O-Level Argument Writing: Take a Defensible View
An argumentative essay takes a position and earns it. “I agree” is a start, not a paragraph. Each reason needs explanation and an example that shows how the claim works.
Turn the question into a judgement
For Should schools set aside a weekly lesson for students to pursue their own interests?, a qualified position is possible: Schools should trial an interest lesson when it is guided and accessible, rather than treating it as unstructured free time. The condition gives your argument a boundary.
Build different reasons
| Paragraph | Question it answers |
|---|---|
| Position | What is my judgement? |
| Reason 1 | What benefit follows, and how? |
| Reason 2 | What different benefit or cost matters? |
| Objection | What would a sensible critic say? |
| Reply and judgement | How far does that objection change my view? |
Avoid three versions of the same point. “It is enjoyable”, “students like it” and “it is fun” make one argument, not three.
Explain the example
A weekly interest lesson could teach students how to revise their own work. A pupil making a simple shelf would measure, test a joint and adjust it when it failed to fit. That sequence makes mistakes useful: the pupil has a reason to diagnose and improve rather than wait for an answer.
The example is plausible; it does not pretend to be a survey. The explanation does the argumentative work.
Give objections a proper answer
An objection is not a sentence beginning “Some may argue”. Name the actual concern, then judge it. Lost curriculum time matters; a school could begin with a short, supervised pilot and review whether the benefit warrants the time. The concession makes the final position more credible.
Argument check
- Is my judgement clear and qualified where needed?
- Does every paragraph answer a different question?
- Have I explained the connection between each example and point?
- Did I treat an objection seriously?
- Does the conclusion give a judgement rather than repeat the introduction?
Read the social media model as one approach to a view-based essay.