English Language Arts 20
Module 2: Recollection
Lesson 7:
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Lesson 7
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Lesson 7
Objectives
In Lesson Seven students will have the opportunity to:
 respond critically and creatively to ideas in poetry.
 identify and use connectives correctly.
 identify and use correct coordination and subordination.
 identify argument and persuasion.
 identify and use various methods of presenting evidence
in argument.
 write argumentative paragraphs.
 respond critically and creatively to ideas in an essay.
 choose and begin reading one autobiographical book.
 use listening skills to respond to an audio article.
 use listening skills to write an outline of an audio article.
RESOURCES REQUIRED:
Anthology of poems concerning basic lessons learned in Kindergarten.
Something for Joey biographical book by Jerry McNeely and Richard E. Peck.
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Lesson 7
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Lesson 7
Introduction
What and how individuals learn has fascinated people since we first became
conscious that individuals are able to learn new ideas. What do we learn from our
schooling? From the society around us? From our family? How do individuals in a
society learn what acceptable values are? Do some people feel it is necessary to
persuade others what values are important? Do some lessons that children learn at
school remain valuable throughout their lives?
The literature you will read in Lesson Seven will relate to what is learned in and out
of school. You will also have the opportunity to distinguish argument from
persuasion, to listen to determine the outline of an argument, and to produce
argumentative writing.
Poem about Kindergarten
(Teacher select a poem that deals with basic lessons
students learn in Kindergarten that are valuable
throughout life.)
Do you recall any lessons you learned in Kindergarten
that are still relevant in your life today?
Read the poem your instructor gave you now.
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Lesson 7
Activity A
(3)
1.
In two complete sentences, state your first reaction to the poem you read
about kindergarten. You may choose to begin your first reaction with one of
the following sentence starters, or to begin your first reaction statements
another way. You will receive full marks for a thorough effort to explain your
views in clear, complete sentences, but only partial marks or no marks for
little effort at explanation expressed in unclear incomplete sentences.



(3)
2.
One important lesson I learned in kindergarten that still applies to my life
today is …
I agree with poet’s ideas about learning the most important lessons of
our lives in kindergarten because …
Basic rules are the best rules because …
Write down one of the rules the poet learned in kindergarten which you find
to be the most important. Explain your choice in two complete sentences.
Rule:
Explanation:
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Lesson 7
(2)
3.
Are there any lessons you learned in kindergarten that would be useful
today? Create a sentence which uses a semicolon to separate this basic rule
from how you would use it in an adult fashion. E.g. “In kindergarten I learned
…; as an adult I know ….”
(4)
4.
If Robert Munsch were to write titles for his stories based on the particular
lesson that the main character in the story learned, he might have results like
the following. Instead of The Paper Bag Princess, he might have named his
story Royal Isn’t Noble. Write an attention-catching book title about a
particular lesson you learned in kindergarten. Your title must be quite short
and use interesting language such as in the examples above. Then, write one
complete sentence which explains the lesson in the title you created.
Book Title:
Explanation:
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Lesson 7
Connectives
Effective communicators recognize how ideas and words are linked in sentences
and in longer selections (e.g. speeches, dialogue, paragraphs, essays). Using
connectives appropriately helps effective communicators to avoid sentence structure
errors and to indicate the precise relationship between parts of a sentence.
Now it is your turn to practice recognizing and using connectives. You will notice
that all the connectives have been highlighted in the paragraph that follows this
illustration.
Connectives are words that function somewhat like the couplings
between train cars. However, a connective also adds to the
meaning of the parts of the sentence which follow it. Connectives
are the words that join ideas within sentences. Connectives have
meanings particular to themselves. As a result, connectives cannot
be used interchangeably since they mean different things. For
example, the prepositions up and down are both connectives;
however, since they mean different things, they cannot be interchanged without
affecting the meaning of the sentence. The following cartoon illustrates this idea.
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Lesson 7
There are two main types of connectives: prepositions and conjunctions.
A preposition shows the relationship between key words in a sentence.
The preposition (PREP) relates to a noun or pronoun called the object
of the preposition (OBJ OF PREP).
The frog jumped off the car.
(PREP)
(OBJ OF PREP)
The frog fell to the ground.
(PREP)
(OBJ OF PREP)
Most common prepositions are single words, but some prepositions are composed
of more than one word. Some commonly used prepositions follow.
about
according to
after
ahead of
aside from
at
because of
before
behind
beyond
despite
during
except
in addition to
inside
instead of
into
near
next to
on top of
out
outside
past
throughout
toward
under
underneath
until
within
without
Refer to the “Grammar” section of your English Language Arts Ready
Reference for more information about prepositions.
A preposition always introduces a prepositional phrase (PREP
PHRASE). The noun or pronoun at the end of the prepositional phrase is
called the object of the preposition (OBJ OF PREP).
(PREP)
(OBJ OF PREP)
She was shocked at the sight.
(PREP PHRASE)
The second type of connective used in sentences is a group of words called
conjunctions.
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Lesson 7
A conjunction is a word used to connect words, phrases, and clauses.
There are four types of conjunctions.
Coordinate conjunctions connect words, phrases, and clauses of
equal importance (e.g. and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet).
Subordinate
conjunction
Conjunctive
adverb

Subordinate conjunctions connect dependent clauses to
independent clauses (e.g. after, as if, because, before, if, since, so
that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, where, whether, while).

