Pick your move, borrow a stem, then head back to the questions.
Present an Idea
Simple
- I think…
- In my opinion,…
- I noticed that…
Solid
- I didn’t realize that…
- One idea/ suggestion/ way to look at it is…
- I found it interesting that…
Sophisticated
- One thing/ Something to consider is…
- It occurred to me that…
- One thing/ Something that caught my attention was…
- I was struck by/ surprised by…
Build on an Idea
Simple
- I agree that…because…
- I also think that…
- That makes me think/ reminds me of…
Solid
- I like where you’re going. I would add/ It brings to mind…
- Your idea/ comment reinforces/ is related to…
- You’re on to something. A similar idea/ example/ reason is…
Sophisticated
- Based on your idea/ comment, I think…
- To take it one step further…
- Along those lines, / Similarly, …
- So if we already know…, we can predict/ infer…
Challenge an Idea
Simple
- I disagree with/ I don’t think that…because…
- How do you know…?
- Another opinion/ idea/ solution is…
Solid
- Have you considered/ thought about…?
- That’s not how I see it. In my opinion, /From my perspective, …
- But the author/ data/ text also suggest(s) that…
- On the other hand, …
Sophisticated
- Another way of looking at it/ approaching it/ solving it is…
- Isn’t it possible that…? Couldn’t you say that…?
- An opposing/ alternative viewpoint might be…
- Further analysis/ reflection shows that…
Support Your Thinking
Simple
- The article/ author states that…
- … is an/ was an example of …
- … is/ was one reason for…
Solid
- The text/ information suggests/ proves / shows that …
- According to the author/ text/ data, it is clear that…
- … is evidence that/ proof of …
- … validates/ confirms/ reinforces…
Sophisticated
- A close reading of … suggests/ clarifies/ reveals …
- Based on the data/ information from…, we can assume that…
- From…and…, we can infer that…
Pose a Question
Simple
- Do you think that…? Why?
- Can you explain…?
- I wonder about/ if/ why…
Solid
- Would it work to/ what would happen if…?
- What do you mean by “…?”
- Can you give an example of/ a reason for …?
- What do you think? What makes sense to you?
Sophisticated
- How does…relate to…?
- How did you determine/ solve…?
- What is meant by/ the purpose of/ the reason for…?