Improving Your Commentary on the Argument Essay

📝 Pointers for Improving Your Commentary on the Argument Essay

1. Don’t Just Restate—Analyze.
Avoid simply repeating your claim or evidence. Instead, explain how and why your evidence supports your argument. Go deeper.

❌ This shows that hard work is important.
✅ This example highlights how perseverance, even in the face of repeated failure, builds the resilience necessary for lasting success.

2. Clarify the Connection.
Make the link between your evidence and your claim explicit. Don’t assume the reader will make the connection for you.

✅ By sacrificing personal comfort to pursue social justice, she exemplifies how courage often requires discomfort—a key trait in moral progress.

3. Use Varied Commentary Stems.
Move beyond "This shows..." Try:

• This underscores...
  
  

• This exemplifies...
  
  

• This reveals a broader truth about...
  
  

• This reflects the idea that...
  
  

• Such an example illustrates the complexity of...
  
  

4. Address the "So What?"
Push your commentary to answer:

• Why does this matter?
  
  

• What are the implications?
  
  

• How does this connect to a broader theme or value?
  
  

✅ This suggests that personal growth is not only an individual pursuit but a societal necessity in a rapidly changing world.

5. Avoid Overgeneralizations.
Stay precise and grounded in your reasoning. Broad or vague statements weaken your credibility.

❌ Everyone knows hard work leads to success.
✅ While hard work does not always guarantee success, it consistently lays the foundation for meaningful achievement.

6. Embrace Complexity.
Acknowledging nuance strengthens your argument. Consider counterpoints or limitations when appropriate.

✅ Though technology often isolates individuals, it can also forge unexpected connections—especially in moments of collective crisis.

7. Use Sophisticated Transitions.
Signal your commentary with transitions like:

• In other words...
  
  

• This detail invites us to consider...
  
  

• More importantly...
  
  

• This raises the question of whether...