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GCSE

Writing for an Audience

Question

What are rhetorical questions?

2 years ago

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101 Replies

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5555 views

J

Juwan Fritsch


101 Answers

V
Viktoriia Voit

Rhetorical question is a figure of speech that is posed as a question but is not intended to be answered

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Rhetorical questions is asking a question when you don't expect an answer- for example, when you parents yell 'how many times do I have to ask you to tidy your room?'

No answer is expected.

It's also used a lot in persuasive writing- for example 'Do you want to pay less for petrol? Of course you do'

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E
Esther Arinze-Opara

A question asked which requires no given answer

H
Hannah Jones

Hi there!

A rhetorical question is a question you ask without expecting a response. They are used in order to elicit a response or to make a point. For example, 'Can birds fly? Of course they can!'. Here, I am asking the question not to get an answer, but to emphasise the obvious fact that birds can fly.

Hope this helps!

D
Dara Mcdermott

a question which is asked to create a dramatic point rather than to make a point

B
Bethany Williams

This is a question that is not asked with the goal of obtaining information. It can be used to emphasise the speaker's views on a topic or to persuade the listener to think more deeply about something.

E
Ellie

Hi Juwan!

Rhetorical questions are questions that the author/speaker doesn’t need or want an answer to. So, whilst normal questions may be asked by one person to another person (requiring the second person to answer), rhetorical questions simply pose an idea and don’t need an answer.

D
Devika Tailor

Rhetorical questions are questions that are asked but that do not require an answer, usually because the question is asked to make a point meaning that the answer is obvious or that the asker is about to explain themselves.

A
Alice Callender

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech that is posed as a question but is not intended to gain a response from the listener(s). Instead, it is used for effect, typically to make a point or engage the audience in thought. An example in everyday conversation could be: 'Who do you think you are?'. Take a look at some of Shakespeare's work too - it uses this technique a lot!

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Basically, a question that does not need an answer. This could be because the answer is so obvious that it doesn't need to be said, or it could be used ironically, sarcastically or even insultingly. Example: A character asking "are you really that lazy?", not as a real question, but as a way to express their opinion that the person is, indeed, that lazy.

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Meerab Zahoor

Hey there. Rhetorical questions are questions that are not meant to be answered. Usually the person asking them is either talking to themselves, or being sarcastic in a way. For example if your friend says “you wouldn’t want me to starve now would you?” That would imply the question not to be answered because obviously you don’t want your friend to starve. Rhetorical questions are form of language device to make you think more about the character or person and maybe how they interpret or feel.

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