Persuasive Letter: Should Homework Be Banned?
A student drafts a persuasive letter to the principal arguing that homework should be limited to 20 minutes per night. The draft contains these sentences: (1) "Homework is a waste of time and every single student hates it." (2) "Studies show that long homework sessions cause stress, however shorter tasks can still build good study habits." (3) "We should reduce homework because it takes away from family time, sport, and sleep." (4) "Therefore, homework should be banned forever." The teacher's feedback says the argument needs a clearer structure, more credible evidence, and a conclusion that matches the actual proposal.
1. Identify which sentence weakens the argument most through overgeneralisation, and explain how to revise it to be more credible.
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Sentence (1) weakens the argument most. The words "every single student hates it" are an absolute claim that cannot be supported and invites easy disagreement; a reader only needs one counterexample to dismiss it. A stronger revision states a limited, defensible claim: "Many students report that homework cuts into time for rest and family, and some find it stressful." This keeps the persuasive point but uses qualified language ("many", "some") and avoids claiming to know what all students think. It also opens the door to evidence rather than assertion.
2. The proposal is to limit homework to 20 minutes, but sentence (4) says homework should be banned. Explain the mismatch and rewrite the conclusion so it matches the proposal and the evidence in sentence (2).
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The conclusion overreaches. The proposal asks for a 20-minute limit, but sentence (4) argues for a total ban. A conclusion must follow from the stated position and evidence; otherwise the reader sees a logical gap. Sentence (2) actually supports a middle position: long sessions cause stress, but shorter tasks build habits. So the conclusion should reflect that balance. Revised conclusion: "For these reasons, homework should be capped at 20 minutes per night, which reduces stress while still allowing students to practise good study habits." This matches the proposal, echoes the evidence, and avoids an unsupported extreme.