What does rhetorical mean?
Word: Rhetorical
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Used to impress or persuade people rather than to give information. A rhetorical question is asked to make a point, not to get an answer.
Synonyms: oratorical
Word origin: From Greek rhetor, a public speaker.
How do you spell rhetorical?
Syllables: rhe - tor - i - cal
Tricky part: It begins with rh and the h is silent. Students write retorical, or swap the letters to make rethorical.
Watch out for: retorical, rethorical, rhetorickal
Memory tip: Rhetorical begins with rh, just like rhyme and rhythm, two tools speakers use to sway a crowd.
Rhetorical in a sentence
Example 1: 'Who wants to fail an exam?' is a rhetorical question.
Example 2: The leader's speech was full of rhetorical flourishes.
Example 3: When Papa asks whether money grows on trees, the question is rhetorical.
Fun Fact
Aristotle, the Greek thinker, wrote a whole book on rhetoric more than 2,300 years ago, and its ideas are still taught in speech classes today.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. mischievious 2. eloquant 3. rhetorical 4. psycology
a) speaking well and clearly
b) fond of playful trouble
c) said for effect, to sway listeners
d) the study of the mind and behaviour
Show answer
c) said for effect, to sway listeners. Eloquent ends in -ent, psychology needs an h after the c, and mischievous has no i after the v.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
rhet_r_cal
a) o, i
b) e, i
c) a, i
d) o, e
Show answer
a) o, i. The stressed middle syllable is tor, and a short i follows the second r.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The minister's ltrohraeic style won loud cheers but answered nothing.
a) rhetorical
b) theoretical
c) historical
d) theatrical
Show answer
a) rhetorical. Theatrical and theoretical each need a second t, and historical an s; a style that wins cheers but answers nothing is rhetorical.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
rhetoricall
a) c
b) t
c) a
d) l
Show answer
d) l. The ending -al takes one l, as in magical and musical.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is a rhetorical question?
a) How old is your brother?
b) Where did I put my bag?
c) What time is it now?
d) Who doesn't love holidays?
Show answer
d) Who doesn't love holidays?
2. A person skilled in rhetoric is good at ____.
a) running long distances quickly
b) repairing old machines
c) growing fruit and vegetables
d) using words skilfully in speeches
Show answer
d) using words skilfully in speeches
