Precise reporting verbs: argues, concedes, refutes, speculates…

Vocabulary

CCSS L.9-10.6CCSS RI.9-10.6England: GCSE English Language Paper 2 Q4England: SAT Reading and Writing (Text Structure and Purpose)England: A-level English

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Precise reporting verbs: argues, concedes, refutes, speculates….

I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
I can explain each step and say why it works.
I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Word choice that reveals a writer's attitude; Academic vocabulary in context (SAT/ACT)

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Word cards, A thesaurus or dictionary, A short text with the target words, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Word choice that reveals a writer's attitude; Academic vocabulary in context (SAT/ACT)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

Is the proposed answer correct? The writer sympathises with the workers: "The workers ___ for fair pay." → grumbled (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → no, it is not correctPrompt: Decide whether the writer's attitude is positive or negative.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word? The committee's report was ___, covering every possible objection in detail. (thorough) (comprehensive / ambiguous / cursory / biased) → comprehensivePrompt: Read the whole sentence. What does the gap need to mean? (A clue is given in brackets.)
Choose the word that best conveys the writer's attitude. The writer respects the scientist's caution: "Dr Lee was ___ about her findings." (evasive / timid / measured / wishy-washy) → measuredPrompt: Decide whether the writer's attitude is positive or negative.

Hook · 5 min

Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
Share the objective: Precise reporting verbs: argues, concedes, refutes, speculates…. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
Example: Which verb most precisely describes what the author does? The author guesses about a possible cause without firm evidence.
Step 1: Precise reporting verbs (concede, refute, assert, speculate) show exactly how a writer handles ideas.
Step 2: So the answer is: speculates
Answer: speculates
Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

Is the proposed answer correct? The author questions whether a popular belief is true. → endorses (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → no, it is not correctPrompt: Is the author agreeing, disagreeing, guessing, praising, warning or admitting?
Which verb most precisely describes what the author does? The author looks back on events from her childhood. (refutes / recalls / predicts / cautions) → recallsPrompt: Is the author agreeing, disagreeing, guessing, praising, warning or admitting?

You do: independent practice · 10 min

Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

Is the proposed answer correct? The author officially supports a plan or product. → endorses (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → yes, it is correctPrompt: Is the author agreeing, disagreeing, guessing, praising, warning or admitting?
Which verb most precisely describes what the author does? The author praises a scientist's careful work. (questions / refutes / criticises / commends) → commendsPrompt: Is the author agreeing, disagreeing, guessing, praising, warning or admitting?

Watch out for

Picking a "bigger" synonym that doesn't fit the meaning.
Ignoring the clues in the rest of the sentence.

Support and stretch

Support

Review first: Word choice that reveals a writer's attitude.
Use concrete materials: word cards.
Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-10.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Precise reporting verbs: argues, concedes, refutes, speculates…

Name

Date

Score/ 8

1
Question 1
Is the proposed answer correct? The author admits that her opponents make a fair point. → concedes
- A. yes, it is correct
- B. no, it is not correct

Beavers Come Home

Four hundred years after they were hunted to extinction in Britain, beavers are back. Small populations now live wild in parts of Scotland and England, and several other European countries have reintroduced them too. Ecologists describe beavers as "ecosystem engineers". By building dams, they create ponds and wetlands that slow the flow of water, trap sediment and provide homes for insects, amphibians and birds. In one Devon study, the amount of water flowing downstream during heavy rain was noticeably lower below beaver dams than above them, suggesting that dams can help reduce flooding. Not everyone is delighted. Some farmers report flooded fields and felled trees, and they worry about the cost. Their concerns are real, and schemes in some areas now compensate landowners or move beavers whose dams cause serious damage. Supporters argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. Wetlands created by beavers can store water during droughts, improve water quality and attract visitors. Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river, and long-term data are still limited. What is clear is that the return of beavers forces us to ask a broader question: how much room are we willing to make for wild animals in a crowded country?

2
Question 2
Read "Beavers Come Home". Which verb best describes what researchers do in paragraph 4?
- A. celebrate
- B. exaggerate
- C. caution
- D. refute

3
Question 3
Which verb most precisely describes what the author does? The author proves that a claim is wrong, using evidence.
- A. concedes
- B. refutes
- C. echoes
- D. speculates
4
Question 4
Is the proposed answer correct? The author guesses about a possible cause without firm evidence. → concedes
- A. yes, it is correct
- B. no, it is not correct
5
Question 5
Which verb most precisely describes what the author does? The author warns readers about a possible danger.
- A. recalls
- B. cautions
- C. concedes
- D. celebrates
6
Question 6
Is the proposed answer correct? The author makes a statement suggesting something without saying it directly. → proves
- A. yes, it is correct
- B. no, it is not correct
7
Question 7
Is the proposed answer correct? The author praises a scientist's careful work. → commends
- A. yes, it is correct
- B. no, it is not correct
8
Question 8
Which verb most precisely describes what the author does? The author weakens an argument by exposing a flaw.
- A. endorses
- B. strengthens
- C. echoes
- D. undermines

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Answer key: Precise reporting verbs: argues, concedes, refutes, speculates…

1. A. yes, it is correct
2. C. caution
3. B. refutes
4. B. no, it is not correct
5. B. cautions
6. B. no, it is not correct
7. A. yes, it is correct
8. D. undermines