New
New
Year 8

Improving your opinion article on Gothic literature

I can use new knowledge to improve my own writing.

New
New
Year 8

Improving your opinion article on Gothic literature

I can use new knowledge to improve my own writing.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Rhetorical questions need to be ‘targeted’ - personalised to the situation or moment, and used with an aim in mind.
  2. Using emotive language in rhetorical questions can be a very effective way of making them more targeted and purposeful.
  3. Direct address can be used to motivate and empower the reader to make changes or speak up.
  4. Repeating ‘you’ too many times can be quite accusatory, which can actually make your reader resistant to your message.
  5. Try being more subtle with direct address- speak to an imagined reader by name or address readers collectively.

Common misconception

Students think that using lots of the pronoun 'you' is an effective use of direct address. They tend to do this a lot in rhetorical questions.

Using 'you' too many times can create an accusatory tone that can actually make the reader defensive. Sometimes, it can be better to approach direct address more subtly, by speaking to an imagined reader or addressing the readers collectively.

Keywords

  • Subtle - not too obvious or noticeable.

  • Accusatory - indicating that a person has done something wrong.

  • Personalised - designed to meet individual or specific requirements.

  • Empower - to encourage and support a person’s ability to do something.

It would be good to draw attention to the fact that direct address is often used poorly in rhetorical questions, so students can use learning from both parts of the lesson to improve both their rhetorical questions and their use of direct address. The two often go hand-in-hand.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is being described here: 'a question that is asked for effect rather than an answer.'?
Correct Answer: rhetorical question, a rhetorical question
Q2.
What type of pronoun is the word 'you'?
first person
Correct answer: second person
third person
Q3.
What method is being used in this example: 'You should go and enjoy the great outdoors!'?
Correct answer: direct address
simile
oxymoron
Q4.
What is the purpose of opinion writing?
to educate others on your topic
to prove your opinion is correct
Correct answer: to persuade others to agree with you
Q5.
What does the word 'subtle' mean?
indicating that a person has done something wrong
to encourage and support a person’s ability to do something
Correct answer: not too obvious or noticeable
Q6.
What might the word 'empower' mean?
Correct answer: to encourage and support a person’s ability to do something
indicating that a person has done something wrong
designed to meet individual or specific requirements

6 Questions

Q1.
What is not a purpose of a rhetorical question?
Correct answer: answer the question directly
speak directly to the reader
get the reader to consider something
Q2.
What makes a successful rhetorical question?
Correct answer: specific
Correct answer: targeted
repeated
Q3.
When something is it is designed to meet individual or specific requirements.
Correct Answer: personalised
Q4.
When using direct address, you want to motivate, inspire and your reader.
Correct Answer: empower
Q5.
What might be the effect of using 'you' many times in an opinion article?
you create a link with your reader
Correct answer: your reader might feel accused of something
your reader will be left with a lot to think about
Q6.
How can you be more subtle when using direct address in your writing?
Correct answer: speak to an imagined reader e.g 'parents and carers'
Correct answer: address readers collectively using 'we' or 'us'
address readers collectively using 'I or 'me'