Discursive and argumentative passages test your ability to analyse opinions, evaluate reasoning, and distinguish fact from judgement. In CUET English 2024-2025, these passages appeared in both years — the 'Free Will' passage (2024) and the 'Ego and Leadership' passage (2025) — and consistently carry 6 questions each. Mastery of author's tone, purpose, and argument structure is essential.
1. What is a Discursive / Argumentative Passage?
A discursive passage explores a topic from multiple perspectives without necessarily taking a definitive stance. An argumentative passage takes a clear position and defends it with evidence and reasoning.
- Purpose: To persuade, evaluate, or critically examine an issue.
- Tone: Can range from neutral and balanced (discursive) to assertive and passionate (argumentative).
- Content: Includes claims, counterclaims, supporting evidence, rhetorical devices, and the author's commentary.
Real CUET Example (2025): 'The problem occurs when we allow this sense of self to start ballooning, into being an egotist — then it not only becomes a leadership derailer but also creates havoc in the personal and professional lives of those who have to work with such people.' — Here, the author takes a clear stance (inflated ego is harmful) and argues for it through cause-effect reasoning.
Real CUET Example (2024): 'We clearly don't have free will. Our decisions and actions are never divorced from our past.' — The author makes a definitive claim and builds an argument around it using psychological concepts.
2. Key Features of Discursive / Argumentative Passages
- Thesis or central claim: The main argument the author is making. e.g., 'We clearly don't have free will.' (CUET 2024)
- Supporting evidence: Examples, reasoning, or comparisons used to back the claim. e.g., 'Our memories, past impressions and experiences bias and shape our thoughts and actions in the present.' (CUET 2024)
- Counterarguments (in discursive passages): Acknowledging the opposing view before refuting it.
- Rhetorical devices: Persuasive techniques such as contrast, repetition, rhetorical questions, and emotive language.
- Authorial voice: Strong presence of the author's opinion; use of first-person ('I', 'we') is common. e.g., 'I wonder if your inclination to embark on that journey too depends on your current karmic coding.' (CUET 2024)
3. Common CUET Question Types (with Real Examples)
| Question Type | What It Tests | Real CUET Example (from 2024-2025 papers) |
|---|---|---|
| Author's Main Argument / Purpose | Identifying the central claim the author is making. | 'The author argues that humans don't have free will because ______.' (2024, Q23) → Answer: 'Our decisions are shaped by past events and environmental influences.' |
| Factual Retrieval (Supporting Points) | Locating specific evidence or reasoning the author provides. | 'Free will can be experienced if ______.' (2024, Q25) → Answer: 'We let go of our ego, attachments and fixed beliefs.' |
| Author's Tone / Attitude | Identifying the author's emotional stance toward the subject. | 'The author proves that the idea of free will is a myth by suggesting that ______.' (2024, Q26) → Answer: 'Our ability to make a choice is restricted by our predispositions.' |
| Vocabulary in Context | Meaning of a word/phrase based on surrounding text. | 'The word Ubiquity as it appears in the passage means ______.' (2024, Q22) → Answer: 'Omnipresence' |
| Inference / Implication | Drawing a logical conclusion from the author's argument. | 'When her father said, She will go far, he meant ______.' (2024, Q18) → Answer: 'She will achieve great heights in life.' |
| Suitable Title | Identifying the most appropriate title for the passage. | 'What do you think could be a suitable title for this passage?' (2024, Q28) → Options included: 'Do human beings really have Free Will?' |
4. Step-by-Step Reading Strategy for Argumentative Passages
- Identify the thesis (1st read): Look for the author's main claim in the opening or concluding paragraphs. e.g., 'We clearly don't have free will.' (CUET 2024)
- Track supporting points: Note each reason or piece of evidence the author provides. e.g., 'Our memories, past impressions and experiences bias and shape our thoughts.'
- Identify contrasts and comparisons: Words like 'whereas,' 'in contrast,' 'on the other hand' signal the author is comparing viewpoints.
- Note authorial language: Emotive adjectives ('clear,' 'restricted,' 'predispositions') reveal the author's attitude.
