Year 10 · English · Literacy
Constructing arguments: ethos, pathos and logos
Build and analyse persuasive arguments using appeals to credibility, emotion and logic, and strengthen them by anticipating and rebutting counterarguments.
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Identify appeals to ethos, pathos and logos in persuasive texts.
- Construct a persuasive paragraph that combines appeals and rebuts a counterargument.
Success looks like
- I can classify a persuasive statement as ethos, pathos or logos.
- I can anticipate an opposing argument and rebut it respectfully.
- I can explain why combining appeals is more persuasive than relying on one.
The big idea
More than 2000 years ago, the Greek philosopher Aristotle described three ways speakers persuade. These ideas are still used to analyse speeches, advertisements and essays today.
Ethos builds trust: 'As a paramedic for fifteen years, I have seen what happens when…' It includes expertise, experience, fairness and a respectful tone.
Pathos stirs emotions and values: stories of individuals, vivid images, emotive language, appeals to fairness, family or national pride.
Logos appeals to reason: statistics, research findings, cause-and-effect reasoning, examples and logical structure.
The strongest arguments combine appeals. Logic alone can feel cold; emotion alone can seem manipulative; credibility alone does not prove a point.
Strong persuaders also address the other side. A counterargument acknowledges an opposing view ('Some argue that the cost is too high…'), and a rebuttal answers it ('…however, the long-term savings outweigh the initial outlay'). This shows fairness (ethos) and closes gaps in the argument (logos).
Worked examples
Classifying appeals
Original speech excerpt: 'I have coached junior netball in this town for twelve years. In that time, our court has flooded every winter, cancelling an average of six games a season. Imagine being nine years old, turning up in your new uniform, only to be sent home again.' Identify each appeal.
- 'I have coached junior netball… for twelve years' – establishes experience: ethos.
- 'cancelling an average of six games a season' – evidence and numbers: logos.
- 'Imagine being nine years old… sent home again' – invites empathy: pathos.
Answer: Ethos (twelve years of coaching), logos (six cancelled games per season) and pathos (the disappointed nine-year-old).
Writing a counterargument and rebuttal
Contention: schools should start at 9:30 am for teenagers. Write a counterargument and rebuttal.
- Anticipate a real objection: later starts may clash with parents' work hours.
- Acknowledge it fairly: 'Some parents worry that a later start will make the morning routine harder.'
- Rebut with reasoning: suggest a solution or show the benefit outweighs the cost.
Answer: Some parents worry that a later start would clash with their work hours. However, schools could offer supervised early-morning library sessions, and the benefits of better-rested, more focused students outweigh this manageable inconvenience.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
'Research from a national survey found that 70 per cent of respondents supported the change.' This is mainly…
Logos — It uses statistical evidence to appeal to reason.
'As a doctor who has treated hundreds of heatstroke cases…' appeals mainly to…
Ethos — The speaker establishes professional credibility.
'Picture a frightened koala clinging to a blackened tree.' This appeal is…
Pathos — The vivid image is designed to provoke emotion.
Why does including a rebuttal strengthen an argument?
It shows fairness and answers objections before the audience raises them. — Addressing objections builds credibility and closes logical gaps.
Who first described ethos, pathos and logos?
Aristotle — The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle described the three appeals in his work on rhetoric.
Which appeal (ethos, pathos or logos) targets the audience's emotions? (one word)
Pathos — Pathos appeals to emotion.
What is a response that weakens an opposing argument called? (one word)
Rebuttal — A rebuttal answers a counterargument.
Which appeal (ethos, pathos or logos) is about the speaker's credibility? (one word)
Ethos — Ethos builds trust in the speaker.
Watch out for
- Thinking pathos is always manipulative. Emotional appeals are legitimate when they reflect real stakes honestly.
- Believing that ignoring the other side makes an argument stronger. Audiences trust writers who engage fairly with objections.
- Treating each sentence as only one appeal. A single sentence can combine ethos, pathos and logos.
Tips for parents
- Watch a short political speech or advertisement together and tally the appeals.
- Debate a light-hearted household question (such as the best Australian snack) and require a rebuttal from each side.
- Ask, 'Why should I believe you?' to prompt your learner to think about ethos.
Go further
- Write and deliver a two-minute speech on a local issue that uses all three appeals and one rebuttal.
- Highlight a published opinion piece in three colours and decide which appeal dominates.
- Rewrite a purely emotional paragraph so it balances pathos with logos and ethos.