ESL 015:

Stance
JingJing Lai, Hali Chung, James Marsh, Katelyn Kraft

Sensodyne Commercial
What is this commercial trying to say?

What are some specific content words used?

Does this commercial make you want Sensodyne
products?

Sensodyne Commercial

What is stance?
To take a position for or against something or someone
Includes:
Logos
Ethos
Pathos

Logos
Logos = Logic
The use of logic, rationality, and critical
reasoning to persuade.
Appeals to the mind
Seeks to persuade the reader intellectually
e.g. 9 out of 10 dentists recommend Sensodyne

Ethos
Ethos = Ethics and Credibility
Establishment of a writers or speakers
authority, credibility, and believability as
he/she speaks or writes
Seeks to persuade that the writer/speaker
can be trusted or believed

e.g. Doctor speaking about product

Pathos
Pathos = Emotion
The use of emotion and affect to persuade
Appeals to the heart and ones emotions
Seeks to persuade the reader emotionally
e.g. Line 7-8: The patients feel good about it because
Hey, I can go outside, I feel good, I can drink a cold
drink, you know?

Essay Practice
Directions:

1) What is the stance of this essay? Underline the sentence

showing the stance.
2) What strategies (logos/logic, pathos/emotion,
ethos/credibility) do sentences (1-7) use in this essay?
Please start with sentences 1-7, but feel free to identify
other sentences where those strategies are used.
Refer to the strategy worksheet if needed.

 Stance
However, working more than about 15 hours a week is
harmful to adolescents because it reduces their
involvement with school, encourages a materialistic and
expensive lifestyle, and increases the chance of having
problems with drugs and alcohol.

 1- Ethos Experience and authority

2- Ethos Person knows issue

3- Logos Facts
4- Pathos Story or testimonial
5- Logos Data
6- Ethos Credible source
7- Logos Logical reason/explanation

Create Your Own

Stance (Use your topic)
Stating a position for or against

How will you use?

Logos (Logic)
Pathos (Emotion)
Ethos (Credibility)