威威學長｜英文寫作系列
考試制度提醒： 台灣現行分科測驗沒有英文考科。現行分科測驗科目請以大考中心最新簡章為準（115 學年度包含數學甲、數學乙、歷史、地理、公民與社會、物理、化學、生物）。本篇是通用的進階英文議論文教學，可用於英文寫作訓練、校內考試、TOEFL、IELTS 或 GRE；不是現行「分科英文」教材。
Should university education be free for all students?
看到「大學要不要免學費」，腦中可能先浮出 subsidize、tuition、affordable。這些字等一下用得上，但學長會先請你在旁邊寫下自己的答案：全部免費，還是只補助有需要的人？為什麼？
這個可以爭論的主張，就是議論文要處理的東西。你得讓讀者跟得上你的理由，知道例子怎麼支持它，也看得到你怎麼回應不同意見。動筆前，可以先問自己：
- 我的立場是完全贊成、部分贊成，還是反對？
- 我最強的兩個理由是什麼？
- 對方最合理的反駁是什麼？
第三題先別留白。如果反方擔心的是政府付不起，你後面就得處理經費，不能一直重複「教育很重要」。
thesis 把立場說清楚
Thesis 是全文要支持的主張。拿這題來說，可以這樣寫：
Governments should make university education substantially more affordable, but a completely free system is not always financially sustainable.
它回答了題目，也把「受教機會」和「財政可行性」放在一起考慮。再比較下面三種寫法：
弱的： University education is an important topic. 只有介紹主題，沒有立場，也沒有可預測的論證方向。
較好的： University tuition should be reduced because affordable higher education expands opportunity and strengthens the skilled workforce. 立場明確（tuition should be reduced），兩個理由也標好了（expands opportunity、strengthens the skilled workforce）。
更成熟的： Although completely free university education may be difficult to fund, governments should substantially reduce tuition and expand need-based aid because access to higher education should depend on ability, not family income. 這句先承認經費限制，再提出降低學費與按需求補助的做法。讀者知道你要支持哪一種政策，也有具體的地方可以和你討論。
四個零件：claim、evidence、counterargument、rebuttal
檢查自己的文章時，可以用這四個詞分辨每段在做什麼。
| 元件 | 角色 | 讀者檢查的問題 |
|---|---|---|
| Claim | 你的立場 | 你主張什麼？它能回答題目嗎？ |
| Evidence | 支撐立場的資料或情境 | 證據從哪來？讀者能自己查證嗎？ |
| Counterargument | 對方最合理的質疑 | 我有沒有把最強的反對意見講出來？ |
| Rebuttal | 你如何回應那個質疑 | 我的回應有沒有改變或限定原來的立場？ |
它們可以散落在不同段落。短文兩段收完，長文分別成段都可以，重點是讀者讀完能從文章裡找回這四塊。
反方擔心的事，寫進去了嗎
只顧著捍衛立場，很容易把對方寫成「有些人根本不在乎窮學生」。但反對全面免學費的人，也可能支持幫助弱勢，只是不同意這種補助方式。
即使範例只用一句話帶過反方，寫到自己的題目時，仍然要把疑慮說清楚。"However, I disagree." 表達了不同意，卻還沒告訴讀者理由。
時間不夠時，可以先把回應接在原來的理由後面，不一定另開一整段。各項考試的要求不同，不能把「有沒有獨立反駁段」直接當成分數高低的保證；這裡練的是讓論證經得起追問。
反駁的三步：承認、限定、替代
低品質的反駁長這樣：
Some people do not care about poor students.
這句把對方寫成不在乎窮學生，卻沒回應他們的理由，這就是「稻草人」式的反駁。合理的疑慮可能是政府預算有限、補助會流向原本就付得起的家庭，或學校資源不夠。
試著把預算問題寫進去：
Critics may argue that fully subsidizing every student would place an excessive burden on taxpayers. This concern is reasonable, especially when public budgets must also support health care and basic education. However, the solution does not have to be an all-or-nothing policy. Governments can combine moderate tuition, income-based grants, and repayment plans so that assistance is concentrated on students who need it most.
