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WorksheetsElements of an Argument
Total questions: 10
Worksheet time: 5mins
People use persuasive language to ________.
paint a picture with words
convince someone to act or agree
teach someone how to do something
encourage someone who's feeling down
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 has OK graphics.
The video game won an award for Game of the Year.
The video game is almost as fun as the ones you have.
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
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
tell her audience the story of how her cat died
give specific examples of pets that are clean and easy to take care of
What is a claim?
evidence such as facts, statistics, examples, first-person accounts, expert testimony, and numerical data like graphs and charts.
the main argument that the text focuses on
to make the audience feel a certain way
convincing the audience that the speaker/writer can be trusted
What is evidence?
arguable or debatable statement
make the audience feel a certain way
facts, statistics, examples, first-person accounts, expert testimony, and numerical data like graphs and charts.
not based on logical reasoning and are often irrational or unreasonably emotional
What is appeals to emotions?
developed to make the audience feel a certain way: angry, happy, sad
aimed at convincing the audience through logical evidence
convincing the audience that the speaker/writer can be trusted
not based on logical reasoning and are often irrational
What is appeals to logic and reasoning?
used by authors, critical readers can see through these faulty appeals and the argument is thus made weak or ineffective
make the audience feel a certain way: angry, happy, sad, outraged, guilty
convincing the audience through logical evidence such as statistics, facts, historical accounts, expert testimony, first person accounts, and examples
convincing the audience that the speaker/writer can be trusted because the argument is supported through personal experience and expert support
What is appeals to credibility or authority?
based on logical reasoning and are often irrational or unreasonably emotional
convincing the audience through logical evidence such as statistics, facts, historical accounts, expert testimony, first person accounts, and examples
make the audience feel a certain way: angry, happy, sad, outraged, guilty
convincing the audience that the speaker/writer can be trusted because the argument is supported through personal experience and expert support
What are fallacies?
not based on logical reasoning and are often irrational or unreasonably emotional
convincing the audience that the speaker/writer can be trusted
convincing the audience through logical evidence such as statistics
to make the audience feel a certain way
