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A claim with no reason is not false but unfinished, and a reason that only repeats the claim is no reason.
Paper packet. Every task here also exists on screen, where it is checked automatically; answers written on paper are not assessed by Nydus. When you are back at a device, enter your answers there.
You will spot a claim that has been given no reason, or only a reason that repeats it, and say what question it needs answered — without deciding it is false just because nobody said why.
The Friday film club should show a comedy next week.
The last three films were all sad ones.
Half the club left the last one early, and two people were in tears.
A comedy is exactly what the club ought to put on.
The club meets in the room above the bakery.
You can find a claim and the reasons given for it. Sometimes you look for the reasons and there are none. This lesson is about what to do then.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| This lesson's terms | A bare claim is a claim with no reason given. Support is whatever is offered to show a claim is true or a good idea. A claim that repeats itself has a because whose second half only says the claim again in other words. |
| Supported conclusion | The conclusion the stated reasons reach, including the limits on its group, time or conditions. |
The swimming pool is shutting for the whole summer. No reason is given. Is the claim false?
You cannot tell. The pool might be shutting; the speaker might have seen a notice. A bare claim is unfinished: it has not yet told you why you should accept it. Two shortcuts are tempting, and both are mistakes:
The careful move is to ask the question the claim needs. A claim about what is so needs how do you know? A claim about what to do needs what good would it do?
Watch for a look-alike. Bella's makes the best ice cream, because no ice cream beats Bella's. That has a because, and the part after it says nothing new: no ice cream beats it is just best in other words. A repeated claim is no more support than no reason at all.
Not every claim needs arguing every time. If everyone can see the rain, it's raining needs no reason. But when people might disagree, the reason is what lets them check.
Another way: picture
A bare claim is a tabletop with no legs. It is not broken; it has just not been held up yet. A repeated claim is a tabletop propped on a painting of itself.
Another way: steps
When somebody makes a claim without a reason, you have found a gap in the message. You have not yet discovered whether the claim is true. 'The museum is closed today' could be right even if the speaker forgets to mention the notice on the door. It could be wrong even if the speaker sounds certain. The next useful move is to ask what supports it. A question is different from an accusation.
Ask for the kind of reason that fits. For a claim about a time, ask to see the schedule or notice. For a claim about how many people came, ask how they were counted. For a proposal, ask what the plan would improve and for whom. 'Why?' is a good start, but a more precise question helps the other person provide something you can check.
Repeating the claim does not fill the gap. 'This route is the quickest because it takes the least time' explains the meaning of quickest but supplies no times to compare. To support the claim, the speaker might give measured journey times for the routes. New words are not always new information. Try covering the words after because. If uncovering them tells you nothing you did not already get from the claim, you may have a repeated claim.
Sometimes a speaker has a reason but cannot share it yet. You can say that the reason has not been shown to you without pretending none exists. Sometimes checking would take too long for a small everyday choice. That may affect what you decide to do, but it does not magically add support to the sentence. Keep your description honest: 'I have not seen the reason yet' leaves room to learn.
Luigi's makes the best pizza, because no pizza anywhere is better than Luigi's. Does this message give a reason for its claim?
The supported answer is: No: its reason only says the claim again in other words.
The distinction in this case is that no pizza is better is just it is the best said again, so the because adds nothing.
The clock tower is the tallest building in the village, since no building there is taller. Does this message give a reason for its claim?
The supported answer is: No: its reason only says the claim again in other words.
The distinction in this case is that no building is taller says exactly what tallest says, so it is not a separate reason.
Chess club is a waste of time. Does this message give a reason for its claim?
The supported answer is: No: the claim stands on its own with no reason.
The distinction in this case is that the claim is on its own; nothing answers why?.
Our song should close the concert. Does this message give a reason for its claim?
The supported answer is: No: the claim stands on its own with no reason.
The distinction in this case is that no sentence answers why ours?, so the claim has no support yet.
The big kite will fly best today. The wind is steady and blowing from the sea. Does this message give a reason for its claim?
The supported answer is: Yes: it gives a separate reason for the claim.
The distinction in this case is that the wind is a separate fact, and it answers why today?.
The class rabbit is the cleverest pet in town. Does this message give a reason for its claim?
The supported answer is: No: the claim stands on its own with no reason.
The distinction in this case is that nothing answers how do you know? — the claim stands alone.
The garden gate must be kept shut. The neighbor's goat got in twice last week. Does this message give a reason for its claim?
The supported answer is: Yes: it gives a separate reason for the claim.