拆開來就是三步：承認合理疑慮、限定疑慮成立的範圍、提出更精確的替代方案。
PEEL：一個段落怎麼長出來
- P（Point）：本段主張
- E（Evidence or Example）：證據或具體情境
- E（Explanation）：為什麼這個例子支持主張
- L（Link）：連回全文立場
範例：
Affordable tuition improves social mobility. A capable student from a low-income family may earn excellent grades but still avoid university because of tuition and living costs. When financial barriers determine who can continue studying, admission is no longer based mainly on ability. Reducing tuition and expanding need-based aid therefore allow universities to select from a wider pool of talent, which benefits both individuals and society.
例子之後一定要有 explanation。只寫一個故事，卻不說明它和 thesis 的關係，段落就還沒完成。
五段式是預設值，不是規定
| 段落 | 任務 | 必須回答的問題 |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 建立議題與提出 thesis | 我主張什麼？ |
| Body 1 | 最強理由 | 為什麼這個理由重要？ |
| Body 2 | 第二理由 | 還有什麼獨立證據？ |
| Counterargument | 承認並回應反方 | 對方最合理的意見是什麼？ |
| Conclusion | 收束判斷 | 讀者最後應該記住什麼？ |
篇幅短的時候，反駁可以直接放進第二個 body paragraph，不必為了湊五段而重複內容。
轉折詞：讓讀者知道你是在讓步還是在反擊
如果每句都用 however、moreover、therefore 起頭，讀者會一直被拉著轉彎。先想好這句是補充、讓步，還是回應，再選詞：
- However 放在反駁句首：「However, this assumes that...」它把讀者的注意力從你剛才說的話拉回你的回應。
- On the other hand 用來引出對方立場：「On the other hand, students who live far from school may need a phone to coordinate with family.」
- Admittedly 主動讓步：「Admittedly, longer reading lists can discourage students who already struggle with reading.」和 "I admit that" 都能表達承認，這裡用前者讓句子短一點。
- That said 承認之後立刻修正：「The rule is reasonable in theory. That said, enforcement can be uneven.」
- Even so 連接兩個看似矛盾的句子：「The data are imperfect. Even so, the trend is consistent across years.」
選好之後，連著前一句讀一次。你本來只想補充細節，卻用了讓步的詞，就要換掉。
題目怎麼選：從 108 課綱到社群媒體
練習時先挑你能講出具體情境的題目。像 "Should governments regulate AI?"，如果手上沒有足夠材料，就容易只剩空泛的贊成或反對。也可以從學校和社群生活裡挑：
- 108 課綱相關： 學習歷程檔案是否真的反映學習？多元選修是否讓學生選到「甜課」而不是「想學的課」？申請入學的書審制度是否對弱勢學生不利？
- 社群媒體相關： 高中生是否應該公開經營個人帳號？平台演算法是否影響了學生的時間分配？
以「學習歷程檔案是否反映真實學習」為例，thesis 可以寫成：
Although the 108 curriculum's portfolio system aims to document real learning, it often rewards students with stronger family support rather than those who learn the most, so schools should treat portfolios as one of several signals, not the main one.
這句把家庭資源差距和單一指標的風險放進立場裡，後文就有方向了。不過「制度偏向哪些學生」需要證據，不能因為 thesis 寫得順，就把裡面的判斷當成已經證明。
練習：15 分鐘寫一段反駁
挑一題，只寫 thesis 加一段 body，不要寫開頭和結尾。
Should mobile phones be banned in classrooms?
Thesis： Mobile phones should be restricted but not completely banned, because blanket bans ignore the genuine academic uses of phones while failing to address the real problem of distracted learning.
Body paragraph（claim + evidence + counter + rebuttal）：
Many teachers support a full ban because phones are a visible source of distraction. In a typical class, a student may check social media after a notification appears, lose the thread of the explanation, and then spend the rest of the period catching up. A clear classroom rule removes the temptation and protects attention.
Admittedly, however, phones are also practical tools. Students use them to photograph whiteboard notes, scan QR codes for worksheets, look up unfamiliar vocabulary during a reading exercise, and coordinate group projects outside class. A rule that treats every phone as a problem ignores these everyday uses.
Schools therefore need a more precise rule. Phones can stay in bags during lectures and silent reading, but teachers can explicitly allow them during tasks that genuinely need them. The point is not to remove phones from school; it is to keep attention where it belongs.
