Briefly acknowledging and responding to the strongest opposing view — rather than ignoring it entirely — is one of the highest-leverage additions you can make to an Academic Discussion response, since it signals genuine critical engagement rather than a one-sided restatement of your position.
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The pattern that works best in a short response: name the strongest opposing point in one sentence, then explain in one more sentence why your position still holds despite it. "Some might argue X, but in practice, Y matters more because..." is a compact, reliable structure that adds genuine depth without eating into the limited word count you have for your main argument.
Simply mentioning a counterpoint ("Of course, some people disagree") without actually responding to it doesn't add the same value — it can even read as undermining your own position if left unresolved. The resolution step — explaining why your view still holds — is what actually distinguishes a genuine counterargument from a token mention.
With roughly 100+ words and 10 minutes total, a counterargument shouldn't take more than one or two sentences — its job is to add depth and show critical thinking, not to become a second full argument. Most of your response should still be dedicated to developing your own position with a specific example.
Read sample Academic Discussion responses at every band level.