G.B.C. 7 Defeating counterarguments

The best defence is a good defence

Image Credit
Matthew via Flickr

In this lesson, we'll look at how you can defeat a counterargument, and strengthen your position.

Introduction

Now that we have the basics of argumentation, we'll do a few lessons on some of the more subtle points of constructing an argument and doing well on the communication of information part of the test. The first thing we will look at is how to address weaknesses in your own position, and therefore defeat counterarguments before they are made.

Warm Up

What is a counterargument? How does making a counterargument strengthen your position?

Language

Let's look at the two aspects of counterargument:

  1. the turn against; and
  2. the turn back.

Discuss these with your teacher.

Your teacher will tell you some language you can use to introduce the turn against and the turn back.

Now let's think about possible counterarguments to the following claim:

Japanese food is the best.

Now express the counterargument as a turn against and then a turn back.

Practice

Let's practice with some G.B.C. style questions. State your main claim for the questions your teacher will ask you, and develop counterarguments for each.