Persuasive Devices:

Rhetorical Questions and

Persuasive Phrases
There’s no doubt that upgrading
our country’s internet lines will
allow for better communication
and business.

But what about our

taxpayers? I don’t
want to spend
more of my hard-
earned money, do
you?
There’s no doubt that upgrading our
country’s internet lines will allow for
better communication and business.

But what about our

taxpayers? I don’t
want to spend
more of my hard-
earned money, do
you?
There’s no doubt that… It’s undeniable…
I’m sure you all can agree that…
Frankly, I doubt that The way I see it

I accept that It’s true that

Can you think of others?
Surely/ Clearly/ Obviously…
No one can dispute the argument that…
There may be some truth in the argument

To some extent this true As far as I’m concerned

There’s no doubt that the real issue facing humanity is the question of technology
It’s undeniable that this is an important question for us to answer
Surely anyone can see that human beings are becoming so lazy
No one can dispute the argument that we should all be doing more
I’m sure you all agree with me on this point

There may be some truth in that argument but the truth is humans are creative
The way I see it is that humans are always going to want to advance
Frankly, I doubt we’ll get lazy. More spare time means, more time to exercise
As far as I am concerned there is no danger in technology
There’s no doubt that the real issue facing humanity is the question of technology
It’s undeniable that this is an important question for us to answer
Surely anyone can see that human beings are becoming so lazy
No one can dispute the argument that we should all be doing more
I’m sure you all agree with me on this point

There may be some truth in that argument but the truth is humans are creative
The way I see it is that humans are always going to want to advance
Frankly, I doubt we’ll get lazy. More spare time means, more time to exercise
As far as I am concerned there is no danger in technology
As far as I’m concerned…

Frankly, I doubt that…

Persuading Countering Conceding
Persuading Countering Conceding
There’s no doubt that However I accept that

It’s undeniable that Frankly, I doubt that There may be some

truth in the argument

Surely, Clearly, The way I see it It’s true that

Obviously

No one can dispute As far as I’m However

the argument that concerned

I’m sure you can all There is an argument

agree that

To some extent this is

true, but
There’s no doubt that upgrading
our country’s internet lines will
allow for better communication
and business.

But what about our

taxpayers? I don’t
want to spend more
of my hard-earned
money, do you?
don’t you think? really?
don’t you?
what about you? what do you think?

don’t they?
Can you think of others?
What is the form?
Cars are the biggest polluters in the world don’t you think?

You think that? really?

 Rhetorical/ Question Answer
Don’t you think he’d like to go out
tonight?
He’d like to go out tonight, don’t
you think so ?
I think Germany is majestic, don’t
you?
Do you think Germany is majestic?

Do you really want to engage in a

discussion about technology?
The discussion is about technology,
really?
They love this song, don’t they?
 Rhetorical/ Question Answer
Don’t you think he’ll like to go out QUESTION
tonight?
He’d like to go out tonight, don’t RHETORICAL
you think so ?
I think Germany is majestic, don’t RHETORICAL
you?
Do you think Germany is majestic? QUESTION
Do you really want to engage in a QUESTION
discussion about technology?
The discussion is about technology, RHETORICAL
really?
They love this song, don’t they? RHETORICAL
 Role-play
You are in a heated discussion with a friend
You are discussing the problems of Columbia’s
Internet access

Student A: Student B:
You believe that the You believe that the
government has government has
everything to do with nothing to do with it
it and keep using and keep using
rhetorical questions to rhetorical questions to
get your point across question Student A
 DEBATE

Robot Technology will be the downfall of Mankind

I strongly agree I strongly disagree

 DEBATE

Animal testing is justified.

Video games containing violence are not appropriate

for children.

Keeping animals in zoos is unethical.

I strongly agree I strongly disagree