1Match the device to its definition. Write the letter.
a) a question that needs no answer b) three parallel parts c) the same words at the beginning of several sentences d) speaking to the audience with „you" e) an image that compares without „like"
a)anaphora
b)rhetorical question
c)tricolon
d)metaphor
e)direct address
2Find the device in the sentence. Write its name.
Look for repetition, questions, groups of three, images.
a)„We will fight. We will build. We will win."
b)„Is this the future you want for your children?"
c)„You know it. I know it. Everybody in this room knows it."
d)„This city is a sleeping giant."
3Purpose: What does the speaker want? Write inform, persuade or entertain.
Most speeches you analyse want to persuade.
a)a politician at a rally
b)a scientist at a conference
c)a best man at a wedding
d)a student at a climate protest
4Write two sentences about a speech you know (from school or the news): who spoke to whom, and what did they want?
In his/her speech to …, X wanted to …
a)Speaker, audience, purpose
1Match the device to its definition. Write the letter.
a) a question that needs no answer b) three parallel parts c) the same words at the beginning of several sentences d) speaking to the audience with „you" e) an image that compares without „like"
a)anaphorac
b)rhetorical questiona
c)tricolonb
d)metaphore
e)direct addressd
2Find the device in the sentence. Write its name.
Look for repetition, questions, groups of three, images.
a)„We will fight. We will build. We will win."anaphora (and tricolon)
b)„Is this the future you want for your children?"rhetorical question
c)„You know it. I know it. Everybody in this room knows it."tricolon with anaphora / climax
d)„This city is a sleeping giant."metaphor
3Purpose: What does the speaker want? Write inform, persuade or entertain.
Most speeches you analyse want to persuade.
a)a politician at a rallypersuade
b)a scientist at a conferenceinform
c)a best man at a weddingentertain
d)a student at a climate protestpersuade
4Write two sentences about a speech you know (from school or the news): who spoke to whom, and what did they want?
In his/her speech to …, X wanted to …
a)Speaker, audience, purposeOwn answer.
Excerpt (invented, for practice): „Friends, neighbours, fellow students. They tell us we are too young to be heard. They tell us to wait. But how long have we waited? We waited while the river turned brown. We waited while the summers grew hotter. We waited — and they did nothing. Today the waiting ends. Not tomorrow, not next year: today. Look at the person next to you. That is the future. Are we going to let it drown?"
1Structure and situation.
Speaker – audience – occasion – purpose (to inform, to persuade, to move to action).
a)Who is speaking to whom, and what is the occasion? Use clues from the text.
b)What is the speaker's aim? Name the two things the audience is supposed to think or do.
c)Divide the speech into three parts and give each a heading.
2Rhetorical devices: Name the device and quote the example.
Devices are only worth naming if you can also say what they do — see task C.
a)a group of three (tricolon)
b)repetition at the beginning of sentences (anaphora)
c)a rhetorical question
d)direct address / imperative
e)a metaphor
3Effect: Explain the function of two devices from task B in two or three sentences each.
Pattern: The speaker uses X („quote") in order to … This makes the audience feel / realise …
a)Device 1:
b)Device 2:
4Write a short analysis (120 to 150 words) of the excerpt.
Present tense. Quote briefly with line references if possible. No retelling.
a)Introduction (speaker, audience, aim), structure, two devices with effect, conclusion: is the speech convincing?
Excerpt (invented, for practice): „Friends, neighbours, fellow students. They tell us we are too young to be heard. They tell us to wait. But how long have we waited? We waited while the river turned brown. We waited while the summers grew hotter. We waited — and they did nothing. Today the waiting ends. Not tomorrow, not next year: today. Look at the person next to you. That is the future. Are we going to let it drown?"
1Structure and situation.
Speaker – audience – occasion – purpose (to inform, to persuade, to move to action).
a)Who is speaking to whom, and what is the occasion? Use clues from the text.(text)
b)What is the speaker's aim? Name the two things the audience is supposed to think or do.A young person (a student) speaks to fellow students at a climate protest or school assembly; clues: „fellow students", „too young", „river", „summers grew hotter".
c)Divide the speech into three parts and give each a heading.To persuade the audience that waiting is over and to move them to act now, together.
2Rhetorical devices: Name the device and quote the example.
Devices are only worth naming if you can also say what they do — see task C.
a)a group of three (tricolon)„Friends, neighbours, fellow students" / „Not tomorrow, not next year: today"
b)repetition at the beginning of sentences (anaphora)„They tell us …", „We waited while …"
c)a rhetorical question„how long have we waited?", „Are we going to let it drown?"
d)direct address / imperative„Look at the person next to you."
e)a metaphor„That is the future" / „let it drown" (the future as something that can drown)
3Effect: Explain the function of two devices from task B in two or three sentences each.
Pattern: The speaker uses X („quote") in order to … This makes the audience feel / realise …
a)Device 1:e.g. The anaphora „We waited while …" builds up a list of failures and makes the audience feel the length and pointlessness of waiting; the repetition sounds like an accusation.
b)Device 2:e.g. The imperative „Look at the person next to you" involves the audience physically and turns an abstract idea (the future) into a real person, which creates responsibility.
