Starter quiz
- What is being described here: 'speaking directly to the audience using "you" to engage and involve them in the message'?
- rhetorical questions
- direct address ✓
- analogies
- alliteration
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- Which of the following words are personal pronouns?
- they ✓
- we ✓
- who
- quickly
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- What is opinion writing?
- writing that provides factual information without any personal bias
- writing that tells a fictional story for entertainment
- writing that expresses a personal viewpoint supported by reasons and evidence ✓
- writing that describes a process or gives instructions
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- Which punctuation mark is being described here: 'a piece of punctuation that can separate two closely related clauses'?
- semicolon ✓
- colon
- dashes
- question mark
- exclamation mark
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- Which of these does not apply to opinion writing?
- expressing a personal viewpoint
- presenting personal opinions with supporting arguments
- providing factual information without personal bias ✓
- using reasoning and evidence to persuade the reader
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- What should you aim to do on the first line of your opinion piece?
- introduce a counterargument
- present a complex statistic
- state your main opinion clearly ✓
- provide a detailed background history
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Exit quiz
- What is a rhetorical question?
- a question that expects an answer
- a question used to emphasise a point ✓
- a question that provides factual information
- a question that introduces new data
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- Should a rhetorical question be answered?
- never
- always
- it can be, but doesn't have to be ✓
- only when used at the end of a piece of writing
- only when it is used as an opening sentence
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- Which of these is not a top tip for using rhetorical questions?
- It need to be structured as a question (question word(s) and a question mark).
- It should used to emphasise key ideas only.
- It can be answered by the writer but it doesn’t have to be.
- It should be used only at the beginning or end of a paragraph. ✓
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- Which of the rhetorical questions below would be least effective in an opinion piece about the rise of technology?
- How has technology changed the way we communicate? ✓
- Is our dependence on smartphones making us less human?
- Why do people enjoy reading books?
- Could the internet be widening the gap between rich and poor?
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- It can be really effective to combine rhetorical questions with ______ to grab the reader's attention and encourage them to consider their own views on the topic. Which two words are missing?
- 'direct address' ✓
- Which of these rhetorical questions are used incorrectly?
- 'How many of you own a smartphone? Hold up your hands and I'll count them.' ✓
- 'Have you ever gone a full day with no social media?'
- 'Are you addicted to gaming.' ✓
- 'Have you ever considered what technology does to your brain?'
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Worksheet
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Rhetorical questions engage the reader by encouraging them to consider their own opinions.
- They are structured in the same way as a normal question.
- They can be answered by the writer or left unanswered - both create different effects.
- They can be combined with direct address to effectively grab the reader’s attention.
Common misconception
A rhetorical question is never answered. It is designed to make people think.
While a rhetorical question is designed to encourage the reader or audience to consider their views on the subject matter, a writer can choose to answer the rhetorical question conveying their opinions (but they don't have to).
Keywords
Rhetorical questions - questions posed for effect, not requiring an answer, to emphasise a point
Opinion writing - writing that expresses personal views on a topic, backed by reasoning, to persuade or inform readers
Direct address - speaking directly to the audience using "you" to engage and involve them in the message
Personal pronouns - words like "I", "you" and "we" used to refer to individuals or groups in place of their names
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