Grammar

This chapter addresses elements of grammar that have been studied for their persuasive effects. It reviews three classes of grammatical elements. First, it covers variations of nouns, including nouns (and verbs) as linguistic cues, noun forms as subjects of sentences, and pronouns conveying points of view. Second, it covers verb forms, including past versus present verb tense, active versus passive verb voice, effects of variations in interrogative mood, and declaratives versus interrogatives. And third, it covers syntactic complexity. Each section reviews research that has investigated the persuasive effects of these elements, including meta-analyses when available. The chapter concludes with a discussion of limitations and directions for future research on the role of grammar in persuasion.