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that connect words,
phrases, and clauses of equal importance (e.g. either…or,
neither…nor, not only…but also, whether…or, both…and).

Conjunctive adverbs are adverbs used to show the relationship
between independent clauses (e.g. accordingly, also, consequently,
finally, furthermore, however, likewise, meanwhile, next, similarly,
therefore, thus). An adverb is a word that modifies another verb or
adjective
After our car broke down on an isolated road, John and I
stumbled tiredly to a strange-looking farm and we immediately
noticed that some bizarre events were underway there.
Accordingly, we walked very quietly through the farmyard toward
the front door of the farmhouse. Many domestic animals lay
sleeping in pyjamas and on beds in various glass fronted cages
near the house. Neither the large sign declaring these premises
to be a private genetic research center, nor the strange farm
animals could deter us from begging the use of a telephone to call
a tow truck for help….
Coordinate
Conjunction
Correlative
Conjunction
Refer to the “Grammar” section of your English Language Arts
Ready Reference for more information about conjunctions.
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Lesson 7
Some words used as prepositions can also be used as subordinating conjunctions.
To check which of the two a word is, determine what sentence part the word
introduces. If the word introduces a phrase that ends with a noun object or pronoun
object (OBJ OF PREP), it is a preposition. If the word introduces a clause, which
contains both a subject (S) and a verb (V), it is a subordinating conjunction (SUB
CONJ).
(SUB CONJ)
(S)
(V)
The X Games gold medallist was offered a lucrative advertising deal after he won.
(DEPENDENT CLAUSE)
(PREP)
(OBJ OF PREP)
After several hours, the X Games grew increasingly exciting.
(PREP PHRASE)
You have noticed by now that various conjunctions and prepositions link sentence
parts in different ways.
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Lesson 7
Did all that talk of connectives, prepositions, and conjunctions sound a bit “alien” to you?
Don’t worry: aliens are not taking over your English course! The following mini-quiz will
help you to check your understanding of connectives. The answers are provided after
the quiz.
Each of the numbered highlighted words or phrases below is an example of one of the
following terms. Write the term that corresponds to each numbered highlighted word or
phrase on the numbered lines.
preposition
object of the preposition
coordinate conjunction
conjunctive adverb
prepositional phrase
subordinate conjunction
correlative conjunction
Learning to roller-blade was one of the most
unexpectedly exciting experiences (1) of my life.
It all began the day (2) that Dad gave me my
birthday present. The gift was enormous. (3)
However, Dad had played a joke on me (4) so
the gift was wrapped several times, each time in
a smaller box. I tore open the final box (5) and I
was thrilled to see real roller-blades (6) instead
of one of the practical jokes (7) which Dad often
plays on me. I pushed my feet into the (8) rollerblades and I rolled out the door onto the (9)
sidewalk. I could hear Dad rush (10) to the
door behind me (11) but I was already far
enough away that I couldn’t make out what he
was yelling. I bladed quickly enough to feel a
breeze (12) on my face. The pure joy that
flooded through my heart lasted (13) until my
feet started feeling weird and sticky. (14)
Furthermore, it became difficult to keep my
balance and I fell headfirst into Mrs. Highbrow’s
rose bush. Stunned, I lay scratched and
bleeding for at least five minutes (15) before my
Dad thumped down the street toward me. “Son,
son! Are you alright? You weren’t supposed to
actually try blading in those – they’re made of
candy!” (16) Since Dad has taught me never to
swear, I managed a shocked silence and a
reproachful glare. Then, in my most stern adultsounding voice, I ground out, “(17) Either you
learned that practical jokes can be dangerous,
Father, or you learned that your son is a sucker!”
1. __________________________
2. __________________________
3. __________________________
4. __________________________
5. __________________________
6. __________________________
7. __________________________
8. __________________________
9. __________________________
10. __________________________
11. __________________________
12. __________________________
13. __________________________
14. __________________________
15. __________________________
16. __________________________
17. __________________________
* Answers have been provided after the “Coordination and Subordination” section.
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Lesson 7
Coordination and Subordination
Using appropriate coordination and subordination helps you, the writer, to avoid
sentence structure errors such as: comma splices, fused sentences, run on
sentences, and choppy sentences.
When you use coordination, you show that two or more elements in a sentence are
equal in meaning. To coordinate words or phrases, join them with a coordinating
conjunction (e.g. and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet).
To coordinate independent clauses, join them with a comma and a coordinating
conjunction or with a semicolon. The semicolon is often used with a conjunctive
adverb (e.g. therefore, moreover, however).
Examine how the following three sentence structure errors can be corrected by
using coordination.
1. ERROR: comma splice
Jason found that learning to play hockey was complicated, he had trouble remembering
that the first rule was to check the thickness of the ice.
SOLUTIONS:
a. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (e.g. and, but, or, nor, for, so,
yet).
Jason found that learning to play hockey was complicated, and he had trouble
remembering that the first rule was to check the thickness of the ice.
b. Use a semicolon.
Jason found that learning to play hockey was complicated; he had trouble
remembering that the first rule was to check the thickness of the ice.
c. Use a semicolon, a conjunctive adverb, and a comma (e.g. therefore,
moreover, however).
Jason found that learning to play hockey was complicated; moreover, he had
trouble remembering that the first rule was to check the thickness of the ice.
2. ERROR: run-on or fused sentences
Jason had heard that goalies must stop the puck any way possible he knew that he must
find a painless method to do it.
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SOLUTIONS:
a. Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (e.g. and, but, or, nor, for, so,
yet).
Jason had heard that goalies must stop the puck any way possible, yet he
knew that he had to find a painless method to do it.
b. Use a semicolon.
Jason had heard that goalies must stop the puck any way possible; he knew
that he had to find a painless method to do it.
c. Use a semicolon, a conjunctive adverb, and a comma (e.g. therefore,
moreover, however).
Jason had heard that goalies must stop the puck any way possible; however, he
knew that he had to find a painless method to do it.
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3. ERROR: choppy sentences
Jason practiced skating. Jason practiced shooting the puck. He practiced blocking the
puck. He learned to anticipate unexpected plays from the other team.
SOLUTIONS:
a. Use commas and a coordinating conjunction (e.g. and, but, or, nor, for, so,
yet).
Jason practiced skating, shooting, blocking the puck,
and anticipating unexpected plays from the other team.
OR
Jason practiced skating, shooting, blocking, and
anticipating plays.
b. Use a semicolon, “for example,” and commas.
Jason practiced many things; for example, skating, shooting, blocking, and
anticipating.
c. Use commas, a semicolon, and a conjunctive adverb (e.g. therefore,
moreover, however).
Jason practiced skating, shooting, and blocking the puck; furthermore, he learned
to anticipate unexpected plays from the other team.
When you use subordination, you show that two or more elements in a sentence are
less important than the other elements. To subordinate phrases or clauses, begin
them with a subordinating conjunction (e.g. after, as, because, before, since, so that,