寫的時候把時間切開：2 分鐘圈出題目裡的爭議詞，3 分鐘寫 thesis、兩個理由和一個反方疑慮，7 分鐘把 body paragraph 寫完，剩下 3 分鐘檢查主詞動詞一致、時態、單複數和連接詞。
想多練幾題的話，這幾個都可以：Should high school students be required to complete community service?／Should artificial intelligence tools be allowed in classrooms?／Is working from home better than working in an office?／Should public transportation be free in large cities?
完整示範文章
Prompt：
Some people believe that university education should be free for all students. Others disagree. What is your opinion?
Model Essay：
University education can change a person's career opportunities, but its rising cost prevents many capable students from applying. Although making every university completely free may not be financially realistic, governments should substantially reduce tuition and provide stronger need-based support.
First, affordable higher education improves equality of opportunity. Academic ability is not limited to students from wealthy families. When tuition is too high, a qualified student may choose a lower-skilled job simply because the family cannot pay the initial cost. Grants and lower tuition allow admission decisions to reflect preparation and potential rather than household income.
Second, society benefits when more people can receive advanced training. Modern economies need teachers, engineers, nurses, researchers, and other skilled professionals. Public support for education is therefore not merely a private gift to individual students; it is also an investment in the workforce and in services that the wider community uses.
Critics correctly point out that a universal free system could be expensive and might subsidize families that can already afford tuition. A better policy is targeted support. Governments can combine reasonable tuition with income-based grants, scholarships, and repayment plans. This approach protects access without pretending that educational resources are unlimited.
In conclusion, the strongest policy is not necessarily free university for everyone. It is a system in which qualified students are not excluded because of family income. Lower tuition and carefully targeted financial aid can achieve that goal while remaining more financially responsible.
改稿時，先檢查哪裡
讀自己的文章時，很容易只看拼字和文法。可以另外照這四個面向檢查；它們是改稿用的問題，不是任何單一考試的正式評分表：
- 內容與組織（Content & Organization）： thesis 是否清楚？每個段落有沒有各自完成不同任務？有沒有回應反方？
- 論點發展（Argument Development）： 理由之間是否彼此獨立？每個理由有沒有具體支撐，而不是換句話重複？
- 文法與用字（Language Use）： 錯誤是否影響理解？句型是否變化太少？
- 字數與完整度（Length & Completeness）： 段落有沒有寫完？有沒有中途斷掉？
例如每段都在說教育重要，即使用了不同單字，理由還是沒有往前走。先找出這類問題，再修句子：
開頭支持，結尾卻突然反對，就回頭確認 thesis。部分同意沒問題，但前後的條件得一致。
「教育很重要」「教育真的很重要」「教育對社會很重要」談的還是同一件事。每個 body paragraph 都要多提供一個理由，或把原來的理由解釋得更具體。
例子太空泛時，像 "Education helps everyone."，可以追問：誰受到什麼限制？政策改變後會發生什麼？
除非題目提供資料，或你能正確引用來源，否則不要隨手捏造百分比。考場上可以用具體的假設情境，但要讓讀者看得出那是假設。
反駁如果只剩 "I disagree."，就補上對方的疑慮，再說明你的主張如何處理它。
句型工具箱
提出立場
- I strongly believe that...
- A more practical approach is to...
- Although X has advantages, Y is ultimately more important because...
加入證據或例子
- For example,...
- A clear illustration of this problem is...
- This can be seen when...
解釋因果
- This matters because...
- As a result,...
- Therefore, the example demonstrates that...
承認反方
- Critics may argue that...
- It is reasonable to worry that...
- While this concern is valid,...
- Admittedly,...
回應反方
- However, this argument overlooks...
- The problem can be reduced by...
- This does not mean that...
- Even so,...
交稿前檢查表
- 第一段最後有明確 thesis。
- 每個 body paragraph 只有一個主要論點。
- 例子之後有 explanation。
- 至少公平處理一個反方疑慮。
- 結論沒有加入全新的理由。
- 沒有捏造資料、研究或名人引言。
- 文法錯誤不會妨礙理解。
從上面的題目挑一題，只寫一個帶讓步的 thesis（50 字以內），再寫一段 counterargument + rebuttal（150 字左右）。開頭和結尾先放著。
寫完讀一次：如果你是反對的人，這段有沒有準確說出你的疑慮？還是它只找了一個很好打敗的對手？先把這裡修好，再檢查自己的回應有沒有接上。