The distinction in this case is that the goat getting in is a separate fact that answers why keep it shut?.
Everyone should wear a hat on the trip. The weather service says the sun will be very strong. Does this message give a reason for its claim?
The supported answer is: Yes: it gives a separate reason for the claim.
The distinction in this case is that the forecast is a separate fact that answers why hats?.
Mo says, very firmly: The corner shop is closing down. He gives no reason. What is the most sensible thing to think?
The supported answer is: It might be true or false; ask Mo how he knows.
Mo has made a claim and given no reason, so you cannot yet tell whether it is true. No reason does not make it false: Mo might have seen a notice. Saying it firmly does not make it true either. The sensible move is to ask how do you know?
Four claims with no reasons. Match each to the question that would start to support or test it.
The blue team cheated. / We should get a class hamster. / Oak Street is the fastest way to the pool. / The film is too scary for Lina's brother. / What did they do that broke a rule? / What good would it do, and who would look after it? / Faster than which way, and how was it timed? / Which parts are scary, and how old is he?
The blue team cheated needs to know what they actually did that broke a rule. We should get a class hamster is about what to do, so it needs the good it would do and who would care for it. Oak Street is the fastest way needs a comparison and a timing; the film is too scary for Lina's brother needs to know which parts and how old he is.
Five messages in a group chat about Saturday's film. Mark every message that makes a claim and gives no reason at all.
Aisha: The film starts at seven — it says so on the cinema website. / Ben: The popcorn there is the best in town. / Chloe: We should meet at half past six, so we can find seats together. / Dan: Bus 12 is quicker than bus 4. / Eva: I'll bring an umbrella, because the sky is going gray.
Aisha gives a source (the cinema website), Chloe gives a reason after so, and Eva gives one after because. Ben says the popcorn is the best in town, and nothing answers how do you know? Dan says bus 12 is quicker, and nothing answers how do you know? either. Ben's and Dan's are the bare claims.
A billboard for Zoom sneakers says the five things below. Mark every sentence whose reason only says its claim again in other words.
Zoom sneakers are the best you can buy, because no sneakers are better than Zoom. / Every Zoom sole is tested on 500 kilometers of running track before it goes on sale. / Every pair comes with a spare set of laces. / Zoom sneakers are comfortable, since they feel really comfy. / Buy yours today!
The best, because no sneakers are better says best twice: the reason is the claim again. Comfortable, since they feel really comfy says comfortable twice: the same empty since. The track test and the spare laces are real reasons, whatever they are worth, and buy yours today gives no reason at all, which is a different thing from repeating one.
A craft club needs a box for twenty paper models. A poster says, 'Buy the red box. It is the best because no other box is as good.' This sounds like an explanation, but best and no other box as good give us the same message twice. The poster has not told us what makes the red box useful for these models.
Start with the goal. The models need to fit without being crushed. Ask how many models each box holds and whether the lid closes safely. Suppose the red box holds twelve models and the blue box holds twenty-four. Those are new facts. They let us compare the boxes for the stated task. Color alone does not answer the question about capacity.
With these facts, the poster's claim remains unsupported for the club's goal. Indeed, the red box is too small if every model must go into one box. But do not claim that red boxes are always bad or that the poster writer intended to trick anyone. The evidence concerns these two boxes and this collection of models.
A useful reply is, 'What makes the red box suitable for twenty models? The capacity shown here is twelve.' This asks for missing support and offers a checkable reason for doubt. If the seller explains that two red boxes are included, the situation changes. We would then compare the total space, cost and any need to carry two boxes. Asking for a reason opens the door to that information. Calling the claim false merely because the first poster lacked support would have closed the question too early.
Deciding a bare claim is false. Missing support means not shown yet, not untrue.
*Hearing because and stopping.* Check that the reason says something the claim did not.
Thinking it is rude to ask why. Asking how do you know? politely is how people find out together.
The old oak in the park is dangerous.
The old oak in the park is dangerous.
Look for a reason. There is none.
State the result of this reading move.
Look for a reason. There is none.
This records the link just identified: The old oak in the park is dangerous.
Do not decide it is false, and do not decide it is true. It is about what is so, so it needs how do you know?
Do not decide it is false, and do not decide it is true. It is about what is so, so it needs how do you know?
The question the claim needs.
State the result of this reading move.
The question the claim needs.
This records the link just identified: Do not decide it is false, and do not decide it is true. It is about what is so, so it needs how do you know?
A good answer might be: a big branch cracked in the storm and is hanging over the path. Now there is something to check.
