Essay Topic: Can You Use We in An Argumentative Essay
The use of ‘we’ in an argumentative essay is a tricky question. It all depends on your understanding of the argumentative essay. Let us first know the definition of an argumentative essay. The genre of essay which deals with extensive research, exploration, evidence evaluation is known as an argumentative essay. One is supposed to stand a particular stand ‘for’ or ‘against’ the topic after analysing the details. Both of the perspectives are presented in the essay. The speakers of the essay try to persuade the readers by clearly putting both sides. Then, it solely depends on the readers which side they want to choose.
‘We’ is the first form of verb just like, ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘mine’, ‘our’, and ‘ours’. If you are adding a suitable quote in the argumentative essay, then you are allowed to use the pronoun ‘we’. Otherwise, it is not grammatically correct. It is advisable to use the third form of the verb such as, ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’, ‘his’, ‘her’, ‘their’, ‘them’, ‘they’.
The tone of an argumentative essay is formal and the use of ‘we’ can give the essay a personal tone. It reduces the quality of an essay. Although there are few situations where you can use we and the first form of the verb.
The first instance where you use the pronoun ‘we’ is – at the time of writing a personal anecdote. An argumentative essay must have a strong introduction to hook the readers from the starting. An anecdote can potentially serve this purpose. While dictating the anecdote or personal incident to the readers, you must use the first form of the verb. The second instance where using ‘we’ is allowed – at the time of establishing your credibility. New writers often use the first form of the verb, mainly we, to enforce their credibility on the readers. We maintain a sense of connection between the writer and the readers. According to the reader’s convention, the writers who use we in their essay are often trustworthy. ‘We’ adds an element of personal behaviour.
Let us examine this with the use of an example. The sentence – ‘I love the smell of rain’ is written using the first form of verb. It is telling just my experience of rain and not yours. So, you may not be feel interested. But when in the other sentence when I write – ‘ We love the rain’. Both of us can relate to the experience of rain being pleasant. The reader will be more interested in reading the latter sentence than the former. The reader will definitely be hit by the sense of nostalgia.
In an argumentative essay, the writer has to prove his points by citing certain references, examples, incidents, and we’ll researched evidences. It be easier to convince the readers by adding ‘we’ instead of ‘I’. They will be able to choose the appropriate side according to their personal preferences and understanding of the topic.
The third case of using ‘we’ is when you are clarifying a passive construction. Avoidance of first form of verbs leads to chaotic, confusing essays. The writer ends up using more passive forms, which is a great grammatical error in an essay. For instance, I, being the writer want to write the sentence by not using we. The sentence – ‘ Right now, this article is being written in WPS office’. This is sounding weird, right! If I reform the sentence and write using the first form of the verb, the sentence will be – ‘Right now, I am writing in WPS office’. Readers will more easily read the latter sentence without any confusion. Writing in an active form of a verb makes the essay simpler to understand.
The fourth case of using ‘we’ in an argumentative essay is – when you are stating your position in relation to others. In an argumentative essay, we are required to take a clear stance on the topic. The readers are more interested in knowing the personal opinions of the writer. So, the writer must involve his suggestions in the essay using the pronoun ‘we’. At the time of incorporating your ideas, use ‘we’ as much as possible to state your clarity. It will help in the development of the essay.
‘We’ is a personal pronoun. It is used in a sentence to add a sense of belongingness or oneness. You can or cannot use ‘we’ at your convenience. There is no hard and fast rule for that. Analyse the style of your essay and then write accordingly. Frequent occurrence of ‘we’ in the essay can have a strategic effect on the readers. Be alert while using personal pronouns. Don’t overuse them, otherwise, you will write an article like a narcissist.
