Argumentative Skills and Mental Verbs

What is an argumentative essay?

• A narrative essay that tells a personal story.

• An argumentative essay is a written work that presents a position on an issue and supports it with evidence and reasoning.

• A descriptive essay that focuses on sensory details.

• A research paper that summarizes existing studies.

Identify a mental verb in the following sentence: 'She believes in her abilities.'

• understands

• believes

• thinks

• considers

What are the key components of an argument?

• Assertion, Support, Reflection

• Claim, Premises, Conclusion

• Hypothesis, Analysis, Discussion

• Thesis, Evidence, Summary

Explain the difference between a fact and an opinion.

• A fact is always true; an opinion is always false.

• A fact is a personal belief; an opinion is a universal truth.

• A fact can change over time; an opinion remains constant.

• A fact is objective and verifiable; an opinion is subjective and based on personal beliefs.

Provide an example of a mental verb used in a sentence.

• They enjoy reading books.

• We traveled to the mountains.

• She believes in her abilities.

• He runs every morning.

What role do counterarguments play in an argumentative essay?

• Counterarguments are irrelevant to the topic.

• Counterarguments should be ignored in an essay.

• Counterarguments weaken the overall argument.

• Counterarguments enhance the credibility and persuasiveness of an argumentative essay.

List three persuasive techniques used in arguments.

• Statistical analysis

• Personal anecdotes

• Historical references

• Emotional appeal, Logical reasoning, Establishing credibility

How can mental verbs enhance the clarity of an argument?

• Mental verbs are irrelevant to the structure of an argument.

• Mental verbs confuse the audience by introducing ambiguity.

• Mental verbs enhance clarity by indicating mental states and levels of certainty.

• Mental verbs only express emotions and not logical reasoning.

What is the purpose of a thesis statement in an argumentative essay?

• To list all the sources used in the essay

• The purpose of a thesis statement in an argumentative essay is to present the main argument or claim.

• To provide background information

• To summarize the entire essay

Discuss the importance of evidence in supporting an argument.

• Arguments should rely solely on emotional appeal.

• Evidence is essential for validating claims, enhancing credibility, and persuading the audience in an argument.

• Evidence is only necessary for scientific arguments.

• Personal opinions are sufficient to support any argument.