

20 Repetition Examples Worth Repeating (+10 Repetition Types)
by Mary Williams
on Feb 1, 2023
We see repetition examples everywhere — in books, movies, music, and even commercials.
Advertisers use repetition to craft catchy slogans that entice us to buy. Musicians use it to create songs that get stuck in our heads. Politicians use it to persuade nations.
How can you use repetition to spice up your writing and make it memorable?
I’ll show you how.
But first, we need to start with the basics. So let’s define repetition then jump into some examples.

What is Repetition ?
Repetition is a literary device where words or phrases repeat for emphasis .
There are several types of repetition . For instance, alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds.
You might remember this consonance example from your childhood:
“Sally sells seashells by the seashore.”
Sound familiar?
But repetition is used for more than just childhood tongue twisters. If used correctly, it’ll strengthen your writing by:
- Emphasizing your message
- Boosting memorability
- Adding rhythm
- Linking ideas or topics together
But I should issue a warning.
There’s a fine line between repetition and redundancy .
For example , take the following paragraph:
He raced to the grocery store. He went inside but realized he forgot his wallet. He raced back home to grab it. Once he found it, he raced to the car again and drove back to the grocery store.
“Raced” is repeated, but it doesn’t strengthen the sentences. Instead, it sounds like the author couldn’t think of better word choices.
What follows, then, is too many filler words that confuse the reader and lose their attention.
Now compare that redundant paragraph to this repetition example :
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
Do you see how compelling that is?
It’s the opening to Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities.
Dickens’ repetition draws his readers in and encourages them to keep turning the page.
Can it do the same for you and your audience?
Let’s show you how to replicate this with more examples.
10 Types of Repetition with Examples
Repetition is an umbrella literary device that includes more specific types of stylistic tools, like alliteration , epistrophe , diacope, and others.
And here’s a hint:
Each type of repetition serves a unique purpose. The one you choose depends on what you’re trying to convey.
So let’s talk about that next.
1. Anaphora
Anaphora is the repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses .
It’s common in music, poems, and children’s books that have a rhyming element .
For example , Nico and Vinz’s song “Am I Wrong?” features this anaphora:
So am I wrong for thinking that we could be something for real? Now am I wrong for trying to reach the things that I can’t see?
Listen to how catchy this line sounds below:

Anaphora can also be used in speeches to motivate people. Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech included this repetition example :
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
See what I mean?
Repetition not only emphasized Dr. King’s point, but it made it more memorable and quotable.
2. Epizeuxis
Epizeuxis is the repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession.
Winston Churchill used epizeuxis in his address to Harrow School:
Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never -in nothing, great or small, large or petty-never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.
How’s that for a commencement speech ?
Churchill was known for his inspiring speeches that were packed full of powerful words and rhetorical devices .
But while repetition examples are common in speeches, they don’t stop there. Writers have used repetition for ages.
For example , in King Lear , William Shakespeare wrote:
And my poor fool is hanged! No, no, no life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, And thou no breath at all? Thou’lt come no more, Never, never, never, never!
In the scene above, King Lear is grieving the death of his daughter. The use of epizeuxis is a perfect choice for this scene because it strengthens the emotion.
3. Epistrophe
Epistrophe, also called “epiphora,” uses repetition at the end of independent clauses or sentences.
Many writers and speakers use epistrophe to drive home their points.
Abraham Lincoln achieved this in his “Gettysburg Address”:
Government of the people , by the people , and for the people , shall not perish from the earth.
Powerful, isn’t it?
Many musicians also love using frequent repetition to add a regular rhythm to their songs and make them catchy.
And they’re right.
We see it in Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” song:
‘Cause if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it Don’t be mad once you see that he want it
4. Negative-Positive Restatement
A negative-positive restatement states an idea twice, first in negative terms and then in positive terms. These are typically “not this, but that” statements.
For example :
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” said John F. Kennedy.
Another famous negative-positive restatement comes from Martin Luther King. He said, “Freedom is not given; it is won.”
5. Diacope
Diacope is the repetition of a single word or phrase , separated by intervening words. It comes from the Greek word thiakhop, which means “cutting in two.”
(If it helps, think of diacope as “spaced repetition”)
My favorite example comes from Michael Jordan. He said:
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Jordan first said this in a Nike ad. You can watch this short commercial below. I promise you won’t be disappointed:

Speaking of commercials, Maybelline uses a diacope in their tagline when they say, “ Maybe she’s born with it; maybe it’s Maybelline.”
6. Epanalepsis
Epanalepsis repeats words or phrases at the beginning and the end of the same sentence or clause .
“ Control, control , you must learn control ,” said Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back.
Check it out:

Epanalepsis puts a heavy emphasis on the idea you’re trying to convey.
It also uses the “primacy” and “recency” effects which means the first and last thing we hear is more likely to stick in our minds.
Some politicians love this technique. Politicians like John F. Kennedy.
He used this repetition example in his address to the United Nations:
Mankind must put an end to war — or war will put an end to mankind.
Epimone uses repetition to dwell on a point. It’s commonly used in stories where a character is pleading or commanding someone to do something.
We saw it in Oliver Goldsmith’s play, She Stoops to Conquer :
I tell you, sir, I’m serious! And now that my passions are roused, I say this house is mine , sir; this house is mine , and I command you to leave it directly.
Epimone is also used to illustrate persistence. For example , in Webster’s address to the Senate, he said:
The cause , then, Sir, the cause ! Let the world know the cause which has thus induced one State of the Union to bid defiance to the power of the whole, and openly to talk of secession.
8. Polyptoton
Polyptoton involves the repetition of words that derive from the same root word .
Here’s a famous quote from John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton:
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely .”
Remember that one?
“Absolute” and “absolutely” are different words , but they derive from the same root word .
Polyptoton is common in headlines and book titles too.
Heidi Murkoff’s popular book on pregnancy is titled What to Expect When You’re Expecting
Here’s a screenshot of the cover page:

9. Antistasis
Antistasis uses repetition to contrast two ideas. It derives from the Greek meaning “to stand against” or “opposing position.”
For example , when someone asks you:
“Are you working hard or hardly working ?”
That’s an antistasis example because it contrasts two ideas on work.
Advertisers use this technique too. The tagline of the Starkist Tuna commercials was:
“Sorry, Charlie. StarKist wants tuna that tastes good , not tuna with good taste. “
Do you see how the combination of those contrasting ideas makes you stop and think?
That’s the goal.
10. Antanaclasis
Antanaclasis repeats the same word or phrase but with a different meaning each time. This repeated phrase is also known as a pun because it’s a play on words.
Benjamin Franklin used it when he said, “Your argument is sound , nothing but sound .”
In the first part, he said the argument is solid. In the second, he discounted it as noise.
Vince Lombardi, a famous football coach, also used antanaclasis when he stated:
“If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.”

See how easy that is?
Stating the same phrases in a different way makes them wittier.
Examples of Repetition in Literature
Surprise, surprise:
Some of the best repetition examples come from books and poems.
It didn’t take long for many of the world’s most famous writers — like Shakespeare and Maya Angelou — to understand the power of this rhetorical device .
For example , Romeo and Juliet , Shakespeare used repetition when he said:
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Oh, woeful, oh woeful, woeful, woeful day!
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby , he used repetition in successive phrases to emphasize his point:
The apartment was on the top floor-a small living-room, a small dining-room, a small bedroom, and a bath.
The repeated word “small” highlights to the reader how tiny Tom’s apartment is.
Maya Angelou also knew how to use this literary technique to her advantage. In her poem , Still I Rise, she said:
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.
This repetition in poetry emphasizes Angelou’s main point and signifies her strength.
Famous Examples of Repetition in Pop Culture

Repetition is common in music because it makes it easy to sing along with the lyrics.
Here’s an example from Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog”:
You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog Cryin’ all the time You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog Cryin’ all the time
We also see repetition all the time in movies.
Because it gives us quotable movie lines that stand the test of time. Here’s a famous repetition example from Taxi Driver :
You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin’ to? You talkin’ to me? Well, I’m the only one here.
Hear this quote in action:

And then, of course, another famous repetition example comes from the James Bond series. James Bond always introduces himself as “Bond. James Bond.”
Why Write with Repetition ?
Let me ask you:
If there was an easy way to be more memorable, would you do it?
And if you could easily add emphasis to your message, would you do it?
Of course you would.
Just by using repeated elements in one sentence or paragraph, you can:
- Make your point more convincing
- Increase memorability
- Add flow to your writing
- Make your words rhyme
- Link topics or ideas together
Think of it this way.
There’s a reason why some of history’s most famous speakers used repetition — and it wasn’t for the sake of bells and whiles. You see, Winston Churchill, JFK, and Martin Luther King used it because it works.
It makes your writing more persuasive, quotable, and memorable. And in writing , that’s considered the triple threat.
Ready to Put These Repetition Examples to Work?
Using repetition is simple.
Start by choosing an idea that you want to emphasize. Then repeat words that stress that idea and make your prose more quotable.
But a friendly reminder:
Don’t overuse repetition . Just use it on thoughts or ideas that you want to carry a significant impact, or else it’ll lose its effect.
Remember my redundancy example from earlier?
You don’t want to look like a lazy writer who couldn’t find a better way to word your message.
Instead, use it like David Schwartz when he said:
“The mind is what the mind is fed.”
See how that works? Now go try it for yourself.
You’ve got this.
Mary Williams
GET PAID TO WRITE
Make 2-5k per month, even if you're a beginner . we're seeking writers of any skill level ..
Written by Mary Williams
6 thoughts on “20 repetition examples worth repeating (+10 repetition types)”.
This is an excellent read Mary. I’ve bookmarked it for ready reference. Thanks for this!
Yay, I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for reading, Prashant. 🙂
Excellent read Mary. Looks like I need to ramp up my repetition skills a bit. Thanks for the read some excellent examples on how to implement the various forms of repetition into my content marketing.
Glad you found it useful, Jay. 🙂
That was excellento. I gotta share it with my friends. I have already saved it for later.
I’m happy to hear that. Thanks, Christy!
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Latest from the blog.

