Persuasive writing Techniques and their Effects

Below is a list of techniques you can use in your own writing. You might also need to comment on these
persuasive techniques when analysing the work of other writers.

Technique Example Description and Effect

S E A
Make facts and statistics up if
necessary, but keep them
Balance of fact/statistics and believable. They add weight to your
emotional content 1 in 3 children suffer from life threatening diseases
argument and make people believe
you have investigated the issue and
know what you are talking about.
Make opinion sound as if it is
‘Come to the most beautiful place in the world - fact. Use the Imperative form of
Assertion Ireland’ the verb This encourages the reader
‘The most effective cleaner on the market’ to support your campaign or buy
your product.
Use language to stir up emotions in
‘Rover was in a pitiful state when we found him &
your reader. Make them feel guilt,
Emotive language he would surely have died if our dedicated team had
sympathy, anger, excitement etc, by
not nursed him day and night.’ choosing your words carefully.
Repeat key words or phrases to help
‘the best for furniture; the best for service; the best key themes and arguments stick in
Repetition
for your money the mind of your audience. Makes it
memorable.
Sound effects-
alliteration( repetition of a sound
at the beginning of a series of ‘bring an end to the barbaric, bloodthirsty sport of
All these techniques make your
words) bear- baiting’
writing so much more memorable for
onomatopoeia(a word that sounds ‘snap, crackle, pop’
the reader. Again, the key ideas
like what it describes) ‘soft strong and very long’
remain in their minds.
assonance(repetition of a vowel ‘Beanz meanz Heinz’
sound)
rhyme(words that sound the same)
 Technique Example Description and Effect
S E A
Try using a list of three things
for effect and to make a dramatic
point. This grouping of words or
‘Friends, Romans, countrymen…’ phrases rolls off the tongue and
Power of three ‘all of which we design, manufacture and install creates a memorable impression. It
ourselves’ also has an accumulative effect
which makes the product seem more
appealing, or gives your argument
more weight.
Use the superlative form of the
‘’the best party hits album ever’
adjective to add strength to your
Hyperbole or exaggeration ‘Ireland-a land whose scenic splendour stirs every
argument and make your writing more
emotion from pure exhilaration to peaceful calm’
believable.
This has the effect of involving
‘‘Would you really wash your clothes in anything
Rhetorical questions-a question the reader and making them think
else?’
that does not require an answer about the issue or the product you
‘Should we allow this behaviour to continue?’ are promoting.
Use words for effect, especially
when they have more than one
meaning. This technique is quite
‘these tights are sheer delight’
often used in the Tabloid press or
Puns/play on words
in more light hearted pieces of
writing. Again, this is a clever
use of language to get your message
across.
Choose words - verbs, adjectives,
adverbs - which inspire your
audience. Avoid ‘good’, ‘bad’,
‘The fox is hunted down until it is exhausted. In the
‘nice’ - they are bland and don’t
Powerful language worst cases, it is ripped apart by the chasing pack of
give you a clear picture of what
dogs and dies a horrible death.’ you are describing. Use a thesaurus
regularly to build up your
vocabulary bank.
 Technique Example Description and Effect
S E A
Make the reader sit up and listen
to your argument. You can shock
‘Walking into the zoo compound, we could hear the them with pictures that appeal to
Shock tactics crying and wailing of trapped animals. The stench the reader’s sense of guilt or
of stale faeces was almost unbearable.’ sympathy, or by using words and
phrases which have powerful
associations or connotations.
For the purpose of persuasive
writing, unless you are delivering
a speech or extended piece of
writing, the sentences and
paragraphs should be kept
Structure of writing relatively short and to the point.
Sentence length The desired effect is to get your
Paragraphing Look at a range of texts to see examples of all these message across as concisely and
Topic sentences features effectively as possible, by
Use of speech choosing vocabulary very carefully
and employing a range of persuasive
techniques.
If you include quotations from
reliable sources or eye witness
accounts to support your argument,
make sure you use speech marks.
 Technique Example Description and Effect
S E A
Imagery (word pictures)
Chocolate which is ‘as smooth as silk’
Similes (comparison using ‘like’ or
These add to the experience you are
‘as...as’)
trying to create for the reader.
Metaphor (a comparison saying
‘You have the world in your hands’ They help to paint a very clear
something is something else it
picture of the product or idea you
literally cannot be)
are trying to promote.
Personification (giving an
inanimate object human qualities) ‘the sea crashed angrily on the rocks’
By providing the names of
respectable and well known
professionals (eg MPs, company
‘Richard Whitehouse, director of Zurich zoo, directors etc), associations (eg
Quoting a reliable source disagrees with the claim that zoos make unsuitable RSPCA) or groups of people (eg
habitats.’ scientists, doctors etc), you add
substance and weight to your
argument and help to make people
believe you are telling the truth.
Addressing the reader directly
using ‘you’, involves your target
audience and makes them feel part
‘We can beat this disease together!’
of your argument or discussion.
Using ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’, has the
‘It is clear to us all that we should oppose this
effect of associating the reader
Personal pronouns motion….’
with a team or campaign that they
can be part of. The use of ‘they’,
‘They do not know the damage they are causing to alienates your opposition and
our natural resources.’ additionally, makes them nameless.
This highlights your dislike of
them and your distrust for what
they stand for.
 Technique Example Description and Effect
S E A
If you are writing for an informal
purpose eg a speech/debate to your
classmates, the use of colloquial
‘I can’t believe that some people actually believe or chatty phrases can help to win
Chatty style that going to war will help to bring peace! What a the audience onto your side. They
joke!’ make the speaker or writer seem
more ‘normal’ and as if they are on
your level and not someone who is
preaching to you.

The use of little stories or

examples to illustrate your
Use of Anecdotes ‘I’d like to tell you what happened to Cathy and her
message, help to get your point or
son James on Christmas Day…’ (advert for RSPCC)
ideas across and make the issue
more realistic for the reader.
The main reasons for employing any
of the techniques are:
Layout features to draw the reader’s eye to
Different font styles and a particular part of the
techniques text
Underlining, bold or italics catch the reader’s attention
Pictures, tables, diagrams Look at a range of non-fiction texts to see examples strengthen the argument by
Columns of all these features using visual stimuli eg
Bullet points pictures that play on the
Colour reader’s guilt
Headings and sub-headings to display information in an
economical fashion, making
it easy to interpret