在托福写作中,让步段是体现论证全面性和辩证思维的关键部分,其核心功能是通过承认对立观点的合理性,再转折强调自身立场的优势,从而增强说服力,一个高质量的让步段不仅能展示作者的批判性思考,还能在结构上形成“对比-转折-强化”的逻辑闭环,让论证更严谨,以下从结构设计、内容要点、常见误区及实战案例四个维度,详细解析托福作文让步段的构建方法。

让步段的核心结构与功能定位
让步段的基本结构可概括为“ concession + refutation ”(承认 + 反驳),具体可分为三个层次:
- 承认合理性与过渡引导:用客观语气承认对立观点存在一定合理性,避免绝对化表述(如“不可否认”“诚然”等过渡词)。
- 限定范围与弱化对立:通过添加条件状语(如“在某些情况下”“虽然……)或限定适用对象,缩小对立观点的成立范围,避免其直接冲击自身论点。
- 转折反驳与强化立场:用““尽管如此”等转折词引出反驳,从不同维度(如长期影响、普适性、根本原因等)论证对立观点的局限性,最终回归并强化自身论点。
若论证“科技发展利大于弊”,让步段可先承认“科技可能带来隐私泄露等短期问题”,再转折指出“但通过法律监管和技术迭代,这些风险可控,且科技带来的效率提升和生活便利才是长期主流”。
不同类型让步段的侧重点与表达策略
根据论证主题的差异,让步段可分为“问题型”“争议型”“条件型”三类,其内容组织和语言表达需灵活调整:
| 让步段类型 | 适用场景 | 核心逻辑 | 常用表达句式 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 问题型让步 | 对立观点指出潜在风险或弊端(如“社交媒体导致社交隔离”) | 承认问题存在,但论证其非主流/可解决,或利大于弊 | “Admittedly,……However,……Moreover,……” |
| 争议型让步 | 双方观点各有依据(如“线上教育 vs 线下教育”) | 承认特定场景下对立观点成立,但强调自身观点的普适性或长期优势 | “While it is true that……, this argument overlooks the fact that……” |
| 条件型让步 | 对立观点依赖特定前提(如“高薪工作一定带来幸福”) | 指出前提的局限性,论证在更普遍条件下自身观点更成立 | “Even if……, it does not necessarily follow that……” |
让步段的内容构建要点
承认部分:客观中立,避免“走过场”
让步段的“承认”部分需具体化,避免泛泛而谈(如“有人认为这是错误的”),应直接点出对立观点的核心依据,甚至可引用其合理之处,体现作者对问题的全面理解,针对“政府应投资艺术而非科技”的观点,让步段可写:“Supporters of arts funding argue that investment in cultural programs fosters social cohesion and preserves national identity, which are crucial for a country’s spiritual development.”(艺术资助的支持者认为,对文化项目的投资能促进社会凝聚力并维护国家认同,这对一个国家的精神发展至关重要。)

