Year 10 EAL Persuasive techniques

Year 10 EAL

Language Analysis Task

–

Persuasive

Techniques.

Focus:

1.

Contention

2.

Tone

3.

Identify techniques:

?

Appeals to emotions,

?

appeals to authority,

?

rhetorical question,

?

repetition,

?

inclusive language,

?

positive / negative connotations

?

generalisation

4. Identify effects in the context of the way

they were used in the article.

LANGUAGE ANALYSIS

The main purpose of persuasive techniques is to place the reader in a position to agree with or support the

writer’s point of view.

Term

Definition

1.

Contention

Example

Yesterday’s mid

-year budget update marks the

The main contention is the writer’s

viewpoint

on an issue.

official start of the protracted [long-drawn-out]

Usually this will be clearly and concisely stated in the

first or second paragraph; in a longer piece such as a feature

economic downturn the financial market

meltdown has spawned. The update doesn’t

article, the main contention might be restated in the

undermine the argument Australia has better

conclusion.

than average defences, but it makes it clear

having better defences is not the same thing

To understand the main contention, it helps to

as being safe.

rewrite it in your own words. For example, the main

contention of the example provided is:

Although Australia

is reasonably well-protected from the world financial

crisis, our economy is still at risk.

2.

Tone

Tone is the mood or feeling of the language used by a

writer or speaker. In writing, the tone is conveyed by word

choices, especially the use of emotive or colourful language.

Essentially, tone falls into two broad categories: serious or

Comic There is a wide range of possibilities in each,

including the following: Serious; Mocking; Comic; Calm;

Concerned; Sarcastic; Angry; Flippant [superficial,

dismissive]; Optimistic; Amusing. Some tones such as

sarcastic or mocking tone are obviously suited to an

attack or critique of another viewpoint, whereas others,

such as a calm or optimistic tone, are suited to presenting a

viewpoint in a positive way.

As the death toll from Victoria’s darkest day kept

climbing, survivors wondered how they lived while

loved ones and friends died.

Key words

: death toll, darkest, survivors

Tone:

Sad, despairing

1