1. The careful choice of words can make a persuasive message forceful and convincing. Specific word choices can influence the response of readers.

2. The careful choice of words can make a persuasive message forceful and convincing. Specific word choices can influence the response of readers.
For example
• The arts club has to be very careful with its money, but I have a plan for raising additional funds.
• The arts club has to be very stingy with its money, but I have a scheme for raising additional funds.

3. The careful choice of words can make a persuasive message forceful and convincing. Specific word choices can influence the response of readers.
When you read the words careful and plan, you probably have a positive reaction to the actions of the arts club. You might even be willing to donate money to help the club. The words stingy and scheme, however, might cause you to have a completely different reaction. You might be less likely to support the club.

4. Words have two kinds of meaning—denotative and connotative
Words have two kinds of meaning—denotative and connotative. Persuasive writing relies on the connotations of words. Click the topic you want to explore.
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• Denotative and connotative meanings
Positive and negative connotations

5. Denotative and Connotative Meanings
The denotative meaning of a word is its dictionary definition.
fox: a carnivorous mammal related to dogs and wolves
bird: a warm-blooded vertebrate with feathers and wings

6. Denotative and Connotative Meanings
The denotative meaning of a word is its dictionary definition.
fox: a carnivorous mammal related to dogs and wolves
bird: a warm-blooded vertebrate with feathers and wings

7. Denotative and Connotative Meanings
Connotation refers to a person’s positive and negative associations to something and the emotion around it.
fox: clever, crafty, or sneaky person (a sneaky person might be called a sly fox)
bird: special, odd, or remarkable person (a special person might be called a rare bird)

8. Denotative and Connotative Meanings
Connotation refers to a person’s positive and negative associations to something and the emotion around it.
fox: clever, crafty, or sneaky person (a sneaky person might be called a sly fox)
bird: special, odd, or remarkable person (a special person might be called a rare bird)

9. Positive and Negative Connotations
Connotations can be negative, neutral, or positive. Words with strongly positive or strongly negative connotations can influence and have an effect on what readers think and feel.

10. Positive and Negative Connotations
Connotations can be negative, neutral, or positive. Words with strongly positive or strongly negative connotations can influence and have an effect on what readers think and feel.
Read both sentences. How is the first sentence more positive?
The journalists observed the crowd in order to report the facts.
The reporters watched the mob in order to write a shocking story.

11. Positive and Negative Connotations
Connotations can be negative, neutral, or positive. Words with strongly positive or strongly negative connotations can influence and have an effect on what readers think and feel.
The first sentence is positive about the type of person reporting the news, the people in the news, and the events. The second sentence gives the reader a negative feeling about the person reporting the news, what is being watched, and the final story.
The journalists observed the crowd in order to report the facts.
The reporters watched the mob in order to write a shocking story.

12. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with strongly positive connotations often persuade readers to see your ideas in a favorable way.

13. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with strongly positive connotations often persuade readers to see your ideas in a favorable way.
What words could you change in this statement to make it positive?
The nosey salesperson kept looking for the odd house.

14. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with strongly positive connotations often persuade readers to see your ideas in a favorable way.
What words could you change in this statement to make it positive?
The nosey salesperson kept looking for the odd house.

15. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with strongly positive connotations often persuade readers to see your ideas in a favorable way.
The nosey salesperson kept looking for the odd house.
ORIGINAL
The curious real estate agent searched for the unique mansion.
REVISED

16. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with negative connotations create poor impressions. They often cause the reader’s opinion to match the writer’s point of view.

17. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with negative connotations create poor impressions. They often cause the reader’s opinion to match the writer’s point of view.
Which words in this paragraph have negative connotations?
People using cell phones are thoughtless and rude. They loudly talk on their cell phones during movies and concerts and in other public places. Many cell-phone users are incapable of doing without their phones even while driving. This is dangerous and can be deadly. These people have no respect for others.

18. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with negative connotations create poor impressions. They often cause the reader’s opinion to match the writer’s point of view.
The words with negative connotations make the reader dislike people who act this way. The writer uses those words to show that these people should be judged harshly.
People using cell phones are thoughtless and rude. They loudly talk on their cell phones during movies and concerts and in other public places. Many cell-phone users are incapable of doing without their phones even while driving. This is dangerous and can be deadly. These people have no respect for others.

19. Positive and Negative Connotations
Slanted words are emotional words that may make people feel a certain way. Words are “slanted” when they are used to make factual information seem untrue, when there are no facts to support opinions, or when the words change people’s feelings. Slanted words are often used in advertisements. You should avoid using slanted words.

20. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with negative connotations create poor impressions. They often cause the reader’s opinion to match the writer’s point of view.
Which words in this paragraph are slanted to produce a favorable opinion of adding days to the school year?
Adding days to the school year is pure genius. Whoever thought of this idea should get an award for his or her brilliant and forward-looking idea. What a tremendous benefit this will be to students everywhere! It’s terrific that someone finally had the brains and courage to recommend this noteworthy plan.

21. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with negative connotations create poor impressions. They often cause the reader’s opinion to match the writer’s point of view.
Which words in this paragraph are slanted to produce a favorable opinion of adding days to the school year?
Adding days to the school year is pure genius. Whoever thought of this idea should get an award for his or her brilliant and forward-looking idea. What a tremendous benefit this will be to students everywhere! It’s terrific that someone finally had the brains and courage to recommend this noteworthy plan.

22. Positive and Negative Connotations
Words with negative connotations create poor impressions. They often cause the reader’s opinion to match the writer’s point of view.
Which words in this paragraph are slanted to produce a favorable opinion of adding days to the school year?
Adding days to the school year is pure genius. Whoever thought of this idea should get an award for his or her brilliant and forward-looking idea. What a tremendous benefit this will be to students everywhere! It’s terrific that someone finally had the brains and courage to recommend this noteworthy plan.
Notice that the writer gave no facts to support the opinion. Instead, the writer used words that play on the reader’s emotions. In your own writing, be careful to avoid using slanted words in place of facts and evidence.