Instructions for teachers
Give out a shuffled pack of cards with just the left and right hand columns to each small group of students. Ask them to match up the beginnings and endings to make basic phrases for looking at both sides of an argument. When a few groups think they have finished, give out a pack of cards with the middle column of optional words and ask them to put them into the middle, using that to check their answers to the previous task.
Give out un-cut-up versions of the worksheet for them to check their answers with, asking them to check any other matches which they think are possible with you. Then ask them to test each other, for example
- Saying the full phrase and seeing if their partner can remove the middle part
- Saying the left and middle part and seeing if their partner can complete it
- Saying the short version and seeing if their partner can add anything
- Giving a key word or two and seeing if their partner can complete the phrase
- Using words from the dealt out cards during a discussion such as a debate
Cards to cut up/ Suggested answers
| A | (comparatively/ very) | minor drawback could be… |
| A | (far/ significantly) | more important selling point of this idea is… |
| An | (additional) | advantage of this way of looking at things is… |
| As | (has been) | shown above, there are arguments both for and… |
| As we have seen | (above) | , there are advantages and disadvantages to… |
| Despite | (all of) | this,… |
| Eliminating the | (two) | least important factors,… |
| Even though | (all) | that is true,… |
| However, this disadvantage is insignificant if we | (take the time to) | consider… | |
| It is difficult to find any merit in this | (response) | at all. | |
| Nevertheless, it cannot be denied | (by the authors of this paper) | that… | |
| One of the main | (most significant) | merits of this course of action would be… | |
| The good points | (easily) | outweigh the bad points. | |
| The main argument in support of this policy is | (often) | said to be… | |
| The many possible arguments in support | (of this choice) | include… | |
| The most significant of those | (positive) | effects is most probably… | |
| The overwhelming merit of this | (course of) | action is likely to be… | |
| There are | (both) | pros and cons to these research methods. | |
| There are far more benefits than | (there are) | drawbacks, so…. | |
| Turning | (now) | to the other side of the argument,… | |
| Turning from the positive aspects to the | (greater number of) | negative ones,… | |
| We can balance against this potential minus the | very | real pluses of… | |
| Weighing up | (all) | the pluses and minuses described above,… | |
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