Counter-argument and Refutation - IELTS 7.0 W T2

Question 1

Claim: university should be free for all students. Which sentence gives the strongest counter-argument?

Accepted Answer

Free tuition may mainly benefit middle-class applicants unless living costs and prior school inequality are also addressed.

Answer

Many graduates would be pleased if they could leave university with smaller debts.

Answer

Universities have existed for centuries and have often changed how students pay.

Answer

Some countries charge fees while others prefer to fund universities through taxation, and the balance between the two has shifted repeatedly.

Question 2

A paragraph supports remote work for office staff. Which opposing point would be strongest to address?

Accepted Answer

Remote work can weaken informal mentoring for new employees who learn by observing experienced colleagues.

Answer

Remote work is disliked by some managers who prefer to see desks occupied during office hours.

Answer

Office staff often use laptops and messaging platforms whether they are at home or at work.

Answer

Some employees enjoy avoiding a crowded commute and spending more time with family.

Question 3

Claim: governments should tax sugary drinks heavily. Which counter-argument is most relevant?

Accepted Answer

The tax may place a larger burden on low-income consumers while doing little to change overall diet.

Answer

Many people enjoy sweet drinks at parties and during hot weather.

Answer

A tax on sugary drinks would probably be discussed by newspapers and broadcasters.

Answer

Some drinks contain both sugar and caffeine, which makes them popular with students.

Question 4

Claim: school uniforms should be compulsory. Which sentence is the strongest counter?

Accepted Answer

Compulsory uniforms can mask rather than reduce inequality, since students still signal status through phones, shoes and activities.

Answer

Some students complain about uniforms because they prefer choosing their own clothes, and the question of dress codes arises in most schools.

Answer

Uniform colours and designs vary widely between state and private schools.

Answer

Parents often need to buy uniforms before the start of a new school year.

Question 5

An essay favours stricter limits on tourism in fragile cities. Which opposing argument deserves serious treatment?

Accepted Answer

Visitor caps may protect heritage but could also reduce income for residents whose jobs depend on tourism.

Answer

Tourists sometimes take photographs of famous streets, bridges and public squares.

Answer

Some residents dislike crowds because busy pavements make daily journeys slower.

Answer

Historic cities are often attractive because they contain buildings from several periods.

Question 6

Claim: all public transport should be free. What is the strongest counter-argument?

Accepted Answer

Removing fares may leave systems underfunded unless governments replace that revenue reliably through taxation.

Answer

Free buses and trains would be popular with people who travel every weekday.

Answer

Ticket machines at stations are sometimes confusing for visitors and older passengers, which is a frequent complaint in passenger surveys.

Answer

Public transport includes buses, trains, trams and ferries in different cities.

Question 7

Claim: children should start formal schooling at four. Which counter is most persuasive?

Accepted Answer

Early formal schooling may reduce time for play-based development that supports language, self-control and social confidence.

Answer

Many four-year-olds enjoy colourful classrooms, songs and short activities with friends, and they often look forward to the school day.

Answer

Some parents find it convenient when children attend school during working hours.

Answer

School starting ages differ because education systems have separate traditions.

Question 8

Counter: online degrees lack credibility because students do not meet lecturers. Which sentence refutes it on its own terms?

Accepted Answer

Credibility depends on assessment quality and academic standards, not simply on whether meetings occur in the same room.

Answer

Online degrees are cheaper for students who would otherwise have to move to another city.

Answer

Lecturers are busy people, and many students rarely speak to them even on campus.

Answer

Some employers still prefer traditional degrees because they are familiar with older systems, and recruitment habits tend to change slowly.

Question 9

Counter: cycle lanes harm drivers by removing road space. Which reply directly refutes this?

Accepted Answer

If safe lanes shift short trips from cars to bicycles, total congestion can fall even with less space for cars.

Answer

Cycling is healthier than sitting in traffic, so cities should encourage it wherever possible.

