Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Advertisements

Students will crack the case of persuasion as they sniff out ethos, pathos, or logos in this worksheet made with seventh- and eighth-grade students in mind! In this persuasive writing worksheet, students become ad detectives as they explore how advertisements use three classic appeals—ethos, pathos, and logos—to convince an audience. After learning what each persuasive strategy means, learners will read a series of ads and decide which appeal is being used to grab attention and persuade.

While the focus in this worksheet is on advertisements, these skills go far beyond marketing! By identifying how persuasion works, students build the critical thinking and writing tools they need to make their own arguments stronger and more convincing. 

For more practice on this skill, have students complete Rhetorical Appeals With Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: Pet Rock Mascot.