Unit 6 · Environment & Society · Lesson 30
Pros & Cons
Learn the exact phrases fluent speakers use to weigh a decision — 'one clear upside is…', 'the downside is…', 'on balance…'. You'll present both sides of an issue and land a clear conclusion.
Warm-up · §1
5 minGet talking
Name one recent decision where the pros and cons were genuinely balanced.
In two minutes, list the pros AND cons of working from home.
What's a solution that sounds great in theory but has hidden costs?
Grammar focus · §2
8–10 minAdvantages & disadvantages — the fluent phrases
Quick rule
Introduce a pro. Introduce a con. Weigh them. Land a conclusion. Four moves, in that order.
Pattern builder
Introduce a pro
One clear advantage / A key benefit / A major plus is…
e.g. One clear advantage is the cost saving.
Introduce a con
The main drawback / A significant downside / One issue is…
e.g. The main drawback is the noise.
Pivot / flip side
The flip side / On the other hand / Having said that…
e.g. Having said that, it isn't cheap.
Weigh them
On balance / All things considered / Weighing it up…
e.g. On balance, it's worth it.
Land a conclusion
So overall / In my view / My conclusion would be…
e.g. Overall, I'd support it — with conditions.
Compare
| Move | B1 phrasing | B2 upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Introduce a pro | The good thing is… | One clear advantage is… |
| Introduce a con | The bad thing is… | A significant drawback is… |
| Pivot | But… | Having said that, / On the other hand, |
| Weigh | I think… | On balance, I'd say… |
| Conclude | So it's good/bad. | Overall, the pros outweigh the cons — with conditions. |
Examples
- →
One clear advantage of cycling is the health benefit.
- →
The main drawback is safety on busy roads.
- →
The flip side of remote work is isolation.
- →
On balance, I'd say the pros outweigh the cons.
- →
Weighing it up, it's not a straightforward choice.
- →
A significant downside is the upfront cost.
Common mistakes
In one hand… in the other hand…
✓ On the one hand… on the other hand…
Fixed expression uses 'on', not 'in'.
In balance, it's worth it.
✓ On balance, it's worth it.
Fixed expression: 'on balance', not 'in balance'.
The advantage is to save money.
✓ The advantage is saving money. / The advantage is that you save money.
Use -ing form or 'that + clause' after 'the advantage is'.
Natural English
In speaking, buy time with 'That's a tricky one — let me weigh it up…' It sounds thoughtful and gives you three seconds to plan your first pro.
Deep dive (full explanation)
B2 speakers don't just say 'the good thing is' and 'the bad thing is'. They use a wider set: 'one clear advantage is…', 'the main drawback…', 'the flip side of that is…', 'on balance…', 'weighing it up…'. These frame your thinking clearly and buy you a second to plan.
Step 1 · Notice the pattern— build the sentence before you analyse it
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Step 2 · Test the rule
Quick check 1.'One clear ___ of cycling is the health benefit.'
Quick check 2.'The main ___ is safety on busy roads.'
Step 3 · Use it in context— longer, less supported items
Question 1.'One clear ___ of cycling is the health benefit.'
Question 2.'The main ___ is safety on busy roads.'
Question 3.'___ balance, I'd say it's worth it.'
Question 4.Which is the most natural pivot?
Question 5.'The advantage is ___ money.'
Vocabulary · §3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
a trade-off
accepting a downside to get an upside.
a drawback
a disadvantage.
the flip side
the opposite aspect of something.
to outweigh
to be more important than.
the bottom line
the most important point or the final result.
the pros and cons
the advantages and disadvantages.
cost-effective
producing good results for the money spent.
short-sighted
not considering long-term effects.
a compromise
a middle solution accepting less than each side wanted.
a knock-on cost
an indirect cost caused later.
Step 1 · Sort first— what belongs with what?
Step 2 · Pin the meaning
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Step 3 · Produce— now say it about you
Activate it now
Try the language on real decisions.