Answer

Some drivers are impatient with cyclists because they feel delayed on narrow streets.

Answer

Road space has always been shared by different users, including buses and pedestrians.

Question 10

Counter: higher minimum wages cause unemployment. Choose the reply that refutes the counter on its own terms.

Accepted Answer

When wages rise gradually, many firms absorb the cost through prices, productivity or lower turnover rather than layoffs.

Answer

Low-paid workers deserve dignity, so the risk to employers should not dominate the debate, and fairness matters as much as economic modelling.

Answer

Unemployment is a serious issue that governments must consider in every labour policy.

Answer

Minimum wage laws vary between countries and sometimes between regions inside a country.

Question 11

Counter: banning single-use plastics is unrealistic because hospitals need sterile packaging. Which response best refutes it?

Accepted Answer

A targeted ban can exempt essential medical packaging while restricting avoidable consumer plastics such as bags and cutlery.

Answer

Hospitals should protect patients, but protecting the environment is also a moral duty.

Answer

Plastic pollution is visible on beaches, in rivers and in many urban drainage systems.

Answer

Medical packaging is expensive, and hospitals often face pressure to reduce their costs, which affects the suppliers they are able to choose.

Question 12

Counter: mandatory voting is pointless because uninformed citizens will vote randomly. Which answer meets the counter directly?

Accepted Answer

Compulsory voting can be paired with civic education, so the policy need not accept uninformed voting as inevitable.

Answer

Voting is a privilege, and citizens in many countries fought hard to obtain it.

Answer

Some people already vote without studying every policy in detail before election day.

Answer

Election systems differ, so compulsory voting may suit one country better than another, depending on how its institutions have developed.

Question 13

Counter: investing in the arts diverts money from hospitals. Which sentence refutes this without changing topic?

Accepted Answer

Arts budgets are usually a small part of public spending, so cutting them would not solve major healthcare shortages.

Answer

Hospitals are vital, but a civilised society should also support music, theatre and museums.

Answer

Some artists work in hospitals, where performances can improve patients' emotional wellbeing, particularly during long stays on the wards.

Answer

Public spending debates often become emotional because every service has strong supporters.

Question 14

Position: governments should support electric vehicle adoption. Which sentence concedes an objection while keeping that position?

Accepted Answer

Although battery production requires mining, electric vehicles can still cut lifetime emissions as electricity generation becomes cleaner.

Answer

Battery production requires mining, so governments should not support electric vehicle adoption yet, at least until the supply chain is cleaner.

Answer

Battery production requires mining, and petrol cars also depend on extracted materials.

Answer

Battery production requires mining, which shows that energy policy is complicated.

Question 15

Which sentence is a straw man version of this view: exams should not be the only way to assess students?

Accepted Answer

Critics of exams want students to pass courses without proving they have learnt anything.

Answer

Critics of exams argue that portfolios and coursework can assess skills that timed tests miss.

Answer

Critics of exams accept that testing knowledge matters but question whether one format is enough.

Answer

Critics of exams say anxiety and memorisation can distort what a final mark represents.

Question 16

Opposing view: advertising aimed at children should be restricted. Which version misrepresents that view?

Accepted Answer

Opponents of child advertising believe children should never see brands, toys or colourful packaging.

Answer

Opponents of child advertising argue that young viewers cannot always recognise persuasion.

Answer

Opponents of child advertising worry that marketing can encourage unhealthy choices.

Answer

Opponents of child advertising support limits on some messages during children's programmes.

Question 17

Find the straw man: some people oppose replacing libraries with fully digital services.

Accepted Answer

They reject technology and want everyone to return to paper catalogues and handwritten notes.

Answer

They argue that libraries also provide quiet study space and help from trained staff.

Answer

They worry that digital-only services exclude people with poor internet access.

Answer

They say physical collections remain useful for users who need reliable public resources.

Question 18

An opposing view says governments should regulate short-term rentals. Which sentence is the straw man?

