Debate · lesson 20 of 24 · free

Building on others and disagreeing politely — Debate and group discussion

A GD is teamwork. Build on others by naming their point and adding to it: “I agree with Riya and would add that it saves money too.” Disagree politely with a reason: “I see it a little differently, because…” or “That’s a fair point, but have we thought about the cost?” Rude replies (“That’s a silly idea”, “Who asked you?”) attack the person and lose marks.

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Debater's tip

Agree and add, or disagree with a reason — “name their point, then add to it or kindly give your reason”

  1. Build on: “I agree with … and would add…”, “Building on …’s point…”, “Adding to what … said…”.
  2. Disagree politely: “I see it a little differently, because…”, “I partly agree, but…”, “With respect, I disagree, and here’s why.”
  3. Always give a reason or example; challenge the idea, not the person.

Use it for: GDs, class discussions, group projects and friendly arguments at home.

Worked example: 🤝 Is this line building on a point, disagreeing politely or being rude? “I agree with Riya and would add that it saves money too.” → building on a point

  1. The speaker names Riya’s point, agrees and adds a new detail.
  2. So the line is building on a point.

Check: Practise aloud: in a family GD, say one “I agree with … and would add…” line and one polite “I see it a little differently, because…” line ✓

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🏁 Lesson 20 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

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🖨️ Group Discussion Worksheet: Agree and Disagree

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