4H Essay Formulating Arguments

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• Leerjaar 4

4H Essay Formulating Arguments

Matching Arguments Check

The legal minimum age for drinking alcohol should be 21 years.

Argument 1: Drinking might seem fun but it is bad for your health. 

Argument 2: You might do things you can't remember while you're drunk.

Argument 3: At 21 you'll be able to make better decisions than at 18 or 16.

Argument 4: There are plenty of other things you could drink besides alcohol. 

Matching Arguments Check

The legal minimum age for drinking alcohol should be 21 years.

Argument 1: Drinking might seem fun but it is bad for your health. 

Argument 2: You might do things you can't remember while you're drunk.

Argument 3: At 21 you'll be able to make better decisions than at 18 or 16.

Argument 4: There are plenty of other things you could drink besides alcohol. 

Why + thesis = argument

Matching Arguments Check

Why should + the legal minimum age for drinking alcohol be 21 years?

Answer 1: Drinking might seem fun but it is bad for your health. 

This answer doesn't cover the specific thesis statement. Alcohol is still bad for your health when over 21 and the first bit about it being fun is unnecessary. 

Answer: Drinking under the age of 21 harms brain development. 

Matching Arguments Check

Why should + the legal minimum age for drinking alcohol be 21 years?

Answer 2: You might do things you can't remember while you're drunk.

Again, this isn't any different for people over 21. Also, not everyone drinks so much that they black out. 

Answer: Teenagers and young adults will be less likely to do things they might regret or that will negatively impact their life if they are not allowed to drink alcohol.

Matching Arguments Check

Why should + the legal minimum age for drinking alcohol be 21 years?

Answer 3: At 21 you'll be able to make better decisions than at 18 or 16.

This one fits the thesis. You can use the rest of the paragraph to explain that due to their brains being more developed 21 year olds are better able to decide whether they should drink, have better impuls control, and can better resist potential peer pressure. 

Matching Arguments Check

Why should + the legal minimum age for drinking alcohol be 21 years?

Answer 4: There are plenty of other things you could drink besides alcohol. 

This is countering a potential argument from the opposing side, but not a direct support of the thesis. 

Answer: Increasing the minimum age might encourage teenagers and young adults to drink more non-alcoholic drinks.

Arguments & Topic Sentences

Now when you have your argument you will have to use it as your topic sentence (hoofdzin). Every body paragraph starts with a topic sentence.

 1) Firstly, drinking under the age of 21 harms brain development. 

2) Secondly, increasing the minimum age might encourage teenagers and young adults to drink more non-alcoholic drinks.

3) Thirdly, teenagers and young adults will be less likely to do things they might regret or that will negatively impact their life if they are not allowed to drink alcohol.

Practice

Make sure you have a piece of paper and a pen. 

You'll write your answers on paper first.

What is your thesis statement?

What is your first argument?

What is your second argument?

What is your final argument?

What is your thesis statement?

What is your first argument?

What is your second argument?

What is your final argument?

What is your thesis statement?

What is your first argument?

What is your final argument?

Homework

Check the answers for today's homework (Linking words worksheet)

Check Magister for the homework for next lesson.