Commentary or response writing, the language devices used in advertising.

1. Commentary or Response Writing
Language Devices used in Advertising

2. Advertising aims to persuade, using a mixture of the
following devices :
∗ Imperative verbs
∗ Questions
∗ Exclamations
∗ Clichés
∗ Superlatives and intensifiers
∗ Evocative and emotional adjectives
∗ Alliteration
∗ Rhyme
∗ Statistics
Advertising Devices

3. What Is an Imperative Sentence
An imperative sentence gives a direct command.
It can end in a full stop or an exclamation mark,
depending on the forcefulness of the command.
The main verb in an imperative sentence is said to
be in the imperative mood.
Examples of Imperative Sentences:
Clear this desk by tomorrow!
Please tidy your room.
Consider the lily.
Drive to the roundabout and then turn left.
Adverting devices : Imperative verbs

4. A cliché is an overused and worn-out expression used to
convey a popular thought or idea.
Examples of Clichés:
The ball is in your court.
Think outside the box.
As useful as a lead balloon.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
Adverting devices : Clichés

5. Types of Clichés :
Proverbs.
A proverb is a short, well-known saying which states a
general truth or a piece of advice.
For example:
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A leopard cannot change its spots.
Idioms
An idiom is commonly used expression whose meaning does
not relate to the literal meaning of its word.
For example:
I am over the moon.
You have a Sword of Damocles hanging over you.
Adverting devices : Clichés

6. Catchphrases.
A catchphrase is a well-known term, especially one that is
associated with a particular famous person.
For example:
"Come on down!" (The Price Is Right)
"Yabba dabba doo!" (Fred Flintstone)
"You're fired!" (Donald Trump or Alan Sugar from The Apprentice)
Similes
A simile is a figure of speech which compares one thing with
another to create an analogy.
For example:
This is about as much use as a chocolate teapot.
He drinks like a fish.
Adverting devices : Clichés

7. Metaphors
A metaphor is a figure of speech which states one thing is
another to create an analogy.
For example:
That will put the final nail in the coffin.
I am banging my head against a brick wall here.
Overused and Worn-out Expressions
Remember, a cliché is a worn-out expression. It is one that has
lost its effectiveness through over-usage.
Not all proverbs, idioms, catchphrases, similes, and metaphors
are clichés.
Adverting devices : Clichés

8. An intensifier is a word (usually an adverb) that strengthens or
weakens another word (usually the word immediately to its
right).
An intensifier will have no real meaning in itself and can usually
be removed from the sentence.
The sole purpose of an intensifier is to tell us about the
intensity of another word.
Examples of Intensifiers in Sentences:
The pie is tasty.(There is no intensifier in this sentence.)
This pie is very tasty.(In this example, the
intensifier very strengthens the adjective tasty. )
The delegation is late.(There is no intensifier in this
sentence.)The delegation is very late.
Adverting devices :
Superlatives and Intensifiers

9. Intensifiers can also weaken the words they
govern.
For example:
She feels quite lonely.
Jack is working fairly hard on the report.
He was talking a bit anxiously.
Adverting devices :
Superlatives and Intensifiers

10. Negative-sounding Intensifiers Provide Strength
Negative-sounding words such as
awfully, dreadfully, insanely, and terribly
provide strength to the words they govern.
For example:
You look awfully pale.
I am dreadfully sorry.
That is an insanely clever plan.
Adverting devices :
Superlatives and Intensifiers

11. Alliteration is the repetition of the same initial letter in
successive words. It is done for effect.
Alliteration is a stylistic literary technique in which
neighbouring words repeat the same initial consonant
sound. This is not to be confused with consonance as
alliteration refers to only the beginning sound of the word
and consonance refers to any other part.
Alliteration is used for emphasis or to make a sentence more
pleasing to the ear. It is used in every day language, poetry,
and literature.
Adverting devices : Alliteration

12. To form alliteration we need two or more words that have the
same starting consonant sound.
It's important to focus on the sound rather than the letter
because it is the sound that catches the audience's
attention.
Adverting devices : Alliteration

13. ∗ The bouncing ball went high into the sky.
(In this example, the "B" sound is repeated back to back by two words to create
alliteration.)
∗ Finally friends find Friday fun.
(In this example, we can easily see that the "F" sound is in each and every word in the
sentence. This makes our alliteration very obvious and the repetition easily spotted.)
∗ The quick cat climbed carefully.
(This example shows the importance of the sound instead of the letter as all make a "K"
noise to create the alliteration.)
∗ Decadent depletion of our resources is a sign of
our definite demise.
(In this example, we repeatedly use the "D" sound to create the alliteration.)
Adverting devices : Alliteration