A good answer might be: a big branch cracked in the storm and is hanging over the path. Now there is something to check.
A reason turns a bare claim into an argument.
The Aln is the longest river in the county, since no river in the county is longer.
The Aln is the longest river in the county, since no river in the county is longer.
There is a since. Does the reason say anything new?
State the result of this reading move.
There is a since. Does the reason say anything new?
This records the link just identified: The Aln is the longest river in the county, since no river in the county is longer.
No river is longer means exactly what longest means.
No river is longer means exactly what longest means.
The claim has been said twice.
State the result of this reading move.
The claim has been said twice.
This records the link just identified: No river is longer means exactly what longest means.
A real reason would be a measurement: the Aln's length next to the lengths of the other rivers.
A real reason would be a measurement: the Aln's length next to the lengths of the other rivers.
So this claim still needs support.
Identify the task before answering its parts.
New support: {{b0}}
Repeated claim: {{b1}}
Reasons for C: {{b2}}
The three labeled spaces ask for different parts of this analysis, so keep their order visible.
Locate the evidence for the first part.
B supplies a capacity of 8, greater than the 7 folders needed.
This is the supplied information that bears on work out new support.
Work out new support.
B
B supplies a capacity of 8, greater than the 7 folders needed.
Work out repeated claim.
A
A's phrase 'no box is better' says best again; it supplies no comparison.
Work out reasons for c.
0
C gives an arrival claim without mentioning a source or evidence; that gap does not by itself make the claim false.
Write the completed analysis in its original order.
B / A / 0
Read these entries with their labels: Work out new support. / Work out repeated claim. / Work out reasons for c.
The scout club should buy a new tent, because a new tent would be a good thing for the club to have. Find the claim.
The scout club should buy a new tent, because a new tent would be a good thing for the club to have. Find the claim.
The club should buy a new tent.
Does the part after because say anything new?
What question does the claim still need?
Read the note to the Friday film club. Mark the reasons, and choose the claim. Be careful: one sentence only says the claim again.
Underline the premises and circle the conclusion in the passage above.
Notice 11 contains: D: 'The red box is best because no box is better.' A: 'The blue box holds 11 folders, so it can hold our 10 folders.' B: 'The green box will arrive tomorrow.' Record the letter with new support, the letter with repeated support, and the number of reasons given for B.
Work out new support.
b0
Look for a new fact that can be checked against the claim.
Work out repeated claim.
b1
Look for different words saying best again.
Work out reasons for b.
b2
Count the evidence actually offered, not evidence you could imagine.
Notice 15 contains: D: 'The red box is best because no box is better.' A: 'The blue box holds 15 folders, so it can hold our 14 folders.' B: 'The green box will arrive tomorrow.' Record the letter with new support, the letter with repeated support, and the number of reasons given for B.
New support: b0
Repeated claim: b1
Reasons for B: b2
Notice 9 contains: B: 'The red box is best because no box is better.' C: 'The blue box holds 9 folders, so it can hold our 8 folders.' D: 'The green box will arrive tomorrow.' Record the letter with new support, the letter with repeated support, and the number of reasons given for D.
New support: b0
Repeated claim: b1
Reasons for D: b2
Notice 10 contains: C: 'The red box is best because no box is better.' D: 'The blue box holds 10 folders, so it can hold our 9 folders.' A: 'The green box will arrive tomorrow.' Record the letter with new support, the letter with repeated support, and the number of reasons given for A.
New support: b0
Repeated claim: b1
Reasons for A: b2
Notice 13 contains: B: 'The red box is best because no box is better.' C: 'The blue box holds 13 folders, so it can hold our 12 folders.' D: 'The green box will arrive tomorrow.' Record the letter with new support, the letter with repeated support, and the number of reasons given for D.
New support: b0
Repeated claim: b1
Reasons for D: b2
Lesson test: one question per skill, one attempt each, no hints. Your answers are checked when you submit.
Notice 12 contains: A: 'The red box is best because no box is better.' B: 'The blue box holds 12 folders, so it can hold our 11 folders.' C: 'The green box will arrive tomorrow.' Record the letter with new support, the letter with repeated support, and the number of reasons given for C.
New support: b0
Repeated claim: b1
Reasons for C: b2
You can tell a real reason from no reason and from a repeated claim. Say what question the old oak is dangerous needs answered. Next: reasons that are true but not about the claim at all.
17. Your turn: the club tent, step 2
Does the part after because say anything new?
Check that the reason says something the claim did not.
17. Your turn: the club tent, step 3
What question does the claim still need?
Check that the reason says something the claim did not.