反驳部分:多维度论证,避免“重复论点”
反驳是让步段的核心,需从“差异点”切入,避免与主体段论点重复,可从以下角度展开:
- 时间维度:对立观点关注短期影响,自身论点强调长期效益(如“尽管工厂短期增加污染,但技术升级能实现长期可持续发展”)。
- 范围维度:对立观点适用于少数特例,自身论点具有普适性(如“虽然个别天才辍学成功,但教育对大多数人的职业发展仍是必要基础”)。
- 因果维度:指出对立观点混淆了相关性与因果性(如“游戏暴力与青少年犯罪可能同时存在,但并非因果关系,家庭教育的缺失才是根本原因”)。
语言表达:精准过渡,避免“逻辑断层”
让步段的逻辑衔接需依赖过渡词,形成“承认-转折-强调”的自然 flow,常用过渡词可分为三类:
- 承认类:Admittedly, admittedly, it is true that, while it may be argued that…
- 转折类:However, nevertheless, nonetheless, despite this, even so…
- 强调类:More importantly, ultimately, what really matters is…
常见误区与规避方法
让步过度:削弱自身立场
表现:承认对立观点“完全正确”,导致自身论点显得站不住脚。
案例:“Some people believe that renewable energy is too expensive to replace fossil fuels. This is entirely correct because solar panels require high initial costs.”(有人认为可再生能源成本过高,无法替代化石燃料,这完全正确,因为太阳能板需要高昂的初始成本。)
修改建议:添加限定条件,弱化绝对性。“While the high initial costs of renewable energy like solar panels are undeniable, this overlooks the long-term economic benefits, such as zero fuel expenses and decreasing installation prices over time.”(尽管太阳能板等可再生能源的高初始成本不可否认,但这忽略了其长期经济效益,如零燃料成本和持续下降的安装价格。)
反驳薄弱:缺乏具体论据
表现:仅用““转折,未提供实质性反驳,导致让步段流于形式。
案例:“Although online education provides flexibility, traditional classroom learning is better.”(尽管在线教育提供灵活性,但传统课堂学习更好。)
修改建议:补充具体论据,增强说服力。“Although online education offers flexibility, traditional classroom learning fosters real-time interaction and immediate feedback from teachers, which are critical for developing complex problem-solving skills—something that pre-recorded lectures cannot replicate effectively.”(尽管在线教育提供灵活性,但传统课堂学习能促进师生实时互动和即时反馈,这对培养复杂问题解决能力至关重要,这是预先录制的课程无法有效复制的。)

位置错误:结构混乱
表现:将让步段放在开头或结尾,打乱“提出观点-论证观点-让步反驳-的逻辑链。
正确位置:通常在主体段之后、结论之前,即在充分论证自身观点后,通过让步段回应潜在质疑,最后在结论中强化立场。
实战案例与解析 Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Governments should spend more money on public transportation than on roads.
让步段参考:
“Admittedly, investing in roads has its merits, especially in rural areas where public transportation infrastructure is underdeveloped. Well-maintained roads can significantly reduce travel time for residents in these regions and facilitate the transportation of goods, which is vital for local economic growth. For instance, in sparsely populated areas, building new highways may be more cost-effective than extending bus or train networks, given the low population density. However, this argument fails to consider the long-term sustainability and efficiency of urban transportation systems. As cities continue to expand and urban populations surge, roads alone cannot alleviate traffic congestion and air pollution—problems that prioritizing public transportation can effectively address. Moreover, public transportation benefits a larger portion of the population, including those who cannot drive, such as the elderly, low-income individuals, and people with disabilities. From a societal equity perspective, allocating more funds to buses, subways, and trams is not only practical but also fairer.”
解析:
- 承认部分:先肯定“道路投资在农村地区的合理性”,并举例说明“低人口密度地区修路更划算”,体现对对立观点的理解。
- 反驳部分:从“长期可持续性”(城市扩张导致道路拥堵)、“社会公平性”(惠及无法驾驶群体)两个维度,论证“公共交通投资更优”,最终回归自身立场。
相关问答FAQs
Q1: 让步段应该写多长?是否需要占用大量篇幅?
A1: 让步段的篇幅建议占全文的15%-20%,对于托福作文(通常要求300-350词),让步段约50-70词即可,核心是“精炼”而非“冗长”,需用简洁的语言完成“承认-反驳”的逻辑闭环,避免过度展开对立观点而稀释自身论点。
Q2: 如果对立观点本身存在明显漏洞,是否还需要写让步段?
A2: 即使对立观点有明显漏洞,仍建议写让步段,托福作文考察的是“辩证思维能力”,忽略对立观点会让论证显得片面,此时可在“承认”部分简要提及对方的片面性(如“While some argue that…, this view oversimplifies the complexity of the issue”),再重点反驳,既能展示全面思考,又能强化自身立场的严谨性。
