Writing an Argument: Concession and Rebuttal

Question 1

Thesis: The district should start school at 8:45. Objection: later dismissal complicates after-school jobs. Which concession qualifies the thesis without surrendering it?

Accepted Answer

Later dismissal would burden some working students, so the proposal should pair the start-time shift with protected release options for documented jobs.

Answer

Later dismissal would burden some working students, but the sleep research shows that the schedule is still the right choice.

Answer

Because after-school jobs matter, the district should abandon a universal 8:45 start and let each school choose.

Answer

The district can revisit job conflicts after the schedule changes if the problem proves large.

Question 2

Thesis: The city should convert one downtown lane to bus-only. Objection: merchants will lose curbside parking. Which concession includes an honest qualification?

Accepted Answer

Merchants would lose some curb access, so the lane should apply only during peak commute hours and be paired with marked loading zones.

Answer

Merchants value curbside parking, but faster buses would bring more shoppers downtown.

Answer

Merchants would lose their parking, so the city should study the congestion carefully before changing the lane at all.

Answer

The city should emphasize that drivers can still park on side streets near most shops.

Question 3

Thesis: General-education courses should default to open textbooks. Objection: some disciplines need specialized, current materials. Which concession is strongest?

Accepted Answer

Some courses require specialized or frequently updated materials, so the policy should begin with high-enrollment courses where stable open texts fit the syllabus.

Answer

Some disciplines need current materials, but textbook prices make a default open-text policy necessary.

Answer

Because specialized materials clearly matter, professors should each decide individually whether any open text is really acceptable at all.

Answer

The college can encourage professors to add free articles when an open textbook is unavailable.

Question 4

Thesis: A service requirement should count paid caregiving at home. Objection: verification would be difficult. Which sentence concedes without giving away the thesis?

Accepted Answer

Verification is a real concern, so the credit should require supervisor or counselor documentation rather than accepting unspecific self-reports.

Answer

Verification is difficult, but caregiving is too important to exclude from a service requirement.

Answer

Because verification is hard, only formal nonprofit work should count for the requirement.

Answer

The school could instead recognize caregiving in its awards ceremonies rather than giving any service credit for it at all.

Question 5

Thesis: The school newspaper should stop endorsing candidates. Objection: endorsements reveal editorial values. Which concession best qualifies the argument?

Accepted Answer

Endorsements can clarify values, so the paper should replace candidate picks with issue-by-issue scorecards that show those values without telling readers how to vote.

Answer

Endorsements do show values, but readers need independent analysis far more than they need the paper's own recommendation.

Answer

Because values matter, the paper should keep endorsements and simply explain them in greater detail.

Answer

The paper should publish both candidate endorsements and issue guides so readers receive more context.

Question 6

Thesis: Students should disclose AI use in submitted writing. Objection: blanket disclosure may stigmatize assistive technology. Which concession is most precise?

Accepted Answer

Disclosure can stigmatize assistive tools, so the rule should distinguish accessibility supports from generative drafting help that affects authorship.

Answer

Stigma is possible, but academic honesty requires transparency about all tools used in a paper.

Answer

Because assistive technology is important, no disclosure should be required for any digital tool.

Answer

Teachers can simply explain that disclosure is not a punishment before applying the same rule to every tool.

Question 7

Thesis: The town should preserve the old theater with public funds. Objection: funds could crowd out housing repairs. Which concession is most defensible?

Accepted Answer

Housing repairs have stronger urgency, so theater funding should be capped and drawn from tourism grants rather than the housing fund.

Answer

Housing matters, but the theater anchors the town's whole identity and should still receive some public support.

Answer

Because housing is urgent, the town should postpone preservation until all repairs are complete.

Answer

The town could ask private donors to cover some restoration costs before using public money.

Question 8

Objection: The four-day-school-week study measured rural districts, not this urban district. Which response most directly answers the objection?

Accepted Answer

Use state data separating urban districts and show attendance gains in districts with similar enrollment and transit patterns.

Answer

Explain that the rural students also face transportation issues that can badly affect their attendance.

Answer

Add a quotation from a superintendent who says the schedule improved morale.

Answer

Point out that the original four-day-week study was peer-reviewed.

Question 9

Objection: The cafeteria proposal assumes compostable trays are available, but the vendor contract does not list them. Which response answers it?

Accepted Answer

Quote the contract clause allowing equivalent substitutes and include approved compostable tray vendors that meet the same unit price.

Answer

Argue that the waste reduction is important enough to justify renegotiating the entire vendor contract.

Answer

Cite schools in nearby counties that have already switched to compostable trays.

Answer

State that students strongly support waste reduction in the cafeteria.

Question 10

Objection: The draft says cameras improve hallway safety, but its evidence counts only theft reports. Which response best answers the objection?

Accepted Answer

Revise the claim to say cameras may reduce reported theft, or add evidence that covers the broader safety harms named.

Answer

Keep the safety claim and explain that theft is the easiest hallway problem to measure.

Answer

Add a principal's quotation saying students feel safer when cameras are visible.

Answer

Emphasize that any reduction in theft improves the whole school climate.