Accepted Answer

Supporters of regulation want to stop travellers staying in local neighbourhoods at all.

Answer

Supporters of regulation argue that too many holiday lets can reduce housing for residents.

Answer

Supporters of regulation want clearer rules on tax, safety and the number of rental days.

Answer

Supporters of regulation accept tourism but say housing markets need protection.

Question 19

Which option unfairly caricatures this position: parents should limit teenagers' screen time?

Accepted Answer

People who support limits think teenagers cannot be trusted with any independent choice.

Answer

People who support limits say sleep, homework and face-to-face activity also need time.

Answer

People who support limits argue that rules can guide use without banning devices.

Answer

People who support limits worry that constant notifications can harm concentration.

Question 20

Opponents say cities should not build stadiums with public money. Which sentence is a straw man?

Accepted Answer

They believe sport has no social value and fans should pay for every public service they enjoy.

Answer

They argue that stadium subsidies can shift profit to private teams while taxpayers carry risk.

Answer

They question whether promised tourism and jobs usually justify the public cost.

Answer

They accept that sport matters but think schools and transport may be higher priorities.

Question 21

Your stance: governments should fund renewable energy. Which sentence concedes an objection while keeping that position?

Accepted Answer

Although renewable projects require high initial investment, they reduce exposure to volatile fossil-fuel prices over time.

Answer

Renewable projects require high initial investment, so governments should delay them until costs disappear.

Answer

Renewable projects require high initial investment, and fossil fuels are also expensive in many markets.

Answer

Renewable projects require high initial investment, which shows that energy policy is complicated.

Question 22

You argue that cities should plant more trees. Which sentence concedes a problem without abandoning the argument?

Accepted Answer

While trees need maintenance and water, their shade can lower urban temperatures and make streets more liveable.

Answer

Trees need maintenance and water, which is why planting them may not be a sensible policy.

Answer

Trees need maintenance and water, and many city services also require careful planning.

Answer

Trees need maintenance and water, but some people simply prefer streets with more greenery, largely for reasons of taste rather than policy.

Question 23

Stance: governments should subsidise childcare. Which option concedes and still supports the stance?

Accepted Answer

Even though subsidies are costly, they can increase parents' participation in work and widen the tax base.

Answer

Subsidies are costly, so families rather than taxpayers should decide how childcare is funded.

Answer

Subsidies are costly, and childcare quality also varies widely between different providers.

Answer

Subsidies are costly, which explains why the issue often divides political parties.

Question 24

Your essay supports teaching financial literacy at school. Which sentence is the best concession?

Accepted Answer

Although timetables are already crowded, basic budgeting and borrowing lessons prepare students for unavoidable adult decisions.

Answer

Timetables are already crowded, so financial literacy belongs at home rather than in school.

Answer

Timetables are already crowded, and many teachers have different views about useful subjects.

Answer

Timetables are already crowded, which makes curriculum planning a difficult administrative task for senior staff at the start of each year.

Question 25

Position: employers should offer a four-day week where productivity is maintained. Which sentence concedes and holds the position?

Accepted Answer

Although not every sector can adopt it, office roles with measurable outputs may benefit from a shorter week.

Answer

Not every sector can adopt it, so the four-day week is too limited to be useful.

Answer

Not every sector can adopt it, and different workplaces already use different schedules across the days of the working week.

Answer

Not every sector can adopt it, which means employees will continue to debate fairness.

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Counter-argument and Refutation - IELTS 7.0 W T2

Ways to Play

Device Games: Students play on their phones

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Cave Climb

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Mystery Auction

Tour Guide

Food Truck Rush

Tug of War

Alien Blast

Glacier Rush

Board Games: Teacher-led, projected to the class

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Bug Blast

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Seek & Destroy

Mystery Blast

Checkers

Texas Hold 'Em

Da Bomb

Castle Siege

Hot Potato

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King of the Hill

Bank Heist

Top Corner

Counter-argument and Refutation - IELTS 7.0 W T2

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?

More like this

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