diff --git a/esim/layers.py b/esim/layers.py
index 0c9e0f1..7543417 100644
--- a/esim/layers.py
+++ b/esim/layers.py
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ def forward(self,
                 premise_batch,
                 premise_mask,
                 hypothesis_batch,
-                hypothesis_mask):
+                hypothesis_mask,
+                output_attentions = False):
         """
         Args:
             premise_batch: A batch of sequences of vectors representing the
@@ -155,12 +156,23 @@ def forward(self,
             hypothesis_mask: A mask for the sequences in the hypotheses batch,
                 to ignore padding data in the sequences during the computation
                 of the attention.
+            output_attentions: returns the softmaxed attention value matrix for the 
+                premise and hypothesis after cross attention. Default is 'False'.
 
         Returns:
             attended_premises: The sequences of attention vectors for the
                 premises in the input batch.
             attended_hypotheses: The sequences of attention vectors for the
                 hypotheses in the input batch.
+            
+            if output_attentions is True:
+            
+            hyp_prem_attn: attention values for each hypothesis token softmaxed across all premise tokens,ie
+                masked softmax using the premise mask
+                
+            prem_hyp_mask: attention values for each premise token softmaxed across all hypothesis tokens,ie
+                masked softmax using the hypothesis mask
+                  
         """
         # Dot product between premises and hypotheses in each sequence of
         # the batch.
@@ -182,4 +194,5 @@ def forward(self,
                                            hyp_prem_attn,
                                            hypothesis_mask)
 
+        if output_attentions: return attended_premises, attended_hypotheses, hyp_prem_attn, prem_hyp_attn
         return attended_premises, attended_hypotheses
diff --git a/esim/model.py b/esim/model.py
index 4facde2..53affb6 100644
--- a/esim/model.py
+++ b/esim/model.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ def __init__(self,
                  padding_idx=0,
                  dropout=0.5,
                  num_classes=3,
+                 output_attentions = False,
                  device="cpu"):
         """
         Args:
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ def __init__(self,
                 Defaults to 0.5.
             num_classes: The number of classes in the output of the network.
                 Defaults to 3.
+            output_attentions: returns the attentions for premise and hypothesis
+                after cross attention. Defaults to 'False'
             device: The name of the device on which the model is being
                 executed. Defaults to 'cpu'.
         """
@@ -50,6 +53,7 @@ def __init__(self,
         self.hidden_size = hidden_size
         self.num_classes = num_classes
         self.dropout = dropout
+        self.output_attn = output_attentions
         self.device = device
 
         self._word_embedding = nn.Embedding(self.vocab_size,
@@ -128,9 +132,17 @@ def forward(self,
         encoded_hypotheses = self._encoding(embedded_hypotheses,
                                             hypotheses_lengths)
 
-        attended_premises, attended_hypotheses =\
-            self._attention(encoded_premises, premises_mask,
-                            encoded_hypotheses, hypotheses_mask)
+        if self.output_attn:
+            attended_premises, attended_hypotheses, hyp_attn, prem_attn =self._attention(encoded_premises,
+                                                                              premises_mask,
+                                                                              encoded_hypotheses,
+                                                                              hypotheses_mask,
+                                                                              output_attentions = self.output_attn)
+        else:
+            attended_premises, attended_hypotheses =self._attention(encoded_premises,
+                                                                              premises_mask,
+                                                                              encoded_hypotheses,
+                                                                              hypotheses_mask)
 
         enhanced_premises = torch.cat([encoded_premises,
                                        attended_premises,
@@ -170,9 +182,12 @@ def forward(self,
         logits = self._classification(v)
         probabilities = nn.functional.softmax(logits, dim=-1)
 
+        if self.output_attn:
+            return logits, probabilities, attn_vec
         return logits, probabilities
 
 
+
 def _init_esim_weights(module):
     """
     Initialise the weights of the ESIM model.