unless, until, when, while, whenever). Usually, the main idea appears in an
independent clause and the subordinate idea appears in a dependent clause.
The ideas you wish to emphasize in a sentence will appear in the independent
clause. The idea you wish to make seem less important will appear in the
dependent clause
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Lesson 7
Examine how the following four sentence structure errors can be corrected by using
subordination.
1. ERROR: comma splice
Jason’s confidence as a hockey player grew, he faced a truly frightening defenseman.
SOLUTION: Use a subordinate conjunction.
Jason’s confidence as a hockey player grew until he faced a truly frightening
defenseman.
OR
Because Jason’s confidence as a hockey player grew, he felt able to face a truly
frightening defenseman.
2. ERROR: run-on or fused sentences
Jason even learned to “talk down” to a referee he felt he was being treated unfairly.
SOLUTION: Use a subordinate conjunction.
Jason even learned to “talk down” to a referee when he felt he was being treated
unfairly.
3. ERROR: choppy sentences
Jason learned to prepare for any kind of hockey game. He prepared with style. The
feather in his helmet upset his fellow team members.
SOLUTION: Use a subordinate conjunction.
Jason learned to prepare with style for any kind of hockey game although the feather in
his helmet upset his fellow team members.
SOLUTION: Use a subordinate conjunction and a comma.
Although Jason learned to prepare with style for any kind of hockey game, the feather
in his helmet upset his fellow team members.
4. ERROR: emphasis on the wrong idea
Because Jason soon had many fans, he became a big- league
hockey player.
SOLUTION: Reposition the subordinate conjunction.
Jason soon had many fans because he became a big-league
hockey player.
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SOLUTION: Reposition the subordinate conjunction and clauses, and use a
comma.
Because Jason became a big-league hockey player, he soon had many fans.
When you use subordination correctly, you can make the structure of your writing
clear and varied.
Some subordinate conjunctions are the following.
who
which
that
because
although
since
after
if
when
Answers for “Connectives” activity
1. of my life – prepositional phrase, 2. that – subordinate conjunction, 3. however –
conjunctive adverb, 4. so – subordinate conjunction, 5. and – coordinate conjunction,
6. instead of – preposition, 7. which – subordinate conjunction, 8. roller-blades –
object of the preposition, 9. sidewalk – object of the preposition, 10. to the door –
prepositional phrase, 11. but – coordinate conjunction, 12. on my face – prepositional
phrase, 13. until – subordinate conjunction, 14. furthermore – conjunctive adverb, 15.
before – subordinate conjunction, 16. since – subordinate conjunction, 17. either …or
– correlative conjunction.
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Activity B
Now, it is your turn to show your skill in using coordination and
subordination in sentences. Each of the errors in the following sentences
will be identified. Rewrite the sentences, correcting the errors according to
the instructions. Be sure your sentences make sense!
(2)
1. ERROR: run-on or fused sentence
The happy group of spectators was anticipating an annual treat today was Gooberville’s
annual Easter parade.
SOLUTION:
a) Use a coordinate conjunction to join the two independent clauses.
b) Use a subordinate conjunction to join the two independent clauses.
(2)
2. ERROR: comma splice
Chuck and Laura stood close enough to hold hands, to Laura’s left were Stan and Mr.
Helmer.
SOLUTION:
a) Use a comma and a coordinate conjunction.
b) Use a semicolon.
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(2)
3. ERROR: choppy sentences
Mr. Fitsworth peeked toward the street. He stood on tiptoes. There was only a small
space to see between Laura and Stan’s shoulders.
SOLUTION:
a) Use one or more subordinate conjunctions.
b) Use a conjunctive adverb and a subordinate conjunction.
(2)
4. ERROR: run-on or fused sentence
Chuck couldn’t stop the laugh from bubbling up and out of him at the sight of the
unexpected collapse of the entire parade he saw the entire first row of the Gooberville
Marching Band trip over the median.
SOLUTION:
a) Use a period and “for example.”
b) Use a subordinate conjunction.
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(2)
5. ERROR: comma splice
Laura didn’t think it was kind to laugh out loud at the group of embarrassed teenagers,
she tightened her lips to stop a chuckle from escaping.
SOLUTIONS:
a) Use a conjunctive adverb.
b) Use a coordinate conjunction.
(2)
6. ERROR: comma splice
Mr. Fitsworth was clearly surprised, he saw the second and the third rows of the band
fall right over the first.
SOLUTIONS:
a) Use a subordinate conjunction.
b) Use a semicolon.
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(2)
7. ERROR: emphasis on the wrong idea
Because Stan laughed aloud, he watched the tangle of fallen band members trying to
hold their precious musical instruments up out of the melee.
SOLUTIONS:
a) Reposition the subordinate conjunction.
b) Reposition the subordinate conjunction and clauses, and use a comma.
(2)
8. ERROR: choppy sentences
Mr. Helmer was embarrassed. He realized he should have led the band. He should not
have watched from the street. The remainder of his marching band fell over
unfortunate band members fighting to get up off the street.
SOLUTION:
Use a combination of subordinate and coordinate conjunctions.
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Connectives in Argument and Persuasion
Understanding how the parts of a sentence work with each other
helps communicators to understand the relative importance of each
of the parts of the message they receive. For example, identifying
arguments becomes much easier once you are aware of how ideas
are linked in sentences and what relationship connective words
indicate between ideas.
What word links the main idea to the two reasons in the following
sentence? Are the two reasons given of equal or unequal value?
All cigarette advertising should be prohibited because fewer people would start
smoking and fewer people would develop smoking-related illnesses.
The main idea in the preceding argumentative statement is: “All cigarette
advertising should be prohibited.” “Because” is a subordinate conjunction that links
the main idea to the two reasons which follow. The two reasons are linked with the
coordinate conjunction “and,” so they are of equal importance.
Examine how changing the structure of the sentence also changes the relationship
between the ideas in it.
Fewer people would start smoking; thus, fewer would die from smoking-related
illnesses if fewer people were encouraged to smoke by cigarette advertising.
The main idea in the preceding argumentative statement is: “Fewer people would
start smoking.” “Thus” and “if” are both subordinate conjunctions that lessen the
importance of the ideas they introduce. Placing the main idea in a subordinate
clause weakens the argumentative statement.
It is also easier to determine the importance of ideas used in argument by noticing
how ideas have been coordinated or subordinated within sentences. You will
remember that ideas of equal importance are joined with coordinate conjunctions
and that ideas of unequal importance are linked with subordinate conjunctions.
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Argument and Persuasion
Persuasion occurs everywhere around you. Advertisers attempt to persuade you to
buy their products through advertisements. You may attempt to persuade your
employer that you merit a raise in salary. Your friend may try to persuade you that
mountain climbing is safe.
Any time that you argue with someone, even if you use emotional words, each of
you is using persuasion to convince the other that your view is the right one.
On the other hand, a formal argument is based on logic and avoids emotional
language. You will be less likely to believe false, misleading, or emotional
persuasion once you learn to recognize and use logical and rational arguments.
Though persuasion and argument are used in both speaking and writing, the
information which follows focuses on writing.
Persuasive writing attempts to convince readers of the writer’s opinion or
