Freud’s] groundbreaking psychoanalytic contribution was that early childhood experiences, even those long forgotten or outside of conscious awareness, can cause lasting psychological damage. Unfortunately, Freud’s insights that early childhood trauma can influence adult psychopathology has morphed into the conviction that any and every challenging experience primes us for the psychotherapy couch.

With that conviction, many of us have been trained from an early age to avoid discomfort, including the discomfort of ideas or arguments that challenge how we view the world.

There is no such thing as a free lunch, and everything has a cost, which means for every position on a given topic there are arguments against it.

If you want to engage in constructive dialogue, if you want to help solve the world’s real problems, then you need to overcome that instinct our modern culture has created in us. Peacemakers are not afraid of arguments or facts that challenge their worldview. They seek them out. They analyze them. If arguments or facts make them uncomfortable, they seek to understand why.

Know that each of us is part of a culture that has increasingly trained us to avoid any and all distress. Once you embrace that, you can then prepare yourself to find and embrace ideas and arguments that may prove you wrong.

How to Write an Essay Outline: Examples, FAQs & Tips

An essay outline is a structured plan that organizes the main points and supporting details of an essay before writing. It guides the flow of ideas and ensures that each section of the essay is logically connected and coherent.

In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to build a strong essay outline. You'll discover how to define your thesis, arrange your main points, and structure your outline for clarity and effectiveness. If you're still having trouble putting your outline together after reading this, EssayService can provide expert help to make sure your essay is well-structured and persuasive!

Basic Elements of an Essay

An essay begins with an introduction, which is followed by one or more body paragraphs that expand on the points introduced. It ends with a conclusion that restates the thesis and summarizes the main ideas from the body paragraphs.

Introduction

The introduction of an essay introduces the topic and engages the reader from the start. It usually starts with a hook—a statement or question that grabs attention. After the hook, some background information is given to provide context for the topic.

The introduction ends with a thesis statement, which clearly presents the main argument or purpose of the essay. This section not only introduces the topic but also outlines what the essay will cover, setting the tone for what follows.

Avoid these pitfalls:

• Don't try to cover too much ground in your introduction.
• Avoid vagueness. Be specific and precise in your language.

Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay is where your main ideas and arguments take shape. Each paragraph should open with a topic sentence that clearly states the main point. This is followed by supporting details like evidence, examples, and analysis that back up the topic sentence.

Smooth transitions between paragraphs are key to maintaining a logical flow throughout the essay. Together, the body paragraphs build and support the thesis by adding depth and detail to your argument.

Remember these tips for effective body paragraphs:

• Begin each paragraph with a clear and concise topic sentence.
• Use specific examples, facts, or quotes to support your point.
• Explain why the evidence is important and how it relates to your argument.

The conclusion of an essay wraps up the argument and reinforces the thesis. It usually starts by restating the thesis and reflecting on the discussion and evidence presented in the body paragraphs. A brief summary of the main points follows, highlighting the key arguments made throughout the essay.

The conclusion should close with a final thought or call to action, leaving the reader with something to think about or a sense of closure. The aim is to make a lasting impression that emphasizes the importance of the essay's conclusions.

Remember these tips:

• Briefly recap the key arguments you've made.
• Leave the reader with a thought-provoking final sentence or a call to action.
• Don't introduce any new ideas or arguments in your conclusion.

How to Write an Essay Outline?

Now, let's dive into the heart of this article and show you how to write an essay outline in just four smart steps:

• Determining your thesis and key arguments
• Organizing points into sections
• Adding supporting details
• Drafting a rough outline

Determine Your Thesis and Key Arguments

Your thesis should present a specific point of view or a central idea that your essay will support or explore. Here's how to identify your thesis:

• Ask a question: What is the main point you want to convey?
• Brainstorm: Jot down ideas related to your topic.
• Refine your ideas: Narrow down your focus and develop a clear argument.

Once you have your thesis, identify the main points that support it. These points should be logical, relevant, and comprehensive.

• Divide your thesis: Break down your thesis into its key components.
• Create a mind map: Visually organize your ideas.
• Ask yourself questions: What are the main reasons for your argument? What evidence supports your claims?