Email Marketing: The Simple, Definitive Guide [2023]

12 Top Sites to Find Data Entry Jobs From Home (+ Alternatives)

Landing Page: A Rookies Guide to Amplifying Your Leads in 2023

With over 300k subscribers and 4 million readers, Smart Blogger is one of the world's largest websites dedicated to writing and blogging.
Best of the Blog
© 2012-2023 Smart Blogger — Boost Blog Traffic, Inc.
Terms | Privacy Policy | Refund Policy | Affiliate Disclosure
6 Successful Persuasive Writing Strategies
Persuasive writing is any written work that tries to convince the reader of the writer’s opinion. Aside from standard writing skills, a persuasive essay author can also draw on personal experience, logical arguments, an appeal to emotion, and compelling speech to influence readers.
Persuasive writing relies on different techniques and strategies than other written works: In a persuasive essay, it’s not enough to simply inform; you also have to convince the reader that your way of thinking is best. So to help you get started, this guide explains all the basics and provides persuasive writing examples.
Write confidently Grammarly helps you communicate the way you intend Write with Grammarly
What is persuasive writing?
Unlike other forms of writing meant to share information or entertain, persuasive writing is specifically written to persuade , which is to say it convinces the reader to agree with a certain point of view.
Persuasive essays are most closely related to argumentative essays , in that both discuss a serious issue with logical arguments and offer conclusive resolutions. The main difference between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay is that persuasive essays focus more on personal experience and appeal to emotions, whereas argumentative essays mostly stick to the facts.
Moreover, argumentative essays discuss both sides of an issue, whereas persuasive essays focus only on the author’s point of view. The language and tone in persuasive essays tend to be more conversational as well—a tactic of persuasive speech intended to build a more personal and intimate relationship between the author and reader.
>>Read More: The Only Guide to Essay Writing You’ll Ever Need
Why is persuasive writing important?
For starters, there’s always a demand for persuasive writing in the world of business. Advertising, website copywriting, and general branding all rely heavily on persuasive messaging to convince the reader to become a customer of their company.
But persuasive writing doesn’t always have to be self-serving. Historically speaking, persuasive essays have helped turn the tide in many political and social movements since the invention of the printing press.
As you can see from the persuasive writing examples below, the techniques of persuasive speech can help change or challenge majority beliefs in society. In fact, if you look into any major cultural movement of the last few centuries, you’ll find persuasive writing that helped rally the people behind a cause.
Ethos, logos, and pathos in persuasive writing
There are lots of ways to persuade people, but some methods are more effective than others. As we mention in our guide on how to write a persuasive essay , good persuasive writing utilizes what’s known as the modes of persuasion : ethos, logos, and pathos.
First put forth by Aristotle in his treatise Rhetoric from 367–322 BCE, ethos, logos, and pathos have since become the core of modern persuasive speech and should be incorporated into any persuasive essay. Let’s break them down individually.
The ancient Greek word for “character” or “spirit,” ethos in persuasive writing refers to how the author presents themself. Authorities on an issue are most likely to convince the reader, so authors of persuasive writing should establish their credibility as soon as possible.
Aristotle suggests that the author demonstrates their useful skills, virtue, and goodwill toward the reader to present themselves in the best light.
The ancient Greek word for “logic” or “rationale,” logos refers to using logical arguments and evidential data. A good writer doesn’t rely only on persuasive speech—they also back up their perspective with statistics and facts.
Logos isn’t just about backing up arguments with plenty of research (although that is essential). In persuasive writing, logos also refers to structuring your argument in the best way possible. That includes knowing how to start an essay , progressing your points in the right order, and ending with a powerful conclusion .
The ancient Greek word for “suffering” or “experience,” pathos involves an author’s appeal to emotion. As much as we’d like to think of ourselves as logical creatures, study after study has shown that humans tend to make decisions more from emotions than from reason—and a good persuasive writer is well aware of this.
Persuasive speech often “tugs at the heartstrings.” The author might share a personal experience, such as describing a painful event to either win the reader’s sympathy or urge them to consider someone else’s feelings.
Aristotle emphasizes the importance of understanding your reader before employing pathos, as different individuals can have different emotional reactions to the same writing.
Persuasive writing tips and strategies
1 choose wording carefully.
Word choice —the words and phrases you decide to use—is crucial in persuasive writing as a way to build a personal relationship with the reader. You want to always pick the best possible words and phrases in each instance to convince the reader that your opinion is right.
Persuasive writing often uses strong language, so state things definitively and avoid “ hedging .” Persuasive writing also takes advantage of emotive language—words and phrases that describe feelings—to encourage the reader to form sentimental connections to the topic.
Wordplay like puns, rhymes, and jokes also works as a good memory tool to help the reader remember key points and your central argument.
2 Ask questions
Questions are great for transitioning from one topic or paragraph to another , but in persuasive writing, they serve an additional role. Any question you write, your reader will instinctively answer in their head if they can, or at least they’ll wonder about it for a moment.
Persuasive writers can use questions to engage the reader’s critical thinking. First, questions can be used to plant ideas and lead the reader straight to the author’s answers. Second, if you’ve presented your evidence clearly and structured your argument well, simply asking the right question can lead the reader to the author’s conclusion on their own—the ultimate goal of persuasive writing.
3 Write a clear thesis statement
A thesis statement openly communicates the central idea or theme of a piece of writing. In a persuasive essay, your thesis statement is essentially the point of view that you’re trying to convince the reader of.
It’s best to include a clear, transparent thesis statement in the introduction or opening of your essay to avoid confusion. You’ll have a hard time trying to convince the reader if they don’t know what you’re talking about.
4 Draw a persuasion map
A persuasion map is like an outline of your argument, designed as a writing tool to help writers organize their thoughts. While there are different formats to choose from, they all typically involve listing out your main points and then the evidence and examples to back up each of those points.
Persuasion maps work great for people who often lose track of their ideas when writing or for people who have trouble staying organized. It’s a great tool to use before you write your outline, so you know everything you want to include before deciding on the order.
5 Speak directly to the reader
As we’ve mentioned above, the relationship between the author and reader is quite significant in persuasive writing. One strategy to develop that bond is to speak directly to the reader, sometimes even addressing them directly as “you.”
Speaking to the reader is an effective strategy in writing. It makes the writing feel more like a conversation, even if it is one-sided, and can encourage the reader to lower their defenses a little and consider your points with an open mind.
6 Repeat your main arguments
Repetition is a classic technique in persuasive writing as a way to get ideas into your readers’ heads. For one thing, repetition is an excellent memory aid, as any teacher will tell you. The more someone hears something, the more likely they are to remember it. In persuasive writing, however, repetition can also influence readers’ way of thinking.
Repeating the same idea over and over essentially normalizes it. When combined with substantial evidence and rationality, repetition can make even radical ideas seem more grounded.
Examples of persuasive writing
As mentioned above, persuasive essays have assisted in many major historical events and movements, often when society was undergoing a significant shift in beliefs. Below are three such persuasive writing examples from different periods of American history:
- Common Sense by Thomas Paine (1776): Not all colonial Americans thought a revolution against England was a good idea. Thomas Paine released this forty-seven-page pamphlet to the general public to convince them the American Revolution was not only a good idea but also an ethical one.
- Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States by Susan B. Anthony, et al. (1876): Written in the style of the Declaration of Independence, this document outlined the requests of the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). Mentioning the hardships of women and calling out the inequality between genders, this printed pamphlet was distributed illegally at the centennial Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia.
- Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963): Imprisoned for a nonviolent protest, King wrote this persuasive essay in response to published criticism of the Civil Rights Movement by Southern religious leaders. Although the essay addressed the critics directly, it was simultaneously approachable to anyone interested in King’s point of view.
Persuasive writing FAQs
What is persuasive writing?
Persuasive writing is a text in which the author tries to convince the reader of their point of view. Unlike academic papers and other formal writing, persuasive writing tries to appeal to emotion alongside factual evidence and data to support its claims.
What is an example of persuasive writing?
Some famous examples of persuasive writing throughout history include Common Sense by Thomas Paine, the Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States by Susan B. Anthony, et al., and Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr.
What are different types of persuasive writing?
While persuasive essays are the most famous example of persuasive writing, the same style also applies to writing in advertising, journalistic op-ed pieces, public speeches, public service announcements, and critical reviews.

Ideas, Inspiration, and Giveaways for Teachers
We Are Teachers
35 Strong Persuasive Writing Examples (Speeches, Essays, Ads, and More)
Learn from the experts.
The more we read, the better writers we become. Teaching students to write strong persuasive essays should always start with reading some top-notch models. This round-up of persuasive writing examples includes famous speeches, influential ad campaigns, contemporary reviews of famous books, and more. Use them to inspire your students to write their own essays. (Need persuasive essay topics? Check out our list of 60 interesting ideas here! )
- Persuasive Speeches
- Advertising Campaigns
- Persuasive Essays
Persuasive Speech Writing Examples
Many persuasive speeches are political in nature, often addressing subjects like human rights. Here are some of history’s most well-known persuasive writing examples in the form of speeches.
I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Sample lines: “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
Woodrow Wilson’s War Message to Congress, 1917
Sample lines: “There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.”
Chief Seattle’s 1854 Oration
Sample lines: “I here and now make this condition that we will not be denied the privilege without molestation of visiting at any time the tombs of our ancestors, friends, and children. Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.”
Women’s Rights Are Human Rights, Hillary Rodham Clinton
Sample lines: “What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well. … If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all.”
I Am Prepared to Die, Nelson Mandela
Sample lines: “Above all, My Lord, we want equal political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent. I know this sounds revolutionary to the whites in this country, because the majority of voters will be Africans. This makes the white man fear democracy. But this fear cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee racial harmony and freedom for all. It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. Political division, based on color, is entirely artificial and, when it disappears, so will the domination of one color group by another. … This then is what the ANC is fighting. Our struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by our own suffering and our own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live.”
The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt
Sample lines: “It is my belief, and I am sure it is also yours, that the struggle for democracy and freedom is a critical struggle, for their preservation is essential to the great objective of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. Among free men the end cannot justify the means. We know the patterns of totalitarianism—the single political party, the control of schools, press, radio, the arts, the sciences, and the church to support autocratic authority; these are the age-old patterns against which men have struggled for 3,000 years. These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression. The United Nations must hold fast to the heritage of freedom won by the struggle of its people; it must help us to pass it on to generations to come.”
Freedom From Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi
Sample lines: “Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.”
Harvey Milk’s “The Hope” Speech
Sample lines: “Some people are satisfied. And some people are not. You see there is a major difference—and it remains a vital difference—between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office. Gay people have been slandered nationwide. We’ve been tarred and we’ve been brushed with the picture of pornography. In Dade County, we were accused of child molestation. It is not enough anymore just to have friends represent us, no matter how good that friend may be.”
The Strike and the Union, Cesar Chavez
Sample lines: “We are showing our unity in our strike. Our strike is stopping the work in the fields; our strike is stopping ships that would carry grapes; our strike is stopping the trucks that would carry the grapes. Our strike will stop every way the grower makes money until we have a union contract that guarantees us a fair share of the money he makes from our work! We are a union and we are strong and we are striking to force the growers to respect our strength!”
Nobel Lecture by Malala Yousafzai
Sample lines: “The world can no longer accept that basic education is enough. Why do leaders accept that for children in developing countries, only basic literacy is sufficient, when their own children do homework in algebra, mathematics, science, and physics? Leaders must seize this opportunity to guarantee a free, quality, primary and secondary education for every child. Some will say this is impractical, or too expensive, or too hard. Or maybe even impossible. But it is time the world thinks bigger.”
Persuasive Writing Examples in Advertising Campaigns
Ads are prime persuasive writing examples. You can flip open any magazine or watch TV for an hour or two to see sample after sample of persuasive language. Here are some of the most popular ad campaigns of all time, with links to articles explaining why they were so successful.
Nike: Just Do It

