Giving a Good Argument

What are we learning today?

You will learn how to give an idea and prove it with words from a text.

Explanation

• A strong argument has three parts: claim, evidence and reason.
• The claim is your idea: "Maggie is very upset."
• The evidence is a sentence from the text: "She burst into tears."
• The reason explains it: "This shows that she feels hurt."
• In writing, put the quotation in quotation marks.

Examples

1. "She stamped and gave Tom a push" shows that she is angry.
2. "Her cheeks and ears began to burn" shows that she is embarrassed.
3. I think Tom is not kind because he laughs at her.

Remember!

• Do not only retell the story. Prove your idea.
• Useful words: because, for example, this shows that.

Check yourself

1. What are the three parts of a good argument?
2. Why do you use a quotation from the text?