Argument Structure and Sentence Types

Front

Claim

Back

Statement or opinion. This is the topic of the Argument. Example: 'Gum should be banned from schools.'

Front

Evidence

Back

Proof or facts that support your claim. Example: 'Gum causes a high risk of choking hazards and cannot be digested by the human stomach when swallowed.'

Front

Counter Argument

Back

An argument that your audience would make if they disagreed with your claim. Example: 'Mint flavors of Gum have been proven to assist students with academic performance.'

Front

Rebuttal

Back

Your response to the counter-argument. Example: 'However, students could be provided with hard candy mints in place of the gum and produce the same academic performance.'

Front

Conclusion

Back

A strong restatement of the original claim. Example: 'Having a temporarily flavorful piece of gum is not worth the risk and permanent damage it can cause in the classroom environment.'

Front

Main clause or independent clause

Back

This is a clause that contains a subject and a verb, and makes sense on its own. Example: 'John went to the cinema last night.'

Front

Subordinate clause or dependent clause

Back

A subordinate clause, also known as a dependent clause, also contains a subject and a verb, but it doesn’t make sense on its own. Example: 'when John went to the cinema.'

Front

Conjunctions

Back

FANBOYS: For, And, But, Or, Yet, So represent coordinating conjunctions. SWABI: Since, When, And, Because, and If represent subordinating conjunctions.

Front

Simple sentence

Back

A sentence that consists of just one independent clause. Example: 'Becky ran a mile for track.'

Front

Compound sentence

Back

A sentence that has at least two independent clauses joined by a comma, semicolon or conjunction. Example: 'Janet wanted to ride the roller coaster, yet she wasn’t tall enough to go.'