Group Main Ideas into Sections

The best way to organize your main points when writing an essay outline depends on the specific topic and purpose of your essay. Experiment with different arrangements to find the one that works best for you. Here are some strategies for organizing your main points:

Add Details to Each Main Idea

When working on your essay outline, remember to choose supporting details that are relevant, specific, and convincing. The more evidence you can provide, the stronger your arguments will be. Consider these tips for developing supporting details for each one.

• Provide examples: "For example, the Great Depression led to a significant increase in homelessness and poverty."
• Cite expert opinions: "As the renowned historian, Eric Hobsbawm, once said, 'The French Revolution was a watershed moment in European history.'"
• Make comparisons and contrasts: "While both cats and dogs make excellent pets, cats are generally more independent, while dogs are more social."
• Offer definitions: "A democracy is a form of government in which the people have the power to elect their leaders."

Make a Rough Outline

Once you've developed supporting details for each main point, you're ready to create a draft outline. This outline will serve as a roadmap for your essay, guiding you through the writing process.

Here's a basic outline template:

• Background information
• Thesis statement

Body Paragraph 1

• Topic sentence
• Supporting detail 1
• Supporting detail 2
• Supporting detail 3

Body Paragraph 2

Body Paragraph 3

• Restate thesis
• Summarize key points
• Final thought

Remember to:

• Use consistent formatting: Indent supporting details.
• Label sections clearly: Use Roman numerals for main points and letters for supporting details.
• Be flexible: Adjust your outline as needed to accommodate new ideas or changes in your argument.

Essay Outline Examples

Now that you have an understanding of the basic structure of an essay outline let's explore some specific examples tailored to different essay genres. Remember, these are just templates, and you should feel free to adapt each essay outline example to fit your unique needs and writing style.

Argumentative Essay Outline

I. Introduction

• Hook: A captivating opening sentence to grab the reader's attention.
• Background information: Relevant context to the topic.
• Thesis statement: A clear and concise statement of your argument.

II. Body Paragraph 1

• Topic sentence: The main point of this paragraph.
• Supporting evidence: Facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions to support your argument.
• Explanation: Analysis of the evidence and its relevance to your thesis.

III. Body Paragraph 2

• Topic sentence: The second main point of your argument.
• Supporting evidence: Facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions.

IV. Body Paragraph 3

• Topic sentence: The third main point of your argument.

V. Counterargument

• Acknowledge opposing viewpoint: Briefly mention a counterargument.
• Refute counterargument: Provide evidence or reasoning to disprove the opposing viewpoint.

VI. Conclusion

• Restate thesis: Reiterate your main argument.
• Summarize key points: Briefly recap the main supporting points.
• Final thought: Leave the reader with a memorable and impactful statement.

Expository Essay Outline

• A. Hook: Start with an engaging statement or fact to grab the reader's attention.
• B. Background Information: Provide context or background information necessary for understanding the topic.
• C. Thesis Statement: Clearly state the main point or purpose of the essay.
• A. Topic Sentence: Introduce the main idea of the paragraph.
• B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the first point.
• C. Evidence/Example: Include evidence or examples to support the explanation.
• D. Analysis: Explain how the evidence or example supports the topic sentence.
• B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the second point.
• B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the third point.

V. Conclusion

• A. Restate Thesis: Restate the thesis in a new way, summarizing the main points of the essay.
• B. Summary of Main Points: Briefly summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs.
• C. Final Thought: End with a concluding statement that reinforces the significance of the topic or provides a closing thought.

Persuasive Essays Outline

• Background information: Provide context or history related to your topic.
• Thesis statement: Clearly state your argument or position.
• Main argument: Present your strongest argument in support of your thesis.
• Supporting evidence: Use facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions to back up your argument.
• Counterargument: Briefly acknowledge an opposing viewpoint.
• Rebuttal: Refute the counterargument with evidence or reasoning.
• Main argument: Present your second strongest argument in support of your thesis.
• Main argument: Present your third strongest argument in support of your thesis.
• Restate thesis: Briefly rephrase your argument.
• Summarize key points: Recap the main supporting arguments.
• Call to action: Encourage the reader to take a specific action or adopt a particular viewpoint.

