YEAR 8 · 15-MINUTE BOOSTER
Answer an objection fairly
Strengthen an argument by taking a reasonable objection seriously.
3 minutes to read · 9 to try · 3 to check and improve. Suggested timings, not a test. Write in a notebook; nothing is uploaded or sent for marking.
Before you try
A counterargument is a reason someone might disagree with your view. Present a strong, fair version rather than making the other side sound foolish.
A response can concede a valid concern, change part of the proposal or explain why the benefit still matters. You do not have to pretend that every difficulty has vanished.
Read this
1A school council is considering allowing pupils to choose one of three books for a half-term reading project. Supporters argue that choice could help pupils find a book they want to finish. A teacher raises a concern: 'Discussing three different books would be harder to organise than discussing one shared text.' Assume that enough copies could be borrowed. There is no survey showing what pupils would choose.
Original practice text created for The English Practice. People and situations are fictional.
Your turn
- Write the teacher's concern in your own words. Keep it fair and specific.
- Write a five- or six-sentence response supporting a limited trial. Acknowledge the concern, propose one practical adjustment and explain why a trial is still worth considering.
- Underline a phrase that keeps your claim proportionate, such as 'could', 'for this project' or 'a limited trial'. Do not claim that choice guarantees enjoyment.
Make your own attempt before opening the model below. If you are stuck, revisit the explanation; you can use a model to help, then try again in your own words.
Ready to compare? Reveal the model and explanation
One possible response—not the only successful answer
The teacher is concerned that several books would make a shared discussion more difficult to manage; the objection is about organisation, not opposition to reading.
Offering three books could give pupils a useful degree of choice. The teacher is right that a whole-class discussion would become harder if everyone needed to discuss the same chapter. For this project, pupils could meet in three book groups before sharing an idea about a common theme. That would not remove all the planning work, but it would give each discussion a clear focus. A limited trial would show whether pupils use the choice well. The school could then decide whether the benefits justify the extra organisation.
Why it works
- The response acknowledges the real organisational difficulty before answering it.
- The practical adjustment is relevant to discussion, which is the objection being raised.
- The trial leaves room to learn from the outcome rather than promising success in advance.
A model illustrates the thinking, not a script to memorise. Different wording or an alternative interpretation can work when it answers the task and is properly supported.
Check your work
Tick a check only when you can point to it in your answer. These ticks are not sent to us or recorded as a progress score.
Make one improvement
Read only the objection and your proposed adjustment. Add a sentence if the connection between them is not yet clear.
Want a further challenge? Optional stretch
Give one condition under which you would decide not to continue the trial. Explain why a fair argument can include that condition.
Allow extra time for this. It is not part of the 15-minute booster.
Before moving on, explain one choice you improved. Finishing an activity is practice, not proof that a skill is secure; try applying it again in fresh work.
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