The iconic swoosh with the simple tagline has persuaded millions to buy their kicks from Nike and Nike alone. Teamed with pro sports star endorsements, this campaign is one for the ages. Blinkist offers an opinion on what made it work.
Dove: Real Beauty
Beauty brand Dove changed the game by choosing “real” women to tell their stories instead of models. They used relatable images and language to make connections, and inspired other brands to try the same concept. Learn why Global Brands considers this one a true success story.
Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef?
Today’s kids are too young to remember the cranky old woman demanding to know where the beef was on her fast-food hamburger. But in the 1980s, it was a catchphrase that sold millions of Wendy’s burgers. Learn from Better Marketing how this ad campaign even found its way into the 1984 presidential debate.
De Beers: A Diamond Is Forever

A diamond engagement ring has become a standard these days, but the tradition isn’t as old as you might think. In fact, it was De Beers jewelry company’s 1948 campaign that created the modern engagement ring trend. The Drum has the whole story of this sparkling campaign.
Volkswagen: Think Small
Americans have always loved big cars. So in the 1960s, when Volkswagen wanted to introduce their small cars to a bigger market, they had a problem. The clever “Think Small” campaign gave buyers clever reasons to consider these models, like “If you run out of gas, it’s easy to push.” Learn how advertisers interested American buyers in little cars at Visual Rhetoric.
American Express: Don’t Leave Home Without It
AmEx was once better known for traveler’s checks than credit cards, and the original slogan was “Don’t leave home without them.” A simple word change convinced travelers that American Express was the credit card they needed when they headed out on adventures. Discover more about this persuasive campaign from Medium.
Skittles: Taste the Rainbow

These candy ads are weird and intriguing and probably not for everyone. But they definitely get you thinking, and that often leads to buying. Learn more about why these wacky ads are successful from The Drum.
Maybelline: Maybe She’s Born With It
Smart wordplay made this ad campaign slogan an instant hit. The ads teased, “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.” (So many literary devices all in one phrase!) Fashionista has more on this beauty campaign.
Coca-Cola: Share a Coke
Seeing their own name on a bottle made teens more likely to want to buy a Coke. What can that teach us about persuasive writing in general? It’s an interesting question to consider. Learn more about the “Share a Coke” campaign from Digital Vidya.
Always: #LikeaGirl

Talk about the power of words! This Always campaign turned the derogatory phrase “like a girl” on its head, and the world embraced it. Storytelling is an important part of persuasive writing, and these ads really do it well. Medium has more on this stereotype-bashing campaign.
Editorial Persuasive Writing Examples

Source: New York Daily News
Newspaper editors or publishers use editorials to share their personal opinions. Noted politicians, experts, or pundits may also offer their opinions on behalf of the editors or publishers. Here are a couple of older well-known editorials, along with a selection from current newspapers.
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1897)
Sample lines: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.”
What’s the Matter With Kansas? (1896)
Sample lines: “Oh, this IS a state to be proud of! We are a people who can hold up our heads! What we need is not more money, but less capital, fewer white shirts and brains, fewer men with business judgment, and more of those fellows who boast that they are ‘just ordinary clodhoppers, but they know more in a minute about finance than John Sherman,’ we need more men … who hate prosperity, and who think, because a man believes in national honor, he is a tool of Wall Street.”
America Can Have Democracy or Political Violence. Not Both. (The New York Times)
Sample lines: “The nation is not powerless to stop a slide toward deadly chaos. If institutions and individuals do more to make it unacceptable in American public life, organized violence in the service of political objectives can still be pushed to the fringes. When a faction of one of the country’s two main political parties embraces extremism, that makes thwarting it both more difficult and more necessary. A well-functioning democracy demands it.”
The Booster Isn’t Perfect, But Still Can Help Against COVID (The Washington Post)
Sample lines: “The booster shots are still free, readily available and work better than the previous boosters even as the virus evolves. Much still needs to be done to build better vaccines that protect longer and against more variants, including those that might emerge in the future. But it is worth grabbing the booster that exists today, the jab being a small price for any measure that can help keep COVID at bay.”
If We Want Wildlife to Thrive in L.A., We Have To Share Our Neighborhoods With Them (Los Angeles Times)
Sample lines: “If there are no corridors for wildlife movement and if excessive excavation of dirt to build bigger, taller houses erodes the slope of a hillside, then we are slowly destroying wildlife habitat. For those people fretting about what this will do to their property values—isn’t open space, trees, and wildlife an amenity in these communities?”
Persuasive Review Writing Examples

Source: The New York Times
Book or movie reviews are more great persuasive writing examples. Look for those written by professionals for the strongest arguments and writing styles. Here are reviews of some popular books and movies by well-known critics to use as samples.
The Great Gatsby (The Chicago Tribune, 1925)
Sample lines: “What ails it, fundamentally, is the plain fact that it is simply a story—that Fitzgerald seems to be far more interested in maintaining its suspense than in getting under the skins of its people. It is not that they are false: It is that they are taken too much for granted. Only Gatsby himself genuinely lives and breathes. The rest are mere marionettes—often astonishingly lifelike, but nevertheless not quite alive.”
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Washington Post, 1999)
Sample lines: “Obviously, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone should make any modern 11-year-old a very happy reader. The novel moves quickly, packs in everything from a boa constrictor that winks to a melancholy Zen-spouting centaur to an owl postal system, and ends with a scary surprise. Yet it is, essentially, a light-hearted thriller, interrupted by occasional seriousness (the implications of Harry’s miserable childhood, a moral about the power of love).”
Twilight (The Telegraph, 2009)
Sample lines: “No secret, of course, at whom this book is aimed, and no doubt, either, that it has hit its mark. The four Twilight novels are not so much enjoyed, as devoured, by legions of young female fans worldwide. That’s not to say boys can’t enjoy these books; it’s just that the pages of heart-searching dialogue between Edward and Bella may prove too long on chat and too short on action for the average male reader.”
To Kill a Mockingbird (Time, 1960)
Sample lines: “Author Lee, 34, an Alabaman, has written her first novel with all of the tactile brilliance and none of the preciosity generally supposed to be standard swamp-warfare issue for Southern writers. The novel is an account of an awakening to good and evil, and a faint catechistic flavor may have been inevitable. But it is faint indeed; novelist Lee’s prose has an edge that cuts through cant, and she teaches the reader an astonishing number of useful truths about little girls and about Southern life.”
The Diary of Anne Frank (The New York Times, 1952)
Sample lines: “And this quality brings it home to any family in the world today. Just as the Franks lived in momentary fear of the Gestapo’s knock on their hidden door, so every family today lives in fear of the knock of war. Anne’s diary is a great affirmative answer to the life-question of today, for she shows how ordinary people, within this ordeal, consistently hold to the greater human values.”
Persuasive Essay Writing Examples

From the earliest days of print, authors have used persuasive essays to try to sway others to their own point of view. Check out these top examples.
The American Crisis by Thomas Paine
Sample lines: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.”
Politics and the English Language by George Orwell
Sample lines: “As I have tried to show, modern writing at its worst does not consist in picking out words for the sake of their meaning and inventing images in order to make the meaning clearer. It consists in gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else, and making the results presentable by sheer humbug.”
Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Sample lines: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was ‘well timed’ in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’ We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ‘justice too long delayed is justice denied.'”
Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
Sample lines: “Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.”
Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Roger Ebert
Sample lines: “‘Kindness’ covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime.”
What are your favorite persuasive writing examples to use with students? Come share your ideas in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .
Plus, the big list of essay topics for high school (100+ ideas) ..

Jill Staake is a Contributing Editor with WeAreTeachers. She has a degree in Secondary English Education and has taught in middle and high school classrooms. She's also done training and curriculum design for a financial institution and been a science museum educator. She currently lives in Tampa, Florida where she often works on her back porch while taking frequent breaks for bird-watching and gardening.
You must be logged in to post a comment.

