STS 11 反論を取り入れる

Statue of Lady Justice from Greek mythology

Balance your answer.

Image Credit

一歩進んだ argument の作り方を学ぶ最初のレッスンです。自分の主張と反論を使ったバランスのよい回答をする方法をご説明致します。

Introduction

Most issues have two sides, and acknowledging them will make you seem more nuanced and mature in your outlook. You do not need to do this with all your answers, but using an argument with a counterargument at least once in your speaking test will generally boost your score.

Using counterarguments to give a balanced answer is also a good idea to use in meetings with coworkers and when making group decisions.

Balanced answers take more time than one-sided answers. We are going to look at how and when you can use these types of answer.

TESTS

G.B.C.: Using a counterargument will add complexity to your G.B.C. answer, improving your Communication of Information score. Of course, not every answer should be balanced, but doing this at least once in the test will show you have a flexible approach and a range of language abilities.

IELTS: Balanced answers are good for speaking sections 2 and 3, and are especially good in the writing section. Be sure to ask your student to do written homework after this lesson.

TOEFL:

For most people, 40 seconds is too short for a balanced answer. If your student wants to improve their style in meetings and presentations, then this is a good lesson to work on. If not, they can skip to lesson 12.
If your student is only focused on TOEFL's speaking section, they should skip to lesson 12.

[OTHER TESTS special info?]

Warm Up

Answer this question quickly:

What's the best place you've ever traveled to?

Your student will answer with a place and the good things about it. Make note of what they say. This is their main argument.

Now ask your student:

Is it a perfect place to travel to? ...[wait for them to say no]... Why not?

Your student will now have a counterargument. Encourage them to say both sides in their speaking test.

It may be a good idea to repeat your student's answer in a balanced way to show them how it can be done. For example:

Here's how you can say that as a balanced answer:

My favorite place is...

I definitely think it's a good place to travel to because...

However, some people might say...

Anyway, to wrap up, [place they chose] isn't perfect, but it is a great place to visit!

Teaching tip: This is a good opportunity to give a brief lesson on intonation to express contrast. Although the verb "to be" usually is reduced, the word "is" in the conclusion should be stressed because it contrasts with "isn't".

NOTE

The topics or questions well-suited to balanced answers are:

Personal questions of preference, like your favorite food or your hometown.
Controversial topics like politics, economics, immigration or energy sources.

Language

Types of counterargument

There are two types of counterargument:

opinion; and
fact.

Discuss each with your teacher, and think of phrases you can use to introduce them.

Conclusions

Ending a balanced answer clearly means you have to firmly state which side of your opinion is stronger. Discuss strong endings with your instructor.

Counterargument of opinion

Here are some phrases to introduce counter-opinions:

Some people might say...
Some people may think...
Of course...
One might object here that...

E.g.: I'm from New York—it's a fantastic city! There is so much culture, like, on Broadway you can see world-class theater any night of the week. Of course, some people might say it's too expensive. That's true, but the wages are also pretty high. So, all in all, it's worth it.

Counterargument of fact

Here are some phrases to introduce facts that are counter to your argument:

Though in fact...
Admittedly...
It's true that...
Of course...

E.g.: I think nuclear power is a good idea because it's better than coal, the waste is contained and it doesn't contribute to global warming. Admittedly, it's very dangerous if there is a nuclear meltdown, but modern nuclear plants are much safer.

Conclusions

Ending your answer requires more complex phrases than a simple one-sided argument. Here are some to use:

So, all in all...
So to wrap up, although [negative/positive point], I definitely think [positive/negative point].
It's worth it.
I'd say the pros outweigh the cons.

NOTE

You may prefer to give a one-sided answer in a sales meeting, or if you are trying to convince a client or friend of a point of view.
In the G.B.C., not every answer has to be balanced—some may land firmly on one side of an issue. But giving at least one or two balanced answers will help to increase the Communication of Information score.

Practice

Now practice giving balanced answers to some speaking test questions.

Choose one personal question, and give a balanced answer.