Constructing Arguments — Practice · Grade 11 English

Chapter: Public Argument, Rhetoric & Competing Accounts

What this practice covers

By the end of Constructing Arguments you should be able to:

11 questions, multiple choice and written answer, each with a worked explanation.

Vocabulary used: precise claim, counterclaim, warrant, qualifier, cohesion.

Problem 1

Which is the strongest, most precise claim for an argument?
  1. Homework is a topic worth discussing.
  2. There are many opinions about homework.
  3. High schools should cap graded homework at one hour per night, because beyond that point additional homework shows little effect on learning while measurably harming sleep.
  4. Homework has existed for a long time.
Answer and explanation

High schools should cap graded homework at one hour per night, because beyond that point additional homework shows little effect on learning while measurably harming sleep.

Only this option is arguable, limited, and significant — it takes a specific side and previews its reasoning.

Problem 2

A 'warrant' in an argument is…
  1. a statistic cited as proof
  2. the concluding call to action
  3. the opposing viewpoint
  4. the underlying assumption that connects evidence to the claim
Answer and explanation

the underlying assumption that connects evidence to the claim

A warrant is the assumption that has to be true for a piece of evidence to actually support the claim.

Problem 3

Explain the difference between 'strawmanning' and 'steelmanning' a counterclaim, and why steelmanning tends to make your own argument more convincing.
Answer and explanation

Strawmanning attacks a weak, distorted version of the opposing view; steelmanning states the opposing view in its strongest, fairest form before answering it. Steelmanning is more convincing because a reader who sees you treat the best objection honestly trusts your judgment on the rest of the argument.

Problem 4

Add a qualifier to this overstated claim to make it more defensible, and explain your change: 'Banning phones in class eliminates distraction.'
Answer and explanation

Answers vary; for example, 'Banning phones in class reduces a major source of distraction for most students.' Adding 'reduces… for most students' replaces an absolute promise ('eliminates') with a limited claim that a single counterexample cannot disprove.

Problem 5

A student's argument leads with the counterclaim-and-rebuttal, then presents three supporting reasons in order of increasing strength, ending on the most powerful. What best describes this arrangement?
  1. A deliberate structure: disarming the opposition early, then building to a climax so the strongest point is the last thing the reader processes
  2. A structure that hides the thesis entirely
  3. An error, because the counterclaim must always come last
  4. A random order with no rhetorical effect
Answer and explanation

A deliberate structure: disarming the opposition early, then building to a climax so the strongest point is the last thing the reader processes

Arrangement is a rhetorical choice; handling the objection first and saving the strongest reason for last builds toward a climactic final impression.

Problem 6

Construct an argument that addresses the concern. Give a detail and explain its relevance.
Answer and explanation

Add a labeled memory layer while preserving the original map. Contributor dates, permissions, and visible conflicts would make memories useful without silently turning them into the original record.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 7

A learner writes: “Anyone opposing our plan does not care about students.” Explain the problem and produce a better response.
Answer and explanation

Represent the staffing objection accurately. Respond with a feasible condition or evidence, not an attack on motives.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 8

Compare what you must inspect in these two cases. What can transfer, and what must be checked again?
Answer and explanation

An argumentative thesis answers a debatable question with a reasoned position. Qualify its scope so the evidence can support it. The method transfers, but the particular detail, scope, and context must be read again. Add a labeled memory layer while preserving the original map. Contributor dates, permissions, and visible conflicts would make memories useful without silently turning them into the original record.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 9

Using an assigned reading or one exercise source, write a developed response applying constructing arguments. Aim for 260–380 words; name the reading or reproduce the sentence you revise.
Answer and explanation

A six-week, twice-weekly trial is worth testing if staffing is funded and attendance is recorded. The survey suggests interest but does not establish schoolwide demand; a trial can answer that limited question. A complete response supplies context, a focused claim, a brief supporting detail, explanation, and a relevant qualification. Do not simply repeat this model.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 10

Write two specific feedback comments on a response to this unit: one on accuracy or meaning and one on evidence or language. Then state a revision priority.
Answer and explanation

Check whether the response explains an argumentative thesis answers a debatable question with a reasoned position. qualify its scope so the evidence can support it. Ask for a relevant detail and the reason it supports the conclusion. Prioritize the mistaken assumption shown here: “Anyone opposing our plan does not care about students.”

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 11

Choose a fresh sentence or detail from the assigned selection. Explain how this unit’s method applies, and identify one uncertainty or limitation.
Answer and explanation

The museum memo values welcome, the historian demands agency, and the donor asks for precise attribution. An evidence panel can answer part of each concern, but favorable appearance ratings do not establish historical accuracy. The response must supply its own precise detail and explain it; copying the model without fresh evidence is insufficient.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

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