Ethos Pathos Logos Worksheet explained Part 1 - Free Printable

You're looking at a worksheet on ethos, one of the three rhetorical appeals (along with pathos and logos) used in persuasive communication. The task asks you to identify whether each example uses ethos — which is an appeal to credibility, authority, or character — and explain why.

Let’s break down the two examples you’ve shown:

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✔ Example 1:

> “You should definitely get help with your debt, & I say that as somebody with over 30 years experience of debt counseling.”

- Ethos? → Yes
- Explanation:
The speaker establishes their credibility by highlighting their 30+ years of experience in debt counseling. This makes the audience more likely to trust their advice because they’re presenting themselves as an authority or expert on the subject. That’s classic ethos.

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✔ Example 2:

> “We really should try that recipe. Someone told me that it was good.”

- Ethos? → No
- Explanation:
The phrase “Someone told me” is vague and doesn’t refer to any credible source — not a chef, not a food critic, not even a friend with cooking skills. Since no authority or trustworthy character is invoked, this does not count as an appeal to ethos. It’s actually a weak argument — possibly an *appeal to popularity* or just hearsay — but definitely not ethos.

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📝 General Tip for Identifying Ethos:

Ask yourself:
> “Does the speaker try to convince me by showing they are trustworthy, experienced, authoritative, or morally sound?”

If yes → Ethos is being used.
If no → It’s probably logos (logic/data) or pathos (emotion), or neither.

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✔ You’ve already filled out the worksheet correctly! Just make sure your explanations clearly tie back to credibility, authority, or character — that’s the heart of ethos.

Let me know if you want help with other examples from the worksheet!