Level 5 — Advanced · Technical & Evidence-Based Writing
Task 71: Narrowing a Claim Across a Paragraph
Open with a broad claim, then narrow it into a precise, qualified final position across four sentences — the same claim-evolution shape Lesson 71 taught you to track as a reader.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this task, you should be able to:
- Open a paragraph with a broad, unqualified claim
- Narrow that claim using 'however' and a qualifying condition
- Close with a refined, conditional final position that a reader could not have predicted from the opening sentence alone
Introduction
Lesson 71 taught you to read an argument as it moves — an author's claim rarely stays where it started. This task asks you to build that same movement yourself: open broad, complicate it, and close narrower and more precise than where you began.
The Shape to Build
Core Concept
Four moves, in order: (1) a broad opening claim, (2) "however" plus a piece of evidence or a limitation, (3) a word like "therefore" or "in particular" that narrows the claim, (4) a final position more precise and conditional than the opening one. The reader should be able to compare your first and last sentences and see exactly what changed.
Example
Remote work can increase productivity. However, the effect varies across occupations. Therefore, remote work is most effective where tasks can be performed independently, with less benefit for roles that depend on constant, real-time collaboration. Opening claim: broad benefit. Closing claim: benefit, but only under a stated condition.
Your Turn
Your Turn
Write a four-sentence paragraph about container terminal automation. Sentence 1: a broad, unqualified claim about what automation does. Sentence 2: start with "However," and introduce a limitation or a case where the claim doesn't fully hold. Sentence 3: start with "Therefore," or "In particular," and narrow the claim. Sentence 4: a final, conditional position — more precise than sentence 1, not a repeat of it.
Vocabulary in Context
qualifyverbformal
to limit or add a condition to a claim so it becomes more precise (শর্তযুক্ত করা)
Often with qualify a claim, heavily qualify, qualify a statement
“Add 'in most cases' to qualify the claim.”
refineverbformal
to make a claim more precise and accurate as evidence accumulates (পরিমার্জন করা)
Often with refine a claim, refine an argument, further refine
“The author refines the claim as evidence accumulates.”
Model Answer
Show a model answer
Automation can significantly reduce container handling times at busy terminals. However, the improvement depends heavily on yard layout, since poorly designed traffic flows can bottleneck even a fully automated crane system. Therefore, automation delivers its full benefit mainly at terminals that have already redesigned their yard flow to support it. In terminals still using older layouts, the gain is real but considerably smaller than the technology's full potential suggests.
Self-Check
Self-Check
- Does your final sentence say something more precise than your opening sentence, not just repeat it in different words?
- Did "however" mark a genuine limitation, not just a restatement?
- Did "therefore" or "in particular" actually narrow the claim, rather than introduce an unrelated new idea?
- Could a reader compare sentence 1 and sentence 4 and name exactly what changed?
Next: Writing 72 — Naming the Parts of an Argument: taking a short argument apart into its premise, evidence, inference, and conclusion, labelled explicitly.