- Make it yours#1
Name one recent trade-off in your life. What did you accept, and what did you gain?
a trade-offto outweigh - Your view#2
Is banning cars from city centres genuinely cost-effective, or short-sighted?
cost-effectiveshort-sighted - Rank#3
Rank most to least acceptable compromises for green policy: higher taxes, banning short-haul flights, meat quotas, no new roads.
a compromisethe pros and cons - Complete#4
Finish: 'The bottom line for me is ___.'
the bottom line - Discuss#5
Give one example of a policy where the knock-on costs were worse than the benefit.
a knock-on costa drawback
Pronunciation · §4
3–4 minPausing for structure
Weighing pros and cons uses short, planned pauses. 'One clear advantage — [pause] — is the cost saving. Having said that — [pause] — the drawback is real.' Pauses signal thinking, not hesitation.
- One clear advantage — is the cost saving.
- Having said that — the drawback is real.
- On balance — the pros outweigh the cons.
- The bottom line — it's not a straightforward choice.
Reading · §5
8–10 minThe Congestion Charge — Was It Worth It?
Listen to the passage
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
When London introduced its congestion charge in 2003, it was one of the most controversial urban policies of the decade. Two decades on, was it worth it? The advantages are clear. Traffic in central London fell by around thirty per cent almost overnight. Air quality improved measurably. Revenue from the charge funded significant investment in buses and cycle lanes. As a policy, it demonstrated that pricing behaviour actually changes it. The drawbacks are equally real. Small businesses inside the zone complained about lost footfall. Lower-income drivers who couldn't switch to public transport were hit hardest. Enforcement costs were higher than expected. And critics argue the scheme simply displaced traffic to just outside the boundary rather than reducing it overall. Weighing it up, most independent analysis concludes that the pros outweighed the cons — provided you don't stop at the boundary of the zone. The knock-on question is whether wealthier city centres solving their air quality problem, while worse air quality moves next door, is genuinely progress. That, in the end, is the trade-off cities everywhere are now being asked to consider.
Step 1 · Scan for evidence— decide true or false, then underline your proof
Q1.Revenue from the charge was spent on buses and cycle lanes.
Q2.Small businesses inside the zone were unaffected.
Q3.The writer thinks the scheme was worth it, with conditions.
Step 2 · Read between the lines— inference and attitude
Question 1.By roughly how much did traffic fall?
Question 2.Who was hit hardest by the charge?
Question 3.What do critics argue happened to the traffic?
Question 4.What's the writer's overall conclusion?
Listening · §6
8–10 minTwo friends debating remote work (about 1:30)
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Mia:Right — remote work. Weigh it up honestly. Are you still glad you're fully remote?
Ben:Mostly, yes. One clear advantage is time. I've got two hours back a day from not commuting.
Mia:That's massive. What's the flip side?
Ben:Isolation. Some weeks the only face I see is my flatmate's. It's not sustainable long-term.
Mia:Career-wise?
Ben:Mixed. The drawback is I'm less visible, so promotions might be slower. Having said that, my output is measurable and my manager knows it.
Mia:On balance?
Ben:The pros outweigh the cons, but only just. The bottom line is I need one or two days in the office a week, not zero.
Mia:So a compromise, not full remote.
Ben:Exactly. Full remote was short-sighted for me. Hybrid is the trade-off that actually works.
Step 1 · First listening— tick only the phrases you hear
Step 2 · Second listening— now check the details
Question 1.How much time does Ben save daily?
Question 2.What's the main drawback he names first?
Question 3.Career-wise, what's the trade-off?
Question 4.What compromise does Ben land on?
Exam skills · §7
5 minStrategy focus — Weighing options in Writing Part 2 (essay) and Speaking Part 3
Task
'Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of…' is a classic prompt. Weak answers give three pros then three cons and stop. Strong answers weigh and conclude.
Strategy
Four-move structure: Pro → Con → Weigh → Conclude. Use one signature phrase from each pattern set. Land a conditional conclusion ('worth it, provided…') — it sounds more mature than 'yes' or 'no'.
