RHETORICAL TECHNIQUES EXERCISES
LEARNING TARGETS
● Students will be able to understand rhetorical techniques, including emotional diction,
formal diction, parallel structure, rhetorical questioning, allusion, and humor in order to
identify and analyze the effectiveness of these techniques in speeches and texts.
● Students will understand how audience influences rhetoric in order to analyze the impact of
audience on a speech.
STANDARDS ADDRESSED
● [Link].6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how
an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
● ELA.9-10.W.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or
texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims,
and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing
out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s
knowledge level and concerns.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion,
and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and
evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
d. Establish and maintain an appropriate style and objective tone.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument
presented.
INSTRUCTIONS
When prompted by the Rhetorical Techniques PowerPoint, complete the below activities. Refer
back to the PowerPoint as needed.
.
EXERCISE 1: WARM UP
Watch this video. Then, in the box below, answer the following discussion question from the
Rhetorical Techniques PowerPoint. Please remember, there is not necessarily a correct answer.
This activity is just a warm up to prepare you for the upcoming activities about rhetorical
techniques.
a. How does Martin Luther King, Jr. get his audience to listen?
b. Who do you think his audience his? Do you think his audience impacts how he developed
his speech?
c. Do you think Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech is effective? Yes or no? Support your answer
with well-reasoned points
a.
b.
c.
EXERCISE 2: WHAT RHETORICAL TECHNIQUES WOULD YOU USE?
• Imagine you were asked to make the graduation speech at your commencement.
• What rhetorical techniques would you use? Please choose two different techniques.
• Then, develop an argument as to why those techniques would be the most effective.
• Before you answer the above questions, let’s look at an example:
Example
Technique Argument
Parallel Structure aligns with my natural speaking style.
Even in informal conversations, I repeat myself to make a
Parallel Structure point. By utilizing parallel structure in my commencement
speech, I would be able to leverage by natural speaking style
to improve my speech.
Graduation is an exciting, but often bittersweet time. Given
that my audience for the commencement address is other
Emotional Diction graduates and their families, emotional diction will allow me
to draw in my audience by using words that highlight the
emotional intensity of this event.
Now it is your turn:
Technique Argument
.
EXERCISE 3: ANALYZING RHETORIC
• Revisit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Speech from the first exercise.
• Develop a thesis about its rhetorical effectiveness.
• Identify two rhetorical techniques he used, make a claim regarding if they were effective, and
support your claim with well-reasoned points and evidence from the speech itself.
Thesis:
Technique Claim/Points
EXERCISE 4: WHAT RHETORICAL TECHNIQUE IS THIS?
Watch or read each of the following speeches and match each speech to its rhetorical device. Justify
each decision with a well-reasoned claim and evidence from the speech. Some videos may utilize the
same rhetorical devices. The most important aspect of this exercise is that you support your chosen
rhetorical technique with a strong argument.
Speech Rhetorical Technique Justification
Women’s Rights are
Human Rights
Remember the Titans
Gettysburg Speech
Cady Heron’s Spring
Fling Queen Speech,
Mean Girls
EXERCISE 5: CONSIDER THE AUDIENCE
Choose one of the following texts to read:
Malcom X “The Ballot of the Bullet”
LeBron James: I’m Coming Back to Cleveland
Hilary Clinton Women’s Rights are Human Rights
Develop a claim as to how the audience might have influenced their speech. Defend your
claim with valid reasoning and sufficient evidence.
Claim:
Reasoning
and
Evidence:
RUBRIC
5 (90 – 100 4 (80 – 89 3 (70 – 79 2 (60 – 69 1 (69 or
points) points) points) points) below)
The student’s
The student’s
The student’s The student’s The student’s answers in
answers in
answers in answers in answers in exercises 2 -5
exercises 2 -5
exercises 2 -5 exercises 2 -5 exercises 2 -5 do not
demonstrate a
demonstrate a demonstrate an demonstrate a demonstrate
vague
ELA9- deep understanding general an
understanding
[Link].6 understanding of rhetorical understanding understanding
of rhetorical
of rhetorical techniques and of rhetorical of rhetorical
techniques and
techniques and their impact on techniques and techniques and
their impact on
their impact on a speech or their impact on their impact on
a speech or
a speech or text. text. a speech or text. a speech or
text.
text.
The student’s
The student’s The student’s The student’s
The student’s answers in
answers in answers in answers in
answers in exercises 2 – 5
exercises 2 – 5 exercises 2 – 5 exercises 2 – 5
exercises 2 – 5 include weak
include strong include claims include weak
include claims claims that are
claims that are that are claims that are
that are vaguely
ELA.9- well supported somewhat not supported
supported with supported
10.W.1 with valid supported with with valid
valid reasoning with valid
reasoning and valid reasoning reasoning and
and relevant reasoning and
relevant and and relevant relevant and
and sufficient relevant and
sufficient and sufficient sufficient
evidence sufficient
evidence. evidence evidence
evidence
