The argumentative text

    The argumentative writing is the type of text where you express your opinion about a topic. The argumentative text is characterized by two important elements: thesis and antithesis.

     The word “thesis” comes from the Greek and literally means “position”. Naturally “position” is the personal opinion. Therefore when you explicate the thesis about a topic you must explain your ideas and you have to explain your reasons for your support of such ideas.

    On the other hand you have to explain the opposed opinions to your opinions. This part of the text is called antithesis. Obviously the purpose of this text is the reader’s persuasion: to prevail upon the reader to share and to support your points of view (thesis).

    The argumentative text has to be organized into three parts. First, an introduction where you present the subject of the discussion. Then, a central body where you address a discussion about the topic. In this discussion you explain your opinion (thesis) and the opposed opinion (antithesis) and you discuss the relative causes and consequences, features or advantages and disadvantages. Third, a conclusion where you reiterate your opinions (and you present the possible solution if the subject of discussion is a problem), bringing the discussion to an end.

It should not be forgotten some important aspects of the argumentative text:

1. relevance/significance/pertinence to the question or to the subject of the discussion
2. coherence/congruence between thesis and antithesis (for example you cannot support your opinions and at the same time the opposed opinions otherwise you hinder your interlocutor who don’t understand which are your opinions)
3. correct syntax and morphology
4. logical order (you cannot brusquely jump from one topic to another without logical thread)
5. ordered layout (organization in paragraphs, organization of the paragraphs in the three parts etc.)
6. lexicon and specific lexicon

You can use different expressions to support your opinions:

• A further argument in favour of /against (...) is ...
• Another point in favour of/ against  (...) is ...
• Bearing this in mind/ considering this, I think ...
• First of all...
• I think ...
• If ...., then ...
• In my opinion, ...
• It’s important/true/necessary to remember/ to point out that ...
• It’s worth remembering that ...
• No doubt ..., however ...
• One advantage/ disadvantage of  (...) is ...
• One objection to this argument is ...
• Take for instance (to present an example) ...
• The biggest advantage/disadvantage is ...
• This is not always the case ...
• To sum up/In conclusion I would say that ...

you can use different logical connectives (to contrast thesis and antithesis):

• But
• In contrast
• Besides
• Moreover (used to add another point)
• Whereas; while

you can use some different logical connectives or adverbs (to persuade):

• obviously
• evidently
• one might consider
• it would seem
• however
• of course
• naturally
• certainly
• moreover
• more importantly
• in particular
• especially
• indeed
• in fact
• above all
• yet despite this
• clearly
• therefore