argument

Useful Argumentative
Essay Words and
Phrases

Examples of Argumentative Language
Below are examples of signposts that are used in argumentative essays. Signposts enable the reader to follow our arguments easily.
When pointing out opposing arguments (Cons):
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Opponents of this idea claim/maintain that…
Those who disagree/ are against these ideas may say/ assert that…
Some people may disagree with this idea,
Some people may say that…however…

When stating specifically why they think like that:
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They claim that…since…

Reaching the turning point:
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However,
But
On the other hand,

When refuting the opposing idea, we may use the following strategies:
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compromise but prove their argument is not powerful enough:
- They have a point in thinking like that.
- To a certain extent they are right.

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completely disagree:
- After seeing this evidence, there is no way we can agree with this idea.

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say that their argument is irrelevant to the topic:
- Their argument is irrelevant to the topic.

Signposting sentences
What are signposting sentences?
Signposting sentences explain the logic of your argument. They tell the reader what you are going to do at key points in your assignment. They are most useful when used in the following places:
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In the introduction
At the beginning of a paragraph which develops a new idea
At the beginning of a paragraph which expands on a previous idea
At the beginning of a paragraph which offers a contrasting viewpoint
At the end of a paragraph to sum up an idea
In the conclusion

A table of signposting stems: These should be used as a guide and as a way to get you thinking about how you present the thread of your argument. You may need to adapt certain words and phrases for your own purposes. You may also wish to add your own sentence stems to the list below:

Signposting stems for an introduction
To understand the role of ... (your topic*)