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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Persuasion Points 2

Which of the three sentences is best?

A. They’re not using the technology to replace their real-world social life; they’re using technology to augment it.

B. They’re not using technology to replace their real-world social life; instead, technology is simply augmenting their social life.

C. They’re not using the technology to replace their real-world social life; they’re using technology to augment their real-world social life.

Most students pick A because it is the most clear and most concise sentence. It is and example of a balanced sentence: a sentence with two parallel independent clauses.


It is also a very effective sentence for making a counterargument. The opponent's argument is set-up in the first clause and then countered in the second clause.

Assignment: Write a balanced sentence that reveals a contrast or that makes a counterargument.

Examples:

They’re not wasting time watching football; they’re savoring time, sharing the game they love.

It’s not a tax increase; it’s a revenue enhancement.

Essential Question: How can a balanced sentence be used to make a counterargument?
Terms to know: Parallelism, balanced sentence, anaphora, counterargument

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