Rhetorical Analysis — Drills · Grade 11 English
Chapter: Public Argument, Rhetoric & Competing AccountsWhat these drills covers
By the end of Rhetorical Analysis you should be able to:
- I can identify ethos, pathos, logos, and specific rhetorical devices in a persuasive text.
- I can analyze how a writer's style, purpose, audience, and occasion combine to make the rhetoric effective.
2 questions, written answer, each with a worked explanation.
Vocabulary used: ethos, pathos, logos, kairos, diction.
Problem 1
Answer and explanation
Ethos concerns credibility, logos concerns reasons and evidence, and pathos concerns emotions or values. Appeals often work together in the same passage. Show an actual application before considering the method recalled.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.
Problem 2
Answer and explanation
Ask what the numbers measure and how they were gathered. An appeal to logos can be present even when its reasoning is weak.
Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.
Response criteria
- Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
- Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
- Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.