Practice English Learning Track — Advanced Lesson 5: Conversation & Debate Practice

Part 1

Stating an Opinion

Four ways to open with a position. Same function, different register — pick based on how strong you want to sound.

1 · Opener

"I think..."

Neutral, everyday — safe in almost any conversation.

2 · Opener

"In my opinion..."

Slightly more formal — good for meetings or written responses.

3 · Opener

"I'd argue that..."

Stronger, more confident — signals you expect some disagreement and you're ready for it.

4 · Opener

"From my perspective..."

Frames it explicitly as one viewpoint among others — useful when you know the room disagrees.

Part 2

Claim, Reason, Example

The three-part shape behind almost every well-structured opinion: state the claim, give a reason, then back it with a concrete example.

Full Example

"I think remote work is better for most people. It gives people more control over their schedule, which usually means better focus. For example, I get more done in two focused hours at home than in a full distracted day at an office."

Claim: "remote work is better." Reason: "more control... better focus." Example: the two-hours-vs-a-day comparison.

Part 3

Debate Moves

Not about winning — about staying in a real exchange without either caving instantly or steamrolling the other person.

1 · Debate Move

"That's a fair point, but..."

Function: concede something real before you push back — makes the disagreement land softer.

2 · Debate Move

"I see where you're coming from, however..."

Function: acknowledge their view before contrasting it with yours.

3 · Debate Move

"Building on what you said..."

Function: agree and extend — adds your point without framing it as opposition.

4 · Debate Move

"What do you mean by that, exactly?"

Function: a clarifying question — buys time and makes sure you're arguing against what they actually said.

5 · Debate Move

"Can you give me an example?"

Function: requests evidence — shifts a vague claim toward something concrete you can actually respond to.

Part 4

Model Debate

Read aloud as a pair, then swap roles. Notice how B never simply agrees or simply disagrees — every line does one of the moves from Part 3.

Line by Line

A "I think remote work is better for most people. It gives more control over your schedule, and for example, I get more done in two focused hours at home than a full day at the office."

B "That's a fair point, but I'd argue in-person work builds stronger relationships. What do you mean by 'more done,' exactly — do you mean faster, or better quality?"

A "Good question — I mean faster, mostly. Building on what you said, though, maybe the real answer is a mix of both."

B "I see where you're coming from. I could get behind a hybrid approach."

Part 5

Practice Exercises

Try each one yourself first, then press play or check the key to confirm.

Exercise A · State your own opinion, live

Pick a topic and state a claim, reason, and example out loud, following the Part 2 structure. Then compare against the sample answer below.

Sample answer: "I think learning a language is hard because you have to think in two systems at once. For example, even simple sentences take extra time when you're still translating in your head."

Exercise B — Match each debate move to its function

Match

"That's a fair point, but..."	Concede, then push back
"I see where you're coming from, however..."	Acknowledge, then contrast
"Building on what you said..."	Agree and extend
"What do you mean by that, exactly?"	Clarify
"Can you give me an example?"	Request evidence

Live/text exercise — no audio. These are the same five phrases and functions from Part 3.

Exercise C · Free Response

Pick a topic you disagree with your instructor about. State your opinion using claim, reason, example — then hold the exchange using at least two debate moves from Part 3.

Live/text exercise — no audio. This is what Part 6 walks you through live.

Part 6

Speaking Practice

A preview of the final live-conversation format. Your instructor picks a real topic and pushes back — these are the instructions for that exchange.

1 · Instruction

"State your opening claim with a reason and an example."

Use the Part 2 structure — don't skip straight to the claim alone.

2 · Instruction

"Respond to at least one pushback using a hedged disagreement or a concession-plus-hold."

A Part 3 debate move, not a flat "no" or a full retreat.

3 · Instruction

"Ask me at least one clarifying or probing question during our discussion."

Show you can slow the exchange down, not just push forward with your own points.

Pass Standard

To pass Advanced Lesson 5, state an opinion using claim-reason-example, respond to at least one pushback with a real debate move rather than a flat agreement or disagreement, and ask at least one clarifying question — all live and unprompted.

Retake Note