Evaluating a Speaker's Argument
Summarise the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported by reasons and evidence, evaluating the logic and relevance of the support
What a learner can do afterwards
- Identify the main claim in a spoken presentation and the evidence used to support it
- Evaluate whether a speaker's reasons logically support their main argument
- Explain which pieces of evidence most effectively support a speaker's points
1 · Read
You already know how to find the reasons behind what a speaker says. Now you will check those reasons. A good listener asks: does each reason really explain the claim? Is the evidence strong, or is it weak?
A speaker says, 'Our school should start later because teenagers need more sleep.' She adds that a doctor found teens who sleep more get better grades. That evidence fits the claim. It explains why starting later would help students.
Not every reason is a good one. A strong reason explains why the claim is true. Strong evidence comes from something real, like a study, an expert, or a clear fact, not just a feeling or a guess.
Another speaker says, 'Our school should start later because I don't like waking up early.' That reason is just his opinion. It does not explain why a later start would help every student.
When you evaluate an argument, ask two questions. Does this reason explain the claim? Does this evidence come from a real source? If both answers are yes, the argument is strong.
Check that a speaker's reasons explain the claim and that the evidence comes from a real source.
2 · Watch
Take it off screen
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.