Section 4 — Your Voice
Session 13 of 16
Monday, July 13, 2026
Making an argument
Knowing what is happening in the world is only valuable if you can communicate it clearly and argue your position persuasively. This session teaches the structure of argument in English — how to make a claim, support it with evidence, acknowledge the counterargument, and reach a clear conclusion. This is the skill that distinguishes informed speakers from powerful ones.
Vocabulary for this session
claimevidencepremiseconclusioncounterargumentrebutassertpositionlogicthesis
Grammar focus
Grammar focus: Argument structure in English — thesis statement, evidence, concession, rebuttal, conclusion. "The key issue here is... [thesis]. This is demonstrated by... [evidence]. Critics argue that... [concession]. However... [rebuttal]. On balance, therefore... [conclusion]." The shape of a persuasive paragraph — and how to build it.
Come prepared to discuss
"Is it possible to have a productive argument? What makes arguments fail — and what makes them succeed?"
Before this session
Prepare: Choose a current news issue you have an opinion on. Write 3 sentences: your position, one piece of evidence, one counterargument you'll need to address.
Task-Based Activity
Build the Argument. Choose a current controversial topic. Students are randomly assigned a position (for or against) regardless of their own view. They have 10 minutes to build the strongest possible argument using the thesis-evidence-concession-rebuttal structure. Pairs then present their arguments to each other. Debrief: What was it like to argue a position you didn't hold? Did you find good arguments? What does this tell us about argument?
Career-Oriented Take — How to Frame It
The ability to structure an argument clearly — in meetings, presentations, emails, and reports — is among the most valued professional skills in any English-speaking environment. People who can make a clear case, acknowledge objections, and reach a conclusion are listened to. People who ramble, hedge, and avoid their point are not. This session builds that skill directly.
Big Picture
The ancient Greek tradition of rhetoric — the art of effective and persuasive communication — recognized that argument is not just about being right. It is about being clear, credible, and sensitive to your audience. The best arguments in any language combine logos (logic and evidence), ethos (credibility and character), and pathos (connection with the audience). This course has been building all three.
Current Events Take
Take a current news debate — climate policy, immigration, technology regulation, etc. Students choose a side and build a structured argument using the framework from this session. Then pairs debate their positions. Debrief: What arguments were most effective? What counterarguments were hardest to answer? What new information would change your position?
Homework (assign after session)
Write a 250-word structured argument about a current news topic. Use the thesis-evidence-concession-rebuttal structure explicitly. Bring it to the next session — we'll use it in the debate practice.