Question 11

Objection: The free-museum-nights plan relies on a poll of current members, not residents who cannot afford membership. Which response answers it?

Accepted Answer

Use attendance and zip-code data from free-admission days to measure interest among nonmembers.

Answer

Note that members understand the museum's programming better than nonmembers do.

Answer

Add more poll responses from current members to increase the sample size.

Answer

Argue that free nights would help any resident who wants to attend.

Question 12

Objection: A vacant-lot tax could punish owners waiting on delayed building permits. Which response best meets that objection?

Accepted Answer

Exempt lots with pending permits and publish permit dates, so the tax targets deliberate vacancy rather than administrative delay.

Answer

Argue that vacant lots harm neighbors regardless of the owner's reason for waiting.

Answer

Use the tax revenue to help the permit office process applications more quickly.

Answer

Lower the tax rate for all owners so the burden is less severe.

Question 13

Objection: The draft praises remote tutoring but ignores students without reliable home internet. Which response most directly answers it?

Accepted Answer

Limit the claim to students with access and add school-library evening hours or loaned hotspots before making tutoring the primary support.

Answer

Explain that remote tutoring saves travel time for students who are able to connect from home.

Answer

Cite a national survey about teens' phone ownership and online communication.

Answer

Recommend training tutors to use both chat and video tools during sessions.

Question 14

A paragraph argues that longer library hours help students without quiet study space, then cites last year's total book checkouts. Which revision fixes the evidence integration?

Accepted Answer

Replace the checkout total with sign-in data or surveys showing students need a place to study after school.

Answer

Keep the checkout total but add commentary explaining that a busy library deserves longer hours.

Answer

Add a citation for the checkout report and define how the data were collected.

Answer

Use a student anecdote about enjoying library books after school.

Question 15

A draft argues that uniforms reduce class-based pressure, then cites the town's average household income. Which evidence would integrate better?

Accepted Answer

Evidence about student clothing spending or student reports of status pressure at school.

Answer

A comparison of the town's average income with the county average.

Answer

Commentary explaining that income inequality shapes many school experiences.

Answer

A citation from the district's uniform vendor showing the policy could be implemented.

Question 16

A paragraph claims year-round school reduces summer learning loss, then quotes a teacher saying students seem restless after long breaks. What revision improves integration?

Accepted Answer

Pair or replace the quotation with assessment data comparing learning loss after long and short breaks.

Answer

Add the teacher's full credentials and the date of the interview before the quotation itself.

Answer

Use two more teacher comments about students seeming unfocused after breaks.

Answer

Move the quotation into the introduction to create a concrete opening.

Question 17

A draft claims bike lanes improve cyclist safety on Maple Avenue, then cites citywide crash totals. Which revision best fixes the evidence problem?

Accepted Answer

Provide Maple Avenue crash and traffic data, or narrow the claim to a citywide cycling-safety plan.

Answer

Add state crash totals to show that cyclist safety is not only a local concern.

Answer

Describe the proposed lane design in more detail before presenting the citywide totals.

Answer

Quote one cyclist who says Maple Avenue feels dangerous during rush hour.

Question 18

An essay argues for later cafeteria breakfast at schools where buses often arrive late and first-period tardies are high. Which conclusion strengthens the argument?

Accepted Answer

Explain that the proposal should start where bus-delay and tardy data overlap, making the argument targeted rather than universal.

Answer

Restate the thesis and repeat the two data points from the body paragraphs.

Answer

End by urging the school board to act quickly for the good of all students.

Answer

Add new national statistics about teenage breakfast habits in the final paragraph.

Question 19

An essay defends ending parking minimums near two train stations, using evidence about empty lots and apartment costs. Which conclusion strengthens the line of reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Identify frequent rail service as the shared condition, so readers know where the claim should and should not apply.

Answer

Restate that parking minimums create empty lots and raise apartment costs.

Answer

Call on the city council to remove all of the parking minimums throughout the whole city immediately.

Answer

Acknowledge that parking requirements have been part of zoning for many decades.

Question 20

An argument urges replacing class rank with GPA bands because rank distorts course choice and college evaluation. Which conclusion would strengthen it?

Accepted Answer

Show that bands preserve academic information while reducing incentives to avoid challenging courses.

Answer

Summarize the body paragraphs about course choice and college admissions.

Answer

Introduce a new objection about whether colleges prefer weighted or unweighted GPAs instead.

Answer

End by praising students who take difficult courses despite the risk to rank.

BLASTROOM

BLASTROOM

BLASTROOM

Writing an Argument: Concession and Rebuttal

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Top Corner

Writing an Argument: Concession and Rebuttal

Ways to Play

Device Games: Students play on their phones

Blast Go

Zombie Escape

Avalanche

Maze Blast

Cave Climb

Blast Out

Mystery Auction

Tour Guide

Food Truck Rush

Tug of War

Alien Blast

Glacier Rush

Board Games: Teacher-led, projected to the class

Like what you see?

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Bug Blast

BlastRace

BlastQuiz

BlastBoard

Seek & Destroy

Mystery Blast

Checkers

Texas Hold 'Em

Da Bomb

Castle Siege

Hot Potato

Market Mayhem

King of the Hill

Bank Heist

Top Corner