We're sorry, this computer has been flagged for suspicious activity.
If you are a member, we ask that you confirm your identity by entering in your email.
You will then be sent a link via email to verify your account.
If you are not a member or are having any other problems, please contact customer support.
Thank you for your cooperation
Definition of Repetition
Common examples of repetition, examples of repetition in movie lines, famous examples of repetition, differences between repetition of sounds.
In addition to using repeating words and phrases as a literary device, writers may use repetition of sounds as well. Overall, the repetition of sound can provide rhythm , pacing , and musicality to a work of poetry or prose. These types of repeated sounds are consonance , assonance , and alliteration .
Writing Repetition
It’s essential that writers bear in mind that their audience may experience fatigue if repetition is overused. As a literary device, repetition should be used deliberately and not just for the sake of repeating a word or phrase. However, when used properly, repetition can be an influential device in writing.
Sense of Rhythm
Create emphasis, purpose of repetition in literature, use of repetition in sentences, examples of repetition in literature, example 1: macbeth (william shakespeare).
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow , Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death.
Example 2: A Dog Has Died (Pablo Neruda; translated by Alfred Yankauer)
My dog has died. I buried him in the garden next to a rusted old machine. Some day I’ll join him right there, but now he’s gone with his shaggy coat, his bad manners and his cold nose, and I, the materialist, who never believed in any promised heaven in the sky for any human being, I believe in a heaven I’ll never enter. Yes, I believe in a heaven for all dogdom where my dog waits for my arrival waving his fan-like tail in friendship.
Example 3: The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (Carson McCullers)
But the hearts of small children are delicate organs. A cruel beginning in this world can twist them into curious shapes. The heart of a hurt child can shrink so that forever afterward it is hard and pitted as the seed of a peach. Or again, the heart of such a child may fester and swell until it is a misery to carry within the body, easily chafed and hurt by the most ordinary things.
Synonyms of Repetition
Related posts:, post navigation.
How to Use Repetition to Write Persuasively
One of the best ways to write persuasively is by repetition – saying an idea more than once.
Rather, handle with care.
First, the Why
It’s not just theory. Studies reveal a psychological basis for the power of repetition.
Think about what happens when you enter the grocery store. Perhaps you start your shopping in the dairy section, followed by the cereal, then the condiments aisle – every time – because you are familiar with the store layout and know where to find your favorite items.
And get this: we fear what may be new or different.
Let’s switch gears from the why (you’re convinced, right?) to the how.
Use the same word or phrase
Use variations.
Find words or phrases that convey the same idea as your keyword. For instance, in place of my keyword, I use variations like repeat, over and over, again, more, and restate. Become best friends with your thesaurus. Here's another way to repeat your idea without using the same word .
Use a refrain
The fancy word is anaphora – that is, repeating a word or set words at the beginning of sections or clauses, like a refrain. A classic example is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, in which he restated the phrase “I have a dream” eight times.
Use different structures
Make your point in several different ways with different devices: tell a story . Cite a statistic . Quote a celebrity. Provide a compare/contrast illustration. Use a metaphor.
Too Much of a Good Thing? A Word of Caution
A word repeated too often.
If you repeat a word or phrase too much, you run the risk of appearing amateurish.
An Idea Repeated Too Often
If you repeat an idea too much you can alienate your reader, say social psychologists John T. Cacioppo and Richard E. Petty. Their studies in the 1970s and 1980s found that repeating too much made readers disagree, perhaps as a defense.
You can work around this by purposely offering an opposing view or pointing out obstacles, as I’m doing right now. By raising objections, you tell the whole truth.
Which in the end, helps persuade your reader – the whole point of repeating yourself, anyway.
More Persuasive Writing Tips
Use A FOREST as a Persuasive Writing Checklist ...
Pillars that Persuade: Understand the 3 Persuasive Writing Basics ...
"In Other Words": Use This Phrase to Repeat Yourself (Subtly) ...
Top 10 Persuasive Copywriting Techniques ...
Persuasive Copywriting Technique 1: the one question you MUST answer ...
Persuasive Copywriting Technique 2: write to a real person ...
Persuasive Copywriting Technique 3: tell a good story ...
Persuasive Copywriting Technique 4: give them the facts ...
10 Kinds of Facts That Persuade ...
Persuasive copywriting techniques 5: offer social proof ...
Persuasive Writing Technique 9: Raise (and Refute) Your Reader's Objections ...
5 Basic Objections: How to Raise Them and Refute Them ...
Persuasive Copywriting Technique: the power of "because" explains why ...
More persuasive writing tips on our Pinterest board ...
Return from How to Use Repetition to Nonprofit Copywriter home
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?
- Click on the HTML link code below.
- Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

- Blog: What's New!
- Online Writing Courses
- Writing Community
Writing Resources
- 5 Simple Writing Tips
Freelance Writing Tips
- Freelance Writing
- The Writing Life
- Content Writing Basics
- Copywriting Basics
- Copywriting Formulas
- The Writing Process
- Self-Editing Tips
- Quick Writing Tips
Christian Writing Tips
- Christian Writing
- Tips for Devotionals
- Devotionals for Writers
Writing Project Tips
- Tips for Writing Articles
- Tips for Writing a Book
- Tips for Blogging
- Tips for Writing eBooks
- Tips for Fundraising Letters
- Tips for Writing Email
- Tips for Writing Headlines
- Tips for Writing Letters
- Tips for Newsletters
- Tips for Online Writing
- Tips for Social Media
- Tips for Writing Testimonials
- Tips for Writing Websites
Tips for Nonprofits
- Writing Tips for Nonprofits
- Tips for Grant Writing
- Tips for Strategic Planning
- Tips for Business Plan Writing
More Writing TIps
- Tips for Story Writing
- Tips for Writing Resumes
- Tips for Other Projects
- Books for Writers
- Persuasive Writing
- Power Words
- Writing Courses
- A Wise Word
- Submissions
- Privacy Policy
Search This Site
Share this page, stop wasting time.
Grab your exclusive FREE guide, "5 Simple Writing Tips You Can Put to Use in 10 Minutes or Less"
Get more writing tips like these each week in your inbox for free . Learn more .
© Copyright 2004-2023 NonprofitCopywriter.com and Kathy Widenhouse All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission.
Persuasive Essay Guide
Persuasive Essay Examples

32 Persuasive Essay Examples to Help You Get Started
Published on: Jul 25, 2018
Last updated on: Feb 22, 2023

On This Page On This Page
Are you seeking to improve your persuasive writing skills?
Reading essay examples is a great way to help you become a better writer. Reading sample essays can provide valuable insight into how to effectively construct your argument.
But searching for good examples to read is not easy. However, you need not worry, as we have gathered the most helpful persuasive essays right here!
So, if you are looking for some good persuasive essay examples to write your essay, look no further. Continue reading this blog and explore various examples to help you get started.
Persuasive Essay Writing Examples
A persuasive essay aims to convince the reader of the author’s point of view.
It is always beneficial to go through different examples to get the proper direction of your essay. Similarly, good essay examples also help to avoid any potential pitfalls and offer clear information to the readers to adopt.
Here are some easy persuasive writing essay examples for you to master the art of persuasion. These are divided into several categories according to the grade levels and subjects.
3rd-grade Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Example for 3rd-grade
4th-grade Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Example for 4th-grade
Persuasive Essay Example 5th-grade pdf
Persuasive Essay Example for 5th-grade
Persuasive Essay Examples for 6th Grade pdf
7th-grade Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Example for 7th-grade

8th-grade Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Example for 8th-grade
10th-grade Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Example for 10th-grade
11th-grade Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Example for 11th-grade
Persuasive Writing Example for Kids
Persuasive Essay Examples for High School
The following are good persuasive essay examples for high school. Having a look at them will help you understand better.
Persuasive Essay Example for High-school
Examples of Persuasive Essay in Everyday Life
Persuasive Essay Examples for Middle School
Check out these persuasive essay examples for middle school to get a comprehensive idea of the format structure.
Middle School Persuasive Essay Example
Short Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Examples for College
Essay writing at the college level becomes more difficult and complicated. We have provided you with top-notch college persuasive and argumentative essay examples here. Read them to understand the essay writing process easily.
Persuasive Essay Example for College
English Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay About Smoking
Argumentative and Persuasive Example
Persuasive Essay Examples for University
It becomes even more challenging to draft a perfect essay at the university level. Have a look at the below examples of a persuasive essay to get an idea of writing one.
Persuasive Essay Example for University
5 Paragraph Persuasive Essay Example

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!
Persuasive Essay Examples for Different Formats
A persuasive essay can be written in several formats. For instance, you can write the usual 5-paragraph essay, or even something longer or shorter. Below are a few sample essays in various common formats.
These examples tell you how to remain convincing and persuasive regardless of the essay format you use.
Persuasive Essay Examples 5 Paragraph
Persuasive Essay Examples 3 Paragraph
Short Persuasive Essay Examples
Persuasive Essay Outline Examples
Creating an impressive outline is the most important step for writing a persuasive essay. It helps to organize thoughts and make the writing process easier.
A standard outline consists of the following sections.
- Introduction
- Body Paragraphs
Have a look at the following persuasive essay outline template examples.
Persuasive Essay Outline
Persuasive Essay Template
Writing a Persuasive Essay - A Detailed Example
Writing a persuasive essay requires good research and writing skills. Similarly, it also demands a good understanding of both sides of an issue. Only then, a writer will be able to justify why his opinion is correct, and the opposing view is incorrect.
Below is an example that will help you to write a persuasive essay in no time.
Writing A Persuasive Essay - A Detailed Example
How to Start a Persuasive Essay Examples
The introduction is the first paragraph of any essay. It also serves as a first chance to impress the audience. Thus, it should have a clear purpose and structure.
Remember, if you do not know how to start an essay, you will never be able to get an A grade.
A compelling persuasive essay introduction must have the following elements.
- Hook statement + Topic
- A strong thesis statement
- Your arguments
Check out the below document to explore some sample persuasion essay introductions.
A Good Start for a Persuasive Essay - Short Example
Introduction Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Thesis Statement Examples
Persuasive Essay Hook Examples
How to End a Persuasive Essay Examples
Just like the introduction, the conclusion of the persuasive essay is equally important. It is considered as the last impression of your writing piece to the audience.
A good conclusion paragraph must include the following aspects.
- Restate the thesis statement or hypothesis
- Summarize the key arguments
- Avoid being obvious
- Include a call to action
Have a look at the document to explore the sample conclusions of a persuasive essay.
Conclusion Persuasive Essay Example
Catchy Persuasive Essay Topics
Now that you have read some good examples, it's time to write your own persuasive essay.
But what should you write about? Here is a list of ten persuasive essay topics that you can use to grab your reader's attention and make them think:
- Should the government increase taxes to fund public health initiatives?
- Is the current education system effective in preparing students for college and the workplace?
- Should there be tighter gun control laws?
- Should schools have uniforms or a dress code?
- Are standardized tests an accurate measure of student performance?
- Should students be required to take physical education courses?
- Is undocumented immigration a legitimate cause for concern in the United States?
- Is affirmative action still necessary in today’s society?
- How much, if any, regulation should there be on technology companies?
- Is the death penalty an appropriate form of punishment for serious crimes?
Check out two examples on similar topics:
Political Persuasive Essay Examples
Persuasive Essay Example About Life
You can also check our blog about persuasive essay topics for more interesting topics.
Summing up,
Essay examples and samples are indeed the best way to learn to write any type of essay. They help students to write a well-organized and perfect piece of writing.
However, there are cases when people require further help in the essay writing process. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to choose a persuasive essay writing service .
MyPerfectWords.com offers professional writing services to help with your academic assignments. Our team of persuasive essay writers is highly qualified, knowledgeable, and experienced to produce well-written essays.
Place your order now to hire our essay writer !
Caleb S. (Literature, Marketing)
Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.
People also read
How to Write a Persuasive Essay - Step by Step Guide
Best Persuasive Essay Topics - 200+ Interesting Ideas
Learn How to Create a Persuasive Essay Outline
Read These Examples & Write Impressive Persuasive Essay About Gun Control
Write the Best Persuasive Essay About Covid19 With Examples & Tips
Crafting a Convincing Persuasive Essay About Abortion
Learn to Write Persuasive Essay About Business With Examples and Tips
Check Out 12 Persuasive Essay About Online Education Examples
Persuasive Essay About Smoking - Making a Powerful Argument with Examples
Share this article
Keep reading

