Grade 7 English: Advertisements and persuasive language poster

1Purpose and audience

An advertisement (advert) tries to persuade people to buy something or do something. It is aimed at a target audience: the people it hopes to reach, such as teenagers or parents.

2Parts of an advert

• Headline: big words that grab attention
• Slogan: a short, catchy phrase to remember
• Image: a picture that makes the product attractive
• Body text: the details, such as price and features
• Call to action: tells you what to do now
• Logo and contact details

3Persuasive language

• Emotive language: words that stir feelings
• Repetition: Hurry! Hurry! Sale ends soon!
• Rhetorical question: Do you want to save money?
• Hyperbole and superlatives: the best, the greatest
• Rhyme and alliteration: easy to remember

4Persuasion tricks

• Bandwagon: everyone is buying it, so you should too
• Celebrity endorsement: a famous person uses it
• Testimonial: a happy customer says it is good
• Statistics: numbers that sound convincing, for example Over 5 000 families shop here

5Fact or opinion?

A fact can be checked: These shoes cost R299. An opinion or boast cannot: the best shoes in Africa. Watch for small print and vague words such as up to 50% off.

6Read like a detective

Ask: Who made this advert? Who is it for? What does it want me to do? What does it leave out? Colour, pictures, the layout and the size of the writing all help to persuade.