Example
One clear advantage of remote work is the time saved on commuting. The main drawback, however, is genuine isolation. On balance, the pros outweigh the cons — but only just. In my view, hybrid working is the compromise that actually delivers the benefits without the isolation.
Practice · §8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Step 1 · Retrieval— write the missing language from memory
Q1.Fill: 'The main d___ is the upfront cost.'
Q2.Fill: 'On b___, the pros outweigh the cons.'
Q3.One-word: 'producing good results for the money spent' = cost-e___.
Step 2 · Check yourself— try it from memory, then reveal the options
Try each sentence from memory first — then reveal the options to check yourself.
Question 1.One clear ___ is the cost saving.
Question 2.The main ___ is safety on busy roads.
Question 3.___ balance, I'd say it's worth it.
Question 4.The pros ___ the cons.
Question 5.It's not a great idea — quite ___ actually.
Question 6.Hybrid is the ___ that actually works for me.
Writing · §9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 130–170 word 'Pros and Cons' response to ONE of these questions: 'Should short-haul flights be banned?' / 'Are electric cars a real solution?' / 'Should remote work be the default?' Use the four-move structure (Pro → Con → Weigh → Conclude) and at least FIVE Unit 6 vocabulary items.
Step 1 · Analyse the model— how does the writer open, link ideas and close?
Model answer
Should Short-Haul Flights Be Banned? One clear advantage of banning short-haul flights is the immediate environmental impact. Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of emissions, and short trips are, per kilometre, the least efficient. The main drawback is fairness. Where high-speed rail exists, a ban is reasonable. Where it doesn't, ordinary passengers pay the price while wealthier travellers switch to private options. A blanket ban would also have knock-on costs for regional airports and jobs. Having said that, most environmental policy involves difficult trade-offs. The pros of decisive action tend to outweigh the cons of doing nothing, provided the compromise is honest — invest in rail before you ban the plane. On balance, I'd support banning short-haul flights, but only on routes where a rail alternative exists and works. The bottom line is that policy without alternatives isn't brave — it's short-sighted.
Step 2 · Rewrite in your own words— same purpose and register, your own content
Your answer
Self-edit before you finish
- • Is the register right for the reader?
- • Did you use this lesson's target grammar at least twice?
- • Any repeated words you could upgrade with today's vocabulary?
Speaking · §10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
ROLEPLAY — The Weighing Chat. Your teacher or partner gives you one topic (banning short-haul flights, electric cars, remote work, meat quotas). Give a 60–90 second response using the FOUR-MOVE structure (Pro → Con → Weigh → Conclude) and at least FOUR Unit 6 vocabulary items.
How to run it: rank the phrases below — choose the three you will definitely use and cross out one you would never say. Then take opposite positions and negotiate to an agreement in three minutes.
Rank these — which three will you use?
- • One clear advantage is ___
- • The main drawback, however, is ___
- • The flip side is ___
- • Having said that, ___
- • On balance, the pros / cons ___
- • The bottom line is ___, provided ___
Step 1 · Warm up on script first— get the moves right, then improvise
- FriendShould short-haul flights be banned?
- You_______________
- FriendIsn't a ban unfair though?
- You_______________
- FriendSo overall — would you support it?
- You_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Optional teacher-led activities for group settings. ~20 min total
Homework · §11
Take-homeTake it home
Write the 150-word 'Pros and Cons' response on a topic you care about.
Record a 90-second voice note using the four-move structure on any current issue.
Write true sentences using: trade-off, drawback, flip side, outweigh, bottom line, cost-effective, short-sighted, compromise.
Find one opinion article. Note two phrases the writer uses to introduce a pro or a con.
Recap · §12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- You can weigh advantages and disadvantages using B2 phrases like 'one clear advantage', 'the main drawback', 'on balance'.
- You can structure a full answer with the four-move Pro → Con → Weigh → Conclude pattern.
- You can land a conditional conclusion ('worth it, provided…') that sounds mature and specific.
- You have completed Unit 6 — you're ready for Review Lab 6 (The Town Hall).
Grammar · Vocabulary · Speaking · Review
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