Persuasive Language Devices

What is

persuasive language?

● Politicians often use persuasive techniques to get their

audience to agree with their views on a particular topic.

● Marketing companies use persuasive techniques to make you

want their products.

● Activists, like Greenpeace who feel strongly about a topic and

want something to change.

● Leaders use persuasive language to motivate their team.

Why do we use persuasive language?

● to help to sell products or services,
● to convince people to accept a view or idea.

Who uses persuasive language?

Persuasive language is a powerful tool to get what you want!

Example of a leader using persuasive language.

William Wallace led the Scottish rebellion
against Edward I in the fourteenth century.

His exploits were made into the film
Braveheart.

In this extract from his speech for freedom,
think about his overall purpose and how is he
using persuasive language to motivate his
army.

I am William Wallace. And I see
a whole army of my
countrymen, here in defiance of
tyranny! You have come to fight
as free men. And free men you
are!
What will you do without
freedom?
Will you fight? Yes!
Fight and you may die. Run and
you will live at least a while. And
dying in your bed many years
from now, would you be willing
to trade all the days from this
day to that for one chance, just
one chance, to come back here
as young men and tell our
enemies that they may take our
lives but they will never take our
freedom!

Analysis of the transcript and video.

1.

Direct address = (‘I, you, our’) to make the audience feel as though he is speaking to them on an
individual level.

a whole army of my countrymen,
You have come to fight as free men
And free men you are!
Fight and you may die.
Run and you will live

2.

Repetition= ‘free’ emphasises the overall topic of his speech, and the benefit to the people listening.

3.

Rhetorical questions, to impact on the audience - they feel that they must fight to protect their
freedom.

What will you do without freedom?
Will you fight?

4.

Emotive language = ‘freedom’ to leave the overall message with his audience to consider for
themselves.

Find the definition of these words in

English and the translation in your own

language.

bias biased unbiased

Then watch this video.

Recognising persuasive language

First
steps
…

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is an imperative sentence?

• Should animals be treated so unfairly?

• Do your homework!

• The biggest, the best, and the strongest.

• 90% of all children watch Tik Tok for too many hours.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is a rhetorical question?

• Should animals be treated so unfairly?

• Do your homework!

• The biggest, the best, and the strongest.

• 90% of all children watch Tik Tok for too many hours.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence shows a fact?

• Should animals be treated so unfairly?

• Do your homework!

• The biggest, the best, and the strongest.

• 90% of all children watch Tik Tok for too many hours.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence shows a triplet?

• Should animals be treated so unfairly?

• Do your homework!

• The biggest, the best, and the strongest.

• 90% of all children watch Tik Tok for too many hours.

Match

Match the following persuasive techniques to the examples.

• direct address

• alliteration

• facts

• opinion

• repetition

I am the person I am today because of you.

Bountiful blueberries boost your body's well-being.

Research shows that daily meditation leads to reduced stress, and well-being.

I think that this should change right now.

Switch to solar power now and save, save, save on energy bills.

• I am the person I am today because of you.

• Bountiful blueberries boost your body's well-being.

• Research shows that daily meditation leads to reduced stress, and well-being.

• I think that this should change right now.

• Switch to solar power now and save, save, save on energy bills.

Multiple Choice

What persuasive technique is being used in this advertisement?

• Expert opinion

• facts

• statistics

• Imperatives

Multiple Choice

What persuasive technique is being used in this advertisement?

• Statistics

• facts

• expert opinion

• emotive language

Multiple Choice

What persuasive technique is being used in this advertisement?

• emotional response.

• the use of statistics

• expert opinion

• rhetorical questions