- For tone questions: Look at the overall word choice — is it formal, sarcastic, critical, admiring, neutral, or passionate?
- For purpose questions: Ask — Is the author trying to inform, persuade, critique, or entertain?
CUET 2024 Sample Walkthrough (Free Will Passage):
- Passage: 'We clearly don't have free will. Our decisions and actions are never divorced from our past.' → Thesis stated upfront.
- Supporting point: 'We have a conditioned mind. Our memories, past impressions and experiences bias and shape our thoughts and actions.'
- Supporting point: 'Our ability to make that choice too is significantly restricted, dictated by our predispositions.'
- Conclusion: 'I wonder if your inclination to embark on that journey too depends on your current karmic coding.' → Author acknowledges the limitation of their own argument.
5. Distinguishing Fact from Opinion
In CUET argumentative passages, you will often be asked to distinguish between facts (verifiable statements) and opinions (subjective judgments).
| Fact | Opinion |
|---|---|
| 'We have a conditioned mind.' — Presented as an objective psychological observation. | 'We clearly don't have free will.' — This is the author's interpretation, not a universal truth. |
| 'The coffee that we drink comes from two species: Coffea Canephora and Coffea Arabica.' — Verifiable scientific fact. | 'Chocolate was a gift from the Gods.' — The Aztec belief, presented as cultural/historical context, not as scientific fact. |
CUET Tip: Opinion-based statements often contain value words like 'should,' 'better,' 'best,' 'unfortunate,' 'unfair,' 'clearly' — or express personal beliefs.
6. Identifying Author's Tone & Attitude
In CUET, tone questions are common. Here is a reference table with real CUET examples:
| Tone | Indicators | Real CUET Example |
|---|---|---|
| Assertive / Confident | Declarative statements, strong claims, first-person authority | 'We clearly don't have free will.' (CUET 2024) |
| Critical / Skeptical | Questioning assumptions, pointing out flaws | 'Here's the catch. Our ability to make that choice too is significantly restricted.' (CUET 2024) |
| Reflective / Contemplative | Pondering possibilities, open-ended conclusions | 'I wonder if your inclination to embark on that journey too depends on your current karmic coding.' (CUET 2024) |
| Admiring / Respectful | Positive framing, recognition of value | 'She will go far.' (CUET 2024 — father's tone about daughter) |
| Worried / Concerned | Highlighting dangers, negative consequences | 'It not only becomes a leadership derailer but also creates havoc in the personal and professional lives.' (CUET 2025) |
7. Sample Passage Walkthrough (Ego and Leadership – CUET 2025)
Passage extract (CUET 2025): 'The dictionary defines ego as your idea or opinion of yourself, especially your feelings of your self-importance and ability. In itself, nothing sounds problematic. In fact, this ability to know oneself is always an advantage — a reality check that is vital for our own contentment as well as for our relationships with others. Then, only an ignorant person or a liar would claim to have no ego, for we all have one. It is a part of our psychological structure. The problem occurs when we allow this sense of self to start ballooning, into being an egotist — then it not only becomes a leadership derailer but also creates havoc in the personal and professional lives of those who have to work with such people.'
Step 1 – Identify thesis: Everyone has an ego; the problem starts when it inflates, becoming harmful.
Step 2 – Supporting points:
- Ego itself is neutral/positive – it helps with self-knowledge.
- Everyone has an ego – it's part of human psychology.
- Inflated ego = leadership derailer and creates problems for colleagues.
- Senior leaders are more at risk because employees fear telling them the truth.
- Leaders must seek feedback and manage their emotional triggers.
Step 3 – Author's tone: Analytical and cautionary – the author explains the problem and offers solutions without being overly emotional.
Step 4 – Example CUET question (2025): 'According to the passage, ego means ______.' → Correct answer: 'a balanced view of oneself' (since it's defined as self-awareness, not inflated self-importance).
