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I am planning a lesson on how to develop a persuasive argument for my high intermediate class. I am desperately searching for some gambits that would be useful for the language function of persuasion. If you have any that you think would be useful for students, please let me know.
Also, if you know what grammar would fit approriately into the topic of persuasive arguments, give me some advice. I thought modals would go well. What do you think??

Thanks for your help!!
j

Jann,

Are you familiar with Conversation Gambits, by Eric Keller and Sylvia T. Warner? It's published by LTP, and the edition I have is dated 1988, but there may be a more recent one.

Some gambits that may interest you are:

In a case like this...
In this sort of situation...
The point is...
But the real question is...
But can't you see...
To start with...
Another thing...
Perhaps I should mention...
Oh, I almost forgot...
What's more...
Not to mention the fact that...
Plus...
Plus the fact that...
Not only that, but...
The reason is...
That's the reason why...
Let me put it another way.
What I mean is...
Don't misunderstand me, ...
I'm afraid that just isn't true.
The fact of the matter is...
Some people say...
But in fact...
You've probably heard that...
Many people think...
The fact of the matter is...
But actually...
Yes, but...
That would be great, except...
Even so, ...
Possibly, but...
Look at it this way.

Well, you get the idea. Maybe these will be helpful to you. And check out the resource. Oh, and by the way, grammar's included in the above gambits. Package deal! Good luck.

Larry Latham

Dear Jann,

Interesting topic!

Presently there is a tendency to place adverbs at the head of sentences that the writer/speaker would like to persuade the support of the listener/reader:

Eg.
Truly.
Mainly...
Reliably...
Interestingly.....

The climax grammar form may be used to frame corrections into the support of the argument. This is particularly useful if the writer has fewer arguments to support his or her case, and can in this way borrow the support of those that he or she is really arguing against:

This corrective persuasion:

(a) Many think a calm mind is the key to their fortune. But actually it is a heroic heart that leads one to success.


Would be changed to this using the grammar of climax:

(b) Truly a calm mind strengthens the heroic heart's journey toward success and fortune.



Warmest Regards,

My Dingaling

Hi Jann, Malcolm Goodale's The Language of Meetings (also published by LTP - at least, formerly!) might not be quite what you want, but I thought I should mention it because the language it contains seems very persuasive (to my native-speaker ears at least) e.g. "Wouldn't it be better if we waited until next week to decide?" (negative question with "distancing" modal, comparative, no overt rhetoric or mention of speaker's view at all - in contrast to the rather fixed, stilted and possibly INEFFECTIVE "functional" exponents/phrases you often find jumbled up in any old order in most books - and even, it seems, in the book Larry mentioned).

A wider-ranging book (again drawn from the world of Business English) that clearly presents a range of phrases and provides some quite good/amusing activity ideas is Hollet et al's In At The Deep End (OUP).

There are also quite a few books around on the art of negotiating (and/or just being considerate!) that are often more linguistically savvy than many ELT textbooks.

Other language areas you could also look at are: conditionals, stance adverbials, tag questions, proverbs/platitudes/"wisdom" (are there opposite views expressed in a language? e.g. Many hands make light work vs. Too many cooks spoil the broth etc. You wouldn't have to use these kind of phrases verbatim, but they could give you ideas regarding contexts/problems, and alternative means of expression).

Obviously Swan's Practical English Usage, and the COBUILD Grammar, and Longman's (Student) Grammar of Spoken and Written English are all good (there are many dictionaries of proverbs available). Don't forget general EFL dictionaries either (especially those with searchable CD-ROMs)!

Thanks to all who have replied. Your help is much appreciated!! I have made note of the resource books and hope to look them up, as well.
Take Care,
j