Part 3: Analytical Discussion
Develop sophisticated argumentation and critical analysis skills
Who it's for
Written for B2 (upper-intermediate) students who can discuss most topics and now need precision and range.
IELTS Speaking and Writing preparation, for band 5 and up. More IELTS Test Preparation lesson plans
Skills it practises
- Speaking: discussion questionsevery lesson
- Vocabulary: a target word listevery lesson
- Reading: a text or news storyevery lesson
- Controlled practice: gap-fills, matching, sorting and moreevery lesson
- Role-play: a dialogue to act outevery lesson
Lessons
- Advanced ArgumentationGoal: build layered Part 3 arguments - a qualified thesis, reasons at more than one level, a genuine concession and a nuanced conclusion.50 minFree
- Evaluating and CritiquingGoal: evaluate any claim in Part 3 - name its merit, expose the specific flaw it overlooks, and land a balanced judgement.50 minOutline
- Speculation and PredictionGoal: make Part 3 predictions with calibrated confidence - high, moderate and low probability language plus conditionals that do real work.50 minOutline
- Comparative AnalysisGoal: compare approaches and policies in Part 3 - overlap, key distinction and relative merits, ending in a context-dependent judgement.50 minOutline
- Synthesis and ConclusionGoal: end Part 3 discussions like a Band 7 speaker - pull the threads together with synthesis language and land one of four strong conclusion patterns.50 minOutline
- Evaluating Solutions to ProblemsGoal: evaluate any proposed solution in Part 3 - feasibility, unintended consequences, alternatives - and land a refined judgement.57 minOutline
- Discussing Cause and EffectGoal: explain why things happen in Part 3 with three levels of causation - immediate, contributing, structural - and properly hedged causal claims.57 minOutline
- Speculating About the FutureGoal: build extended future speculation in Part 3 - current situation, driving forces, optimistic and pessimistic scenarios, then a considered position.57 minOutline
How to use it in a lesson
- Lessons run 50 to 57 minutes, with a timing on every stage, so you can see before you start what fits your slot.
- Start with "Advanced Argumentation": its whole plan is on this site, stage by stage, with the target vocabulary, free to read and to teach from on any video call.
- For a shorter slot, skip a practice stage or cut the discussion short: the stages are a guide, not a script.
Teach Part 3: Analytical Discussion with your student
Lesson 1 of this course is free. A free account opens it in the interactive player, and the rest of the course is included with Starter. Teaching it live with your student in the Tuton classroom starts with a 7-day free trial.
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