We value your privacy
We use cookies to improve your experience and give you personalized content. Do you agree to our cookie policy?
Website Data Collection
We use data collected by cookies and JavaScript libraries.
Are you sure you want to cancel?
Your preferences have not been saved.
- Words with Friends Cheat
- Wordle Solver
- Word Unscrambler
- Scrabble Dictionary
- Anagram Solver
- Wordscapes Answers
Make Our Dictionary Yours
Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get:
- Grammar and writing tips
- Fun language articles
- #WordOfTheDay and quizzes
By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .
We'll see you in your inbox soon.
Repetition Examples in Literature and Writing

- DESCRIPTION repetition in writing example
- SOURCE RapidEye / E+ / Getty Images
Repetition is the act of repeating or restating something more than once. In writing, repetition can occur at many levels: with individual letters and sounds, single words, phrases, or even ideas. Repetition can be problematic in writing if it leads to dull work, but it can also be an effective poetic or rhetorical strategy to strengthen your message, as our examples of repetition in writing demonstrate.
Repetition of Sounds
Choosing words that repeat the same consonant or vowel sounds can help to make your writing more memorable. Many sound repetition techniques were first developed by scops , Old English poets, who memorized lengthy stories and poems to pass down orally in an age when most people were illiterate. Because repetition of sounds serves as a powerful mnemonic device, careful use will help your readers remember your point more easily.
Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds, often at the beginning of a word:
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Alliteration can also occur in the middle of the word, provided it's on a stressed or accented syllable in normal pronunciation:
Peter Piper's repasts were unpicked peas.
Check out a famous literary example from Maya Angelou’s Why the Caged Bird Sings :
Up the aisle, the moans and screams merged with the sickening smell of woolen black clothes worn in summer weather and green leaves wilting over yellow flowers.
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds, which can occur at any point in the word:
His lips will slip the truth eventually.
Edgar Allen Poe includes assonance in his poem The Bells :
Hear the mellow wedding bells.
Consonance is a more general repetition of consonant sounds, where the sounds can occur at any point in the word:
Susie suddenly whistled to call the cats to supper.
George Wither used consonance effectively in his poem Shall I Wasting in Despair . Notice the repetition of d, f and r.
Great, or good, or kind, or fair, I will ne’er the more despair; If she love me, this believe, I will die ere she shall grieve;
Rhyme is a highly specialized repetition of sound in which the sound of the final accented syllable in a word or line, and everything that comes after it, is repeated in another word or group of words:
The crowd was wowed by the Flyin' Lion.
View a famous example of rhyme in Nature’s Way by Heidi Campbell. Notice how the last word in each line rhymes.
Upon a nice mid-spring day, Let’s take a look at Nature’s way. Breathe the scent of nice fresh air, Feel the breeze within your hair.
Repetition of Words
Repeating the same word several times in writing can serve to emphasize its importance. There are several rhetorical devices that writers use to make their point clearer and more memorable. These devices can be used in both poetry and prose.
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or short phrase at the beginning of several lines of sentences. Check out a few examples.
We resolve to be brave. We resolve to be good. We resolve to uphold the law according to our oath.
See anaphora used in action in Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities through the repetition of it was the :
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
Antistasis is the repetition of a word or phrase in which the second meaning is the opposite - or at least very different - from the first. Check out a few different examples.
Benjamin Franklin’s use of antistasis:
We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. - Benjamin Franklin
You can also see antistasis used in Shakespeare’s King Lear in the meaning of nothing.
Kent: This is nothing, Fool. Fool: Then tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer--you gave me nothing for't. Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle? Lear: Why, no, boy. Nothing can be made out of nothing.
Conduplicatio
Conduplicatio is the repetition of a word in several different places within a paragraph, often to explain a concept's meaning or importance. View a few examples.
Robert F. Kennedy’s Statement of the Assassination of MLK:
So I ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King ... but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love - a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke.
This can also be seen in John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost :
Then thou thy regal Sceptre shalt lay be, For regal Sceptre then no more shall need, God shall be All in All. But all ye Gods, Adore him, who to compass all this dies, Adore the Son, an honor him as mee.
In a diacope , the repeated words are separated by the addition of new words placed between them, which can either alter or enhance the meaning.
To find a famous example, look no further than William Shakespeare’s Hamlet .
To be, or not to be, that is the question.
Epanalepsis
Epanalepsis is the repetition of a word at the beginning and at the end of a line or sentence:
Hungry cats lash out not because they are mean, but because they are hungry.
Dive into this famous example of epanalepsis used by Sherman Alexie’s in Valediction in this excerpt.
But these dark times are just like those dark times. Yes, my sad acquaintance, each dark time is Indistinguishable from the other dark times.
Epimone is the repetition of a word, phrase, or idea to dwell on its larger significance. See this in action through a quote by Joan Didion.
We forget all too soon the things we thought we could never forget. We forget the loves and the betrayals alike, forget what we whispered and what we screamed, forget who we were.
For a famous literary example of epimone, check out Othello .
Put money in thy purse. Follow thou the wars, defeat thy favor with an usurped beard. I say, put money in thy purse. It cannot be long that Desdemona should continue her love to the Moor—put money in thy purse—nor he his to her. It was a violent commencement in her, and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration—put but money in thy purse.
Epiphora , also known as epistrophe , is the repetition of a word or short phrase at the end of a series of sentences or clauses:
We live for freedom. We love our freedom. Eventually, we are even willing to die for our freedom.
Epiphora can be seen in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest through the repetition of ‘you’.
Hourly joys be still upon you! Juno sings her blessings on you … Scarcity and want shall shun you, Ceres’ blessing so is on you.
Epizeuxis is the repetition of a word or very short phrase one right after the other:
The day at the beach was fun, fun, fun.
Check out the repetition of ‘no beggar’ in Charles Dickens's David Copperfield .
Mr. Dick shook his head, as utterly renouncing the suggestion; and having replied a great many times, and with great confidence, 'No beggar, no beggar, no beggar, sir!’
Negative-Positive Restatement
A negative-positive restatement repeats an idea in a similar sentence structure, but changes it to make a contrast. These are often "not this, but that" statements.
Oscar Wilde used this device in The Picture of Dorian Gray .
The tragedy of old age is not that one is old, but that one is young.
A polyptoton is the repetition of the same root word but with different endings or forms. You can see this through George W. Bush’s line.
But I'm the decider, and I decide what is best.
You can also see this in The Dry Salvages by T.S. Eliot through withering and withered and drift and drifting in the excerpt:
No end to the withering of withered flowers, To the movement of pain that is painless and motionless, To the drift of the sea and the drifting wreckage
Unnecessary Repetition
Sometimes repetition in writing is not used intentionally. It may be that the writer has a limited vocabulary or added phrases or clauses that repeat a word or idea without adding to the overall meaning or impact of the piece. In these cases, repetition should be avoided, as they can bog down your writing and make it dull or difficult for your reader to follow. For example:
The man spent a long time finding the right ingredients at the grocery store but was too tired to make dinner after getting home from the grocery store.
In this sentence, it is not necessary to mention the grocery store twice. Either one of the phrases can be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence.
When Eleanor learned that her grandmother's middle name was Eleanor, Eleanor realized why her mother named her Eleanor.
In this sentence, "Eleanor" is used too many times. This excess repetition can be addressed by substituting pronouns or using a short phrase to replace the name as needed.
Using Repetition Wisely
Careful writers use repetition to enhance their work without overusing words and phrases to the point of boring their readers. Careful writers also know that repeating a strong word is better than replacing it with a weak one that doesn't work as well.
If you're not sure if your writing is using repetition well, try reading it out loud. Your ear will catch too much repetition, and you can reword your work with pronouns , synonyms , or even a whole new sentence to smooth out the flow before you share it with others.
Persuasive Writing