point of view. It often uses emotional language to clearly present effective
information.
Argumentative writing offers reasons for or against some controversial
question. It is based on logical thinking and is supported with valid
reasons, examples, and evidence.
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Argument is structured in a particular way. The writer of an argument first states a
proposal that tries to influence the reader to
 accept or reject an idea
 solve a problem
 try a new way of doing something.
Next, the writer argues to support her views by giving evidence (information). Then
she considers the best argument that an opponent might have to oppose her view,
and she refutes that argument by showing why it is wrong, weak or of lesser
importance than hers. Finally, she concludes the argument with an emphatic
sentence that restates the proposal.
Read the following argumentative paragraph and note how the different parts of the
argument function together.
Proposal
Argument
Opposing
the
Writer’s
View
Conclusion
People convicted of drunk driving should lose their licenses for five years.
First, driving while under the influence of alcohol is the single most
preventable cause for auto accidents in North America. Second, every time
a drunk drives she places herself, her passengers, and others in danger.
Furthermore, drunk drivers often cause fatal accidents. Too many people
drive drunk. In the last five years, Saskatchewan police have reported
approximately 1400 collisions caused by drunk driving per year; 300 of those
collisions have included fatalities. If the consequence for driving drunk were
to lose one’s license for five years, fewer people would drive while under the
influence of alcohol. Some drivers feel that they should be allowed several
charges of driving while under the influence of alcohol before they lose their
license to drive for five years. However, Swedish authorities have statistical
evidence that stiff penalties lessen the frequency of drunk driving.
Consequently, Canadian authorities can save many lives by imposing a fiveyear suspension of a drunk driver’s license.
Writer’s
Views and
Evidence
Refutation
of
Opposing
Argument
The Proposal in an Argument
The proposal in an argumentative paragraph functions as a topic sentence. Words
such as should, should not, ought, ought not, must, and must not are effective in
stating a proposal. Like a topic sentence, a proposal needs to be narrow enough to
be discussed successfully in one paragraph. However, a proposal must also be a
subject that can be argued. For example, a proposal such as, “Dogs and cats are
different” does not need to be argued since it is obviously true.
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Read the following sample proposals to determine which could be argued. Write O
for Obvious or A for Arguable appropriately on the lines to the left of each of the
following samples. Check your answers in the box which follows.
____ 1.
Saskatchewan cities should enforce curfews for teenagers.
____ 2.
The legal driving age should be lowered to fourteen.
____ 3.
The average workweek ought to be shortened to four days.
____ 4.
Couples with more than three children must be sterilized.
____ 5.
Parents must never spank their children.
____ 6.
Life in the Antarctic is difficult.
____ 7.
Many people are unsatisfied with their governments.
____ 8.
Aerobic exercise is beneficial to most people.
____ 9.
Acid rain is a problem in the Great Lakes area of Canada.
____ 10.
Leonardo da Vinci was a great artist.
1
5
=
A
,6
1
0
=
0
.
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Transitional Expressions in Argument
The ideas in strong argumentative paragraphs are linked to one another logically.
Some transitional expressions useful in giving reasons and evidence are: first,
second, third, another, next, last, finally, because, since, and for. In refuting an
opposing argument expressions such as: of course, some may say, nevertheless,
on the other hand, and although are useful. The concluding statement can benefit
from the use of transitional expressions such as: therefore, thus, hence, and
consequently. Sometimes the logical link between ideas is so obvious that no
transitional expression is necessary. It is prudent to avoid overloading an argument
with transitional expressions.
Presenting Evidence in Argument
All ideas supporting the writer’s view and refuting the opposing argument must be
supported with evidence. There are several different ways to present evidence:
facts, referring to an authority, examples, predicting the consequences, and
refuting the opposition. You will probably not use all of these methods in any one
paragraph, but various combinations of them are commonly used.
1.
Facts
Facts state something that is true. The source of your facts should be clear to
the reader. Avoid vague references such as, they say, it is widely accepted,
or everyone knows. The following statements show correct and incorrect
references to the source of the information.
INCORRECT:
Everyone knows that over 1400 collisions per year
in the last five years were caused by drunk
driving.
CORRECT:
In the last five years, Saskatchewan police have
reported approximately 1400 collisions per year
caused by drunk driving.
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Lesson 7
2.
Referring to an Authority
An authority is an expert who can supply unbiased facts and information.
Avoid citing so-called authorities (and celebrities) whose area of expertise has
nothing to do with the evidence you present. See the following examples.
INCORRECT: In the last five years, The Girl Guides of Canada have reported
approximately 1400 collisions caused by drunk driving per year.
CORRECT:
3.
In the last five years, Saskatchewan police have reported
approximately 1400 collisions caused by drunk driving per year.
Examples
Examples clearly relate to your argument and are typical enough to support
your statement. An incorrect and a correct way to use an example as
evidence follow.
4.
INCORRECT:
The legal age to obtain a driver’s license should be raised to
twenty-one because a sixteen-year-old driver ran over Elizabeth’s
dog last week.
CORRECT:
The legal age to obtain a driver’s license should be raised to
twenty-one because teenage drivers have the highest number of
auto accidents per age group in the country.
Predicting the Consequence
You may wish to tell the reader what will occur if something does or does not
happen. Avoid exaggerating the consequence. Incorrect and correct
examples follow.
INCORRECT:
If stiff penalties are not imposed on drunk drivers, everyone in the
province could die in accidents caused by drunk drivers.
CORRECT:
If stiff penalties are not imposed on drunk drivers, driving while
under the influence of alcohol will continue to be a problem.
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5.
Refuting the Opposition
You can show that your opponent’s argument is wrong, weak, or
uncompelling by showing that the argument is based on incorrect, misleading,
or insufficient information. You might write the following refutations of the
opposition’s argument that limiting family size would reduce overpopulation.
Incorrect and correct examples follow.
INCORRECT:
Although it is true that limiting family size would
reduce overpopulation, it is unfair. (vague
emotional refutation)
CORRECT:
Although it is true that limiting family size would
reduce overpopulation, the choice of family size
has traditionally been enshrined as part of
individual free will and should remain the choice
of the individual. In this case, the rights of the many do not
outweigh the rights of the few. (specific compelling refutation)
Incorrectly using any of the preceding types of evidence can weaken even the most
obvious argument.
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Lesson 7
Activity C
(10)
Take this opportunity to develop your understanding of the types of evidence that
are widely used in argumentative writing. Ten topic sentences for argumentative
paragraphs follow. In complete sentences, write one reason in support of each
proposal (topic sentence), using the method of argument indicated. Some research
may be necessary in order to find appropriate evidence.
Facts
1.
