Doña Montserrat Lopez Memorial High School

Good day
Class!
ENGLISH 10
 ICE
BREAKER
+ + +
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
+ +
WHO CARES?
+
WHY NOT?
+ + + +
WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE?
+ + + ING +
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
RHETORICAL
QUESTION
 English 10

Rhetorical Question
can be sarcastic, humorous, or
reflective.

they aren’t use to elicit an actual

answer, but rather to create a
dramatic effect or to emphasize a
point.
 English 10

EXAMPLES
Who cares?
How should I know?
How many times do I have to tell you?
Can’t you do anything right?
What could be better?
 English 10

Rhetorical Question
you’ll often find them sprinkled
throughout political addresses.

they help to make the speaker’s point

more clear, and they often resonate
with the audience, prompting them to
reflect further on an idea.
 English 10

Rhetorical Questions in Literature

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

“Tis but thy name that is my enemy;

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O! be some other name!
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet...”
 English 10

Learn to use Rhetorical Questions

 RHETORICAL APPEALS

ETHOS
Ethos is an appeal to the credibility and character of the speaker or
writer. It focuses on establishing the speaker's authority, trustworthiness,
and expertise on the subject.

PATHOS
Pathos is an appeal to the emotions and feelings of the audience. It aims
to evoke emotional responses, creating a connection between the
speaker and the audience.

LOGOS
Logos is an appeal to logic and reason. It involves presenting facts,
evidence, and logical arguments to persuade the audience.
 English 10

Benefits of Rhetorical Questions

Engage the audience Subtly draw attention and
emphasize specific points

Increase the variety

of your presentation Introduce topics/ideas

Influence and persuade Make the listeners think about

the audience certain topics
 English 10

How to use Rhetorical Questions in a Speech

1 ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE

Ask a rhetorical question to engage the audience and pause to

allow them to think of an answer.

FOR EXAMPLE:
“Why is practicing mindfulness beneficial for reducing anxiety?”
 English 10

How to use Rhetorical Questions in a Speech

2 PERSONALISE YOUR QUESTION

Make the audience feel as though you are speaking to each

member individually by using “you” and “your.”

FOR EXAMPLE:
“Do you want to lose weight without feeling hungry?”
 English 10

How to use Rhetorical Questions in a Speech

3 PERSUADE THE AUDIENCE
To get your audience to agree with you, ask a rhetorical
question where the answer is clearly a “yes.” Show them that
you’re similar, have shared experiences, and that you
understand their problems.

FOR EXAMPLE:
“We’ve all experienced being so stressed at school that we come
home and don’t feel like doing anything, haven’t we?”
 English 10

How to use Rhetorical Questions in a Speech

4 EVOKE EMOTIONS

Make the audience feel the same way you do about something
by asking questions that trigger emotional reactions.

FOR EXAMPLE:
“What has Pearl ever done for our group project?”
 English 10

How to use Rhetorical Questions in a Speech

5 EMPHASISE A STATEMENT

After a statement has been made, use a rhetorical question to

get the audience to think about that statement.

FOR EXAMPLE:
“The amount of plastic in the ocean is rising at a considerable rate.
How much damage will it take for you to help reduce this?”
 English 10

How to use Rhetorical Questions in a Speech

6 PREDICT THE AUDIENCE QUESTIONS
Think about your topic and audience when planning your
speech. Try to predict what the audience may want to ask. In
your speech, use the predictions as rhetorical questions and
answer them.
FOR EXAMPLE:
“As exam season approaches, you may be wondering, 'How can I prepare
effectively and perform well?' The key lies in developing a strategic study plan,
practicing past exams/tests, and maintaining a balanced approach to avoid
burnout.”
 English 10

How to use Rhetorical Questions in a Speech

7 ANSWER QUESTIONS WITH QUESTIONS
Answer a question, either an audience member’s or your own,
using another rhetorical question. Generally, both the
questions have the same answer.

FOR EXAMPLE:
“Have we finished the Module 5 last week? Is this public school
under government?”
 English 10

How to use Rhetorical Questions in a Speech

8 CONSECUTIVE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS
Increase the impact of your argument
Ask multiple rhetorical questions consecutively, each one more specific or more
powerful than the previous.
Show conflicting opinions
Use rhetorical questions consecutively to highlight the complexity of a topic by
asking questions in which the answers provide conflicting viewpoints.
Show supporting opinions
You can also consecutively ask questions in which the answers provide similar
viewpoints. This is similar to repetition which is used to continually highlight an
important point.
 English 10

REVIEW
1 What is a Rhetorical Question?

2 What are the benefits of Rhetorical Question?

3 How to use Rhetorical Question in a Speech?

 APPLICATION
Turn this into a Rhetorical Question
GROUP 1:
The week before the exam is draining.

GROUP 2:
Juan never helped us in our Project Proposal.

GROUP 3:
You should come to Doña Montserrat.
Doña Montserrat Lopez Memorial High School

ACTIVITY
TIME!
 Thank You
Do you have any questions for me before we go?