About this Strategy Guide
This strategy guide focuses on persuasive writing and offers specific methods on how you can help your students use it to improve their critical writing and thinking skills.
Research Basis
Strategy in practice, related resources.
Students often score poorly on persuasive writing assessments because they have no authentic audience or purpose; thus their counterarguments and rebuttals are weak. However, if they see writing as personally meaningful and a useful way to express their needs and desires, they will want to improve their skills in writing style, content, spelling, and other mechanics. Research shows that young children are capable of anticipating their readers’ beliefs and expectations when writing for familiar readers to get something they want and when prompted to think about their audience’s perspective while writing. 1 Teachers can also guide students to analyze examples of persuasive writing and understand the author’s purpose. Before writing a persuasive piece, students should understand how persuasion is used orally in everyday life by practicing making short, convincing speeches about something that’s important to them. 2 1 Wollman-Bonilla, J. (2000). Family message journals: Teaching writing through family involvement. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
2 Wollman-Bonilla, J. (2000). Family message journals: Teaching writing through family involvement. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
Here are some ways you can help your students master persuasive writing:
- Have students listen to and analyze various persuasive speeches and writings in the media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, television, and the Internet), looking for words, phrases, and techniques (e.g., reasons, repetition, counterarguments, comparisons) that are designed to persuade. This improves critical reading and thinking skills. The Persuasive Strategies PowerPoint offers some of the more common techniques.
- Break down the elements of a persuasive speech or piece of writing: an introduction that states the position clearly, at least three pieces of evidence to support the position, and a conclusion that restates the topic and summarizes the main points. The interactive Persuasion Map provides a framework to help students organize their ideas before writing.
- Challenge students to address what people currently believe about the issue so that they can convince them to change through counterarguments. Have them interview 5–10 people (with varying perspectives) about their current beliefs on an issue and create a graph to see patterns in people’s arguments. Students can mention these different beliefs toward the beginning of their writing piece before they make their own argument.
- Find authentic opportunities for students to write persuasive letters to family or community, speeches, classified advertisements, and other persuasive pieces. After a unit on recycling, for example, students could write a persuasive letter to their families to convince them to recycle more. Or students might write to their school librarian and try to convince him or her to purchase something in particular for the library. The Speechwriting Website offers a student tutorial, tips from the pros, and audio samples of other students’ writing.
- Incorporate peer review techniques so students analyze and improve each other’s persuasive arguments (oral or written). See Teaching Writing: Peer Review for further guidance. Use the Peer Review Guidelines for Persuasive Letters to guide students’ review of persuasive letters.
- Challenge students to differentiate fact and opinion from an article. Start by discussing short examples to see if students understand the difference. Use the Fact vs. Opinion handout from Education Oasis to reinforce this concept.
- Show students examples of how community discussion on an issue can lead to alternative positions that take different people’s needs into account, perhaps by looking in the editorial section of the local newspaper. Issues such as adding bike paths or improving parks might be interesting for the students to follow. You might encourage them to participate by having them write a letter to the editor.
- Encourage students to participate in online role-play, respond to YouTube videos or blogs, or create their own websites as ways for students to debate a real issue with a broader audience.
Vary the types of assignments you give to meet the different learning needs, styles, and interests of your students. If students sense that voicing their opinions may lead to change, it can motivate them to formulate effective arguments for their positions and propose possible solutions.
- Lesson Plans
- Student Interactives
- Calendar Activities
- Strategy Guides
Through a classroom game and resource handouts, students learn about the techniques used in persuasive oral arguments and apply them to independent persuasive writing activities.
Students analyze rhetorical strategies in online editorials, building knowledge of strategies and awareness of local and national issues. This lesson teaches students connections between subject, writer, and audience and how rhetorical strategies are used in everyday writing.
The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate.
Students examine the different ways that they write and think about the role writing plays in life.
- Print this resource
Explore Resources by Grade
- Kindergarten K
What Is Persuasive Writing? (Complete Answer With Examples)
What is persuasive writing (detailed answer).
As far as the point of view, you can use first-person, second-person, or third-person. No matter what point of view you use, keep the focus on the reader.
What Is the Purpose of Persuasive Writing?
3 types of persuasive writing.
“Please fix this streetlight. It’s been broken for weeks and it’s very unsafe. Our children play in this neighborhood and I’m worried about their safety.”
13 Forms of Persuasive Writing
If(typeof ez_ad_units='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'writingbeginner_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_18',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-writingbeginner_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); what is persuasive writing (examples), example 1: editorial on car accidents at an intersection, example #2: essay on changing the school mascot, example 3: letter to the editor about gun control, example 4: advertisement for a credit card, example 5: email to teacher to allow extra credit for class participation, what is persuasive writing (famous examples), if(typeof ez_ad_units='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[970,250],'writingbeginner_com-netboard-2','ezslot_21',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-writingbeginner_com-netboard-2-0'); what is persuasive writing (the parts), what is a hook in persuasive writing, what is a claim in persuasive writing, what is a counterargument in persuasive writing, what is a call to action in persuasive writing, if(typeof ez_ad_units='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'writingbeginner_com-small-square-1','ezslot_28',115,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-writingbeginner_com-small-square-1-0'); persuasive writing techniques & tips, if(typeof ez_ad_units='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'writingbeginner_com-portrait-2','ezslot_23',143,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-writingbeginner_com-portrait-2-0'); what is a persuassive writing map, how is persuasive writing different than other forms of writing, persuasive writing vs. argumentative writing, expository writing vs. persuasive writing, informational writing vs. persuasive writing, persuasive writing vs. narrative writing, persuasive writing vs. technical writing, what is persuasive writing for kids, what is a persuasive writing anchor chart, why is persuasive writing important, can you use persuasive writing in any type of writing, what are some tips for writing persuasively, persuasive writing topics, best persuassive writing tools and resources, final thoughts: what is persuasive writing.
Table of Contents
Please enable JavaScript
Accessibility links
- Skip to content
- Accessibility Help
What is repetition?
Repetition is when a single word, or a groups of words, is repeated for effect..
Repeating a word or phrase in a sentence can emphasise a point, or help to make sure it is fully understood.
- Without repetition: 'The soup was stirred until thickened.'
- With repetition: 'The soup was stirred and stirred until thickened.'
Repeating the word 'stirred' suggests that a lot of time and effort has gone into making the soup.
In his most famous speech, Martin Luther King repeats the phrase 'I have a dream.' Every repetition of this line builds on the one that has come before. This reinforces Martin Luther King's passion and emphasises each point he makes.
- 'I have a dream that one day down in Alabama...'
- 'I have a dream today.'
- 'I have a dream that one day every valley...'
In his poem Visiting Hour , Norman MacCaig writes about visiting his sick wife in hospital: 'I will not feel, I will not feel, until I have to.'
The repetition of the phrase 'I will not feel' suggests the speaker is trying to remain numb and not let his feelings overwhelm him.
The opening of Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities uses repetition to emphasise contrast between positives and negatives: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.'
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby , repetition is used to emphasise the size of Tom Buchanan's apartment, which he visits with the woman he is having an affair with: 'The apartment was on the top floor—a small living-room, a small dining-room, a small bedroom, and a bath.'
Repetition of the word 'small' highlights to the reader how tiny Tom's apartment is. A small apartment is easier to hide than a large house so this repetition emphasises the secretive nature of Tom's affair. It also suggests Tom does not think very highly of his mistress.
Understanding, analysing and evaluating
What is personification.
What is a rhetorical question?
What are full stops and commas?


Writers’ Blokke

Member-only
This Simple Writing Technique Is the Most Powerful and Persuasive Device
But it will get your knuckles rapped by your grammar checker.
It is absurdly easy to use.
It is absurdly easy to pick some words.
It is absurdly easy to repeat those words.
More from Writers’ Blokke
The publication for writers and readers to create and read amazing content
About Help Terms Privacy
Get the Medium app

Malky McEwan
Thinker. At least, I think I am. If you have a curious mind, join here: https://malkymcewan.medium.com/membership
Text to speech
- Arts & Music
- English Language Arts
- World Language
- Social Studies - History
- Holidays / Seasonal
- Independent Work Packet
- Easel by TPT
- Google Apps
Interactive resources you can assign in your digital classroom from TPT.

Easel Activities

Easel Assessments
Unlock access to 4 million resources — at no cost to you — with a school-funded subscription..
types of repetition
All Formats
Resource types, all resource types, results for types of repetition.
- Price (Ascending)
- Most Recent

Types of Poems - 3rd Grade Florida BEST Standards ELA.3.R.1.4

Also included in: 2nd & 3rd Grade Florida BEST Standards ELA Reading Comprehension Mega Bundle

Writing Poetry- Types of Poems

Multiplication Virtual Classroom and Multiplication of the Day

Poetry Posters {Types & Features}

Measurement of Length- 1st Grade

Also included in: Distance Learning Measurement and Data Bundle- CCSS Grade 1

Fun Foldable Booklets for Fluency (Stuttering)

Also included in: Speech and Language Fun Foldable Booklet BUNDLE!

Types of Persuasive Writing Poster Set/Anchor Charts

Listening Comprehension Language Processing of Describing Words

Also included in: Listening to and Processing Descriptions Print and Digital Bundle for speech

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY WORDS - TEST PREP - TESTING WORDS - ELA MATH WORDS

Identifying Types of Poems - 3rd Grade Florida BEST Standards ELA.3.R.1.4

Graphing and Collecting Data (Special Education Math Unit)

Also included in: Math Units For Special Education BUNDLE (Leveled & Hands On Math Units)

Direct and Indirect Object pronouns in Spanish reading comprehension

- Easel Activity
Also included in: Spanish Reading Comprehension for Middle and High School Spanish 2

Poetry Sound Devices: Interactive Notebook, Video Lessons, Google Slides & More

Also included in: COMPLETE POETRY UNIT Interactive Notebook Videos PowerPoints Google Slides

Also included in: Identifying Types of Poems - 3rd Grade Florida BEST Standards ELA.3.R.1.4

Figurative Language PowerPoint Presentation (108 slides)

Subtracting Tens- 1st Grade
Also included in: Digital and Printable 1st Grade Math Year-Long Bundle- Worksheets & Vocabulary

Errorless Coin Worksheets

Poetry- Types of Poems

Poetry Elements Digital Learning Pack

Kindergarten sight word practice sheets {Reading Street / Treasures / Wonders}!

Types of Disfluencies Posters

Figurative Language & Poetry Center Activities & Task Cards | Picnic Theme

3rd Grade FL B.E.S.T. Standard -ELA.3.R.1.4 Identifying Types of Poems

ELA.3.R.1.4 Identifying Types of Poems Task Cards
TPT empowers educators to teach at their best.
- We're Hiring
- Help & FAQ
- Terms of Service
- Trademark & Copyright
- Privacy Policy
- Student Privacy Policy
Keep in Touch!
Are you getting the free resources, updates, and special offers we send out every week in our teacher newsletter?
Teach Starter Teach Starter
How to teach persuasive devices to primary school learners: expert teaching tips.

