Public debate · Opinions and society
spark controversy
cause public argument
To spark controversy means to cause a lot of public disagreement or criticism.
This vs that
The comment sparked controversy.
The comment attracted criticism.
Hear it in real life
Why is everyone talking about that advert?
It sparked controversy because some people found it offensive.
The newspaper article sparked controversy by accusing the council of hiding important information.
Which sounds natural?
Psst — which one would you actually say?
Spark controversy is a vivid, natural collocation for something that suddenly creates public argument.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: The new rule sparked many controversies among the public.
Say: The new rule sparked a lot of controversy.
Controversy is usually uncountable when referring to public disagreement generally.
Say it together
Whole chunks natives use with it.
spark controversy over ___
The decision sparked controversy over who should pay for the repairs.
The advert sparked controversy over its use of real patient stories.
Phrases to borrow
More for talking about public debate.
the debate over
The debate over school uniforms has become heated.
people are divided over
People are divided over whether the project is worthwhile.
Public debate words
Opinions and society · Public debate: the words around “spark controversy”.
More connectionsMore public debate words8
Your turn: say it out loud
The announcement sparked controversy.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
spark controversy
cause public argument
“The newspaper article sparked controversy by accusing the council of hiding important information.”
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