Advanced· C1Study & school12 min

Defending your opinion in a seminar

Present an argument, respond to a challenge and support your view with evidence.

The scene

In a university seminar on education, the professor asks whether homework should be banned in elementary schools. You argue that it should be limited, not banned, and the professor challenges you.

Speaker A
Professor
Speaker B
You (student)

Your goals

  • State a clear position with a main reason
  • Respond to a counterargument without losing your point
  • Use hedging language to sound academic and careful

Key vocabulary

Press the speaker to hear each word or phrase.

  • to argue

    to give reasons to support an opinion

    I'd argue that homework has some value.

  • evidence

    facts or information that show something is true

    What evidence supports that?

  • counterargument

    a reason against your argument

    That's a strong counterargument.

  • to concede

    to admit that something is true

    I'd concede that some homework is pointless.

  • to outweigh

    to be more important than

    The benefits outweigh the costs.

  • to tend to

    to usually happen or behave in a certain way

    Short tasks tend to work better.

  • nuanced

    showing small but important differences

    It's a more nuanced issue than it seems.

  • to clarify

    to make something clearer

    Let me clarify what I mean.

Useful phrases

  • My position is that …

    Stating your view clearly

  • The main reason is that …

    Giving your key reason

  • I'd concede that …, but …

    Accepting a point, then continuing

  • That's a fair challenge. However, …

    Responding to criticism

  • Let me clarify what I mean.

    Explaining more precisely

  • It seems to me that …

    Hedging an opinion

Practice studio: speak the dialogue

Pick your role and press Start. Your partner's lines are read aloud; then say your line into the microphone (or type it) and see which words you got right.

Your role

  1. Professor

    So, should homework be banned in elementary schools? What do you think?

  2. You (student)

    My position is that it should be limited, not banned. The main reason is that short tasks help children build routines.

  3. Professor

    But many parents say homework causes stress and family arguments. Isn't that a problem?

  4. You (student)

    That's a fair challenge. I'd concede that long, difficult homework can be harmful, but that's an argument for better homework, not none.

  5. Professor

    What do you mean by better homework?

  6. You (student)

    Let me clarify. I mean short tasks, maybe fifteen minutes, like reading with a parent or practicing times tables.

  7. Professor

    And what evidence do you have that this works?

  8. You (student)

    It seems to me that research tends to show small benefits for young children, mainly when tasks are short and regular.

  9. Professor

    So, overall, do the benefits outweigh the costs?

  10. You (student)

    I'd say they do, if schools set clear limits. It's a more nuanced issue than a simple yes or no.

You speak 5 lines as You (student); Professor is read aloud for you.

Speech recognition is done by your browser (in Chrome and Edge this uses the browser maker's online service). Nothing is stored by AltFTool.

Your turn: speak freely

Answer out loud in your own words. There is no score here: aim for full sentences and fewer filler words.

  1. 1. State your position on whether homework should be banned and give your main reason.

  2. 2. Respond to this challenge: 'But many students find homework stressful.'

  3. 3. Clarify a point using a concrete example.

Quick quiz

Choose an answer to see if you are right and why.

  1. 1. Which phrase states a position clearly?
  2. 2. What does 'to concede' mean?
  3. 3. Why use hedging language like 'It seems to me…'?
  4. 4. If benefits 'outweigh' costs, then…

0 of 4 answered

Common mistakes

  • Avoid: I think homework is bad, finish.

    Say: My position is that homework should be limited, not banned.

    In academic discussions, state your view and give a reason.

  • Avoid: The research proves that homework is always good.

    Say: Research tends to show small benefits in certain conditions.

    Avoid absolute claims; hedge to stay accurate.

  • Avoid: I am agree with you partly.

    Say: I partly agree with you.

    'Agree' is a verb, so you don't need 'am'.

Tips

  • Use a simple structure: position, reason, example.
  • When challenged, concede the fair part first, then defend your main point.
  • Avoid words like 'always' and 'never' unless you are sure; they are easy to attack.

Questions about this lesson

How do you defend your opinion in English?

State your position ('My position is that…'), give a reason and an example, and when challenged say 'That's a fair point. However,…'

What is hedging in academic English?

Hedging means using careful language such as 'tends to', 'it seems' or 'may' so your claims match the evidence.

Finish the lesson

Finish the practice studio and the quiz and this lesson is marked complete for you.

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