PLT
Words chosen to provoke a strong emotional response (anger, pity, fear, pride) and position the audience to feel a certain way about the issue.
EMOTIVE LANGUAGE
Persuading through reason: facts, evidence, cause and effect, and a structured line of argument.
Appeal to logos
Repeating the same word or phrase at the start of successive sentences or clauses to build rhythm and momentum.
Anaphora
An explicit request, usually near the end, telling the audience what to do next so the argument leads to a response.
call to action
An imagined situation that invites readers to picture consequences, often showing what could happen if no action is taken.
Hypothetical scenario
Pronouns such as we, us and our that group the writer and audience together, creating shared values, unity and collective responsibility.
INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
Targeting feelings such as fear, guilt, hope, pity or pride to move the audience to agree or act.
Appeal to emotion (pathos)
Grouping three related words, phrases or ideas to create rhythm, a sense of completeness and persuasive force.
Rule of 3 - Tricolon
A sweeping claim about a group or situation, using words like all, always or never, that sounds broader and more certain than the evidence allows.
Deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis, amplifying how serious or important an issue is.
Hyperbole
The writer speaks straight to the reader using "you", making the issue feel personal and pressing the reader to respond.
Direct Address
Establishing the writer or source as trustworthy, knowledgeable or ethical so the audience is more willing to accept the argument.
APPEAL TO CREDIBILITY (ETHOS)
Numerical evidence that builds logic and credibility. Selective use or framing can make a claim seem objective and irrefutable.
Stats and Evidence
What do you do when you section the text?
You CHUNK it!
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid mental pictures that shape how the audience feels.
Imagery
A question asked for effect rather than an answer. It implies the answer is obvious and invites the audience to agree.
Rhetorical Question
Warns of threatening consequences to create anxiety and urgency, so the audience supports the writer's proposed solution.
Appeal to fear
Citing a qualified person or organisation (scientist, doctor, report) to lend authority and credibility to the contention.
expert opinion
What is your intro made up of?
Repeating the same initial consonant sound in nearby words to create rhythm and make a phrase memorable.
Alliteration
Deliberately repeating a word, phrase or idea to reinforce the point, build emphasis and make it memorable.
Repetition
Links the issue to widely held values (fairness, family, freedom, community) so rejecting the argument feels like rejecting those values.
Appeal to values
A short personal or individual story that humanises an issue and builds an emotional connection with the audience.
Anecdote
Whats your body paras made up of?
What how why how why so
Informal, everyday language, slang or idiom that creates a relatable tone and a sense of authenticity.
Colloquial language