375784
| Question | Answer |
| Alliteration | Repeating and playing upon the same letter, especially at the start of consecutive words. Adds emphasis and reinforces meaning, often used to create highly emotive language by drawing attention to keywords. |
| Analogy | A comparison between two things that are very similar. Writers use analogy by arguing that because two things are similar in some ways, they will therefore be similar in others. |
| Anecdote | A short account or story of an entertaining incident. Gives a human angle that engages the reader. Usually makes the reader sympathetic and receptive to the point. |
| Assonance | Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close to each other in the one sentence. |
| Attacks/Praise | Attacks belittle or denigrate an individual or group. Praise presents a person or group as outstanding, attractive, etc. The writer attacks or praises an opponent or their idea and/or argument. This shows the writer’s contention and places the reader in opposition or agreement with the writer. |
| Bias | One sidedness in the presentation of a view or opinion. Bias can subjectively influence the reader by intentionally presenting only one side of the argument. |
| Clichés | Overused phrases that a wide range of readers can quickly grasp and understand. Clichés are very familiar to the reader and therefore can offer a shortcut to the intended meaning. |
| Colloquial Language | Colloquial language is less formal (informal), everyday language and usually includes slang (relaxed lingo). Writers often use colloquial language in an argument in an attempt to have the reader respond to a point of view that is plainly stated. |
| Colourful Language | Words that are heightened, vivid, full of interest. These words produce a picture and or an emotion that engages the reader by grabbing their attention. Mostly unusual or striking words, especially adjectives are used to paint a positive or negative view of a subject. |
| Emotional Appeals | When the reader plays on people’s emotions such as fears, insecurities, hopes, desires and things that are valued. This can manipulate the reader to take notice of an issue by triggering an emotional response and by bypassing logic. |
| Emotive Language | The deliberate use of strong, emotive words and phrases to arouse the reader’s feelings. This evokes a strong emotional response in order to force agreement from the reader. Such strong language is used to manipulate the reader’s point of view. |
| Evidence | The use of information, facts or statements (including statistics, graphs and diagrams) to provide rational, scientific ‘proof’ as the basis for a substantiated point of view. Evidence is used to support the writer’s point of view, which adds weight to backup or bolster the reader’s point of view. |
| Expert Opinion | Use of expert opinion (from an authoritative figure) or testimony to support an idea, product or call to action. A writer will employ quotes of an expert in a certain field or industry to bolster their own opinion or point of view. |
| Hyperbole (Exaggeration) | Overstatement, magnifying the importance of a topical issue. Exaggeration makes a point dramatic to help reinforce it. It gains attention and can arouse strong or extreme emotional response, but is not intended to be taken literally. |
| Generalisation | A general statement that states that the case being discussed is true for a majority of people. This can appeal to our general sense of what is true and so it can sound authoritative, which may pick up on prejudices in the reader and seem convincing. |
| Inclusive Language | Words such as ‘we’, ‘our’, ‘us’, etc. include the reader in the same group as the writer by assuming that we all agree or disagree. Inclusive language engages the reader and may gain sympathy or persuade the reader to reject an idea or individual. |
| Irony | A feature of language that allows the writer to say one thing when their real meaning is the opposite. That is, the implied or intended meaning is different, often the opposite from the literal meaning. Irony is a powerful device that can be effective in humiliating the opponent, makes the point obviously. |
| Listing | Listing certain words, events, crimes, dates, locations, etc., can be persuasive in certain circumstances. A list can have a dramatic effect on the reader in terms of painting a picture of a situation by listing the positives and/or negatives associated with that situation. |
| Loaded Language | Words that are ‘loaded’ with associations. This is a shorthand way of belittling or discrediting someone by suggesting they are associated with undesirable situations. |
| Metaphor | A comparison that describes one thing in terms of another, whilst suggesting a similarity between them. Metaphor can reinforce a point without mere repetition, can create interest and engage the reader. |
| Pun | A play on words that suggests a different meaning or ‘double meaning’. Puns position the reader to enjoy a joke and grabs their attention through humour. Puns work by using a similar sound but different spelling. |
| Quip | A quip is a sarcastic retort (response), often delivered with an element of humour. Due to its brevity (shortness), a quip is very good at conveying certain tones, including sarcasm, disbelief, scorn, mocking, shock, etc. |
| Reason & Logic | The use of an argument developed step by step with reasoning and evidence to support each main point. Reason and logic takes into account the opposing viewpoint in order to show why the writer’s argument is superior. |
| Repetition | Repeated words, phrases, sentence patterns or ideas gives emphasis and prominence to a point. Repetition increases the impact of a main point or key term and so engages the reader’s attention. This helps to produce a more insistent tone that sways the reader to agree. |
| Rhetorical Question | Questions that have the intended answer embedded in them, often using irony. Rhetorical questions are a powerful device to manipulate the reader to agree because they assume the answer is obvious. |
| Simile | One thing is likened to another using ‘like’ or ‘as’. This clarifies and enhances an idea or situation by comparing it to something similar or recognisable. |
| Bandwagon | People are, urged to do or believe something because everyone does. |
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