People should not take prescription medicine without a doctor’s advice.
2.
Prostitution should not be legalized.
Referring to an Authority
3.
Smoking is harmful to your health.
4.
One-fifth of Canadian children should not live in poverty.
Examples
5.
Fruity Five is the best cereal on the market today.
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Lesson 7
6.
The world would be better with one language.
Predicting the Consequence
7.
Socialized health care should not continue in Saskatchewan.
8.
Water pollution must be stopped.
Refuting the Opposition
State the opposition’s view and then refute it.
Example: Proposition: Men should not take an active role in raising their children.
Refutation: Though many believe that men should not take an active role in raising their
children, World Health statistics show that children raised in families in which both parents
are involved in raising the children are more well-adjusted than those raised largely by one
parent.
9.
Proposition: Handgun sales must be prohibited.
Refutation:
10.
Proposition: Exercise can harm you.
Refutation:
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Lesson 7
Invalid Evidence
It is relatively easy to check your argumentative writing for invalid evidence. Below
each of the following proposals are three pieces of evidence that attempt to convince
the reader to accept an idea, take action, or try a new way of doing something.
Place a check mark on the line beside every piece of evidence that seems irrelevant,
illogical, or untrue. Check your answers against those provided on the next page.
1. Females are biologically stronger than men.
____
a)
The life expectancy of women exceeds that of men.
____
b)
More males than females die in every age group, from fetus to
ninety years old.
____
c)
Sylvia’s grandfather died before her grandmother.
2. Space exploration should be stopped.
____
a)
Money spent on space exploration could be used to feed the
hungry.
____
b)
People have already learned everything they need to know
about space.
____
c)
Space exploration places the lives of astronauts at risk.
3. Retailers should not discriminate against youth.
____
a)
It creates a good impression to have a crowded store.
____
b)
Youth will not buy products from retailers who treat them in a
discriminatory way.
____
c)
A consumer affairs 1999 survey of shopping habits showed that
youth have a significant amount of money to spend.
4. Consumers should not buy over-packaged products.
____
a)
It takes a long time to unwrap over-packaged products.
____
b)
Waste from over-packaging is rarely recycled.
____
c)
Excessive packaging adds to the price of goods.
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Lesson 7
5. Everyone should learn a second language.
____
a)
Speaking a second language is valuable in the business world.
____
b)
Ricki Martin sings in two languages.
____
c)
Travelers find speaking a second language to be an advantage.
6. Those concerned about the environment must vote for C. Leanair.
____
a)
C. Leanair is a strong spokesperson for the environment.
____
b)
C. Leanair is a vegetarian.
____
c)
C. Leanair has substantial knowledge of the issues.
b .6 ,b .5 , a .4 , a .3 ,b .2 , c .1
While valid evidence is important to any argument, it is just as important to create a
valid argument. The next activity focuses on recognizing invalid arguments and
evidence.
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Lesson 7
Activity D
(10)
Each of the following doubtful arguments uses invalid evidence. For each argument,
state the type of invalid evidence used (facts, referring to an authority, examples,
predicting the consequences, refuting the opposition) and explain why the argument
is invalid.
1. More men drive worldwide than women, so men are worse drivers than women.
Type of evidence: _________________________________________________________
Invalid because: ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. UltraPolish toothpaste does not harm teeth. Scientific tests completed by the
UltraPolish Company have conclusively shown that UltraPolish does not remove
enamel from teeth over time.
Type of evidence: _________________________________________________________
Invalid because: ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. If Canada’s health system becomes privatized, the result can only be higher quality
health care for every citizen.
Type of evidence: _________________________________________________________
Invalid because: ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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Lesson 7
4. There are no repercussions for skipping class in our school; for example, Johnny
never gets caught for skipping out.
Type of evidence: _________________________________________________________
Invalid because: ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. Though Canadian farmers need to earn more money for their grain if they are to
continue farming, the Russian government has been able to stockpile western
merchandise due to a favourable exchange rate.
Type of evidence: _________________________________________________________
Invalid because: ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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Lesson 7
Audience and Argument
Would you present an argument the same way to your friend as to your teacher?
Should the types of arguments and evidence that you use change according to the
audience to which you present them?
An effective argument must be rational. It must also suit the audience, both in level
of language and in the types of evidence used. Read the following paragraphs.
Which suits an informal, friendly audience? Which suits a gathering of business
professionals?
Users of networked computer systems must use secure passwords.
Computers store a wealth of information that can be easily accessed by a
recognized user or, by a thief. Any individual network user may feel that
she does not store sensitive information; however, computer information
thieves can steal information from other network members more easily if
they already have access to an account on that network. Once having
accessed an account, computer mischief-makers can modify outgoing
and incoming e-mail configurations, so that mail is delivered or received
elsewhere. They can also corrupt any files the user can access.
Particularly worrisome is that illegal users of computer accounts may have
accounts of their own from which they cannot or dare not perform certain
costly, illegal or immoral activities. Ultimately, it is the individual user who
is responsible for all actions performed through her account. Business
success relies on accuracy and security of information. Consequently,
every individual using a computer network requires a secure password.
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Lesson 7
You need a secure password if you’re working on a network. The security
of a computer could be compared to leaving the door of your apartment
building unlocked. Would you leave your apartment without locking the
door? Would you give a stranger your building security code? Even if
you feel that you do not keep any important information on your computer,
other people using your network might. If a thief uses your account as a
home base, she can much more easily attack other accounts on your
system. Computer mischief-makers can alter the configuration of your
outgoing and incoming e-mail messages so that they are sent or received
at unspecified locations. They can also change or destroy any files you
can access. Finally, you are responsible for what is done using your
account. They want to do something with your account that they cannot
or dare not do with their own account. If this doesn’t worry you, it should.
Use a secure password!
Paragraph One is clearly addressed to a group of business professionals as the
language used in it is formal and impersonal. Paragraph Two has a friendly,
personal tone suitable for addressing an informal gathering. In both paragraphs, the
author has successfully tailored the proposal, the evidence presented, and the level
of language to the particular audience that was addressed.
The following checklist will prove helpful when you write argumentative paragraphs.
Checklist: Argumentative Paragraph







