The structure of “concession → counterargument,” in which you acknowledge the existence of an opposing opinion and then maintain your own claim, greatly increases the persuasiveness of an argument. At top universities, whether you can use this structure changes the grader's impression.
Basic Rules
Basic concession → counterargument pattern:
“It is true that X (X is certainly true). However, Y (however, Y is also true).”
- Signals of concession: It is true that / Admittedly / Some people argue that / While it is true that
- Signals of counterargument: However / Nevertheless / But in fact / Still
Three ways to strengthen a counterargument:
① Show that the concession is limited (It is true that X in some cases, but ...)
② Show that the benefits of your claim are greater than the disadvantages acknowledged in the concession (a comparative perspective)
③ Show that the problem acknowledged in the concession can be solved by another method
Weak concessions to avoid: A concession that is so strong that it cancels out your own claim. If you stop at “It is true that X is a serious problem” without presenting a counterargument, readers will feel that X is more persuasive.
Weak example (weak counterargument): It is true that online classes can feel impersonal. This is a real concern. (If you stop here, the opposing opinion wins.)
Strong example (with a counterargument): It is true that online classes can feel impersonal. However, many platforms now offer small-group discussions that allow just as much interaction as a traditional classroom, if not more.
Points to Note
① Always use a concession together with a counterargument. Ending a paragraph with only a concession is a mistake because it weakens your own claim.
② It is natural to place the concession at the beginning of a paragraph or at the beginning of Body 2. Placing it immediately before the conclusion may confuse the reader.
③ Give specific grounds for the counterargument: do not merely say “However, that is not true”; always add why it is not true.
④ A concession gives the impression that you have considered both perspectives and is likely to receive a higher evaluation than a one-sided claim. However, one concession is enough for an entire agree-or-disagree essay. Overuse makes the argument unclear.
- Concession → counterargument: It is true that X. However, Y.
- Always give a reason for the counterargument. Do not end with the concession
- Place the concession at the beginning of the paragraph and immediately respond with a counterargument
- Limit the entire essay to one concession to keep the argument clear
Practice
- Imagine one opposing opinion concerning the claim “Zoos should be abolished,” and write it beginning with “It is true that ...”
- Write a counterargument to the concession above beginning with “However, ...”
- Explain in English why an agree-or-disagree essay written without a concession is likely to receive a lower evaluation (within 40 words).