The counterclaim states the opposition’s viewpoint.

1. The counterclaim states the opposition’s viewpoint. The opposition’s viewpoint is the opposite side of your argument.

2. The opposition’s viewpoint is the opposite side of your argument. • If you’re FER it, it’s the people who are AGIN it.

3. Though many people don’t use them, counterclaims are an important part of defining a logical argument. • When you state the counterclaim before your thesis statement, you help define both sides of the argument for the reader.

4. The counterclaim helps the reader understand that you have considered both sides of an issue. • Although many consider bowling to be “the sport of kings”, I for one think that hand grenade tennis ought to be. It is much more exciting, it is by far louder and it helps eliminate unwanted kings.

5. Thesis: Predator drones help keep our ground troops out of harm’s way. • Counterclaim: Predator drones often kill civilians.

6. Thesis: Predator drones help keep our ground troops out of harm’s way.Counterclaim: Predator drones often kill civilians. • Combined: Although predator drones sometimes kill non-combatants, they also help keep our ground troops out of dangerous situations.

7. Combined: Although predator drones sometimes kill non-combatants, they also help keep our ground troops out of dangerous situations. • Reversed: Predator drones are sometimes used to kill terrorists, but also have killed many civilians as well.

8. Hot-Rodded: While predator drones may help interdict and eliminate suspectsbelieved to be high-ranking terrorists, many people feel that they eliminate due process of law and frequently engage non-combatant targets, who are often women and children.

9. Reverse it! • Even though they may eliminate due process of law and frequently engage non-combatant targetswho are suspected to be women and children, predator drones often help interdict and eliminate high-ranking terrorists. • Note: “who are suspected” and “often”

10. Note how the use of “May” “suspects” and “believed to be” soften the opposing argument. Note how “Many people feel” can be used instead of “I think”. I call this rhetorical plurality, or the rhetorical we. • While predator drones may help interdict and eliminate suspectsbelieved to be high-ranking terrorists, many people feel that they eliminate due process of law and frequently engage non-combatant targets, who are often women and children.

11. I) Write a counterclaim to precede the thesis statement below: Keywords: While, Although, Even though Weasel words: may, believed to be, we, many people believe, most of us feel. Reverse it! Although there are still many unanswered questions about nuclear power. • 1) There are still many questions that remain unanswered about the future of nuclear power.

12. I) Write a counterclaim to precede the thesis statement below: Reverse it! • We need to consider staying out of further engagements in the Middle East.

13. Write a counterclaim to precede the thesis statement below: While, although, Even if , Even though Reverse it! • We need to consider moving the Methadone Clinic away from the juvenile facility.

14. Write a counterclaim to precede the thesis statement below: Proponents of the, Supporters of, Reverse it! • ,but informed voters know that the new causeway will be a road to folly.

15. II) Write a thesis statement to follow the counterclaim below: While many people are skeptical about marketing Bubblecheeze • Although the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case has acquitted Zimmerman,

16. Construct your own counterclaim and thesis statement. • It’s your homework. • No, it cannot be one we already used. • Write one that you want to develop into a full blown essay or letter.