Is my proposal clear and valid?
Have I supported my proprosal using various types of
valid evidence?
Did I acknowledge an opposing argument and refute it
effectively?
Have I presented my points in a logical order that makes use of
connectives and transitional expressions?
Have I used coordination and subordination effectively to structure my
statements?
Did I use a level of language and types of evidence suitable for my
audience?
Did my conclusion encourage readers to think in a new way or
to take action?
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Lesson 7
Activity E
(13)
How effectively do you use argument? Choose either the should or the should not
stance of one of the following proposals and write an argumentative paragraph
suitable for presentation to an audience of professional people. Review your work.
Write your final, polished paragraph on lined paper. Label your work clearly and
attach it to this activity.









(Outdoor Education, Environmental Studies, Modern Communication, or
whatever) should/should not be a required course in Grade Eleven.
Children should/should not be allowed to view violent television programs.
(English, French, or whatever) should/should not be the sole official language of
Canada.
Parents of young offenders should/should not pay for damages caused by their
children.
Young offenders should/should not face a life sentence for murder.
All parents should/should not be given training in child care methods by
professionals.
Children should/should not be allowed to ___ by their parents.
The legal minimum age for driving should/should not be raised to twenty-one.
Saskatchewan drivers should/should not be re-tested every five years.
Your instructor will use the following guide to respond to and grade your
argumentative paragraph.








