Source: Argumentative Essay Outline (Claim), adapted from Tahnda Hawkins/South HS
Difficulty: Beginner | Prerequisites: Read the companion notes on Argumentative Essay Structure first.
Knowing the five-paragraph argumentative structure is one thing; getting words onto the page under timed conditions is another. Sentence starters give you a reliable way to begin each part of the essay without staring at a blank screen. The self-editing checklist then lets you verify, before you hand anything in, that every required component is present. Together, these two tools turn the essay outline into a repeatable process. This set of notes is a practical companion to the structural overview and is designed to be used during writing and revision, not just studied beforehand.
This document collects every sentence starter from the outline, organised by essay section, so you can grab one and keep writing. It also includes a colour-coded self-editing checklist (highlight, circle, underline) to confirm every required element is in your draft before submission.
Use one of these to open the essay:
A thought-provoking statement that connects to the topic.
A rhetorical question with an implied answer.
A brief anecdote (a short story in one or two sentences).
A quotation from a relevant source.
"The issue of _______ is a complex one. It's about..."
"The controversy is: _______"
"I observed _______ when _______."
"I compared _______ and _______."
"I noticed _______, when _______."
The claim should name the subject, your argument, and ideally three supporting points.
These open each body paragraph by restating the claim with a specific reason:
"A reason why [your main claim] is true is because [state your argument]."
"[State your argument] demonstrates that [main claim] is true."
The technique is TTQAA: Turn The Question Around and Answer it.
"According to the text..."
"The author wrote..."
"In the ___ paragraph, the author stated..."
"On page ____, the author stated..."
"As the author mentioned on page ___..."
Always include quotation marks around the direct quote, the title of the source, and the paragraph or page number.
"This evidence illustrates..., because..."
"This conveys..."
"As a rule..."
"This suggests..."
"The author uses this evidence to show how/that _______."
"People who disagree may claim that [state the opposing side's claim]..."
"Critics may claim that [state the opposing side's claim]..."
"Some people might disagree. They may believe that _______ because _______."
"This argument is weak because..."
"On the contrary..."
"However, it is clear that [your claim] because _______."
"In conclusion, the text shows that [claim] by pointing out that _______."
Restate the claim in different words, summarise the evidence, and leave the reader with something to think about or do.
Use this after drafting your essay. Go section by section and mark each component using the method indicated (highlight, circle, or underline). If you cannot find a component to mark, it is missing and needs to be added.
Underline your hook (the attention-getting opening sentence).
Circle your text summary (the brief overview of the source texts).
Highlight your claim (your argument, restating the prompt).
Highlight the topic sentence (restates claim + introduces the reason).
Circle the text evidence (the direct quote with quotation marks, title, page/paragraph number).
Underline the explanation/warrant (how the evidence proves the claim).
Highlight the topic sentence.
Circle the text evidence.
Underline the explanation/warrant.
Highlight the counterclaim (what the opposing side would argue).
Circle the explanation of why they hold that view (their reasoning, stated fairly).
Underline your rebuttal (why your claim is still stronger).
Highlight the restated claim (same argument, different words from the introduction).
Check that the evidence from both body paragraphs is summarised.
Check that the essay ends with something for the reader to consider.
Students often think sentence starters are only for beginners. They are useful at every level as a way to get past writer's block and maintain structure under time pressure.
Students sometimes use a sentence starter word for word without adapting it to their specific topic. The starter is a frame; you still need to fill it with content that fits your claim and evidence.
Students occasionally treat the editing checklist as optional. If a component cannot be highlighted, circled, or underlined, that means it is missing from the essay, and marks will be lost.
Students sometimes assume the counterclaim rebuttal can be vague. "However, I still disagree" is not a rebuttal. The rebuttal must explain why your position is stronger, with reasoning.
⚠️ On timed essays, having sentence starters memorised saves minutes. Those minutes are better spent on the warrant, which is where most marks are earned and lost.
⚠️ The self-editing checklist maps directly to the rubric. If you can mark every item, you have met every structural requirement.
⚠️ Evidence without quotation marks or a source reference may not receive full credit, even if the quote itself is accurate. The starters include the citation format as a built-in reminder.
⚠️ A counterclaim without a rebuttal is incomplete. The checklist requires three separate marks in the counterclaim paragraph for exactly this reason.
Fill in the blank: "According to the text..." is a sentence starter for the ______ part of a body paragraph. (Evidence)
True or false: "This evidence illustrates..." is a hook sentence starter. (False. It is a warrant/explanation starter.)
Fill in the blank: In the self-editing checklist, you highlight the ______ in each body paragraph. (Topic sentence)
True or false: A counterclaim paragraph needs only one marked component. (False. It needs three: the counterclaim, the opposing reasoning, and the rebuttal.)
Fill in the blank: TTQAA stands for Turn The Question ______ and ______ it. (Around, Answer)
Q: You are writing a body paragraph and need to introduce a direct quote. Which sentence starter category should you use, and give one example?
A: Use an evidence sentence starter. Example: "In the ___ paragraph, the author stated..."
Q: You have written a counterclaim but your teacher says the paragraph is incomplete. What two components are you most likely missing?
A: The explanation of why the opposing side holds that view, and the rebuttal explaining why your claim is still stronger.
Q: When self-editing, what marking method do you use for the warrant in a body paragraph, and why does it matter?
A: Underline the warrant. If you cannot find a sentence to underline, the warrant is missing, meaning you have not explained how your evidence proves your claim.
Q: A student uses the starter "This evidence illustrates..." but then simply restates the quote. What is the problem?
A: The warrant must explain the connection between the evidence and the claim, not repeat the evidence. Restating the quote does not answer the "so what?" question.
Q: Name the three marking methods used in the self-editing checklist and what each one corresponds to in a body paragraph.
A: Highlight the topic sentence, circle the text evidence, underline the explanation/warrant.
These sentence starters map onto the Toulmin model of argumentation (claim, grounds, warrant, backing, qualifier, rebuttal), which you may encounter in debate, philosophy, or advanced composition courses. Recognising that connection makes the starters feel less formulaic and more like a simplified version of a well-established reasoning framework.
The self-editing checklist is a form of self-assessment rubric. If you encounter rubrics in other courses, you will notice that rubrics work the same way: they name the components and ask you to verify each one is present and adequate.
The evidence sentence starters double as citation practice. In later courses, these informal citations (title + page/paragraph) will expand into formal formats such as MLA or APA.
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