Effective Persuasion Techniques

1. People use persuasive language to

• teach someone how to do something

• convince someone to act or agree

• encourage someone who's feeling down

• paint a picture with words

After reading a strong persuasive message, a person would most likely

• learn how to do something

• feel happy

• agree with the message

• start to cry

Which of the following would be the strongest argument to persuade you to buy a new video game:

• The video game is expensive.

• The video game is almost as fun as the ones you have.

• The video game has OK graphics.

• The video game won an award for Game of the Year.

A salesperson uses persuasion to make you

• buy a product

• do research

• learn how to do something

• feel happy

The goal of an argument is to

• entertain someone with a good story

• learn something

• get someone to see your point of view

• sound smart

Read the passage below. What is the child trying to do?

Hey mom, I really think we should make my bedtime half an hour later. Everyone in my class goes to sleep later than I do. I don't think I need as much sleep as I used to. Each night I lay awake for a long time before I go to sleep.

• give reasons to support his argument

• entertain his mother

• teach his mother how to do something

• get to sleep before his mother

Which of these statements would be the weakest argument to persuade your parents to let you see a movie:

• You saved up your allowance so you could buy the ticket for yourself.

• You have a ride to and from the movie theater with a friend's parent.

• It's not a school night.

• The movie is a little violent.

Ishmael wants to go on vacation with his friend's family. What's the best way he can persuade his parents to say yes?

• He can tell them that he will be sad and stay in bed if he can't go.

• He can explain that the vacation will be educational and safe.

• He can say that he'll hate his parents if they don't let him go.

• He can ask them for the money that he needs for the trip.

Karla is giving a speech about why students should have class pets. What should she do to persuade her audience?

• keep repeating the same thing until everyone agrees

• tell her audience that she's a really good student, so they should agree with her

• give specific examples of pets that are clean and easy to take care of

• tell her audience the story of how her cat died

1. Read the statements below. What is the statement in bold?

Dad, I want to start a babysitting business. It will teach me to be responsible. I can babysit after school and get paid. I promise to get my homework done, too.

• a point of view

• a disagreement

• a reason

• a conclusion