Since the introduction of NAPLAN, persuasive writing has taken on a new force in the classroom. Advertisements, letters of persuasion and debates haunt many a teacher’s dreams. But make no mistake — teaching students how to write with persuasive devices has always been an important part of developing literacy in the classroom, and introducing the right techniques can give your class the newfound opportunity to voice their opinion in brilliant ways.
So how do you teach persuasive devices, and what are the writing techniques and examples you need to focus on in the classroom? The teachers on the Teach Starter team have been teaching persuasive writing for decades, and we’ve created some of teachers’ favourite resources to do the same in their own classrooms. Our literacy experts sat down to create this how to guide to make it easier to teach persuasive writing in your classroom, including a look at some of the writing techniques that are most important for our students to learn.
Short on time? Skip straight to our favourite persuasive devices teaching resources !
Set Clear Goals for Persuasive Writing
Before you dive into teaching all the persuasive devices and challenging your young writers, it’s wise to set your goals for the unit.
Learning intentions are teacher-given descriptions of what the student needs to do in order to accomplish a set task while success criteria are the measures used by teachers in order to determine whether the student has met the learning intentions.
When teaching persuasive writing, being transparent with our students about both of these is critical. This can be achieved in several ways:
- Upon starting the unit, provide an overview of the learning that will take place
- Provide students (and parents for homework tasks or projects) with a marking rubric or criteria sheet for each assessment task undertaken
- Show students work samples from previous years’ students and from relevant study authorities (and annotate and analyse these together)
- Set up a ‘What a good one looks like’ wall, showing current peer samples at varying assessable levels
- Give students self-assessment tools and checklists to track their own progress
Our NAPLAN-style marking rubric is a great teaching resource to show your students to really illustrate what you’re looking for when marking their writing pieces.
Teaching Persuasive Writing Techniques
Persuasive writing is everywhere that our students look, from advertisements to newspapers. So how do you teach students to form convincing arguments in their writing? Here are some of the techniques our teacher team focuses on when we’re teaching students to write persuasively.
1. Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of the same or similar kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables. Often seen in poetry, it can also be effective as a persuasive device because it is so memorable, creating a piece of writing that will stick in the reader’s mind.
As you teach alliteration, you may want to introduce students to some of the more common idioms that include alliteration such as ‘hold your horses’ or ‘bee in your bonnet.’
Alliteration can be a little tricky to master at first, but once your students have got their sounds and letters right, the sky’s the limit as they’ll find themselves stringing together sentences packed with powerful prose.
Check out these absolutely awesome alliteration activities to give your students some practice using this device in their writing:

teaching resource
A fistful of flavours alliteration activity.
An activity to use in the classroom when learning about alliteration.

Alliteration Poster For Young Students
A poster to use with young students when teaching alliteration.

Animal Alliteration Activity - Brainstorming Template
A brainstorming template to use in the classroom when learning about alliteration.
2. Rhetorical Questions
Rhetorical questions are questions that the writer does not expect to have answered either because there is no answer or the answer is obvious. For example, the question ‘is water wet?’ has an obvious answer, making it a rhetorical question. On the other hand, ‘are you kidding?’ is a question often used in conversation that doesn’t have an obvious answer, but the questioner also does not expect to be answered, which makes it rhetorical.
Either way, they can be effective to get your reader thinking and often evoke an emotional reaction. This persuasive device is used to emphasise a point, and students may hear them used in figures of speech or see them in advertisements.
Challenge your students to practise their rhetorical question skills by matching some opinion sentences on different topics with a question. Start the ball rolling with this Rhetorical Questions Worksheet.

3. Statistics
Including statistics in writing takes a different approach to persuasion than some of the devices we’ve covered so far. Instead of appealing to the reader’s memory or trying to evoke a strong reaction, statistics are used when a writer is looking to convince and persuade via logic.
When it comes to including statistics in persuasive writing, there’s a little bit more research involved than chucking an alliterative phrase into the text. Sometimes, your students may have to conduct a survey or data collection activity before they have any statistics to work with. For the bigger topics, why not help your students by encouraging them to find information that supports their opinion?
This could include providing an infographic, such as our examples below:

Australian Immigration Infographic Poster
A poster to displaying statistics regarding Australian immigration.

National Tree Day – Why Plant a Tree? Infographic
An infographic poster about the importance of trees in celebration of National Tree Day.
4. Emotive Language
Emotive language is a type of language that is designed to evoke an emotional response such as anger or sadness or joy. Tapping into a reader’s emotions helps to manipulate their opinion by pulling on the heartstrings, which makes writing more persuasive in the end.
Here are a few examples of emotive language that your students can implement to make their writing stronger:
- Adjectives — These describing words do a lot of the heavy lifting for students as they help make writing more specific and aid the reader in drawing pictures in the mind. Introduce your students to adjectives that help them dig deep into descriptions!
- Adverbs — Words that describe how, when, why, where or under what conditions can add an emotional component as they modify other words in your students’ writing.
- Verbs — Help your students move beyond old overused verbs like said and did with more emotive verbs like yelled and accomplished.
Give your students some practice with emotive language and then brainstorm together how to include these words in persuasive sentences.
5. Modality
Although they likely don’t realise it, your students are using modality every day in speaking to their classmates and friends and family.
Modality is used to indicate the degree to which something is certain, possible or improbable. Using high-modality words in persuasive writing is a great way to convince your reader that your point of view is the correct one.
Some high-modality words your students can use include:
- Adjectives — required, possible
- Adverbs — rarely, always
- Nouns — possibility, requirement
- Verbs — must, will, should, could
Give students a visual reference in the classroom to remind them of the different high-modality words that are at their disposal when they’re writing! Our Modality Word Wall with Information (spotted in a classroom below!) is a great visual reminder to display in the classroom.

6. Repetition
When important words or phrases are repeated in a text, they are more likely to stick in the reader’s mind — that’s the key behind using repetition in persuasive writing. It’s incredibly effective and can be seen in some of the most famous persuasive writing throughout history from Martin Luther King Jr.’s repetition of the words ‘I have a dream’ in his world-famous speech to Maya Angelou’s repetition of the words “I rise” in her poem , Still I Rise.
Read through some persuasive writing examples, such as this Letter to the Editor (Sugary Snacks Ban) – Worksheet . Then, have your students highlight the different techniques they come across, paying attention to how many times important words or phrases are repeated.
Facts are another persuasive device designed to appeal to the reader using logic and can be a powerful persuader. Although this persuasive device is similar to statistics, adding facts to persuasive writing is often a little trickier. They require students to have a strong understanding of the difference between facts and opinions.
I believe ‘opinion’ to be the most important of all the persuasive devices!
Unlike facts, sharing opinions seems to be incredibly easy when it comes to school children! Seriously though, we want to encourage our students to have strong opinions (that can be backed up by solid reasoning!). To strengthen their understanding of opinions, try out some of the following resources:

Fact or Opinion - Sentence Sort Worksheet
A worksheet to use when teaching students how to distinguish between fact or opinion.

Facts and Opinions - Caterpillars
A fun activity for students to use when identifying facts and opinions about caterpillars.

resource pack
Comprehension strategy teaching resource pack - distinguishing between fact and opinion.
A comprehensive resource pack to help students learn to distinguish between fact and opinion.

Fact or Opinion - Cupcake Worksheet
9. rule of 3.
It may seem simple enough to persuade your reader by thinking of three describing terms to accompany your topic, but this is a solid persuasive advice that is often employed effectively. The goal is to simply list three things that work together to convey a thought.
For example, William Shakespeare listed out ‘friends, Romans, countrymen,’ in Julius Caesar, and the line is often repeated because it’s so memorable.
Why not get your students to level up their Rule of 3 describing game by including some out-of-this-world adjectives? You can use our Wheely Wonderful Words – Overused Adjectives wheel to help your students improve their vocabulary. Brainstorm three terms that help to describe your students’ topic, and then challenge them with finding better and more advanced words that have the same meaning.

10. Personal Pronouns
Students hear a lot about pronouns these days on the news, but do they understand how to use this part of speech in their writing?
Personal pronouns, of course, refer to words such as we, I, you, our, your and us. These are the words that can help your readers to feel as though they are part of the conversation and connect with your arguments. We have a Personal Pronouns Worksheet to help your students practise combining these with their other persuasive devices.
11. Exaggeration
If you don’t include persuasive devices in your writing, you may as well not bother writing at all!
Exaggeration can be used in persuasive writing to add emphasis to a feeling, an idea, an action, or a feature, and it’s one of the more fun devices for students to play with as they realise they are able to say things that are just a little bit ridiculous … and it’s OK! It’s fun, after all, to be able to say the elephant was ‘as big as a house.’
Have some fun with our Persuasive Devices Sorting Activity and have your students sort out the exaggerated sentences from the rest. Once they’ve got a grasp of what, exactly, an exaggeration is, then they can begin to think of some of their own hilarious examples!
How to Teach Persuasive Writing Passion
A note on persuasive passion: Getting kids to understand the purpose of persuasive writing can be simple, but it’s often more difficult for them to write persuasively about something they’re not interested in. While there’s certainly a place for demand-writing to a set topic, it’s also beneficial to allow children to explore topics they’re already passionate about.
Conferencing with students can really draw out some great ideas and ignite interest in our young students. Finding out what they really care about helps us as teachers to help them focus on totally nailing their persuasive writing tasks.
What do your students care about?
Do you have a budding athlete who lives and breathes soccer? A foodie who loves to cook for her family? A tender heart who loves all creatures great and small? Harness their passions, and get them writing.
Persuasive Writing Examples for Kids
A final note on teaching persuasive devices: Fully immersing your students in persuasive language is crucial. Here are some places where you can get those writing examples in front of students to help them build their skills:
- Reading children’s books with persuasive language kids adds an immense amount of value to the learning process.
- Displaying examples of persuasive writing in the classroom is a way of explicitly showing your students what is expected and the language features that are required to get them on the right track.
If you’re still not quite sure about these persuasive writing techniques, we have some wonderful resources to help you out!
Explore our favourite persuasive worksheets, classroom posters, and more teaching resources !
- In the Classroom
- Persuasive Writing
- Persuasive Devices
- Australian English
Popular blogs right now!

10 Teacher-Tested Brain Break Ideas for the Classroom That Kids Love
Explore teachers' favourite ways to get your students to take a brain break. Even if it is for just 5 minutes, it is sure to limit distractions and improve attention.

17 Formative Assessment Examples Primary Students Love as Much as Teachers Do
Make formative assessment fun for your students and useful for you with these teacher-tested examples and ideas.

27 Funny Kid Easter Jokes for Teachers to Use at the End of Term
You've almost made it to the break, you deserve a laugh. Try these funny Easter jokes for kids to engage your students.

What Is Phonemic Awareness? How to Teach These Important Skills to Young Learners
Explore a teacher guide to phonemic awareness plus activities for the early years classroom!

