English 120 – Rosichan
Sentence Frames for Argument (pgs 622-625 in St. Martin’s)
To Assert a Position
1. When [issue/event] happens, most people think ______, but I think ______because ______.
2. [People] focus on [X], which is characterized by ______, and they don’t even notice [Y], which is characterized by ______.
3. Although many people take ______for granted, [list individuals/groups] oppose it on the grounds that ______.
4. Whereas supporters of ______have argued that ______, opponents such as [list individuals/groups] contend that ______.
5. Though others may view it as a matter of ______, for me, the issue hinges on ______.
6. According to ______, what’s at stake in this issue is ______. For me, however, what is most important is ______.
7. On this issue, X and Y say ______. Although I understand and to some degree sympathize with their point of view, this is ultimately a question of ______. What’s at stake is not but ______. Therefore, we must ______.
8. This issue is dividing our community. Some people argue ______. Others contend ______. And still others believe ______. It is in all of our interests to ______, however, because ______.
9. Conventional wisdom is that ______. But I take a different view: ______.
10. [Subject] has many good qualities, including ______and ______; however, the issues do not outweigh its one major drawback, namely that ______.
11. [Subject] is a brilliant embodiment of [genre or category], especially notable for its superb ______and thorough ______.
12. Because I admire [another artist’s other work], I expected [subject] to be ______. But I was [disappointed/surprised] by ______because ______.
13. Many complain about ______but do nothing because solving it seems [too hard/too costly].
To Support a Position
1. What makes ______[problematic/praiseworthy] is ______.
2. Because ______, I [support/oppose] ______.
3. Studies such as ______have shown that [problem] mostly affects ______[name group(s)].
4. Studies by X, Y, and Z show that [solution] has worked in ______, ______, and ______.
5. The reasons for ______may surprise you, such as ______, ______, and ______.
6. The cause(s) of [subject] may be [surprising/alarming/disturbing/amazing], but they are clear: ______[state cause(s) and provide evidence].
7. [Cause] plays a [surprising/alarming/disturbing/amazing] role in [our lives/our families/our communities/our workplaces]: It [does/is/provides] ______[describe role].
7. For many years, [name group] has believed that ______. Now there is research supporting this claim, but not for the reasons you may think. It’s not ______that has been causing this phenomenon but ______.
8. Researchers studying ______have shown a causal connection between ______[my causes] and ______[my subject]. They claim ______quote/paraphrase/summarize information from source] (cite source).
9.A large number of people have been polled on this question, and it appears that ______was an important factor in their decision to ______.
10. Reliable research by ______shows ______.
To Refute an Opposing Position
1. One problem with [opposing view] is that ______.
2. Some claim [opposing view], but in reality ______.
3. My opponents cite research to support their argument, but the credibility of that research is questionable because ______.
4. This argument seems plausible because it is consistent with our preconceptions. Nevertheless, evidence shows ______.
5. Activists insist ______. Still, in spite of their good intentions, ______would [take away a basic right/make things even worse].
6. X and Y think this issue is about ______. But what is really at stake here is ______.
7. Proponents object to my argument on the grounds that ______. However, they are confusing results with causes. What I am arguing is ______.
8. Polls show that most people favor ______, but an opinion’s popularity does not make it true or right.
9. Though most would agree that ______is true, it does not necessarily follow that ______.
10. One common complaint is ______. In recent years, however, ______.
11. Some people think we can’t afford to do ______[name solution], but it would only cost $ ______[insert dollar amount] to put my solution in place compared to $ ______, the cost of [doing nothing/implementing an alternative solution].
12. Although it might take ______[months/years] to implement this solution, it would actually take longer to implement [alternative solution].
13. Some may suggest that I favor this solution because I would benefit personally; however, the fact is we would all benefit because ______.
14. Some may claim that this solution has been tried and hasn’t worked. But research shows that ______[explain how my solution differs from past experiments in several important ways]: ______, ______, and ______(list differences).
15. X, reviewer for ______, claims that ______. But I agree with Y, reviewer for ______, who argues that ______.
16. Some people think [subject] is [alternative judgment] because of ______, ______, and ______[reasons]. Although it is easy to see why they might make this argument, the evidence does not back it up: ______[explanation].
17. Reviewers have remarked that [subject] is a pale imitation of [comparable subject]. I disagree. Whereas [comparable subject] is ______, [subject] is ______.
18. This [subject] has generated criticism for its supposed ______. But [subject] is not ______. Instead, it is ______.
19. A recent study of [subject] showed that ______.
To Concede an Objection
1. I agree that ______.
2. ______is certainly an important factor.
3. To be sure, ______is true.
4. Granted, ______must be taken into consideration.
5. Some people argue that ______. I understand this reservation, and therefore, I think we should ______.
6. A common concern about this issue is ______. That’s why my argument focuses on [this other aspect] of the issue.
7. I agree with those who [claim X/object on X grounds]; therefore, instead of [option A], I think we should pursue [option B].
8. If seems too [time-consuming/expensive], let’s try ______.
9. Where ______is a concern, I think [name alternative] should be followed.
10. Although ______is the best way to deal with a problem like this, under [describe special circumstances], I agree that ______should be done.
11. Indeed, the more hard-core [name enthusiasts] may carp that [subject] is not sufficiently ______[shortcomings].
12. The one justifiable criticism that could be made against [subject] is ______.
13. As some critics have pointed out, [subject] does follow the tried-and-true formula of ______.
To Concede and Refute an Objection
1. ______may be true for X but not for Y.
2. Although ______, I think ______.
3. X and Y insist that ______. Nevertheless, in spite of their good intentions, ______.
4. I agree that ______is important, but so is ______.
5. I agree that ______is important, but my opponents need to consider ______.
6. On the one hand, I accept X’s argument that ______, but on the other hand, I still
think ______is ultimately more important because ______.
7. As some critics have pointed out, [subject] does follow the tried-and-true formula of ______. Still, the [director/writer/artist] is using the formula effectively to ______.
8. The objection that [subject] can be caused by things other than [my cause] may be true. But there is strong evidence showing that [my cause] played a central role by ______.
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9. Those who disagree about ______often see it as a choice between ______and ______. But both are important. We don’t have to choose between them because ______.