Final Words

As we sum up this article, let's recap the main steps for writing an outline:

• Determine the main argument or purpose of your essay.
• Break down your thesis into key ideas or arguments.
• Group related ideas together under clear headings.
• Include evidence, examples, and explanations for each main point.
• Arrange everything in a logical order, ensuring a smooth flow from one section to the next.

To ensure your writing is well-structured and effective, rely on EssayService, which is here to help with any type of essay.

Frequently asked questions

• Linford, J. (2014). Essay Planning: Outlining with a Purpose What Is an Outline? How Do I Develop an Outline? https://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/Essay%20Planning%20-%20Outlining.pdf
• ‌ Writing an Outline for your essay | MacOdrum Library . (n.d.). Library.carleton.ca . https://library.carleton.ca/guides/help/writing-outline-your-essay

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How do you use persuasive language in an essay?

Using persuasive language in an essay involves crafting arguments that convincingly appeal to the reader. To enhance your persuasive essay, employ strategies such as presenting clear, logical arguments supported by strong evidence. Use emotive and assertive language to sway the reader's emotions and reinforce your points. Incorporate rhetorical questions and compelling anecdotes to engage and persuade your audience. For effective results, consider seeking professional assistance. BookMyEssay offers "persuasive essay language writing help" to guide you in utilizing impactful language and refining your arguments. Their expertise ensures your essay is both persuasive and well-structured, increasing your chances of convincing your readers.

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Critic’s Notebook

The Constitution Is Sacred. Is It Also Dangerous?

One of the biggest threats to America’s politics might be the country’s founding document.

Credit... Photo illustration by Ben Denzer

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By Jennifer Szalai

• Aug. 31, 2024

The United States Constitution is in trouble. After Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, he called for the “ termination of all rules, regulations and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” Outraged critics denounced him for threatening a document that is supposed to be “sacrosanct.” By announcing his desire to throw off constitutional constraints in order to satisfy his personal ambitions, Trump was making his authoritarian inclinations abundantly clear.

It’s no surprise, then, that liberals charge Trump with being a menace to the Constitution . But his presidency and the prospect of his re-election have also generated another, very different, argument: that Trump owes his political ascent to the Constitution, making him a beneficiary of a document that is essentially antidemocratic and, in this day and age, increasingly dysfunctional.

After all, Trump became president in 2016 after losing the popular vote but winning the Electoral College (Article II). He appointed three justices to the Supreme Court (Article III), two of whom were confirmed by senators representing just 44 percent of the population (Article I). Those three justices helped overturn Roe v. Wade, a reversal with which most Americans disagreed . The eminent legal scholar Erwin Chemerinsky, worried about opinion polls showing “a dramatic loss of faith in democracy,” writes in his new book, “No Democracy Lasts Forever”: “It is important for Americans to see that these failures stem from the Constitution itself.”

Back in 2018, Chemerinsky, the dean of Berkeley’s law school, still seemed to place considerable faith in the Constitution, pleading with fellow progressives in his book “We the People” “not to turn their back on the Constitution and the courts.” By contrast, “No Democracy Lasts Forever” is markedly pessimistic. Asserting that the Constitution, which is famously difficult to amend , has put the country “in grave danger,” Chemerinsky lays out what would need to happen for a new constitutional convention — and, in the book’s more somber moments, he entertains the possibility of secession . West Coast states might form a nation called “Pacifica.” Red states might form their own country. He hopes that any divorce, if it comes, will be peaceful.

The prospect of secession sounds extreme, but in suggesting that the Constitution could hasten the end of American democracy, Chemerinsky is far from alone. The argument that what ails the country’s politics isn’t simply the president, or Congress, or the Supreme Court, but the founding document that presides over all three, has been gaining traction, especially among liberals. Books and op-eds critiquing the Constitution have proliferated. Scholars are arguing that the Constitution has incentivized what Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt call a “Tyranny of the Minority.”

The anguish is, in some sense, a flip side of veneration. Americans have long assumed that the Constitution could save us; a growing chorus now wonders whether we need to be saved from it.

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