Identify the main point or issue in the following passage, and decide whether the rest of the passage offers reasons for the main point (such as, whether the passage contains an argument), whether it illustrates (provides examples for) the main point, whether it explains the point, is irrelevant to the point, and so on."It is usual for the law to prescribe a lesser penalty for the attempt than for the completed crime. The reason is plain enough. Doing harm is a more serious matter than simply doing what might have ended up as that but didn't. It seems, therefore, that one who does harm does something that is more wrong than one who does something harmful but with no one harmed."-H. Gross, A Theory of Justice

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The main point is stated in the first sentence; the remainder is an explanation of the main point. Notice that this one is very easy to mistake for an argument, but the account does not argue that the law prescribes such-and-such; it explains why it prescribes such-and-such.