Persuasive language is wording chosen to influence what an audience believes, decides, or does. A persuasive message connects its request to reasons the audience can weigh. Its register and examples can change with the audience and the setting.
Three ways to support a request
Imagine asking a library board to try later opening hours one night a week.
- Reason and evidence (logos). Show the board the library’s own records of when people arrive and how many come near closing time.
- Credibility (ethos). Explain who collected the records and how they counted visits.
- Audience concerns and feelings (pathos). Describe what an extra hour would mean to a caregiver who finishes work just before closing.
State the action you want
Ask for a specific decision. Try Thursday evening hours for four weeks, then review attendance gives the board a proposal it can evaluate. Rhetorical devices such as repetition can reinforce the request and its supporting reasons.
