When identifying a claim in an argument, what should you distinguish from reasons?

• A. The conclusion.
• B. The claim is the main position; reasons provide support for that claim.
• C. The counterclaim is irrelevant.
• D. Facts and opinions are the same.

Answer: (B)

In an argument, the claim is the main position the author wants you to accept; everything else in the argument is built to persuade you of that point. Reasons are the statements that provide support for the claim—they explain why that position is true or worthwhile.

So the idea here is that the claim is the central stance, while the reasons are the backing that makes you comfortable accepting that stance. For example, if someone argues that a late start time for high schools benefits students, the claim is the call for later start times, and the reasons would include evidence about adolescent sleep needs, improved academic performance, and reduced tardiness.

That distinction is what makes this choice the best one. It accurately separates what is being argued (the main position) from the justification for it (the supporting reasons). Other options blur or misrepresent these parts: the conclusion is often the claim but this phrasing doesn’t clarify how reasons support it; counterclaims involve opposing views and aren’t simply “irrelevant”; and claiming that facts and opinions are the same confuses different elements of an argument altogether.