Various types of valid evidence have been used correctly.
The level of language was suitable for the audience.
The types of evidence used were suitable for the audience.
An opposing argument has been acknowledged and refuted.
Connectives and transitional expressions were used correctly.
Coordination and subordination were used correctly.
The conclusion encourages the reader to think in a new way or to take action.
Spelling and grammar are correct.
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Lesson 7
Activity F
(13)
Reread the argumentative paragraph you wrote for Activity E. Rewrite the
paragraph, changing the level of language and types of evidence you use, so that the
paragraph is suitable to be presented to a class of Grade Six students. Write your
final, polished argumentative paragraph on lined paper. Label your work clearly and
attach it to this activity.
Your instructor will use the following guide to respond to and grade your
argumentative paragraph.

Various types of valid evidence have been used correctly.

The level of language was suitable for the audience.

The types of evidence used were suitable for the audience.

An opposing argument has been acknowledged and refuted.

Connectives and transitional expressions were used correctly.

Coordination and subordination were used correctly.

The conclusion encourages the reader to think in a new way or to take action.

Spelling and grammar are correct.
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Lesson 7
Outlining an Essay
Ideas in effective essays must follow one another in a logical order (e.g., order of
importance, order of main idea and supporting details), just as they would in an
argumentative paragraph. Several different kinds of outlines can be used for a
variety of purposes.
The most informal kind of outline is a scratch outline, useful for organizing ideas
when you are writing exams or short essays in class. It usually consists of phrases
or sentences that name the points you wish to make. If you include several items in
your scratch outline, it is helpful to number them in some logical order.
Scratch Outline
“Your Child’s Moral Values”
1.
How to teach moral values to children.
2.
Problem: less religion and family, more T.V.
3.
Ways children learn: from parents, empathy, personal standards.
The exact form of a scratch outline is not important since the scratch outline will only
be seen by you.
Idea trees are another fast, effective way to organize ideas for essay writing. Here
the writer begins with a main idea and branches out with additional information.
View the following sample.
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Lesson 7
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Lesson 7
history of
the Tlingit
change in
culture
describe
12-mile in
the old days
Alaska
Highway
discrimination
moved a
few times
walking
through the
Yukon bush
early memories
Idea Tree
emotional
support
extended
family
left school
gr. 9
education was
not for me
reading
list
Bachelor
of Arts
land claim
issues
confusion
place in
the nation
natives have
much to offer
world
natives must
make own
decisions
hope to overcome
obstacles facing
native people
Welfare
alcohol,
drug abuse
cultural
renaissance
university
adult memories
demeaning
activities
social workers
missionaries
simple life
Who went
residential schools
discrimination
Whitehorse School
“Growing up Native”
Idea trees are useful because they use position to show the relationship between
ideas, and idea trees are easy to change. When you examine the preceding idea
tree, it is clear that Carol Geddes, the author of “Growing Up Native,” has used time
order to organize her ideas. She begins the essay by recalling, first, her early
memories, and then, her adult accomplishments. She concludes the essay by
focusing on the future of her people.
When you are asked to submit the outline of an essay as part of an assignment, a
more structured form of the outline should be used. There are two types of formal
outlines. They are the phrase or topic outline and the sentence outline. Both
types of outlines use Roman numerals to show topic headings. Capital letters
indicate subtopic headings. There must be at least two subtopics under a main
topic. Otherwise no subtopics should be listed under a main topic. Arabic numerals
and lowercase letters indicate further subdivisions of the topic. A formal phrase
outline follows. This is only an example that was created for an essay named “Your
Child’s Moral Values.”
Phrase Outline
Title: “Your Child’s Moral Values”
Roman
numerals:
topic
headings
I.
Introduction
A. Traditional sources of values
B. Modern sources of values
II.
Three sources of learning moral values
A. Internalizing their parents’ moral values
1. Learning rules
2. Following examples
B. Developing empathy
1. Definition
2. Role-playing games
C. Acquiring personal standards
1. Giving reasons for moral standards
2. Building confidence
3. Living with the consequences of their actions
4. Encouraging independent decisions
III.
The importance of communication
Capital
letters:
sub-topic
headings
Arabic
numerals:
further
subdivisions
of the topic
IV.
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Lesson 7
A formal sentence outline that might have been created for an essay named
“Growing Up Native” follows. Note that each sentence begins with a capital letter
and ends with a period. Again, this is only an example.
Sentence Outline
Title: “Growing Up Native”
Roman
numerals:
topic
headings
B.
I.
Introduction
A. It was cold in the Yukon bush.
B. As I moved farther from the bush, I experienced more and more
discrimination.
II.
12-mile was a small, isolated native community.
A. We lived a peaceful family life.
B. Our lifestyle changed.
1, The Alaska Highway was built.
2. The Tlingit culture has adapted to change other times.
a. They were middlemen.
b. They raised wild mink.
C. There is a strong sense of family in the native community
1. The extended family system has lasted.
2. Family provides emotional support.
D. Life was much simpler when we lived in the bush.
1. We were poor but happy.
2. Missionaries visited us.
3. Social workers took children away.
E. Residential schools caused children misery.
F. We moved to Whitehorse.
G. The schools in Whitehorse treated native children poor ly.
1. Teachers were sometimes cruel.
2. Native children were excluded by other children.
3. I quit school in grade nine.
III.
I thought university was not for me.
A. A friend showed me her reading list.
B. I earned a Bachelor of Arts.
IV.
There is hope that native people will overcome obstacles.
A. Renewed interest in traditional culture will strengthen native people.
1. One problem is alcohol and drug abuse.
2. Another problem is welfare.
B. Many people refuse to understand land claims issues.
C. Native people must make their own decisions.
D. Native people have much to offer the world.
E. It is important to learn everyone’s place in their nation.
Capital
letters: subtopic
headings
Arabic
numerals
and
Lowercase
letters:
further
subdivisions
of the topic:
It is important to remember to use either phrases or complete sentences
consistently for all headings in a formal outline. You will have the opportunity to
create an outline in Assignment Seven.
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Lesson 7
Read an Essay about Childhood and Morals
(Teacher, locate an essay concerning childhood and learning morals and values.)
Before you read the following essay about children and morals, ask yourself:


