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Persuasive Writing Techniques Help Needed

My next topic for English course work is persuasive writing. I have to persuade the reader that the legal age too drink alcohol should not be lowered and I need some help on the techniques I could use?
Thanks

Reply 1

TheAthena

1. Rhetorical questions (Do you want to live like that?)
2. Lists of three (This is ridiculous, pathetic, and salacious)
3. Statistics (40% of teenage girls...)
4. Real Life Examples and personal anecdotes (Somebody asked me this yesterday...)
5. Repetition (This is not life. This is not freedom. This is not the way I want to live.)
6. Facts and Opinions (Mr Parks thinks that...Did you know that?)
7. Bullet Point Lists (a) The noise pollution is terrible. b) It looks incredibly unappealing. c) It is bad for the environment.)
8. Alliteration/Sibilance (Paranoia Pandemic/ Slithering Snakes)
9. Emotive language (This is cruel- absolutely heartless)
10. Hyperbole (It was so cold that penguins were shivering)
11. Personal Pronouns (You must do this, we must, I must vote)
12. Short sentences (Now! Now is the time! Tell me!)
13. Humour (Deadpan, puns, irony, sarcasm, satire, wit)
14. Quoting (As Jane Austen once said...)
15. Asking listeners to imagine something (Imagine that you are in Antarctica...)
16. Truisms (We all know that this is the case.)
17. Onomatopoeia (Bang!)
18. Mocking the counter argument

When writing think about:
1. What position you are in to make the argument
2. What experience do you have on the topic
3. Flattery- put yourself on the same page as the audience, make them want to listen to you
4. Anticipate the counter argument

Some of these techniques can help you make your writing dynamic and bold, and can really help you make an impact. Others are techniques that will enhance your writing, support your points and convince your reader!
Good luck! :smile: