Exercises

No, they’re not AP Lang specific. But they’ll make you more persuasive.

“YES, AND”

First person makes an assertion. The next person says, “Yes, but…,” and so on. Instead of literally saying “Yes, but…,” try to appear to agree with the previous person while going on to argue the opposite.”

EVEN BETTER GAME

Take a particular object or book and hold it in your hand. Argue how it could be “even better.” Try to sound as if you love your object even while you suggest a complete change. It’s great practice in the art of ingratiation.

Example: “Isn’t this water glass amazing? It’s so…clear. And it holds water! It would be even better if it didn’t sweat all over my desk. An unsweaty glass: the Platonic ideal of water containers!”

  • Paper clip

  • Pencil

  • Pillow

  • Light switch

  • Toothbrush

  • Remote control

  • iPhone

  • Laptop

  • The human mouth

  • Your ears

DICE GAME

Sell an object to a particular audience. Roll a pair of dice to pick an object and an audience. Customize your pitch to suit your audience’s values, needs, and identity. (You’ll find the details here.)

Example: Roll a 2 and a 5, and you have to sell a ball of yarn to your boss. Lots of luck!

DON’T SHOW & TELL (ENARGEIA)

Pretend you’re supposed to present one or more of the following objects in front of an audience. The problem is, you forgot to bring them. Project the object like a hologram, using only enargeia, the skill of vivid description that makes a scene appear before your audience’s very eyes.

  • Superball

  • Lizard

  • Moon rock

  • Stolen copy of the Magna Carta

  • Slinky

  • Dick Tracy video watch

  • Fairy

  • Alka-Seltzer

  • Your favorite childhood pet

TIME WARP (PROSOPOPOEIA)

Put a character from history or the media in a novel situation—say, Eleanor Roosevelt arguing for universal health care (but wait; maybe she did), or haggling with a sales clerk, or demanding a refund at a restaurant, or getting his nephews to do their homework.

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