8. Sample Passage Walkthrough (Free Will – CUET 2024)
Passage extract (CUET 2024): 'Free will is the ability to decide and act free from any influence of past events or environment. It implies complete freedom to make any choice absolutely. We clearly don't have free will. Our decisions and actions are never divorced from our past. We have a conditioned mind. Our memories, past impressions and experiences bias and shape our thoughts and actions in the present. It is our karmic imprint. Not just what we are born with, but also what we accumulate while living. We can consider it as the result of our genetic code, upbringing and environment. It's our backstory.'
Step 1 – Identify thesis: We don't have free will because our choices are shaped by past experiences and conditioning.
Step 2 – Supporting points:
- Free will defined as complete freedom from past/environment influence.
- Our mind is conditioned by memories and past impressions.
- Karmic imprint = genetic code + upbringing + environment (backstory).
- To experience free will, one must let go of ego, attachments, and fixed beliefs.
- Even our ability to change ourselves depends on our emotional and mental wiring.
Step 3 – Author's tone: Assertive and philosophical – the author states a strong claim and uses philosophical/psychological reasoning to support it.
Step 4 – Example CUET question (2024): 'The author proves that the idea of free will is a myth by suggesting that ______.' → Correct answer: 'our ability to make a choice is restricted by our predispositions.'
9. Key Vocabulary in Discursive Passages (From CUET PYQs)
| Word | Meaning (from passage context) | CUET Year |
|---|---|---|
| Ubiquity | Omnipresence / being everywhere | 2024 (Premchand passage) |
| Karmic Imprint | Genetic code, upbringing, environment (backstory) | 2024 (Free Will passage) |
| Predispositions | Inclinations / tendencies shaped by past experiences | 2024 (Free Will passage) |
| Egotist | A person with an inflated sense of self-importance | 2025 (Ego passage) |
| Derailer | Something that causes failure or obstruction | 2025 (Ego passage) |
| Deference | Respectful submission / yielding to someone's authority | 2025 (Ego passage) |
| Havoc | Widespread destruction or chaos | 2025 (Ego passage) |
10. Common Traps & How to Avoid Them
- Trap: Confusing the author's view with a character's view. In discursive passages, the author may present opposing views without endorsing them. e.g., In the Free Will passage, the author presents the standard definition of free will before arguing against it.
- Trap: Misreading the author's tone. If the author uses a reflective tone (e.g., 'I wonder'), they are not necessarily uncertain; they may be inviting the reader to think further.
- Trap: Treating opinion as fact. In argumentative passages, statements like 'we clearly don't have free will' are the author's opinion/argument, not proven facts.
- Trap: Overlooking contrast words. 'Whereas,' 'in contrast,' 'on the other hand' signal the author is about to present the opposite view — pay close attention.
- Trap: Assuming the author agrees with every statement. In discursive passages, authors sometimes present opposing views without endorsing them. Only statements framed as the author's own view count.
11. Key Command Words & Their Demands
| Command Word | What You Must Do |
|---|---|
| Author's attitude / tone | Look at the overall emotional colouring of the language — positive, negative, neutral, sarcastic, reflective. |
| Primary purpose / main argument | Identify the central claim the author is trying to prove or the overall reason for writing. |
| It can be inferred / implies | Draw a logical conclusion from the author's statements — not stated directly but strongly suggested. |
| According to the author | Find what the author explicitly states — do not infer or add outside knowledge. |
| Which of the following is true about the author's view? | Identify the statement that aligns with the author's explicitly stated or clearly implied position. |
| Suitable title | Select a title that captures the author's central argument or question, not just a minor detail. |
Common Mistakes
- Confusing a statement made by a character (or a definition) with the author's own opinion — e.g., the author defines free will before arguing against it.
- Misinterpreting a reflective tone (e.g., 'I wonder') as uncertainty — it may be a rhetorical device to engage the reader.
- Selecting an answer that is a factual statement from the passage but does not answer the tone/purpose question.
- Assuming that every contrast presented means the author rejects one side — sometimes they are being balanced/discursive.
- Missing contrast markers like 'whereas' and 'on the other hand' — these are essential for comparative questions.