How do children learn moral values?
Do the kinds of moral values children learn depend on their life experiences?
Read the essay your instructor gave you about children and
learning morals.
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Lesson 7
Activity G
Write the title of the essay you about moral values here:
___________________________________________________________________________
(5)
1.


Using two to three complete sentences give and explain your response to the
ideas in the essay that you read. You may use one of the following sentence
starters if you wish.
The morals that I think are important for children to learn are…
The best way for parents to teach their children morality is…
Your response will be graded in the following way.
0
No response
English Language Arts 20
1-3
Short or inadequate
response and explanation.
Incomplete sentences.
184
4-5
a good effort, two to three
sentences long, to explain
your response to the essay
that you read.
Lesson 7
2.
Have fun with words! Many writers and advertisers make up words that
describe things in fun and attention-catching new ways. For example, one
fast food restaurant serves scrumpdillyicious treats. Often, new words are
combinations of two or more existing words. Authors have coined words like
mudlicious and vomitrocious. You are correct if you think that mudlicious
describes something good and vomitrocious describes something bad.
Choose one idea from the essay that you read and write it below. Next, create a new word
that describes or expresses the idea you chose. (You may wish to base your new word on
two or more existing words.) Finally, in one complete sentence, explain why the word you
created suits the idea you chose.
(1)
IDEA:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
NEW WORD:
(2)
____________________________________________________________________
EXPLANATION:
(2)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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Lesson 7
Biographical Book
Now, for Lesson 10, you have the opportunity to start reading Something for Joey by
Herry McNeely and Richard E. Peck. It is a biographical book.
A biography is a book about a person’s true life story, but written by
someone else.
Something for Joey by Jerry McNeely and Richard E. Peck
Something for Joey is the touching biography of John
Cappelletti, a Heisman Trophy winner, and his younger
brother, Joey, as told by Jerry McNeely and Richard E.
Peck. John and Joey, respectively, are the second
and fifth children of John Sr. and Anne Cappelletti.
The story recounts the family’s joys and sorrows during
Joey’s struggles with leukemia.
The entire Cappelletti family supports one another
through the bittersweet events portrayed in the book.
Joey, who suffers bravely, lives for weekends when he
can watch his brother John play football. John and Joey’s warm relationship inspires
them both. Watching John play football buoys Joey’s spirits through
the long excruciating illness. In turn, John is motivated to succeed at
football by Joey’s courageous acceptance of pain. His parents wish
they had known how agonizing Joey’s treatments for leukemia would
be before they chose to treat it. There was no real cure for Joey’s
leukemia. All of the Cappellettis are affected by Joey’s illness.
The events in this biography occur largely between the fall of 1971,
when Joey is eight years old, and December 13, 1973 at an awards
banquet at which John accepts the Heisman Trophy as the most
outstanding college football player in America. He dedicates it to his
heroic little brother, Joey. A short epilogue tells briefly how life continued for the
Cappelletti family after that remarkable evening.
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Lesson 7