4Write a short analysis (120 to 150 words) of the excerpt.
Present tense. Quote briefly with line references if possible. No retelling.
a)Introduction (speaker, audience, aim), structure, two devices with effect, conclusion: is the speech convincing?Own text. Check: introduction with speaker/audience/aim, structure in one sentence, two devices with quote and effect, evaluation, present tense, 120 to 150 words.
Two excerpts (invented, for practice). A — a company CEO to employees: „I won't pretend the numbers are good. They aren't. But I have seen this team turn a bad quarter into a record year before, and I would rather stand here with you than anywhere else with anyone else. We have a plan. It will be hard. It will work." — B — a mayor to citizens after a flood: „Some of you have lost your homes. Some of you have lost more than that. I cannot give you back what the water took. What I can give you is this promise: no family in this town will spend the winter without a roof. Not one."
1Compare the two speakers' strategies.
Compare = name similarities and differences and explain them, not two separate descriptions.
a)How does each speaker deal with bad news in the first sentences? Quote and compare.
b)Which speech relies more on ethos (character), which on pathos (emotion)? Give evidence.
c)Both speeches end with a very short sentence. Compare the effect.
2Evaluate: Which speech is more convincing for its audience? Argue in six to eight sentences.
A judgement needs criteria: honesty, concreteness, appropriateness of tone.
a)Consider the situation, the audience's needs and the devices used.
3Rewrite excerpt A without any rhetorical devices, in plain factual language. Then explain in two sentences what is lost.
This shows you what the devices actually do.
a)Plain version:
b)What is lost:
4Write the opening (100 to 120 words) of a speech to your year group on a topic of your choice. Use at least four devices and label them in the margin.
Hook — address — thesis. Devices must serve the message, not decorate it.
a)Topic ideas: the last school year, a school rule you want changed, a farewell to a teacher
Two excerpts (invented, for practice). A — a company CEO to employees: „I won't pretend the numbers are good. They aren't. But I have seen this team turn a bad quarter into a record year before, and I would rather stand here with you than anywhere else with anyone else. We have a plan. It will be hard. It will work." — B — a mayor to citizens after a flood: „Some of you have lost your homes. Some of you have lost more than that. I cannot give you back what the water took. What I can give you is this promise: no family in this town will spend the winter without a roof. Not one."
1Compare the two speakers' strategies.
Compare = name similarities and differences and explain them, not two separate descriptions.
a)How does each speaker deal with bad news in the first sentences? Quote and compare.(texts)
b)Which speech relies more on ethos (character), which on pathos (emotion)? Give evidence.Both admit the bad news directly („I won't pretend", „I cannot give you back"), which creates honesty; A immediately turns to the team's past success, B stays with the loss longer and only then offers a promise.
c)Both speeches end with a very short sentence. Compare the effect.A relies on ethos: the speaker's loyalty and experience („I have seen this team", „I would rather stand here with you"). B relies on pathos: repetition of „lost", the image of what „the water took", the promise about winter and a roof.
2Evaluate: Which speech is more convincing for its audience? Argue in six to eight sentences.
A judgement needs criteria: honesty, concreteness, appropriateness of tone.
a)Consider the situation, the audience's needs and the devices used.Own judgement with criteria, e.g. B is more convincing because it makes one concrete, checkable promise and matches the audience's emotional state; A is convincing for employees because it combines honesty with confidence, but „We have a plan" remains vague.
3Rewrite excerpt A without any rhetorical devices, in plain factual language. Then explain in two sentences what is lost.
This shows you what the devices actually do.
a)Plain version:e.g. Our results are poor. The team has recovered from poor results before. I prefer working here. We have a plan that is difficult but should succeed. — Lost: the sense of loyalty and personal commitment (ethos) and the rhythm that makes the ending sound certain; the plain version informs but does not motivate.
b)What is lost:
4Write the opening (100 to 120 words) of a speech to your year group on a topic of your choice. Use at least four devices and label them in the margin.
Hook — address — thesis. Devices must serve the message, not decorate it.
a)Topic ideas: the last school year, a school rule you want changed, a farewell to a teacherOwn text. Check: hook, address to the audience, thesis, four labelled devices that support the message, 100 to 120 words.
Start with the situation
Speaker, audience, occasion, purpose. Most speeches want to persuade; the analysis shows how.
Devices with a function
Naming a device earns nothing; explaining its effect does. Anaphora builds rhythm and emphasis; tricolon makes a point memorable; rhetorical questions make the audience agree silently; inclusive „we" creates a group; imperatives call for action; metaphors turn ideas into pictures.
The speaker uses the anaphora „We waited …" in order to make the audience feel how long they have been ignored.
Ethos, pathos, logos
Ethos: the speaker's character and credibility. Pathos: emotions. Logos: facts and reasoning. Good speeches combine them; your analysis says which dominates and why that fits the audience.