8 Easter Maths Activities That Bring a Little Fun to the Classroom
Bring Easter festivities into your classroom with these quick and easy Easter maths activities and teaching resources that are curriculum aligned.
Get more inspiration delivered to your inbox!
Receive the teach starter newsletter full of tips, news and resources with your free membership..
Persuasive Speeches — Types, Topics, and Examples

What is a persuasive speech?
In a persuasive speech, the speaker aims to convince the audience to accept a particular perspective on a person, place, object, idea, etc. The speaker strives to cause the audience to accept the point of view presented in the speech.
The success of a persuasive speech often relies on the speaker’s use of ethos, pathos, and logos.

Ethos is the speaker’s credibility. Audiences are more likely to accept an argument if they find the speaker trustworthy. To establish credibility during a persuasive speech, speakers can do the following:
Use familiar language.
Select examples that connect to the specific audience.
Utilize credible and well-known sources.
Logically structure the speech in an audience-friendly way.
Use appropriate eye contact, volume, pacing, and inflection.
Pathos appeals to the audience’s emotions. Speakers who create an emotional bond with their audience are typically more convincing. Tapping into the audience’s emotions can be accomplished through the following:
Select evidence that can elicit an emotional response.
Use emotionally-charged words. (The city has a problem … vs. The city has a disease …)
Incorporate analogies and metaphors that connect to a specific emotion to draw a parallel between the reference and topic.
Utilize vivid imagery and sensory words, allowing the audience to visualize the information.
Employ an appropriate tone, inflection, and pace to reflect the emotion.
Logos appeals to the audience’s logic by offering supporting evidence. Speakers can improve their logical appeal in the following ways:
Use comprehensive evidence the audience can understand.
Confirm the evidence logically supports the argument’s claims and stems from credible sources.
Ensure that evidence is specific and avoid any vague or questionable information.
Types of persuasive speeches
The three main types of persuasive speeches are factual, value, and policy.

A factual persuasive speech focuses solely on factual information to prove the existence or absence of something through substantial proof. This is the only type of persuasive speech that exclusively uses objective information rather than subjective. As such, the argument does not rely on the speaker’s interpretation of the information. Essentially, a factual persuasive speech includes historical controversy, a question of current existence, or a prediction:
Historical controversy concerns whether an event happened or whether an object actually existed.
Questions of current existence involve the knowledge that something is currently happening.
Predictions incorporate the analysis of patterns to convince the audience that an event will happen again.
A value persuasive speech concerns the morality of a certain topic. Speakers incorporate facts within these speeches; however, the speaker’s interpretation of those facts creates the argument. These speeches are highly subjective, so the argument cannot be proven to be absolutely true or false.
A policy persuasive speech centers around the speaker’s support or rejection of a public policy, rule, or law. Much like a value speech, speakers provide evidence supporting their viewpoint; however, they provide subjective conclusions based on the facts they provide.
How to write a persuasive speech
Incorporate the following steps when writing a persuasive speech:
Step 1 – Identify the type of persuasive speech (factual, value, or policy) that will help accomplish the goal of the presentation.
Step 2 – Select a good persuasive speech topic to accomplish the goal and choose a position .

Step 3 – Locate credible and reliable sources and identify evidence in support of the topic/position. Revisit Step 2 if there is a lack of relevant resources.
Step 4 – Identify the audience and understand their baseline attitude about the topic.
Step 5 – When constructing an introduction , keep the following questions in mind:
What’s the topic of the speech?
What’s the occasion?
Who’s the audience?
What’s the purpose of the speech?
Step 6 – Utilize the evidence within the previously identified sources to construct the body of the speech. Keeping the audience in mind, determine which pieces of evidence can best help develop the argument. Discuss each point in detail, allowing the audience to understand how the facts support the perspective.
Step 7 – Addressing counterarguments can help speakers build their credibility, as it highlights their breadth of knowledge.
Step 8 – Conclude the speech with an overview of the central purpose and how the main ideas identified in the body support the overall argument.

Persuasive speech outline
One of the best ways to prepare a great persuasive speech is by using an outline. When structuring an outline, include an introduction, body, and conclusion:
Introduction
Attention Grabbers
Ask a question that allows the audience to respond in a non-verbal way; ask a rhetorical question that makes the audience think of the topic without requiring a response.
Incorporate a well-known quote that introduces the topic. Using the words of a celebrated individual gives credibility and authority to the information in the speech.
Offer a startling statement or information about the topic, typically done using data or statistics.
Provide a brief anecdote or story that relates to the topic.
Starting a speech with a humorous statement often makes the audience more comfortable with the speaker.
Provide information on how the selected topic may impact the audience .
Include any background information pertinent to the topic that the audience needs to know to understand the speech in its entirety.
Give the thesis statement in connection to the main topic and identify the main ideas that will help accomplish the central purpose.
Identify evidence
Summarize its meaning
Explain how it helps prove the support/main claim
Evidence 3 (Continue as needed)
Support 3 (Continue as needed)
Restate thesis
Review main supports
Concluding statement
Give the audience a call to action to do something specific.
Identify the overall importan ce of the topic and position.
Persuasive speech topics
The following table identifies some common or interesting persuasive speech topics for high school and college students:
Persuasive speech examples
The following list identifies some of history’s most famous persuasive speeches:
John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address: “Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You”
Lyndon B. Johnson: “We Shall Overcome”
Marc Antony: “Friends, Romans, Countrymen…” in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Ronald Reagan: “Tear Down this Wall”
Sojourner Truth: “Ain’t I a Woman?”

IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Writers have used repetition for ages. For example, in King Lear, William Shakespeare wrote: And my poor fool is hanged! No, no, no life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more, Never, never, never, never! In the scene above, King Lear is grieving the death of his daughter.
What is an example of persuasive writing? Some famous examples of persuasive writing throughout history include Common Sense by Thomas Paine, the Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States by Susan B. Anthony, et al., and Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. What are different types of persuasive writing?
The most common repetition figures of speech are: Alliteration: The repetition of the same sound in a group of words, such as the "b" sound in: "Bob brought the box of bricks to the basement." The repeating sound must occur either in the first letter of each word, or in the stressed syllables of those words.
There is a good example in the Bible: "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." 3. Symploce. This is a combination of anaphora and epistrophe. That means one word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of a line and another at the end.
The more we read, the better writers we become. Teaching students to write strong persuasive essays should always start with reading some top-notch models. This round-up of persuasive writing examples includes famous speeches, influential ad campaigns, contemporary reviews of famous books, and more. Use them to inspire your students to write ...
Persuasive writing devices are rhetorical devices used to sway an audience's opinions, such as repetition and parallelism. Learn the definition of persuasive writing, discover the power of ethos ...
Here are some familiar examples of repetition: Time after time Heart to heart Boys will be boys Hand in hand Get ready; get set; go Hour to hour Sorry, not sorry Over and over Home sweet home Smile, smile, smile at your mind as often as possible. Alone, alone at last Now you see me; now you don't Rain, rain go away All for one and one for all
A classic example is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, in which he restated the phrase "I have a dream" eight times. Use different structures Make your point in several different ways with different devices: tell a story. Cite a statistic. Quote a celebrity. Provide a compare/contrast illustration. Use a metaphor.
your client. Today, most of this advocacy is accomplished through writing. 2. Therefore, persuasive writing is, as one professor puts it, "essential to the practice of law." 3. Persuasive writing enables you to make strategic decisions about how to present and package your arguments to ensure your document is as convincing as possible.
Here are some easy persuasive writing essay examples for you to master the art of persuasion. These are divided into several categories according to the grade levels and subjects. 3rd-grade Persuasive Essay Example Persuasive Essay Example for 3rd-grade 4th-grade Persuasive Essay Example Persuasive Essay Example for 4th-grade
Epanalepsis is the repetition of a word at the beginning and at the end of a line or sentence: Hungry cats lash out not because they are mean, but because they are hungry. Dive into this famous example of epanalepsis used by Sherman Alexie's in Valediction in this excerpt. But these dark times are just like those dark times.
Here are some ways you can help your students master persuasive writing: Have students listen to and analyze various persuasive speeches and writings in the media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, television, and the Internet), looking for words, phrases, and techniques (e.g., reasons, repetition, counterarguments, comparisons) that are designed to persuade.
A more complete explanation of persuasive writing is that it is a type of writing that is used to try to change or influence the opinion of the reader. It can be used in many different contexts, such as in business, politics, or marketing, but it can also be used in other types of writing, such as essays or articles.
Persuasive devices for writing. ... Epistrophe is the repetition of the same words at the end of successive sentences or clauses. This does the same job as anaphora, but the repetition at the end ...
Here is an example of this strategy used in persuasive writing: Swimming is a great way to exercise and cool off during the warm summer months. Purchasing a three-month membership to our gym includes access to our outdoor pool and a place to enjoy the sunny season with your family. 3. Use deliberate language
Examples Speech In his most famous speech, Martin Luther King repeats the phrase 'I have a dream.' Every repetition of this line builds on the one that has come before. This reinforces Martin...
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. By using anaphora, writers can emphasise, convey, and reinforce meaning in their writing. The ...
Good persuasive writing uses a variety of strategies to appeal to the reader's emotions and logic. Here are 10 persuasive writing tips. 1. Know your audience. Having a clear idea of who your audience is will help you decide what information to include and can affect the structure and tone of your writing.
These are examples that you probably hear people say every day: Time after time; Heart-to-heart; Hand in hand; Get ready, get set, go; Home sweet home; It is what it is. Repetition in Poetry Repeating a word or phrase in a work of poetry or prose calls it to the reader's attention.
A set of 12 printables that give useful information on persuasive writing. Includes: title page, persuasive writing, persuasive techniques, alliteration, repetition, groups of 3, exaggeration, personal pronouns, emotive language, facts and statistics, rhetorical questions and criticism.Buy this resource in a Bundle and SAVE OVER 20% ...
1. Alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of the same or similar kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables. Often seen in poetry, it can also be effective as a persuasive device because it is so memorable, creating a piece of writing that will stick in the reader's mind.
How to write a persuasive speech. Incorporate the following steps when writing a persuasive speech: Step 1 - Identify the type of persuasive speech (factual, value, or policy) that will help accomplish the goal of the presentation. Step 2 - Select a good persuasive speech topic to accomplish the goal and choose a position.